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

Todays Quality (1 Viewer)

dries1

Member
Well folks I had to return my second SF 8X42 yesterday, the box had a card signed off by two Zeiss personnel one for packing, the box was sealed. I took the glass out of the box and a rattling sound coming from it, It was totally out of collimation, and likely a lens/prism was loose inside the case. They were sent back to the vendor this time for a refund not a replacement.
I spoke with the vendor optical manager and he stated he is going to look into it and check to find out if there are more issues quality with the new Zeiss models.
I have a Zeiss FL 8X32 and it is a great glass, great optics and well built and proven over time. I am still looking for another 8X42 to complement my EDG 8X42 and MHG 8X42 but no hurry for now. Perhaps I will see if I can find a used 8X42 FL or check out the 8X42 Noctivid after a year and see how they work out.
The EDG 8X42 below is a well made glass, all metal magnesium construction, the eyecups are metal not plastic, and the focus, well IMO the best along with great optics. So for now I am happy with both my EDGs (8X32 and 8X42) and my FL 8X32. Both designs proven over time and well built.
I am beginning to wonder about the QA/QC from some optic manufacturers, and hoping that for over $2,500 dollars a premium binocular built today, not three or four years ago will last a lifetime.

A.W.
 
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UGH....That's rough right there... One thing that drives me crazy is returning stuff. It's time consuming for everyone involved and COSTLY for everyone involved. It also causes me to loose faith in the manufacturer involved. We all know this shouldn't be happening.
 
I hope it is not a new trend where the buyer becomes the final QA/QC for a high end binocular, I would say the SF has great optics- perhaps the best with a great FOV, but to sacrifice weight, it suffers from build quality.

A.W.
 
A top of the line roof prism binocular made by Zeiss that is out of collimation right out of the box is a real problem that should get looked at real hard by Zeiss! Stuff like that simply should not happen. You are getting a refund from the dealer instead of a replacement from Zeiss so I hope it makes it back to Zeiss for analysis.

Bob
 
The Nikon EDG 10x42 and the Swarovski 10x42 are ranked over the Zeiss SF on Allbinos. They both have better build quality as you have noticed with the EDG. Did you notice that reflection on the edge of view (ring) with this replacement Zeiss 8x42 SF? I wonder if that was the same problem Allbinos was talking about when they said the Zeiss SF had a slip-up with reflections beyond the eyepiece's diaphragm, most likely caused by a shiny ring inside tubes which aren’t baffled properly by apertures. The Swarovski 8.5x42 is the highest scoring 8x42 binocular and once you try the new Field -Pro package you will not want to go back to the old strap attachments. Swarovski has the best customer service and warranty also. They will respond instantly and exceed your expectations. If you want to feel like a king buy a Swarovski.:king: Try a Swarovski 8.5x42.

https://www.allbinos.com/allbinos_ranking-binoculars_ranking-10x42.html
https://www.allbinos.com/allbinos_ranking-binoculars_ranking-8x42.html
 
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That's very worrying as I've been looking closely at the new Zeiss 8X54RF that has an awful lot more to go wrong in terms of internal components.

LGM
 
Build Quality

The Nikon EDG 10x42 and the Swarovski 10x42 are ranked over the Zeiss SF on Allbinos. They both have better build quality as you have noticed with the EDG. The Swarovski 8.5x42 is the highest scoring 8x42 binocular. Try a Swarovski 8.5x42.

https://www.allbinos.com/allbinos_ranking-binoculars_ranking-10x42.html
https://www.allbinos.com/allbinos_ranking-binoculars_ranking-8x42.html

dennis,

Yes I will be looking at that exact model, Chuck has also stated it is a very good all around glass.

A.W.
 
After reading the allbinos review of the SF 10X42, the issue with my first SF is described perfectly below in the review and is quoted below.

