Fl v Ultravid v EL (1 Viewer)

Having missed this year's Bird Fair due to work commitments I finally got to try some of the latest bins today, albeit only inside and outside an Optics shop. First off, I compared the 8x32 EL and Ultravid. I had previously only been able to try 10x32 EL's. Both had a good close focus and depth of field. Both showed bright sharp images that were very difficult to separate on a fine sunny day. I think the marginally wider field and much superior ergonomics and handling of the EL swung the verdict in it's favour. I found the Ultravid too small and dainty for my hands. The other big plus on the 8x32 EL, compared with my 8.5x42, was its ability to focus as fast as the Ultravid.

Then I tried the Zeiss 8x42 FL, I would have preferred the 7x42 but they did not have one to show me. I cant tell you how disappointed I was in the FL, it was as sharp as the other two to the edge! I had fully expected, after reading the longest thread ever on Birdforum to have been groping my way around the edges of a tiny pin sharp pea-sized central area!

Instead what I saw was a very good binocular no worse around the edges than any other top of the range model. It did have a fair bit of pincushion distortion and did not seem particularly sharper than my 8.5x EL.

In other words, the WOW factor that was so apparent when I first looked through an EL five years ago was totally missing. So the FL is not a giant stride forward, it merely may have inched slightly ahead of the rest. O'course if I was able to see CA, I might think differently.

YMMV, as usual

william j clive said:

I cant tell you how disappointed I was in the FL, it was as sharp as the other two to the edge! I had fully expected, after reading the longest thread ever on Birdforum to have been groping my way around the edges of a tiny pin sharp pea-sized central area!

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A tad confused here... are you disappointed because the image wasn't as bad as you were led to believe by certain contributors on the infamous FL thread? Surely this aspect was a pleasant surprise if you had expected the worst.

As I stated in my original review, the Fl provides the best view around for the birder, but not by much.

regards,
Andy

Andy Bright said:

A tad confused here... are you disappointed because the image wasn't as bad as you were led to believe by certain contributors on the infamous FL thread? Surely this aspect was a pleasant surprise if you had expected the worst.

As I stated in my original review, the Fl provides the best view around for the birder, but not by much.

regards,
Andy

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Andy, it was a tongue-in-cheek remark, clearly, I should have used a smiley

Seriously, I think we are very lucky to have some really outstanding optics to choose from, and selection is increasingly down to ergonomics, looks, personal taste and even the colour of the rubber!

got to agree with you about the size of the 8x32 Ultravid (whereas the 8x32 trinovid was very comfy). I had similar reservations about the prototype 8x32FL at birdfair - optically both were superb. The x42's of both are really nice to handle though - ought to clarify I mean the FL and the Ultravid 42's.

pduxon said:

got to agree with you about the size of the 8x32 Ultravid (whereas the 8x32 trinovid was very comfy). I had similar reservations about the prototype 8x32FL at birdfair - optically both were superb. The x42's of both are really nice to handle though.

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Again, it's a matter of personal preference. I have rather small hands and thus never felt comfortable with the original ELs. In fact, not having been able to handle a x42 FL so far, I fear they might be too think for my liking.

Then, I have always felt uncomfortable with those ribs on the Trinovids. I tried to file some of them off on my 8x32, but the situalion has not fully improved as the binoculars now have a rather rough feel where I worked on them.

Robert

I have small hands. The FL is very comfortable for me.