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x32 SF: the waiting begins (1 Viewer)

The 32mm SF will most likely be a scaled down version of the 42mm SF just like the 32mm FL is a scaled down version of the 42mm FL. It will use field flatteners, a magnesium body and have the weight forward balance of the bigger SF. The FL is definitely in need of an update to keep up with the technology. It will have a more ergonomic design just like the bigger SF and a bigger FOV. I would guess on the new SF 8x32 Zeiss would reach for at least a 450 foot FOV if not more. I don't see it weighing anymore than the current FL and maybe less with a slimmer design even though it will be magnesium. Zeiss is very forward thinking so you could see some totally new technology used. It will be a very exciting binocular.
 
It's also got the fiberglass-polymer body, which is a marketing disadvantage when the market expects magnesium.

Regretably you are absolutely right.

Says who !?!

Marketing guff, fluff and bunkum, does not affect materials engineering properties ! :cat:

I'd wager a lot less people believe the corporate spin than is imagined - and the market is a lot more clued in than the marketers would like .... :smoke:
(HunTers excepted of course - but then we all know that their IQ's are just shy of a Spangled Drongo anyway ! :) :-O




Chosun :gh:
 
The 32mm SF will most likely be a scaled down version of the 42mm SF just like the 32mm FL is a scaled down version of the 42mm FL. It will use field flatteners, a magnesium body and have the weight forward balance of the bigger SF. The FL is definitely in need of an update to keep up with the technology. It will have a more ergonomic design just like the bigger SF and a bigger FOV. I would guess on the new SF 8x32 Zeiss would reach for at least a 450 foot FOV if not more. I don't see it weighing anymore than the current FL and maybe less with a slimmer design even though it will be magnesium. Zeiss is very forward thinking so you could see some totally new technology used. It will be a very exciting binocular.

Dennis,

Now all that "is a consumption devoutly to be wished"! The only thing is based on my personal preferences it's hard to imagine improving the ergonomics of the 32 FL. But if Zeiss can do that, more power to them.

Mike
 
While we are all just speculating, I'm just trying to think of what the MSRP will be. If it is indeed a "scaled-down" version of the SF, I would bet 2399.
 
The current binocular format poll here on BF shows the current leader with nearly 25% of votes cast is 8x32. I'm sure Zeiss Sports Optics have enough sales and marketing data and projections to reflect that this format will be very popular even at the alpha scenario.
 
For it to be much improved it will no doubt be bigger than the 8x32 FL.

Andy W.

Which would mean it's going to lose one of its great advantages. I think Zeiss could follow the Leica example (to the Ultravids) by simply giving it a new shell. Unlike Leica, they have fine ER.
 
The ribbed "heritage" look does have a certain black and white, private detective, trench coat, tilted hat, drizzly steetscape, and you just know she's going to be trouble - smoldering dame, appealing look about it though ......

WOW! Where do I sign?
 

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Dennis,

Now all that "is a consumption devoutly to be wished"! The only thing is based on my personal preferences it's hard to imagine improving the ergonomics of the 32 FL. But if Zeiss can do that, more power to them.

Mike
Wouldn't you say the new Zeiss 8x42 SF is an improvement in ergonomics over the older 8x42 FL? For some people maybe the older FL is preferred. You can't please everybody with a new product but you try.
 
What would be really nice would be to have a Victory that is as tough as the 8x32 Conquest. An alpha bino you can lend to your 10 year old kid. I would buy that immediately.

Edmund

Konnie Seil was the optical designer of SF, and Werner Maier-Wendt dealt with the mechanics while the company KISKA handled the external design. With the move of development to Oberkochen there are more designers/engineers available to Sports Optics so, yes, it will be interesting to see what happens.

As to why FL32 should be superceded at all when it performs so well, at least one reason is that its external appearance, with those heavy bars of rubber on the armour, harks back to the look of the Dialyts which means to many the FL looks even older than it is. In addition the fov of the 8x is 140m but that of SF8x42 is 148m so FL8x32 is out of step with Zeiss's premium 42mm.

None of these factors take away anything from the actual performance of FL but it is surely enough for the product planners at Zeiss to want a fresh premium 32mm on the shelves that looks as though it belongs to the same family as the rest of the Zeiss bino models and not something left over from an earlier era.

Lee
 
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Andy. Why would it have to be bigger? Swarovski managed to pack all the new technology including field flatteners in their SV 8x32 with out making it much bigger why couldn't Zeiss?

Dennis,

I have heard that Zeiss turned the SP prism's upside down in order to move the center of gravity back in the SF. Please correct me if this is wrong.

I don't think that Swarovski turned the SP prisms upside down when field flattener technology was put into the SV8x32.

The 10x42mm SF has a 7 lens eyepiece with Zeiss field flattener technology. It is illustrated in the link below. (I can't find an Allbinos review of the 8x42 SF. There are 2 less than stellar reviews of it by private owners.)

https://www.allbinos.com/304-binoculars_review-Carl_Zeiss_Victory_SF_10x42.html

Naturally the eyepieces for the proposed Zeiss 8 and 10x32mm SF will have to be smaller but will they be just as efficient as those in the 42mm versions?

Bob
 
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As Robert noted, the great advantage of the FL - is the size, power packed optics in a small light frame.
Until any new SF is made and sold, the FL is all one would need for a portable glass for travel.

Andy W.
 
Andy. Why would it have to be bigger? Swarovski managed to pack all the new technology including field flatteners in their SV 8x32 with out making it much bigger why couldn't Zeiss?

Den

SF42 isn't just about cramming all the technology in, it is about distributing the weight to achieve a certain balance, and having enough length to allow a good close focus with a focusing lens that is doubling-up as part of the objective group as well as just focusing. I too am curious as to how this might be achieved in a 32 without it being longer than desirable. SF42 is quite long and you could argue that folks put more emphasis on compactness when considering a 32.

Lee
 
I would wager that Zeiss will find a way to update and improve the optical performance when they design the 8x32 SF without significantly increasing it's size. Size and weight are obviously really important on a 32mm because that is one of the big reasons people are buying them over a 42mm. I think you expect a slight decrease in performance with the smaller aperture. It will be interesting to see if they can achieve any improvements in balance in the smaller frame 32mm like they did with the 42mm. That will be a challenge.
 
............ It will be interesting to see if they can achieve any improvements in balance in the smaller frame 32mm like they did with the 42mm. That will be a challenge.

As the x32 models are considerably shorter to begin with, the balance question is much less critical.
 
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