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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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  1. K

    Companion pair to NL pure 12x42

    With eyeglasses being a given, and you having the 12x42 NL as immediate reference and source of potential envy, I'd also first and foremost consider either the 8x or 10x32 NL Pure. When you learn to use it, the forehead rest is really good for glasses wearers as it allows support on the skull...
  2. K

    Best marine binoculars?

    We have done a fair bit of sailing in the Baltic with my brothers' sailboat, much of it in offshore and coastal racing contexts. He has a Fujinon FMTR-CSX 7x50 on the boat, but I always take with my Canon 10x42 L IS (the one Binastro recommended), and this is what gets used exclusively when it...
  3. K

    SWAROVSKI AX VISIO: MY LEARNINGS IN A NUTSHELL

    Canip, Thanks for an excellent summary based on real experience and not just opinionated hypotheses. On point 6, have you thought of trying to put a teleconverter on the front of the camera lens? I don't know if there would be any suitable models available, but I remember the discussions on...
  4. K

    Baby S

    Too bad the FOV is narrow, weight high for the 7x28 configuration and the closest focus distance longish. A small 7x with 4 mm exit pupil and top optics would actually be a welcome spec to the market. For kids, the Pentax papillio will still be a more tempting option.
  5. K

    New AX Visio 10x32 binocular

    I was also told by a rep that the sectors represent rough probabilities.
  6. K

    New AX Visio 10x32 binocular

    Thanks Canip, this clarifies things. Or maybe not. It would still be useful to have this data with the stored photo. GPS data is, but over that, at least level three/four would be nice to know. Based on the table, one segment should not provide an ID since the system would not have detected a...
  7. K

    New AX Visio 10x32 binocular

    Those bolded circle sectors is what I meant, that is how the binocular shows the probability of ID being correct. Since that information is provided momentarily during ID, it should in my view remain in the metadata of the photo and be available for later analysis. Now we only have the species...
  8. K

    New AX Visio 10x32 binocular

    Another thought/question to Per and Canip, It seemed that the information about the probability of the accuracy of the ID is lost on the stored pictures. At least I did not find it in the photos once they were in Outdoor or Merlin. I thought it would be very useful in learning to use the Visio...
  9. K

    16x and steady views. Sig Zulu6 16x42

    Swedpat, There is definitely that risk in getting an IS bino, especially if it is a good one. A risk worth taking, though. ;)
  10. K

    Swarovski Giant Binoculars vs BTX

    For birding, I prefer the BTX format. That's because of the dramatic weight savings compared with dual objectives with equal diameter. I have found the 95 mm BTX to be mostly bright enough, and a bincular telescope would have to be at least 2x85-88 mm to give comparable resolution. For...
  11. K

    New AX Visio 10x32 binocular

    Thanks for the weight Canip. My scale gave 1340 for this sample, with battery, strap and both front and back covers, so just about the same. I just weighed the battery and got 59 g. So it does not quite go under 1100 even with battery removed. I have tried the figure of eight dance, but Visio's...
  12. K

    New AX Visio 10x32 binocular

    Per, One more thing I'd like you to check as you have the Visio. How reliable is the compass in yours? The one I have been trying shows rather widely varying directions for the same target from my balcony. I'd like to know if this is an anomaly or representative of how these work. - Kimmo
  13. K

    New AX Visio 10x32 binocular

    I've been playing with the AX for a bit since I'm writing a Finnish review of it for a magazine. I won't write much here yet, but a couple of observations. The bird ID function is indeed very easy to use, but for reliable identification the bird needs to be pretty close and should not be...
  14. K

    Monarch 82ED, a Perfect Ten

    It is not possible for me to answer that based on just one set of photos. Since every sample is different, there is always going to be a better one somewhere no matter how good a sample you get. I suggest you look at best focus star images with as much magnification you can get, and see if there...
  15. K

    Monarch 82ED, a Perfect Ten

    These actually look pretty good to me. There is some triangularity to the rings close to centre, but that could come from the camera and alignment of the camera to the eyepiece, as it looks like the orientation is identical on both sides of focus. Most of the "defects" come from...
  16. K

    Kowa 66a vs 773

    CMB gave a very good summary of the similarities and differences (or lack thereof) between the two Kowas. I don't have much to add, but since I am currently in the process of testing the 66A to write a short Finnish-language review of it, I can second the recommendation. It is a truly nice...
  17. K

    Short vs standard column for better stability?

    I think that in practice there will be no observable difference in stability if you keep the column retracted. I can see the theoretical disadvantage of the bottom of the longer column vibrating in wind, but doubt that it would show up under conditions where observing would otherwise be okay...
  18. K

    Zeiss Diascope 85 T FL

    Hi Chaos, It is a good scope and the price is fair, but be sure to test the scope before committing. Individual scopes vary in their optical quality, and second-hand scopes may have been knocked about, which can compromise image quality even when there is no external signs of damage. A simple...
  19. K

    Kite APC 16x42 … gimmick, replacement or addition? (my report)

    The "problem" with the Nikon 85 VR was not that it didn't work but that it was a solution without a real problem. All non-VR scopes are used with a tripod/head combo which does the job of controlling vibrations mostly well enough, and a tripod is still needed to support a VR-scope. A VR-scope is...
  20. K

    Lee Thickett (Troubador) - R.I.P.

    R.I.P. Lee Condolences to the family and many friends.
  21. K

    Any customer review of new tsn-99?

    Was going to comment on the eye-relief, but David was quicker. Eye-relief and AFOV stay the same for all the zoom settings, but true FOV is lower at equal magnifications since the zoom has larger AFOV at higher settings. Thus 50x with extender is at the zoom's lowest AFOV. You will find the...
  22. K

    Any customer review of new tsn-99?

    Glad you got a good scope now. What you describe sounds excellent. On my scope, the sunshade has loosened out quite a lot in use, to the point that it is a bit too loose now. My focus action is pretty good, but the zoom in most of the ATX modules is stiffer than most people would prefer, and it...
  23. K

    Any customer review of new tsn-99?

    Wellcome to the real world of top birding scopes. Henry summed up the situation pretty well. I am lucky to have been able to view through a higher number of top scopes than most, and to own a very very good sample of the ATX 95. I think you should return the Kowa, but as for what to get to...
  24. K

    IS x2 (...and other amazing things IS)

    If you are happy with the Opticron UTA, not much can be gained by hunting for a better one. With boosters, having good coatings, which the UTA has, having a sample with a good-enough roof prism to not cause spiking, and FOV are just about what matters optically. I use a Zeiss 3x12 as it has the...
  25. K

    Binocular for spotting owls

    A thermal imaging camera and Canon 10x42 L IS would be my pick. Have the latter, not yet the former.
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