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

Quick look throughout a 8.5x42 EL (1 Viewer)

C

Chris223

Well-known member
I just received one 2 days ago....that a pity that i don't have anymore the zeiss sf 8X42 to compare.

For me the perceived quality of the swaro is way better. Maybe the ergonomics of the zeiss is better because of it size (but for me it is to big for a 42MM).

Diopter ajustement is a dream on the swaro ! Focus wheel maybe a little bit better on the zeiss but the swaro is really good nothing to worry for me.

Image quality; here i can only rely on my memory :

First thing you notice is the narrower FOV of the swaro, second thing is the image color rendition. Color seems more brillant on the zeiss but for me it is not the reality. Swaro seems absolutely true on color ! The third thing is that the field is absolutely on focus till the very edge...oustanding !
CA also are very very well controled !

So to resume for me you don't have the wowwww factor of the large field of the Zeiss but you have a beautifull picture almost free of any optical aberation ! It seems to be a bino without flaw !
 
Hi Chris,

The Swarovski 8.5x42 is hard to beat visually!
The picture is absolutely brilliant and harmonious, I like it a bit better than the SF.
Color rendering ...
The Swarovski has more blue parts, the SF is more green / yellow, I do not think that binoculars naturally reflect all the colors, some shades are better in Swarovski, others in Zeiss ...
Difficult question, people also have different color perceptions.

Andreas
 
Chris223 said:
I just received one 2 days ago....that a pity that i don't have anymore the zeiss sf 8X42 to compare.

For me the perceived quality of the swaro is way better. Maybe the ergonomics of the zeiss is better because of it size (but for me it is to big for a 42MM).

Diopter ajustement is a dream on the swaro ! Focus wheel maybe a little bit better on the zeiss but the swaro is really good nothing to worry for me.

Image quality; here i can only rely on my memory :

First thing you notice is the narrower FOV of the swaro, second thing is the image color rendition. Color seems more brillant on the zeiss but for me it is not the reality. Swaro seems absolutely true on color ! The third thing is that the field is absolutely on focus till the very edge...oustanding !
CA also are very very well controled !

So to resume for me you don't have the wowwww factor of the large field of the Zeiss but you have a beautifull picture almost free of any optical aberation ! It seems to be a bino without flaw !
Click to expand...


I use both bins intensively during the last 2 years now
The Zeiss in early grey version had never let me down, so quality is a subjective thing
On the other hand the swaro is indeed brilliant optics wise , but I still hate their focus drive
What I appreciate in the SF is the huge FOV and the ergonomics!
 
After few days of using it i don't like that much the ergonomics of the bino ! My IPD is quite on the lower side and it is tricky to put my hands around the tube (i don t have small hands)....that's a pity
 
Chris223 said:
After few days of using it i don't like that much the ergonomics of the bino ! My IPD is quite on the lower side and it is tricky to put my hands around the tube (i don t have small hands)....that's a pity
Click to expand...

Are you sure your IPD is correctly set? There might be some marginal there if you experiment a bit.

SF is probably better in that aspect (but also bulkier), Noctivid might be a bit worse but also more compact.

I think you could find alternate ways of holding any of them that might work.
 
Vespobuteo said:
Are you sure your IPD is correctly set? There might be some marginal there if you experiment a bit.

SF is probably better in that aspect (but also bulkier), Noctivid might be a bit worse but also more compact.

I think you could find alternate ways of holding any of them that might work.
Click to expand...

Yes it is....the space between both tube is almost to small to put a finger...

For sure i can use it but for long observation it is a bit tiring....SF on that point is wayyy better !
 
For sure i can use it but for long observation it is a bit tiring....SF on that point is wayyy better !
Click to expand...

Agreed! Among other things the SV 8.5 is front heavy, and the SF indeed feels much better in my hands. On a side note, the ergos of the SVs 50mm are better than the 42mm SV's, somewhat comparable with SF's.
 
Chris223 said:
Yes it is....the space between both tube is almost to small to put a finger...

For sure i can use it but for long observation it is a bit tiring....SF on that point is wayyy better !
Click to expand...

Perhaps the 8x32 SV might actually work better for you, as the tubes are slimmer. Personally I don't mind the ergonomics of the Leica UVHD+ either, compact and light.
 
Finally i have a Zeiss 8X42 since one week to play with the swaro...

Optically for me the only advantage of the zeiss is the larger FOV that give you a little bit more "relaxed view" (maybe also the extra mm of exit pupil)

Except that for me the EL beat the SF in every corner !

All the FOV is perfectly sharp, CA control is excellent, color rendition is more neutral, and for me there is some extra clarity (i don't know if it due to the 0.5X more power or better contrast or something else).

First bino that when looking at a point source of light don't see any spike or cross in the Field !

I am really impressed by this swaro bino !
 
Chris223 said:
Finally i have a Zeiss 8X42 since one week to play with the swaro...

Optically for me the only advantage of the zeiss is the larger FOV that give you a little bit more "relaxed view" (maybe also the extra mm of exit pupil)

Except that for me the EL beat the SF in every corner !

All the FOV is perfectly sharp, CA control is excellent, color rendition is more neutral, and for me there is some extra clarity (i don't know if it due to the 0.5X more power or better contrast or something else).

First bino that when looking at a point source of light don't see any spike or cross in the Field !

I am really impressed by this swaro bino !
Click to expand...

Which Zeiss model have you compared with ?

Jerry
 
Looked through the Zeiss Victory today as it gets such a good write up here in the UK. Wasn't in the same class as the Swarovski EL to my eyes nor my wife's eyes.
 
I recently bought a new Zeiss 8x42 SF because of the good reviews also. It had thin orange rings around the FOV. IMO it didn't compare to my Swarovski SV 8.5x42 quality wise or optics wise.
 
Last edited:
i did compare the 8.5 with the 10X42 EL. I like for sure the extra power of the 10X.....but with the 10 one you don t have the super comfy view of the 8.5 (mostly du to the larger exit pupil i think).

Furthermore i am not sure but i feel that there is something a little bit different in the "clarity" of the view.

I like better the 8.5. Maybe if i am interested by 10X i should try the 10X50.
 
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