Zeiss Conquest bins (1 Viewer)

[Steve Napier]

Leif,
I agree that you have to pay for the VERY best quality optics.
It was a bit surprising to find that a company of the stature of Zeiss release binoculars that are NOT of the highest possible standards both opticaly and mechanicaly.I didnt realize Zeiss done this so,thanks for the information.
As for the Chinese optics. they do not even come close to the top of the range REFRACTOR optics of companies like TMB,ASTRO-PHYSICS,TAKAHSHI,and TELEVUE.
These companies DONT release telescopes that are optically inferior,Im very surprised Zeiss do.
Thankyou
Steve.

 

[hinnark]

Leif,
I agree that you have to pay for the VERY best quality optics.
It was a bit surprising to find that a company of the stature of Zeiss release binoculars that are NOT of the highest possible standards both opticaly and mechanicaly.I didnt realize Zeiss done this so,thanks for the information.
As for the Chinese optics. they do not even come close to the top of the range REFRACTOR optics of companies like TMB,ASTRO-PHYSICS,TAKAHSHI,and TELEVUE.
These companies DONT release telescopes that are optically inferior,Im very surprised Zeiss do.
Thankyou
Steve.

Steve,

I don´t understand your point. Which products of Zeiss are inferior and comparing to which other product? AFAIK Zeiss Conquest binoculars are made in Hungary. Why shouldn´t a company like Zeiss offering binos for the mid range market? Maybe it´s not a bad idea not to let this market for Japanese manufactorers alone. Nikon for example is offering products from cheap to high quality. Maybe Zeiss was angry about the success of Minox in this part of the optical market I like best quality optics too but there are some people who can´t or don´t want to spend the money that is needed for the very best.

But if a company with high quality reputation is producing in foreign countries the customers have to be sure that quality controll is working very tight.

Steve

 

[normjackson]

Maybe we've been watching too much coverage of the American elections (just teasing). Inferior is a comparative term, so taken out of context the line "Zeiss produce inferior optics" sounds rather like something a politician might say.
Can't be too many companies who can focus entirely on producing state of art products. They'd probably need to be a company of cottage industry size cf Leica, Zeiss etc. with a backlog of orders runnning into years. Didn't the reality of marketing mean that Al Nagler had to develop a reputation for his company producing Plossls before he was prepared to release his new premium price eyepieces bearing his name onto the market. And didn't he later chose to move Televue production of those Plossls to the far East to remain competitive. And what about the excellent but less than state of the art scope the Ranger the company produced to capture a new market.
At the moment looks as though in these new Conquest bins Zeiss may have produced something highly competitive in their price range. That seems a laudable achievement.

 

[Atomic Chicken]

Greetings!

I just checked my Zeiss Victory Compact 8X20's, and they have "Made by Carl Zeiss in Hungary" on the underside label. Kind of surprised me... I always assumed they were made in Germany. Are all Zeiss Victory Compact binoculars made in Hungary? Or is this a recent changeover?

Best wishes,
Bawko

 

[Leif]

It is a bit odd to criticise Zeiss for producing a mid-range product, though I guess this is all about brand management. I get the impression that in the birding world Nikon do not have the cachet of Leica and this might be because they also produce 'budget' binoculars. Thus the Nikon logo does not guarantee premium quality. Some companies avoid this 'cheapening of the brand' by creating another brand. Thus Lexus is a posh Toyota. Maybach is a very posh Mercedes or Volkswagon (I forget which). I think Minox and Leica are somehow linked, with Minox producing mid-range kit and Leica premium.

Anyway Leica are in some trouble as the digital revolution is cutting sales of their high end photographic optics.

 

[Steve Napier]

Hi Lads.
I didnt critcise Zeiss for these Binoculars,I merely thought that Zeiss made ALL their Binoculars to the highest possible standards.I wasnt aware that they made mid price models.
Now,thanks to your replies I do know.
Televue no longer produce the Ranger and Pronto models.
Thanks,
Steve.

