Thanks for the reply. I would have bet that you would have said no considering your new fondness of wide angles. A thousand bucks for a binocular at this date with a 372 ft FOV is a lot of money. I guess a case can be made that it is a specialty product and is worth the money for someone looking for small and light from a company with exceptional service. The Monarch 7 8X30 has some quirks, such as touchy eye placement, but I am willing to compromise in order to get the light weight, small size and expansive FOV. I would never accept those issues in a standard 8X42.
Thanks for the kind remarks!
You are right that a lot of thought went into making such a significant purchase. I originally went to a festival last summer to view the pre-production models with the idea of finding out what they were like so I could follow along with the discussions on the Forum. I left with a desire to own one! Three other people with me were also impressed and have or will ultimately purchase a SF.
The wide field of view is noticeable, but it is even more impressive in the 8X42 SF at 444 ft at a 1,000 yards. That is even more than the 435 ft of the Monarch 7 8X30 which members have found impressive for a roof. Then add to that experience the flat field of the SF (although not quite as flat as a SV). I do not currently own a high end 8X42 and was getting close to obtaining one when the SF was announced. My list at the time was the EDG, the SLC or the Zeiss HT. The EDG went off the list because of the Nikon warranty changes. I had an HT that went to my brother so I was leaning toward the SLC just to have something different. Now the SF 8X42 and that 444 ft FOV tops the list, but that is not in the plan for the near future. One thing I need more information on is the rolling ball. I did see some in the pre-production model but I doubt if it was to the point that it would bother me.
I think you would like some of the attributes of the 8X42 SF but you would not adapt to it over the long haul because of your love for smaller binoculars. It is a shame the Monarch 7 8X30 did not work for you because it could be the poster child for a small light weight wide view 8X 30mm class binocular.
Yes, sometimes it is the little things, but in this case, I think it is the sum of those things that make the Zeiss SF work so well.
I assume the Atlas 7X36 is gone since it was not on your list. You gave it what I thought was a positive review a few weeks ago so I figured you would keep it for a while. Assuming it is gone, what was the reason for sending down the road?
