New Zeiss Victory SF !!!!!! (23 Viewers)

[james holdsworth]

I had a long look at production samples of both the SF 8x42 and the 10x42 today, and they showed neither of the weaknesses you found in the pre-production samples. In fact, die focuser was just about the best I've ever handled in a binocular.

Hermann

BTW, if the SF is really as good as it seems to be going by my impressions, I don't think the HT 42mm will survive in the long run.

I see the HT and SF as equivalents of the SLC-HD and the SV series - both with somewhat different properties and applications.

I would still be surprised if the SF has the transparency and superb clarity / saturation of the HT. Most of the bins I have compared with field flatteners tend to have a bit less contrast and more ghost images. I'll have to try an SF for myself someday.

 

[Bert S]

After selling my HD 8x42 and HT 8x42 I am now since a week the proud owner of the SF 8x42.
During the two short times in the field with this binocular I found out that:
-The SF is really faster in focus: easy focusing on flying birds
-The balance and grip is excellent
-The strap is more comfortable due to the neoprene in the strap at the shoulder and the weight of the binocular
-The view is impressive

I cannot tell the exact difference in the optics quality between HT and SF, both are excellent binoculars.
The sum of all the advantages makes the SF for me a very useful tool in the field.

About the question of the ocular cups I can tell they hold very well. To me this was not an issue, as I never use them: when viewing in rain the cups get wet as well.

At my second try today in the field today I really feel very happy with my SF: due to the fast focus I did not miss things. I bought it at a dutch retailer who is also active on this forum.

I can't wait to discover more with it......

 

[jan van daalen]

After selling my HD 8x42 and HT 8x42 I am now since a week the proud owner of the SF 8x42.
During the two short times in the field with this binocular I found out that:
-The SF is really faster in focus: easy focusing on flying birds
-The balance and grip is excellent
-The strap is more comfortable due to the neoprene in the strap at the shoulder and the weight of the binocular
-The view is impressive

I cannot tell the exact difference in the optics quality between HT and SF, both are excellent binoculars.
The sum of all the advantages makes the SF for me a very useful tool in the field.

About the question of the ocular cups I can tell they hold very well. To me this was not an issue, as I never use them: when viewing in rain the cups get wet as well.

At my second try today in the field today I really feel very happy with my SF: due to the fast focus I did not miss things. I bought it at a dutch retailer who is also active on this forum.

I can't wait to discover more with it......

Bert,

Welcome on BF and thanks for sharing.
Since there are not so much "independent" reviews from users, please feel welcome to keep posting both positive and negative experiences and prepare yourself for answering a lot questions.

Jan

 

[bh46118]

I expected for there to be a noticeable difference in favor of the SF.

I cannot tell the exact difference in the optics quality between HT and SF,

 

[bh46118]

Steve260

Give us something, I'm loosing sleep waiting to hear. :-O

 

[Hermann]

I expected for there to be a noticeable difference in favor of the SF.

From what I saw yesterday at a trade show (no chance to use the binoculars outside, unfortunately), comparing the HT and the SF 8x42 for an hour or so side by side, I saw several differences:

- Clearly wider field of view of the SF, that's surprisingly obvious and makes a much bigger difference than I thought it would.
- Sharpness across the field of view, the SF is sharp to something like 95% of the field of view, the HT isn't.
- Very easy view, easier than in the HT. Especially the 8x42 is outstanding, but the SF 10x42 is also better than the HT 10x42 in my opinion.
- Some rolling ball in the SF 8x42, none in the 10x42. No rolling ball in the HT obviously. I wasn't bothered by it in the SF.

In the *centre* I couldn't see a difference in resolution and/or sharpness between the HT and the SF, but that's hardly surprising, given the quality of the HT. Both binoculars had equally high contrast to my eyes, and both had no problems viewing against the light (lots of bright lights there). When looking into shadowy areas of the roof I saw the same amount of detail. The better transmission values of the HT were *not* visible, at least I couldn't see any difference. Colour reproduction seemed very similar, but that's something you've really got to judge outside, in the field. I couldn't see any CA in either the SF or the HT.

Of course all of these observations will have to be validated in the field.

Other points I noticed:

- The focuser of the SFs I tried (10x42, 8x42, both production units) was extremely good: Very smooth, very "precise", no backlash, no play, no differences between the two directions. The focuser of the HTs was very good, the one of the SF was even better. The best focuser I've used so far, an excellent compromise between precision and speed.

- The ergonomics of the SF are great, the difference between it and the other roofs I know was quite obvious when handholding the bin for more than a minute or so. It *does* feel lighter than it is. That, coupled with its size, may even lead some people to say it doesn't feel very "solid".

- All the "problems" that have been noticed in some of the pre-production units are gone. The eyecups feel solid and work just fine. Zeiss obviously did some tweaking here and there, as was to be expected.

From what I saw yesterday I can see myself getting an SF 8x42 in the not too distant future.

Hermann

 

[Chosun Juan]

Thanks for the feedback Hermann, und Bert (Welcome! :t:

I know it's hard for you to both say more from the brief time you have spent with them, but the thirst is great ! ...... B
Questions:-
* Does the HT have an advantage in "Clarity" / "Transparency" due to its A-K prisms ? (I was very impressed with this quality of the HT in comparison to the SV for example)
* Does this translate as more detail visible in the shadows ? (such as under heavy, deep canopy, or looking into burrows, hollows, etc) -- especially given the HT's superior transmission .....
* Although I would expect resolution and colour rendition to be of the same high standard / neutrality, how does the SF compare in the contrast, and glare handling, hence sharpness departments against the HT ?