 

[normjackson]

Hope you didn't start feeling the gang were turning up on you, Steve. Maybe we should try to organise a kick*ss weekend in Rochdale, check out some serious optics :
www.pennineonline.com
then maybe trash a few police cars

All the best.

 

[rosharb]

I sent my 8x30's (Conquest) back to Zeiss for inspection. The glare or flaring or reflection was totally annoying. I don't know if they are defective but Zeiss should receive them today. I will post the results.
Dave

While doing a search I found this, did they fix your binocular to your satisfaction? I just bought the same binocular and had that problem and also sent them to Zeiss in the US and they sent them to Germany to be repaired.

 

[PYRTLE]

It is a bit odd to criticise Zeiss for producing a mid-range product, though I guess this is all about brand management. I get the impression that in the birding world Nikon do not have the cachet of Leica and this might be because they also produce 'budget' binoculars. Thus the Nikon logo does not guarantee premium quality. Some companies avoid this 'cheapening of the brand' by creating another brand. Thus Lexus is a posh Toyota. Maybach is a very posh Mercedes or Volkswagon (I forget which). I think Minox and Leica are somehow linked, with Minox producing mid-range kit and Leica premium.

Anyway Leica are in some trouble as the digital revolution is cutting sales of their high end photographic optics.

Afraid I agree with Leif.......for example, the Nikon ED 50mm is a fantastic piece of kit given its size, price against performance - but AHHHHHRRRRRR -ITS MADE IN CHINA! Gadzooks!
I have been testing this for several months and will add one to my collection of pure optics such as Zeiss 8x32 FLs and Swarovski 65HD scope.

Personally I don't see a problem. Of note - Components for Leica eyepieces are made by subcontractors outside of Germany..eg Portugal/Czech Republic?/Hungary.......will this make Leica televid owners recoil in horror and get rid of their optics.. I don't think so.

Zeiss Conquests in 45 mm spec have been available in the UK for at least six months - overall, they are a very good mid priced roof prism but not as good as FLs.....you pay your money etc.

Happy birding.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

Zeiss Conquests in 45 mm spec have been available in the UK for at least six months - overall, they are a very good mid priced roof prism but not as good as FLs.....you pay your money etc.

Happy birding.

I think that the Conquests are not as good as the older ClassicC T*P* either, but there may be eyecups issues there with eyeglass wearers.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

While doing a search I found this, did they fix your binocular to your satisfaction? I just bought the same binocular and had that problem and also sent them to Zeiss in the US and they sent them to Germany to be repaired.

You can still find the ClassicC T P 8x30, and they are better than the Conquest, in my opinion.

 

[bodromarsh]

Zeiss Conquest full of reflections

I checked out a pair of Zeiss Conquest at Cabela's in Buda Texas, and was appalled at their lack of quality. Basically all I saw were halos of light all over the view. I am sure this was due to the binoculars, and not the store's lighting as I have tested many other binoculars there.

As an aside, the Zeiss Conquest rifle scopes are "Assembled in USA" and have as good an image as the Diavari rifle scopes costing twice as much.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

I checked out a pair of Zeiss Conquest at Cabela's in Buda Texas, and was appalled at their lack of quality. Basically all I saw were halos of light all over the view. I am sure this was due to the binoculars, and not the store's lighting as I have tested many other binoculars there.

As an aside, the Zeiss Conquest rifle scopes are "Assembled in USA" and have as good an image as the Diavari rifle scopes costing twice as much.

i'll second that about binos and riflescopes. I think that the Conquest binoculars are just inexpensive components and coatings, probably nothing wrong with them being assembled in Hungary.

 

[Tero]

I have had the 10x42 Conquests for half a year now. I mainly get use out of them in winter, as I use 8x a lot in summer and spring.

The optics are overall better than my Monarch 10x42s. However, they have two problems.
1 Glare at sun rise and sun set. No problem on cloudy winter days
2 hard eye cups
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=83092

I was aware of these problems right away and could have sent them back. However, for this price I did not what else I would get. The warranty is good, and the overall build is quite solid. I expect these to work pretty much the same for 10-20 years.

