In addition to all this, there are BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCE IN OUR INDIVIDUAL EYES to further complicate things.I have no animosity towards Henry. He is very knowledgeable about binoculars and optics, but I don't feel he knows enough about the HT's total design parameters to be making suggestions for improvements. Binocular design is extremely complex and if you change one thing you could be affecting the performance in another area. His suggestion to change the focusing element from a singlet to a doublet is foolhardy. I am not making excuses for Zeiss or the HT, I am just trying to explain why the HT might have some some CA and SA. No binocular is perfect. None of the alpha binoculars are perfect, including the SF, NL or Noctivid. I don't think the HT deserves the bad rap Henry is giving it. If Henry thinks he can design a better low light binocular than the HT, he should do it. He could put Swarovski, Zeiss and Leica out of business! I would be first in line to buy one. Not everybody shares Henry's opinion on the Zeiss HT. My point is, don't discount the Zeiss HT because Henry Link says it is a "dog" because you might be missing out on your favorite binocular. Here are some comments from optics4birding.
"The HTs were really worth the wait because they are fabulous! They are, if anything, even brighter than the FLs, and that’s just the beginning."
"There’s no way to describe that brightness, but we can illustrate it. Two of us were out birding at dusk one evening when a large group of geese flew into the pond in front of us. The one of us using the Victory HTs could easily pick out the 3 Greater White-fronted Geese mixed in with the Canada's as they splashed in for a landing. Once on the pond, where it was even darker, the HTs were still easily picking out the three different geese. The other person was using Victory FLs and couldn’t make them out, but when we exchanged binoculars, there they were! Simply put, the light throughput of the HTs is so good that it allows you to see things that even other excellent binoculars just can’t pick out."
"The HTs have slightly better than average depth of field and average field curvature. We feel that the HTs have better field edge performance than the FLs did. That “soft” portion of view at the field edge is smaller on the HTs than it was on the FLs. The HTs also are notably better than average on color aberration, which is to say we see less of it."
" We think the Zeiss Victory HT is a fabulous binocular, whether you want to use it for birding, hunting, or general nature watching. The brightness and clarity of the view is breath-taking, the ergonomics are excellent, and the ease of use is superb."
Zeiss Victory HT Binoculars Review
The optics experts review the top optics and best accessories available, at various price points, from all major manufacturers. The reviews cover all aspects of the items including their accessories. From the most expensive to the most moderate priced items. What you get and what you should expect.www.optics4birding.com
I am very sensitive to eye relief so, that has a huge effect on some bins that are too short for my facial and eye structure!
Specifically, I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with Leica NV bins. Lovely to use but, due to my facial structure are really hard to get a placed properly for a good image.
In terms of the Zeiss HT aruguments ... It is a bit like buying a pickup and complaining it doesn't handle as well a Corvette or ride as smooth as a Cadillac.
