Problem with Zeiss 8x42 FL (1 Viewer)

devon.birder · Feb 22, 2005

Last month I bought a pair of Zeiss Victory 8x42 to replace my Zeizz 8x56. Whilst these bins are excellent I have noticed a very annoying problem with the focusing knob in that if you are not carefull it tends to lift and before you realise it you have altered the Diopter adjustment. This has happened several times now and I am wondering whether this is a fault with my pair or whether I just have to be more carefull when I focus. Roger

Andrew Rowlands · Feb 22, 2005

Could this be related to the way you lift them from the case, Roger?

Andy.

devon.birder · Feb 22, 2005

Andrew Rowlands said:
Could this be related to the way you lift them from the case, Roger?

Andy.

Hi Andy. I have not put the bins in the case since I bought them so it can't be that. It must be something in the way I focus that is causing this problem though. I only notice that the focusing knob has lifted when what I am looking at appears to be out of focus. Roger

Curtis Croulet · Feb 22, 2005

I have found myself inadvertantly adjusting the diopter setting rather than focusing. I think it's usually a result of grabbing them wrong when picking them up, but also it appears that a chance bump in just the right orientation can also cause this. It's rare, but when it happens, it's a nuisance. The less elegant diopter adjustment on my lowly Eagle Optics bin (a collar around the right eyepiece) hasn't budged in the 2-1/2 years since I set it. Fortunately, the diopter adjustment of the Zeiss is precise and repeatable, so I can dial in my preferred setting and know that it's going to be right.

Scott Poynter · Feb 22, 2005

Hi Roger,
I tried a new pair of these at Cleyspy and found exactly the same problem.The lock seemed to come loose very easily.I wasn't sure if it was just the pair that had been handled a lot in the shop.It seems not.
Scott.

Leif · Feb 22, 2005

devon.birder said:
Last month I bought a pair of Zeiss Victory 8x42 to replace my Zeizz 8x56. Whilst these bins are excellent I have noticed a very annoying problem with the focusing knob in that if you are not carefull it tends to lift and before you realise it you have altered the Diopter adjustment. This has happened several times now and I am wondering whether this is a fault with my pair or whether I just have to be more carefull when I focus. Roger

You could contact the dealer and compare with other samples and see if it is faulty? FWIW I have never had that problem on mine.

Leif

Swissboy · Feb 22, 2005

devon.birder said:
Last month I bought a pair of Zeiss Victory 8x42 to replace my Zeizz 8x56. Whilst these bins are excellent I have noticed a very annoying problem with the focusing knob in that if you are not carefull it tends to lift and before you realise it you have altered the Diopter adjustment. This has happened several times now and I am wondering whether this is a fault with my pair or whether I just have to be more carefull when I focus. Roger

This has been a problem with my Victory I. I thought Zeiss had eliminated it for the new model. It's a shame they did not come up with a better solution. I never ever have had such a problem with the Leica Trinovid. And Leica (also in the Ultravids) has that convenient dial for immediate checking. In the Zeiss, one always has to lift the focus knob to check the setting.

Rich N · Feb 23, 2005

I've not had the problem with my Zeiss 10x42 FL.

The thread title mentions 8x42 FL but in the binocular is called a Victory. Is the binocular in question an FL?

Rich

Curtis Croulet · Feb 23, 2005

My own post is about the 8x42 T* FL, as it is designated on a small nameplate on the ventral side of the bin. After some wavering on the name of this product, the US distributor has apparently settled on "Victory FL" in their latest advertising. I generally love the bin, but the cited problem with the focus/diopter knob is an occasional nuisance.

devon.birder · Feb 23, 2005

Rich N said:
I've not had the problem with my Zeiss 10x42 FL.

The thread title mentions 8x42 FL but in the binocular is called a Victory. Is the binocular in question an FL?

Rich

The model is 8x42 T FL. On the instruction book it also says Fernglaser Victory.
I hope I bought the new model!!!. Roger

Leif · Feb 23, 2005

devon.birder said:
The model is 8x42 T FL. On the instruction book it also says Fernglaser Victory.
I hope I bought the new model!!!. Roger

Roger: If it is loose, then I would not be happy given the price, so maybe a word with Zeiss is in order? If it is marked Fl then it is the new model.

Leif

devon.birder · Feb 23, 2005

Leif said:
Roger: If it is loose, then I would not be happy given the price, so maybe a word with Zeiss is in order? If it is marked Fl then it is the new model.

Leif

Hi Leif. I have already received a message from Zeiss suggesting that I send them back so that their Engineer can check them out, they obviously monitor Bird Forums. They also suggest that I bring them to the Bird Fair in August when their Engineer will be present. I do not think that anything can be done it is how they are designed that is at fault, I will just have to make sure when focusing that I do not raise the focus knob but it is an irritation all the same. Apart from that they are excellent bins. Roger

Swissboy · Feb 23, 2005

Rich N said:
I've not had the problem with my Zeiss 10x42 FL.
The thread title mentions 8x42 FL but in the binocular is called a Victory. Is the binocular in question an FL?
Rich

The older Victory models have a 40 mm lens opening, the FLs have 42. So it's easy to tell.

