-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Where are all the 8x32 SF reviews? After all the speculation... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter b-lilja
- Start date
Edmund
It remains to be seen whether the next report will be wonderful or not. It won't be a full review but it will take place in dramatically different habitats and weather from those experienced during my severe lock-down at the time of the original review. So the comments and conclusions may differ from the earlier review.
And it is not so much of a mystery as to why a totally new model from Swarovski, with a totally new model name, taking the place as top of Swarovski's binocular line-up and displacing the most successful premium bino model in modern times, the Swaro EL, should arouse more interest and speculation than 'another SF' from Zeiss.
And actually scanning back through Birdforum pages the level of interest shown isn't as different as I (and perhaps you) thought:
About SF32, 12 threads and 134,000 views
About NL, 14 threads (including mine about the shape/baguette and one speculating about an NL32) and 165,000 views
Lee
You can read my review with a translator.
http://www.bggd.com/bbs/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=450881&extra=
http://www.bggd.com/bbs/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=450881&extra=
I'm impressed by your dedication to the task of researching the level of Birdforum interest in both models. The one metric, of course, that isn't shown is the total number of posts in threads relating to each model. I wonder what those numbers might be? ... :cat:
Thank you sir. I'm reading your notes right now.
You are right of course but this consideration is not as simple as it might seem. Posts can only be made by members but the site-traffic by guests who visit but do not join (and so cannot post) far outstrips the numbers of members who post. So although the number of visits can be boosted by the same people revisiting, this applies to both members and guests and of course to both the Swaro count and the Zeiss count. And it is arguable that re-visiting is of itself a relevant indication of continuing interest.
Then there is the fact that not all posts are about the main topic of the thread........
To give an idea of the difference between Members numbers and that of guests, when I originally posted this there were 200 Members logged on and 1257 guests visiting. Right now as I type this there are 175 Members logged on an 1589 guests visiting.
Overall I think the numbers of visits stemming from a far wider audience than only the members, is probably a fairer indication of the level of interest.
Lee
Last edited:
I ended up getting one. I actually got it yesterday(yesterday was a good day for binoculars!) I looked thru it BRIEFLY and put in on my digital scale. I was pleased with with ER which is going to be a little more than I need. I may go the o-ring route AND the weight which was 21.3 ounces. It's going to be a while before I get to really use it. College football(SEC) starts tomorrow. I do have a birding trip planned for the gulf coast in October. So hopefully sometimes after that.
Attachments
Nice review and very informative. Thanks!
I have to admit...I am surprised at the lack of any review too.... I was really interested in this at one time, and many people seemed to pre-order....but not much to read since. Very surprising....the lack of reviews might be 'telling perhaps?' ....
They cancelled their pre-orders when the NL came out!:t:
james holdsworth
Consulting Biologist
Everything so far has been extremely positive.
I think in the big scheme of things that an 8X32 is not quite as popular as a 8X42. Hunters generally aren't interest in 32mm and neither are astronomers. I also think many scratched the SF itch with the 42mm. No doubt the NL stole a little of the 32mm SFs thunder.
I think more impressions will be forthcoming. I'm not about to post anything after I've had one for two days! :smoke: I believe if something were amiss Jan and Lee would have said so.
Chosun Juan
Given to Fly
Chuck - most of the thunder ?
It was indeed unfortunate for Zeiss with the timing of the Swarovski NL .... for the sake of a several extra metres Fov it is like it is completely overshadowed .... !
The other thing that I think was a factor is the size - it's getting big and heavy for a 32mm. Not overly so by any means, but it's only ~2oz (~60g) lighter than a Nikon 42mm MHG. Personally I think Zeiss would have been better off going with the MHG form factor - that may not have saved any length, but it would have knocked some grams off and lost nothing in ergonomics.
