Zeiss SFL 8x40 Eyecup Stray light issue! (1 Viewer)

[Mac198]

Hi all,

My name is Will and this is my first time posting to Birdforum. After seeing glowing reviews of the Zeiss SFL on this site I decided to purchase them back in October. It has been a fantastic binocular except for one issue. There is an incredible amount of light/ distracting reflections on the shiny bits of the eye pieces. I doubt it’s internal because it appears even with the objective covers on. It’s especially apparent while viewing in inclement conditions where light is diffused everywhere (cloudy days) or when there is a ton of light entering directly through the sides. I don’t have this issue with my Nikon Monarch M7’s so it surprised me that my that nicer SFL’s would have this.

Does anyone with these binoculars have a similar issue? A pair of Swarovski eye shields I purchased have helped but I really don’t like using them. It seems like a simple matte paint would have prevented this issue!

Thank you!

 

[NDhunter]

Do you wear glasses ? Often this could do with having the IPD (interpupillary distance) at the right point,
or it could be having the eyecups, in or out to the proper position for your eyes.
Good luck, have some patience and try to get the optic to fit you.
Jerry

 

[tenex]

Welcome to Birdforum, Will. If you can add eye shields you must not be wearing glasses... SFLs have 18mm eye relief (common these days) which is quite a lot. Can you rest them comfortably against your face, as (presumably) with the M7? If the eyecups aren't quite deep enough for you and you have to hold the SFL away a bit, you could have stray light issues.

 

[Mac198]

Welcome to Birdforum, Will. If you can add eye shields you must not be wearing glasses... SFLs have 18mm eye relief (common these days) which is quite a lot. Can you rest them comfortably against your face, as (presumably) with the M7? If the eyecups aren't quite deep enough for you and you have to hold the SFL away a bit, you could have stray light issues.

You are correct, I do not wear glasses. I can jam the SFL’s into my eye sockets but even if I do there are sections on the sides of my eyes where light enters. The M7’s I cannot rest against my face at all. I have to hover them away from the face which was terribly annoying but for whatever reason there was no stray light issue.

 

[gweller]

I just took a look at my SFL 8x40 and compared it to another binocular (Swaro CL 8x30) and it terms of reflection from that outer ring it looks no better or no worse. On mine that ring has a semi-matt finish and does not really reflect any light to the extent that you suggest - see photo below. Strange, as the SFL seems to have a good reputation for handling stray light. Have you compared it with another copy of the SFL 8x40??

 

[tenex]

This is an uncommon complaint. Do you possibly have a vision issue like cataracts that could exacerbate glare or reflections others don't notice? In any case, winged eyecups may be the best solution, and at least SFL works better for you than M7. Fit to face is important.

 

[Mac198]

This is an uncommon complaint. Do you possibly have a vision issue like cataracts that could exacerbate glare or reflections others don't notice? In any case, winged eyecups may be the best solution, and at least SFL works better for you than M7. Fit to face is important.

I’ve attached two photos below that almost perfectly capture what I see. I can put my eyes comfortably in the eyecups while I’m the fully extended position and experience great clarity/sharpness (without the blue fringing or blurriness in the attached photos). I can see the crisp black field stop on the outside as well. However if there’s sunlight to the sides of my eyes I get this dreaded reflection that messes up my binocular vision! I am in my mid 20’s and have 20/20 vision— that in addition to my capturing of the issue with my camera makes me believe it’s an external phenomenon. Lastly, I’ve included a photo of how the cups fit my face. There’s only one small gap where light gets through

 

[gweller]

I’ve attached two photos below that almost perfectly capture what I see. I can put my eyes comfortably in the eyecups while I’m the fully extended position and experience great clarity/sharpness (without the blue fringing or blurriness in the attached photos). I can see the crisp black field stop on the outside as well. However if there’s sunlight to the sides of my eyes I get this dreaded reflection that messes up my binocular vision! I am in my mid 20’s and have 20/20 vision— that in addition to my capturing of the issue with my camera makes me believe it’s an external phenomenon. Lastly, I’ve included a photo of how the cups fit my face. There’s only one small gap where light gets through

I've haven't actually photographed myself doing so, but I think that I bury my eyes MUCH further into the eye caps - not just with the SFL but with all binoculars, so it is almost impossible to let stray light in. Have you got the IPD right? What is stopping you going further forward (so to speak) with your eyes??