Sometimes I go out with two pairs, and if I carry a 8x32 around my neck, and some other 10x in the back pack, it is usually the Monarchs at 20-21 oz. On most outings I do not even take them out. But I carry them as I am too lazy to carry a scope more than half a mile.

 

[Paul Godolphin]

What was their reply?

I sent my 8x30's (Conquest) back to Zeiss for inspection. The glare or flaring or reflection was totally annoying. I don't know if they are defective but Zeiss should receive them today. I will post the results.
Dave

Dave, I've been watching this thread for a long time now, waiting to see your results. I can't find them. Forgive me if I've overlooked the posting of these promised results. I have also commented on this characteristic of the 8x30 Conquest (it's much worse on the 10x30) so I am eager to hear the outcome.
Did you post it somewhere?
Paul

 

[Robert / Seattle]

Dave, I've been watching this thread for a long time now, waiting to see your results. I can't find them. Forgive me if I've overlooked the posting of these promised results. I have also commented on this characteristic of the 8x30 Conquest (it's much worse on the 10x30) so I am eager to hear the outcome.
Did you post it somewhere?
Paul

Paul,

I would guess that not very much happened as this "flaring" is an unrepairable characteristic in all Zeiss binoculars I've tried -- including the FLs and the ClassiC T* B/GA. Under field test conditions my Swarovski 8x32s show much less flare, and my Leica Ultravids show almost none. The best solution is to cup one's "free" hand over the affected occular(s) as if providing a lens hood. This does work surprisingly well.

Robert

 

[KorHaan]

Hi all,

I had an opportunity to obtain a Zeiss Conquest 10x30 today, for half price, at an opticians store. New in the box.
They had an annoyingly stiff focuser, one of the worst I've ever seen. Using the bins was near to impossible. This is the second sample of CQ 10x30 with a bad focuser I tried in a year; I've tried three so far and only one had an acceptably smooth focus wheel. Not great, but acceptable.

Of course I did not buy them, I wouldn't want to have them for free as far as I'm concerned; but it is beyond my comprehension these bins pass Zeiss' quality control.
It makes you wonder if there's any q.c. whatsoever?


These things are sold for 700 Euros, who would want to buy this rubbish?
Instead I bought a nice Bynolyt Buzzard 10x42 roof for half price ( 243 Euros ).

Greetings, Ronald

 

[Tero]

I have had the 10x42 Conquests for half a year now. I mainly get use out of them in winter, as I use 8x a lot in summer and spring.

The optics are overall better than my Monarch 10x42s. However, they have two problems.
1 Glare at sun rise and sun set. No problem on cloudy winter days
2 hard eye cups
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=83092

I was aware of these problems right away and could have sent them back. However, for this price I did not what else I would get..

In hindsight, the Pentax 10x43 DCF SP would also have been a good choice, and with the lighter weight, I would probably choose them now. On the other hand, the Zeiss, with trnasferrable warranty, have good resale value. The glare I do not worry about now in winter, for a good 4 months to come.

 

[Paul Godolphin]

Result from DHB

I sent my 8x30's (Conquest) back to Zeiss for inspection. The glare or flaring or reflection was totally annoying. I don't know if they are defective but Zeiss should receive them today. I will post the results. Dave

HI all
Dave just sent the following result:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: Conquest returned: Your results?
Sorry Paul. Zeiss said there was nothing wrong so I had Zeiss return them to the vendor I bought them from. Maybe a combination of my facial structure and the bino's. Not sure but they were unusable for me.
Dave

 

[Robert / Seattle]

HI all
Dave just sent the following result:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: Conquest returned: Your results?
Sorry Paul. Zeiss said there was nothing wrong so I had Zeiss return them to the vendor I bought them from. Maybe a combination of my facial structure and the bino's. Not sure but they were unusable for me.
Dave

Just as I predicted (post #36, above).