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

binocular body material (1 Viewer)

Temmie, the answer to your question is contained in my original posts #11 and #16 AND in the very passage YOU quoted. YOU just need to be able to understand basic engineering ;)
 
Carbon fiber has the same cachet as titanium or magnesium, so it would be acceptable to alpha buyers.

To quote Troubador’s interview of Zeiss’ Gerold Dobler https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=293907

Low weight has been a priority with SF although Zeiss appears to have reacted to market pressure by moving away from the GRP body of FL to a magnesium alloy. Do you think that you have gone as far as it is possible to go with weight reduction while staying with a metal body? If so, what do you think might be the next step?

Magnesium alloy is used more and more for different applications and the supply is getting better so the price has come down a little from previous times and a full metal housing has a very strong image in the premium market and to be practical it does provide a certain ruggedness. It’s a good solution, it has a good image and a reasonable price, so I expect it will be the standard material in the premium sector for some years.
 
whats the zeiss conquest made of....you can throw it out of a tree stand and shoot it with a shotgun.. ect....give it a lickin and it keeps on tickin...
 
Carbon fiber has the same cachet as titanium or magnesium, so it would be acceptable to alpha buyers.
Yes agreed - more so :t:

To quote Troubador’s interview of Zeiss’ Gerold Dobler https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=293907
QUOTE:
"Low weight has been a priority with SF although Zeiss appears to have reacted to market pressure by moving away from the GRP body of FL to a magnesium alloy. Do you think that you have gone as far as it is possible to go with weight reduction while staying with a metal body? If so, what do you think might be the next step?

Magnesium alloy is used more and more for different applications and the supply is getting better so the price has come down a little from previous times and a full metal housing has a very strong image in the premium market and to be practical it does provide a certain ruggedness. It’s a good solution, it has a good image and a reasonable price, so I expect it will be the standard material in the premium sector for some years."

And herein lies the problem. Zeiss have been blinded by their own marketing spin. Living in the dark ages. They would do better to concern themselves more with "image quality" rather than "market image". More with using "premier materials" ie. Carbon fibre for the "premium" prices charged rather than concerning themselves with silly notions of a "premium" "market" .....

The reputation will follow the performance :cat:

whats the zeiss conquest made of....you can throw it out of a tree stand and shoot it with a shotgun.. ect....give it a lickin and it keeps on tickin...

And herein lies the problem again ! Birders have no need for such abuse. The chassis is made of a-loo-mi-num alloy.



Chosun :gh:
 
I own some Steiner 7x50 "Commander Marine/Military" made of Macrolon. I have it in use for over 30 years now. It's looking still "as new" and can be cleaned under running water. So the right plastic will last and not age. I had feared differently before. Like parts coming off or similar. But it's pretty robust.
 
Hello Paddy,

My two FL binoculars have been almost flawless. I knocked an eye cup out of shape preventing it from collapsing. I seem to manage to pull up the dioptre setting occasionally. I think it is just as reliable as the famed Leican BN, with less weight and better optics.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
 
Why did Zeiss stopped using composite material in the FL, was it really because some ?#@##$ did not like it. Secondly why do OP have to have a glass that weighs 500 grams instead of 750 grams. Perhaps today some of these manufacturers should concentrate on consistency with the product they produce. The FL was built very well, there was no need to change the material.

Andy W.
 
Why did Zeiss stopped using composite material in the FL, was it really because some ?#@##$ did not like it. Secondly why do OP have to have a glass that weighs 500 grams instead of 750 grams. Perhaps today some of these manufacturers should concentrate on consistency with the product they produce. The FL was built very well, there was no need to change the material.

Andy W.
See the Dobler quote that Faza posted (post#23) ..... "a full metal housing has a very strong image in the premium market"

Zeiss have followed what they thought the market thought - it's a pity that the market is clueless ! .... (well, they are mostly HunTers after all ! :) :eek!: :-O o:D

For all the Zeiss hoopla about ruggedness and Magnesium, it looks like the brick-like HT successor to the FRP FL is now kaput ! :gn:



Chosun :gh:
 
I would have thought that it was the birding community that did not like plastic, don't they drive the present day market with respect to Optics. The HT 8 & 10X42 have been removed from the US Website but they are still showing on the European website, I wonder how long until they cancel the HT 8 and 10X54.

Andy W.
 
I would have thought that it was the birding community that did not like plastic, don't they drive the present day market with respect to Optics. The HT 8 & 10X42 have been removed from the US Website but they are still showing on the European website, I wonder how long until they cancel the HT 8 and 10X54.

Andy W.

Hunters have pretty much adopted composites in every thread of the sport. I suspect you are right
 
While some areas of the world have a large hunting market for binoculars (USA in particular) i can't see how this would be much of an influence on the European market (except possibly some areas in Scandinavia, E. Europe).
The RSPB has over a million members in the UK - i would think this was fairly substantial.
Arthur - agree with you about the durability of the FL. I got mine about 5 years ago, but they were made in 2007; i just sent them in for a service because i felt they deserved it, not because anything seemed amiss (other than a gritty focusser). When cleaned up, i'm not sure you could tell them from new.
Whatever the body actually is, it seems tough, lightweight and warm in winter, which is a definite bonus on the North Sea coast!
 
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Then there's the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology), the Wildlife Trusts (one for each county) and countless other specialised/localised clubs and societies.
Altogether, quite a substantial market of wildlife-interested people.
 
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