Chuck - look forward to your impressions - particularly the handling, size, weight in comparison to the 42mm MHG. Also, how the glare performance of the 32SF stacks up - would be very interesting if you could somehow manage to compare it to the Swaro 8x42 NL. :cat:
Chosun :gh:
Not everything - Holger Merlitz‘ very first encounter with the 8x32 seems not to have gone extremely positive, see his initial impression in a German optics forum:
https://www.juelich-bonn.com/jForum/read.php?9,448229,448410#msg-448410
Canip
Last edited:
Ranges review wasn't extremely positive either. He also commented on blackouts like Holger which was interesting.
http://www.bggd.com/bbs/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=450881&extra=
Last edited:
PYRTLE
Old Berkshire Boy
Here come the bashers! Full of expectation prior to production, that's fine, then being dissapointed with this and that and quick to "evaluate" the binocular to the assembled crowd as a ""could have been better".
I concur that the announcement and timing of the NL probably affected purchases of the SF32 and the resultant panic by some lemmings saw a few hurried cancellations and changes to pre orders.
Now, the baying crowd is seeking fresh blood - why no reviews yet, ( the McDonald's Syndrome ), but meanwhile here's some negatives to satisfy the craving for a while.
It is after all just a new alpha binocular. Here are two more review comments, as per the thread title......
1. Got my 8x32 today - first impression is very positive!!! More perhaps later.
I registered the new SF on Zeiss' website and found that experience a bit less positive - Zeiss now says that the warranty period is generally only 2 years (!) from date of purchase, but if you register, the "extended warranty period" is 3 years. This is valid for products purchased after Dec. 15, 2018.
So definitely gone are the times when we got 10 years warranty on Zeiss binoculars. And since I recently had to send in several of my Zeiss binoculars due to beginning internal fogging (all binos less than 5 years old, so clearly product quality issue), for me the reduced warranty period is not necessarily going to instil a lot of confidence when considering to buy future Zeiss products.
Canip
2. Unbelievable but true--- many years ago it was 30y, more recently 10y, and now it's 2y:
https://www.zeiss.com/consumer-produ...istration.html
This basically means that if you bought a pair of used Zeiss binoculars you would likely have no warranty.
Thanks, Canip, for the heads-up.
I concur that the announcement and timing of the NL probably affected purchases of the SF32 and the resultant panic by some lemmings saw a few hurried cancellations and changes to pre orders.
Now, the baying crowd is seeking fresh blood - why no reviews yet, ( the McDonald's Syndrome ), but meanwhile here's some negatives to satisfy the craving for a while.
It is after all just a new alpha binocular. Here are two more review comments, as per the thread title......
1. Got my 8x32 today - first impression is very positive!!! More perhaps later.
I registered the new SF on Zeiss' website and found that experience a bit less positive - Zeiss now says that the warranty period is generally only 2 years (!) from date of purchase, but if you register, the "extended warranty period" is 3 years. This is valid for products purchased after Dec. 15, 2018.
So definitely gone are the times when we got 10 years warranty on Zeiss binoculars. And since I recently had to send in several of my Zeiss binoculars due to beginning internal fogging (all binos less than 5 years old, so clearly product quality issue), for me the reduced warranty period is not necessarily going to instil a lot of confidence when considering to buy future Zeiss products.
Canip
2. Unbelievable but true--- many years ago it was 30y, more recently 10y, and now it's 2y:
https://www.zeiss.com/consumer-produ...istration.html
This basically means that if you bought a pair of used Zeiss binoculars you would likely have no warranty.
Thanks, Canip, for the heads-up.
Last edited:
I'd have to say the unfortunate release timing of the SF (with the NL around the same time) is largely Zeiss' fault. There was talk of the 32mm SF probably 5 years ago - i remember discussing it at the time the grey 42mm became the black version. There have been teasers and comments of 'soon, soon' on trade stands for the intervening period.
There were threads on BF along these lines too - discussions of how big it would be if it followed the 42mm SF's lens characteristics etc.
I can't remember another release that has been so long discussed, and so drawn out.
I also can't believe that Zeiss and Swarovski are not aware of each other's R and D and impending new models, or when they are likely to hit the retailers.
So what happens now? A 32mm Noctovid?
There were threads on BF along these lines too - discussions of how big it would be if it followed the 42mm SF's lens characteristics etc.
I can't remember another release that has been so long discussed, and so drawn out.
I also can't believe that Zeiss and Swarovski are not aware of each other's R and D and impending new models, or when they are likely to hit the retailers.
So what happens now? A 32mm Noctovid?