Nevertheless, I wonder why Zeiss decided to keep the Victory name at this point. Just FL would have been clearer, and there would not have been this link to the not so optimal predecessors. But this is likely to be only a temporary problem. So I guess Zeiss is (rightfully) assuming that a catchy name can be kept for the future.

photo1 · Feb 23, 2005

I tried a pair in my local bino store and they had the same problem. I accidentally lifted the diopter adjustment more than once trying them out.

Curtis Croulet · Feb 24, 2005

devon.birder said:
Hi Leif. I have already received a message from Zeiss suggesting that I send them back so that their Engineer can check them out, they obviously monitor Bird Forums.

Sounds like the UK office monitors Bird Forum, whereas the US office does not. The knob problem sounds like a design bug. Funny -- you'd think this problem would have been discovered long ago, considering that it dates back to the original Victory line.

Otto McDiesel · Feb 24, 2005

Curtis Croulet said:
Sounds like the UK office monitors Bird Forum, whereas the US office does not. The knob problem sounds like a design bug. Funny -- you'd think this problem would have been discovered long ago, considering that it dates back to the original Victory line.

Would a piece of sticky tape fix that?

devon.birder · Feb 24, 2005

Otto McDiesel said:
Would a piece of sticky tape fix that?

It may do but having just spent £900+ I am not inclined to correct a fault in the design by using sticky tape. Would you?. Roger

Otto McDiesel · Feb 24, 2005

devon.birder said:
It may do but having just spent £900+ I am not inclined to correct a fault in the design by using sticky tape. Would you?. Roger

Uhh...probably not. I would be pi :C ed. But if you otherwise like the binoculars...
Can you retun them and get a Leica or Svaro?
Maybe you can sell them and replace them with Leica. You might loose $$$ in this deal.

There may be a behavioral correction to that problem though. It may take a while to get used to, but how about checking that focus all the time? Before you know it will become an automatic subconsient move that you do with a finger from time to time. I have never handled the new Zeiss binoiculars, but maybe a finger push and/or check move may be ok. I hunt sometimes, or shoot targets, and my finger just goes and checks the safety on the firearm all the time, without me even thinking about it. Similarly, i always keep the muzzle of the firearm pointed towards the sky, but i don't think about this anymore. You get my drift...

This discussion really narrows my choice down. I will buy a pair this year (hopefully soon, as i will start surveying sparrows in New Mexico in April), and i was thinking of trying 10X42 Zeiss FL, 10x42 Ultravid, 10x42 EL, and 8.5x42 EL. I guess Zeiss is out now.
What in the world is going on at Zeiss? You would think that those suckers designing the binoculars would actually use them and try them!

Ben O · Feb 24, 2005

Otto McDiesel said:
This discussion really narrows my choice down. I will buy a pair this year (hopefully soon, as i will start surveying sparrows in New Mexico in April), and i was thinking of trying 10X42 Zeiss FL, 10x42 Ultravid, 10x42 EL, and 8.5x42 EL. I guess Zeiss is out now.
What in the world is going on at Zeiss? You would think that those suckers designing the binoculars would actually use them and try them!

I find it surprising that you should dismiss these binos so easily but I find it even more amazing that you should come down so hard on Zeiss when every bino has it's own 'flaw' of some description.

Personally, I have had the focus wheel cover lift up 3 times in several months of extensive use but other than a mild curse at th time, it hasn't bothered me at all. I have a friend whose Swaro EL cover lifts regularly but the knob just free-wheels rather than changes the dioptre setting.

Ben

Leif · Feb 24, 2005

Otto McDiesel said:
Uhh...probably not. I would be pi :C ed. But if you otherwise like the binoculars...
Can you retun them and get a Leica or Svaro?
Maybe you can sell them and replace them with Leica. You might loose $$$ in this deal.

There may be a behavioral correction to that problem though. It may take a while to get used to, but how about checking that focus all the time? Before you know it will become an automatic subconsient move that you do with a finger from time to time. I have never handled the new Zeiss binoiculars, but maybe a finger push and/or check move may be ok. I hunt sometimes, or shoot targets, and my finger just goes and checks the safety on the firearm all the time, without me even thinking about it. Similarly, i always keep the muzzle of the firearm pointed towards the sky, but i don't think about this anymore. You get my drift...

This discussion really narrows my choice down. I will buy a pair this year (hopefully soon, as i will start surveying sparrows in New Mexico in April), and i was thinking of trying 10X42 Zeiss FL, 10x42 Ultravid, 10x42 EL, and 8.5x42 EL. I guess Zeiss is out now.
What in the world is going on at Zeiss? You would think that those suckers designing the binoculars would actually use them and try them!

Then you had better avoid Nikon, Leica and Swarovski too because of reports from owners on BF. Oh yes, and Swift. And Bushnell. Better avoid them all to be safe.

The safest way to buy any binocular is from a shop and examine the one you intend to buy before you hand over the readies to the smiling sales people.

Leif

Problem with Zeiss 8x42 FL (1 Viewer)

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