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

Keep my new Victory 8x32 FL or get something less expensive? (1 Viewer)

Bruce,

:t: Ditto... but with whatever glass I've been carrying for the day! And no that isn't a Bourbon Whiskey glass Troub... which I am having a shot of as I type (Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey). And here is a different shot to share. It is the real deal. They come out of the National Park and walk thru town just like the tourists, but they tend to eat the flowers and other shrubbery... the tourists tend to smoke it. B :)

CG

Great photo CG. If you ever get the chance to try Bowmore single malt from the Isle of Islay, in fact any malt from Islay, it will knock your head off with the strength of flavour. They are not like the super smoothies from Speyside in mainland Scotland and pack a taste punch that takes getting used to. But Jack Daniels is sort of drifting a bit in this direction.

Lee
 
Nice photos of magnificent animals.

You have some terrific Elk in Sweden too. I remember having to stop my car for one crossing the main road between Varnamo and Forsheda in Smaland in around 1997. It seemed to have legs like matchsticks (but long) and a body like a main battle tank!

Lee
 
You have some terrific Elk in Sweden too. I remember having to stop my car for one crossing the main road between Varnamo and Forsheda in Smaland in around 1997. It seemed to have legs like matchsticks (but long) and a body like a main battle tank!

Lee

Yes, and they do have long legs and big, heavy body.
Quite dangerous if you hit one with your car because you drive in under it and get the body right on the windshield.

I'm not really sure about the name of the animals though.
What we have in Sweden is this:
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Älgar
"Älg" in swedish and what I think is called elk i Brittain but moose in USA.
Is that correct?
The animal in CG's and Bruces pics I think we would call some kind of deer.

Beautiful animals all of them.
There was a white one in the paper a few days ago:
https://www.sydsvenskan.se/2017-11-14/vit-alg-klarar-livhanken
 
Not really sure about the name of the animals though.
What we have in Sweden is this:
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Älgar
"Älg" in swedish and what I think is called elk i Brittain but moose in USA.
Is that correct?
]

That is what I understand too: Elk in Britain and Sweden, Moose in USA, although to be more precise I am not 100% sure they are exactly the same species in Sweden and USA. There are many more than one species of deer so maybe there are several Elk/Moose species.

Lee
 
To tie this thread together, i came across a moose and calf on the edge of a marsh area in Poland - keeping well under cover, i watched them on the edge of some high grasses for about 30 minutes - through Zeiss FL 8x32s! Ta Da!!!
 
To tie this thread together, i came across a moose and calf on the edge of a marsh area in Poland - keeping well under cover, i watched them on the edge of some high grasses for about 30 minutes - through Zeiss FL 8x32s! Ta Da!!!

But Paddy, was it a Moose (talking with American accent) or was it an Elk (talking with a dark Slavic or Nordic accent) ???

But the FL link was a nice one. On a very recent trip to Islay there were a couple of FL32s on the ferry on both the outward and return!

Lee
 
Elk and Moose are entirely different species.
That is only true if you are comparing _Alces alces_ to _Cervus canadensis_, as would be the case according to American English usage.

The confusion comes from the fact that in American English we use the name "Moose" for the genus _Alces_, whereas in British English the word "Elk" has been applied, historically, to any really large species in the deer family (Cervidae), including the extinct giant Irish Elk, as well as to the taxon called Moose in American English. Based on my reading and conversations with folks from Europe, the word Moose is also commonly used, nowadays, in Britain and Europe to refer to _Alces_, so happily, use of that word is unambiguous, even if some would only apply it strictly to _Alces_ when found in North America.

In American English, the name "Elk" or "Wapiti" is used for the species _Cervus canadensis_. That species is a fairly close relative of (and looks very similar to) the Red Deer _Cervus elaphus_ of the Old World. So the North American species would likely be recognized as a sort of "Deer" by users of British English, as GunnarGG noted. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, all these species (including Moose) are a sort of deer, as they are all members of the Cervidae.

--AP

PS - I have, on numerous occasions, used my Zeiss 8x32 FL to observe both Moose (_Alces_) and Wapiti/Elk (_Cervus_), often in the same day, and once (at Grand Tetons National Park) at the very same time!
 
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Thanks for the explanations about elk/moose.
I'm glad to see you guys enjoying your fl 8x32 and obviously not only for birds.
It's dark after work nowadays so haven't used mine much but did get to see some bullfinches with it today, very nice.
 
To tie this thread together, i came across a moose and calf on the edge of a marsh area in Poland - keeping well under cover, i watched them on the edge of some high grasses for about 30 minutes - through Zeiss FL 8x32s! Ta Da!!!

