Tempted to get an FL 7x42, feedback? reasons for or against? (1 Viewer)

I have heard the FL's have gone through multiple "upgrades/changes" since their launch 4-5 years ago. I think eyecup changes were one of them. What do I need to look for there?

ALso how has the binocular treated your eyes?
anything your really liked or disliked?
any input is appreciated

Recently I got an 8x42 Victory T FL and this binoc is as brighter and clearer than anything I've owned. And I had a Swarovski EL from 2003 and a SLC and a compact prior to that. I'm not much into magnification and if the bargain I got on mine had been a 7x, I would have been just as happy. Other than it's a hefty binoc, I knew that before I got it so no problems here.

The eyecups changed. I think they slimmed them down? That is discussed elsewhere on the forum.

They got Lotutec (after the eyecup change) which is perhaps the most significant difference.

There seems to be a change in AR coatings (colors changed a bit) but without an accurate measurement it's difficult to know how much that improved the transmission (or changed the color bias).

The Lotutec bins also changed the straps they came with from the all black contoured strap with printed logo at the "lapels" to a more contoured strap with blue embossed plastic logs at the lapels and "Carl Zeiss" across the back of the neck. You can buy these straps as parts so they're not a reliable indicator of the bin.

One thing that took me by surprise is the black versus the green FLs. The black bins have a rubber coating on the enclosure. The green bins are the color of the underlying composite enclosure. I find the black bins to be noticeably more grippy and the green ones with be quite "slippery" in my hands especially when my hands are dry.

They way to separate them out is to know the Zeiss 6 digit (xx-xx-xx) product code which will be on the original box. We did that merry dance for the 8x20 Victory but it's not been done for the FLs.

I like my 7x42 FLs. Decent wide field. Bright. Not too heavy. Good woodland and "searching" binocular.

Kevin Purcell said:

The eyecups changed. I think they slimmed them down? That is discussed elsewhere on the forum.

Click to expand...

First, early change to eyecups, was to make them fatter (slightly larger diameter).
Second change, just before Lotutec intro, was to make them slightly softer and with rounded edges and barrel-shaped profile.

I like the current eyecups better than the previous two versions.

--AP

Had mine almost 2 yrs....only thing I'm even slightly less than enamoured with is the diopter adj on the center focus....I like it on the rt eyepiece. But for view, handling, fov, et al, nonpariel.....occasionally there are deals on them....get one, ya won't be sorry.

308CAL said:

I have heard the FL's have gone through multiple "upgrades/changes" since their launch 4-5 years ago. I think eyecup changes were one of them. What do I need to look for there?

ALso how has the binocular treated your eyes?
anything your really liked or disliked?
any input is appreciated

Click to expand...

I prefer the 8X magnification anymore in either the 32mm or 42mm. Compare the two and make sure you want the 7X. I like the Zeiss 8x32 FL. Optics on it suit me better than the the 8x42 FL. For one it has better edge sharpness.

I will go with Dennis, I have a pair of 8x32's and they are the best bins I have ever used.
A very good friend has the 7x42's and it's looking through his bins that made me decide to buy mine. try both and what feels right for you are the bins to go for.

All the best Nigel

spyglass said:

Had mine almost 2 yrs....only thing I'm even slightly less than enamoured with is the diopter adj on the center focus....I like it on the rt eyepiece. But for view, handling, fov, et al, nonpariel.....occasionally there are deals on them....get one, ya won't be sorry.

Click to expand...

I have to agree I find the rather solid detent in the diopter setting on all of the FLs to be very annoying especially when the offsets one sets (with corrected vision) are very close to the zero point (but not actually zero). Zeiss would have done better to leave that feature out.

Aside from that I like all the FLs I have.

I had the 7x42 FL. It was very useful in the woodsy environment where I used to live in the East Coast. Now that I am in California in a very open area, they have seen very little use. They have since been sold. My most used binocs are two 10x models. So the moral of the story is: no matter how good a binocular might be, and the 7x FLs were absolutely wonderful, it should be a good match for the kind of viewing needs available to you.