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

Red lens-coating irritation? (1 Viewer)

Robert:

I still cannot see your problem, I suspect you have other binoculars. I don't wear glasses so your
issue includes your glasses.
In my opinion, the reflection coating color of any binocular is so slight, it should not make any difference at all
to the user.

Your questioning of this seems unusual, and I have not seen it mentioned before.

Jerry

Jerry, if you look at my original post again, you see that the reflection is by no means "slight". And others mentioned that this is normal for these binoculars. I have stated that it looks like this when the light is behind the observer. The only influence my glasses may have is that I tend to wear them at some distance from my eyes, as they would otherwise get in contact with my eyelashes.
 
So, Robert, what are you going to do about this problem?

Two partial solutions:
One, trying to position myself such that there is no bright light coming from behind. Of course, that works well only in certain situations, like observing from my porch/veranda.

Two, trying to find a somewhat older FL that has non-red coating, like the 8x42 I bought in 2005. At this point, I have a 10x42 coming that looked right from the photos. But I only believe it when I have it.

I'll also keep my eyes open for a non-red 8x32 in decent condition that I would then try to swap for my brand new Lotutec one. ;)
 
Happy non-red one!

..............Two, trying to find a somewhat older FL that has non-red coating, like the 8x42 I bought in 2005. At this point, I have a 10x42 coming that looked right from the photos. But I only believe it when I have it.

……...)

Finally received my 10x42 FL without red coating. It does have Lotutec, however. So it's obvious that my irritation reported originally comes from that red coating. I wonder when Zeiss changed it.

My 8x42 FL without Lotutec has manufacturing number 2876342, I bought it in October 2005. That is obviously a relatively early model. The 10x42 FL I got now has manufacturing number 3161849 and it comes with Lotutec. The coating is a bit more intensively purplish than on the 8x42 I have. But clearly, that red-orange coating that is used now must have been introduced later, and obviously after they started with Lotutec. I found my 10x42 FL on the common auction site, offered by a San Francisco dealer who had most likely taken it in when a customer got one of their Leica models. So it was in excellent condition, but was only to be shipped within the US. Fortunately, I was able to have it sent to my son in Chicago. And his brother now brought it over here. I think it was well worth the wait of a few extra weeks. :t: I'm truly impressed.

This one now also allows a direct comparison with my wife's Victory I 10x40.
 
…………...
This one now also allows a direct comparison with my wife's Victory I 10x40.

Did some glare comparisons. There are conditions where the old Victory I 10x40 does better than both x42 FLs. But the 8x32 FL had the edge under those same conditions. The conditions were looking into the dark with pronounced bright skies being at the side in such a way that the light came slightly from up front. That was by no means glaring sun, just white bright clouds.

PS: Moderators if possible please change the original title to "Red-coating irritation". As it has since become clear that Lotutec definitely has nothing to do with what I'm experiencing. And at the same time, a title adaptation would remove a negative impression on the Lotutec name! Thanks.
 
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I have since used my new 10x42 FL (sans red coating) during a week of raptor migration watching at Batumi, Georgia. And I could not have been happier with this fine piece of equipment. I was also able to briefly compare it with a 10x42 SF there. While that model immediately appealed to me for its "grip-through" handling characteristics, optically, I was quite happy with my FL. But also, the SF's red coating did not bother me during the short trial. It seems, the eyecups are shielding the side light better than on my x32 FL.
 
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I think I have a sense of the issue you are describing, Swissboy (I love that sooty falcon pic of yours by the way). My 8x32 FL has the same colour coating and when the sun is at the right (or wrong...) angle I will sometimes see pinpoints of light of the same colour as the coating in my field of view. This normally happens with a low slanting sun coming directly over my shoulder, more or less as you said. I've noticed the same with my 10x40 Dialyt (P model). I don't consider it to be a real problem and can normally move around to find a better angle. If that wasn't an option I think a broad brimmed hat would cut out the glare from behind.

I haven't tested my other binoculars in this situation yet (the two above are probably the ones I have used the most under those circumstances), but would not be surprised if a few oddities manifested themselves when sunlight is reflecting from your ocular lenses right back at you.
 
Late to the pity-party but in case more people find this thread I can report the same findings on my 8x32FL when using glasses. No problems without glasses. The reflections from the oculars are more than intermittent in my case and outside in most lighting conditions I get disturbing reflections. This is my fourth Zeiss Victory bino and the only one that has had this phenomenon.

I can’t think of a better pair of 8x32 binos for my eyes except the ocular reflections. In any price range. But I have to either live with it or deal with it. Offloading the 8x32FL is not a problem - finding a substitute is!

Finally I have a checked and verified pair of Meopta B1 Plus 8x32 on order from Germany. It does not have the reflection problems but I will most likely pay a slight optical penalty going with the Meopta.
 
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