Many thanks for any further information )


Chosun :gh:

 

[bh46118]

That pretty much says it all. Talk is talk, letting go of two or three grand to back up the talk, that's what I'm talking about. :t:

From what I saw yesterday I can see myself getting an SF 8x42 in the not too distant future.
Hermann

 

[Hermann]

Questions:-
* Does the HT have an advantage in "Clarity" / "Transparency" due to its A-K prisms ? (I was very impressed with this quality of the HT in comparison to the SV for example)
* Does this translate as more detail visible in the shadows ? (such as under heavy, deep canopy, or looking into burrows, hollows, etc) -- especially given the HT's superior transmission .....
* Although I would expect resolution and colour rendition to be of the same high standard / neutrality, how does the SF compare in the contrast, and glare handling, hence sharpness departments against the HT ?

All good questions, and I wish I knew the answer ... :king: I'd really need a day (or two) in the field to come to a firm conclusion, and I don't really like to speculate on something I can't really judge without some time in the field.

However, I thought I couldn't see any difference between the Ht and the SF when looking into the shadows under the roof. That alone was surprising, I thought I'd see a difference there.

I also had a look at the SV 8.5x42 at the Swarovski booth, but had no direct comparison to the SF obviously. So I won't comment publically on what I thought I saw. What I *can* say is that the focuser of the SF I looked at was quite clearly better than the focuser of the SV.

Sorry, I know this isn't very helpful. But there's so much unfounded speculation in these threads I don't want to contribute to it.

Hermann

 

[Tobias Mennle]

I see the HT and SF as equivalents of the SLC-HD and the SV series - both with somewhat different properties and applications.

I would still be surprised if the SF has the transparency and superb clarity / saturation of the HT. Most of the bins I have compared with field flatteners tend to have a bit less contrast and more ghost images. I'll have to try an SF for myself someday.

+1

Well, quite different properties… Could never get the contrast and saturation from the SLC 8x42 when using the SV 8x32. Totally different images. It´s a high price for flat field in many ways...

 

[Bert S]

@Chosun:
I only compared the two together ( HT & SF) at the introduction in the Netherlands (I am no expert!):
When I was looking I saw that the clarity and brightness of the HT was very good, maybe better than the SF.
The HT has an excellent depth of view in the center of the view.
The SF creates a beautiful and wide picture of the spot you are focussing on.
In the shadow the HT will show a little more detail in the center, but it will make no difference when the little light is coming form the wrong side: than it is difficult for both!
For your third question: the contrast and colour rendition is with he SF on the same high level. What do you mean by glare handling?
For me the SF is the perfect binocular for general use.
But I also think that a binocular design (e.g. Schmidt Pechan with field flattener vs Abbe Koenig) is always a compromise to obtain the required result.

Regarding my SF: I can't wait to go in the field with it. Last Friday I booked the ferry for my summer holidays to Scotland and I am looking forward to explore the nature of Scotland with the SF.

 

[etudiant]

Regarding my SF: I can't wait to go in the field with it. Last Friday I booked the ferry for my summer holidays to Scotland and I am looking forward to explore the nature of Scotland with the SF.

Does this mean you have an expansive view of 'summer holidays' or will we have to wait for further feedback until next July?

 

[bh46118]

Enough people have the SF by now that I would have expected some glowing reports.

 

[james holdsworth]

Enough people have the SF by now that I would have expected some glowing reports.

I guess you will find what you want to...wait long enough and there are bound to be some negative reviews.

Hermann's review is telling enough for me - I know the HT well and it sounds like the SF matches the centre-field and betters it in edge performance and FOV. I have no need for more optics but the SF seems to deliver on most of its' promises and would have to be considered by anyone shopping alphas.

 

[bh46118]

I'm sure it does, and I would love to see one. I'm not looking for it to be anything other than what it is, and it may be the best ever.

The SF seems to deliver on most of its' promises and would have to be considered by anyone shopping alphas.

 

[Bert S]

@etudiant
Of course not, there are plenty of areas with birds to be seen in The Netherlands!

 

[stereotruckdriver]

Enough people have the SF by now that I would have expected some glowing reports.

Sell ur sv, then we will get a first hand review.

Just kidding!

Bryce...

 

[Troubador]

Enough people have the SF by now that I would have expected some glowing reports.

Only if you think the rest of the bino-using world are sad obsessives like us, scrutinising Bird Forum every hour for the latest news and gossip.

Fortunately for mankind we are a tiny minority and 9.5 SF users out of 10 are waiting for the weekend so they can go out and enjoy them.

You haven't got 'gas' again BH, have you? :-O

Lee

 

[stereotruckdriver]

Only if you think the rest of the bino-using world are sad obsessives like us, scrutinising Bird Forum every hour for the latest news and gossip.

Fortunately for mankind we are a tiny minority and 9.5 SF users out of 10 are waiting for the weekend so they can go out and enjoy them.

You haven't got 'gas' again BH, have you? :-O

Lee

Where is the like button!

The other .5 are out using there sv!!!

Bryce...

 

[Troubador]

Where is the like button!

The other .5 are out using there sv!!!

Bryce...

HI Bryce

So you are forecasting 9.5 SFs will be sold to every 0.5 SVs?? :eek!:

Lee