 

[Mac198]

I've haven't actually photographed myself doing so, but I think that I bury my eyes MUCH further into the eye caps - not just with the SFL but with all binoculars, so it is almost impossible to let stray light in. Have you got the IPD right? What is stopping you going further forward (so to speak) with your eyes??

I have tried every IPD/Eye cup position configuration and there is no way for me to jam my eyes any further because of my bone structure. I must have shallow/small eye sockets. I’ve tried on just about every model from Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss, Nikon, etc. and I couldn’t really find one that works perfectly for me. The SFL’s were as close as I could get. Maybe I will just have to accept this for what it is.

 

[gweller]

I have tried every IPD/Eye cup position configuration and there is no way for me to jam my eyes any further because of my bone structure. I must have shallow/small eye sockets. I’ve tried on just about every model from Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss, Nikon, etc. and I couldn’t really find one that works perfectly for me. The SFL’s were as close as I could get. Maybe I will just have to accept this for what it is.

Have you tried a bin with very narrow eyecups? For example the Leica 7x35 "Retrovid"?? Otherwise I think eye shields are the only option you have unfortunately!

 

[Foss]

Maybe there's a pair of bat-wing eyecups out there somewhere that you could just slide on and off.

 

[tenex]

Mac, I'm surprised by how much of your eye I can see from the side in your third photo. Surely you need to open the hinge more to get the right spacing for your eyes? (It's typically around 65mm, center to center.) I wonder how you can be getting a usable view at all that way, never mind the sidelight issue.

 

[gweller]

Mac, I'm surprised by how much of your eye I can see from the side in your third photo. Surely you need to open the hinge more to get the right spacing for your eyes? (It's typically around 65mm, center to center.) I wonder how you can be getting a usable view at all that way, never mind the sidelight issue.
View attachment 1564003

Yes, Tenex's photo is representative of how I look through binoculars. It does seem that you are holding them a bit strange to be honest!

 

[William Lewis]

Hi Will.

Nice set of bins you have there.

This is a common problem if you have a certain face shape. It's being caused as you suspect by light getting between your face and the eye cups and hitting the ocular lens.

It can be worse in some binoculars than others although generally those with longer eye relief and twist up eye cups (like your sfl's) are less affected as the light has to be at a very specific angle to hit the ocular lens.

Foss has set you in the right direction to solve it - winged eye cups to close up the gap between your face and the eye cup, I use field optics research ones - Standard EyeShield Winged Eyecups Twin Pack.

 

[Patudo]

Hard to know quite what to suggest, as our face structures and how we place the binoculars to our eyes are all different. If the OP has:

tried on just about every model from Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss, Nikon, etc. and I couldn’t really find one that works perfectly for me. The SFL’s were as close as I could get.

he's probably going to have to live with some level of side light entry. At least he doesn't wear glasses (as many binocular users including myself do)!

For what it's worth, the best eyecups I've found for blocking side light (when using binoculars straight to my eyes, which I have to do for some models) are the soft rubber eyecups found on old Zeiss and some other binoculars, I think because of the combination of outward flare and the flexibility of the rubber. Similar eyecups are available from aftermarket sellers and may be worth trying. Winged eyecups ought to be even more effective, but if the OP says he really doesn't like using the latter...

 

[quincy88]

Hmmm... I am a little confused. The fellow members could be correct that it is a technique issue. Or that maybe the winged eyecups would be worth a shot.
Perhaps it is worth sending them into Zeiss for a checkup? Maybe something isn't blackened properly. The highlighted areas in the first post do look really reflective. Or, can you have some other people look through them? That might help narrow it down.

 

[Mac198]

Hi All,

I am going to an optics dealer in the northeast to test out another pair of SFL's to see if it's an issue with my individual binoculars. @tenex If I increase the IPD further than what I have it seems to give me double vision and blackouts. My eyes are quite close together! I borrowed a friend's Swarovski EL 8.5x42's for over a week and had absolutely no issues with side light or double vision after I figured out how to position them. The EL eyecups are noticeably smaller and I can get a better fit with them. It looks like I'll have to sell the SFL's because I hate using winged eye cups and there's little chance I learn to live with the issues I'm facing with the SFL's. @quincy88 I will update this thread when I test the other set of SFL's at the store in April. Thanks for all the help everyone!

Best,
Will