"The Zeiss Victory SF is the proof that it is possible to produce a pair of binoculars with a very wide field of view which is also perfectly corrected. If not for that strange slip-up with reflections beyond the eyepiece's diaphragm, most likely caused by a shiny ring inside tubes which aren’t baffled properly by apertures, you would get an instrument optically perfect, an ideal".

"The only binoculars which can compete with the Victory SF on the market are the Swarovski EL Swarovision and the Nikon EDG. The Zeiss’s field of view is wider than their fields but the slip-up with the reflections behind the eyepiece's diaphragm simply shouldn’t have happened in a case of a top-of-the-range instrument. Still if you are not bothered by it the Zeiss is certainly recommendable in practically every other aspect".

I think this sums it up perfectly and why I returned my first one, that reflection on the edge of view (ring) really aggravated me, it may not bother others, but I like dark/black edge views.

A.W.
 
QC by the customer with a A brand? Yeah sure...... Complete bullocks.
Don't know about the other brands, but having seen the continious and repeated built in qc during manufacturing in all the different stadia, it is impossible to claim that QC is consumer regulated.
We also had to educate the transport companies. Too often they arrived with boxes, dropped it on the floor from belly height and asking for a signature. Too often their vans are chaotically filled with boxes sideways, upside down, damaged etc. I can't and won't believe an SF will leave Wetzlar with loose prisms. Simple as that.

Jan
 
We also had to educate the transport companies. Too often they arrived with boxes, dropped it on the floor from belly height and asking for a signature. Too often their vans are chaotically filled with boxes sideways, upside down, damaged etc. I can't and won't believe an SF will leave Wetzlar with loose prisms. Simple as that.

Jan

Hi, Jan:

I once received a 9-inch Maksutov that arrive in several hundred pieces, with 2 forklift holes in the wooden crate. UPS was great about being willing to replace it. HOWEVER, IT WAS A ONE OF A KIND!!!

It is very hard to train overworked idiots who don't care! So, good luck with that. We ALL make mistakes. It's the CARING angle that makes the difference.:cat:

Bill
 
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We receive parcels from delivery companies maybe 4-5 times per year and I never fail to ask the driver how many drops he is scheduled to do on the day.

The most I have heard is 108 in the day. Earlier this week we had a delivery by a van contracted to FedEx and the driver said it wasn't too bad a day, because he only had 98 deliveries to make in the day.

Lee
 
The Zeiss SF were packed in a large cardboard box perfectly insulated with bubble wrap, just the way optics are supposed to be packed so likely the Bino could have been dropped prior to being packed, (I have packed binos and shipped them world wide). The nice box the SF came in has pre-fit heavy foam surrounding the bino tubes so it cannot move when the box is closed, a nice thoughtful box, which would insulate it in the case of being dropped. This box is better than most other new optics come in.
This was IMO a dud from the start.

A.W.
 
We have all heard the stories of amazon deliveries being chucked over the fence left outside in the rain etc etc.

Remember that when you sign for delivery you are signing to say that you have received the goods complete and in good order not just that you were handed a package. It is no good complaining after you have signed then opened the package. Therein lies the problem cos if you make the driver wait while you unpack and check your delivery before signing you are likely to get abuse as they are always on a tight schedule. I always sign "unopened and contents not checked" Not sure if that would stand up in a court in the event of dispute though.
 
No were going to blame Zeiss's poor QC on the UPS man. I have shipped and received a LOT of binoculars and I have never received a damaged binocular that was the fault of the shipper. In general all my binoculars have been packed well just as dries1 says his Zeiss SF was packed. Pre-fit heavy foam surrounding the bino tubes so it cannot move and also insulated with bubble wrap there is no way a roof prism got knocked out of alignment from shipping. Sorry, but that binocular left Wetzlar like that. The Zeiss 8x25 Victory I just returned looked like a $100.00 binocular. Poorly applied rough finish, sloppy cheap eye cups, poor machining on the moving parts and even the case was sewed unevenly so you could barely latch it.
 
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After reading the allbinos review of the SF 10X42, the issue with my first SF is described perfectly below in the review and is quoted below.