I have had the same good fortune here in our national forest, but only for around 30 seconds. I really felt blessed this day... for the sighting and not getting trampled!o:)

CG
 

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The British Red Deer and the North American Elk would seem to be the same species, according to the experience of a North American wildlife park (whose reference I have lost). The two subspecies interbred enthusiastically, resulting in fertile offspring.

So the names can be summarized as

what Brits call a deer, the Americans call an elk;
what Brits call an elk, the Americans call a moose;
what the Brits call a mousse, the Americans call jello.
 
Gijs,
you are spot on with the heavy turning resistans, that was the problem.
You are probably also right about the hunters, I think a hunter would have thought that it was just fine as it was.

With my other binos, and my FL now after it was fixed, I apply a small amount of force to make the focus wheel start moving and I can make very small and precise adjustments.

With the FL when I got it first that small amount of force didn't move the focus wheel. I then had to apply a little more force until it moved and when it then did move it made a small jump of maybe 1 or 2 mm and so no precision.
If I looked at a bird and the focus was let's say 10-20 cm in front of it and tried to get it in focus I would end up having the focus 10-20 cm behind it instead. It took me rocking the focus back and forth several times before I found correct focus. Then the bird moved and I had to start over again, pretty annoying.

Maybe a hunter sets the focus on a spot 100-200 meters away and keeps it there for long time. So a focus with higher resistance is wanted.

Hi Gunnar,

I just bought an FL 8x32 as well and received it yesterday.

I got to try an old green model recently (about 12yrs old) for about 3+ hours and was very impressed with it. I liked the small size, super smooth focus, over-sized focus wheel and the clean , sharp image. The CA control is superb and the best I've ever seen.


The brand new FL I have now has a stiffer focus compared to the old green model I tried. It's not terribly stiff and not stiff enough to warrant returning the binocular. It's just a bit tighter than I would prefer. I don't think it's as stiff as your unit out of the box based on your initial description of the focus action.

I think the focus tension is indeed something a hunter would be pleased with, but for birding you need easy and fluid focus action since you're moving the focus constantly and need to get on those quick birds.
Normally, I don't prefer a very fast focus, but I got along very well with the FL's faster focus (compared to my Ultravid). Lee told me to give it some time and send it to Zeiss to adjust if it doesn't loosen up enough to my liking.

I'll give it more time. Overall, I'm very pleased with the FL and glad I grabbed one before their impending extinction.

Surprisingly, I'm able to see the full FOV with my glasses. The ER specs state 15.5mm or 16mm (depending on the website) which is usually a bit too short for me with other bins. I was unable to see the full FOV with the Euro HD 8x32 which has the same listed ER (15.5mm).

I sold my Viper HD 6x32 and also my Zeiss Jenoptem 8x30 to help pay for the FL. These were difficult to see go since I liked them both quite a bit, but the FL is just SO good I know I'll forget about the others soon enough.

Two 'living legends' : Ultravid+ 7x42 and Victory FL 8x32, classic and venerated designs which are fortunately still available to purchase ... for now.
 
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I just called Zeiss US service to what they recommend for the stiff focus.
I told them I'd prefer it a wee bit looser.
They said it should loosen up with use over time, but if I'm still not satisfied I can send it in.
However, FL's are sent to Germany for repair and it would take like 10 weeks turnaround :-C Think I'll give it more time :cat:

He also said they are planning to be able to repair all models in the future in their new NY location, so that's good news. They moved from VA to NY recently.
 
Hi Gunnar,

I just bought an FL 8x32 as well and received it yesterday.
.
I'll give it more time. Overall, I'm very pleased with the FL and glad I grabbed one before their impending extinction.

Surprisingly, I'm able to see the full FOV with my glasses. The ER specs state 15.5mm or 16mm (depending on the website) which is usually a bit too short for me with other bins. I was unable to see the full FOV with the Euro HD 8x32 which has the same listed ER (15.5mm).

Gilmore Girl , I tried the FL 8x32 about 2 years ago and was also quite impressed and that experience left me wanting one. Now with my recent purchase of a pair of Cabelas Euro Instinct 8x32 HD binoculars that arrived with no issues what so ever ...... I can see the full field of view with my glasses, the view is exceptionally sharp/crisp to my eyes and the focus wheel tension/speed is perfect for me. When I tried the FL 8x32 I had the same experienced that I had with the Cabelas Euro but with the FL 8x32 feeling to be more robust in construction. Having said this, I now no longer feel the desire to purchase the FL 8x32. Going from memory the view optically was so similar. With the cost of the FL 8x32 now being over a $1,000 more than what I paid for the Cabelas Euro 8x32 on sale I am glad I waited. If your experience had been the same as I had with the Cabelas Euro 8x32 HD. Arriving with no issues. With the eye relief/ tension focus being to your liking. Would you have been so quick to have purchased the FL 8x32 ?
 
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