"The Zeiss Victory SF is the proof that it is possible to produce a pair of binoculars with a very wide field of view which is also perfectly corrected. If not for that strange slip-up with reflections beyond the eyepiece's diaphragm, most likely caused by a shiny ring inside tubes which aren’t baffled properly by apertures, you would get an instrument optically perfect, an ideal".

"The only binoculars which can compete with the Victory SF on the market are the Swarovski EL Swarovision and the Nikon EDG. The Zeiss’s field of view is wider than their fields but the slip-up with the reflections behind the eyepiece's diaphragm simply shouldn’t have happened in a case of a top-of-the-range instrument. Still if you are not bothered by it the Zeiss is certainly recommendable in practically every other aspect".

I think this sums it up perfectly and why I returned my first one, that reflection on the edge of view (ring) really aggravated me, it may not bother others, but I like dark/black edge views.

A.W.

A.W.

I agree with Jan. It sounds probable that the second binocular was damaged in shipment.

A few things can be deduced from Allbinos' and your description of an edge reflection in the SF. Firstly, you can be certain that it's not coming from a reflection at the objective end of the binocular. Reflections from there are far too unfocused when viewed through the eyepiece to ever take the form of a narrow ring like you described and they never appear "beyond the eyepiece's diaphragm", by which I assume Allbinos means in the black area outside eyepiece field stop.

If the narrow ring appears to be within the FOV, but close to the field stop edge it's probably coming from something close to, but just in front of field stop, like possibly the field lens cell. If the narrow ring is in the black just outside the field stop it's coming from someplace in the eyepiece between the field stop and the eye. Since the eyepieces are mounted with varying amounts of eccentricity for collimation a reflection that occurs along only one edge of the left side could mean that the amount of eccentricity used for that side may be large enough to expose a normally baffled spot to the eye's pupil when the pupil is in certain positions.
 
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Henry, that sounds plausible since I did not see it all the time, such as looking at a light at night, or near the suns glare, but it would appear during normal viewing night or day, and then go away, but it was always in the left tube. I switched eyes to tubes and it was still appearing in the same tube with my right eye. I have never had this happen with other binoculars, so what is it, since I found it quite distracting...Was it the eye piece that was defective, or does this glass exhibit this characteristic like Allbinos says, or is it that the bino has to be perfectly alligned with the eye during normal viewing.

A.W.
 
Regarding shipping woes, I previously worked in the wine world and dealt with shipping contracts. We shipped about 5000 boxes a year with two carriers and observed about a .1-.15% damaged / lost shipment rate. I have the impression this is better than it was 25 years ago but I don’t have any data to back it up.
 
Hi Henry,

It sounds probable that the second binocular was damaged in shipment.

I wonder if shock indicators are ever used for shipping high-value optics?

Basically, these are small glass tubes that break if exposed to excessively rough handling:

http://shockwatch.org/

On another site, I saw the price listed as 3,15 EUR for one specific type. Not sure if that would pay off from the manufacturer's point of view ...

Regards,

Henning
 
The Nikon EDG 10x42 and the Swarovski 10x42 are ranked over the Zeiss SF on Allbinos. They both have better build quality as you have noticed with the EDG. Did you notice that reflection on the edge of view (ring) with this replacement Zeiss 8x42 SF? I wonder if that was the same problem Allbinos was talking about when they said the Zeiss SF had a slip-up with reflections beyond the eyepiece's diaphragm, most likely caused by a shiny ring inside tubes which aren’t baffled properly by apertures. The Swarovski 8.5x42 is the highest scoring 8x42 binocular and once you try the new Field -Pro package you will not want to go back to the old strap attachments. Swarovski has the best customer service and warranty also. Try a Swarovski 8.5x42.

https://www.allbinos.com/allbinos_ranking-binoculars_ranking-10x42.html
https://www.allbinos.com/allbinos_ranking-binoculars_ranking-8x42.html

OMG. And we listen to this stuff?

And some other stuff?
 
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