The Zeiss FL, the most CA free of all ? (1 Viewer)

ceasar · Apr 14, 2016

Steve C said:
Just because I don't see it in normal use conditions, that does not mean I can't find it, or know what it is. Mostly with me it is that a precisely focused binocular does not show it. Defocus it slightly in situations where CA is easily seen and I can usually bring it into play. One scenario where I see it most readily is dead center in the field with the ridge line of either Stukel Mt to the east of the Klamath Hills to the south with the ridge line in bright sunlight it will usually show up.

The Maven B2 is the most glare free and CA resistant binocular I have ever used. I simply can't get glare at all and CA is terribly difficult to induce. I almost have to be looking as close to the sun as I dare along the sunlit ridge to get it at all. That is me. I will not recommend a binocular to anyone specifically to reduce CA.

I don't know about the CA in short vs long designs, but the Maven B2 is very long. The B3 is shorter and CA is a bit easier to see. The Maven B1 is somewhere in the middle, both in length and CA.

I see it the way Steve sees it. Almost exactly the same way. I could have written his first sentence. I think that I might have written it at some time in the past.

If I am reviewing a binocular I usually make an obligatory statement about CA that is written in that vein.

If I'm not looking for it I don't notice it and I see little reason to look for it. I know what a particularly bad example looks like because I saw it while looking at Turkey Vultures soaring above me in a bright overcast day. I was using an inexpensive 7x36 Vortex that had a lagging focus in one of the objective tubes.

Anybody who sees something like that routinely has my sympathy.:eek!:

Bob

SuperDuty · Apr 14, 2016

Many thanks for your condolences.3

:C:king:

ceasar said:
I see it the way Steve sees it. Almost exactly the same way. I could have written his first sentence. I think that I might have written it at some time in the past. If I am reviewing a binocular I usually make an obligatory statement about CA that is written in that vein.

If I'm not looking for it I don't notice it and I see little reason to look for it. I know what a particularly bad example looks like because I saw it while looking at Turkey Vultures soaring above me on a bright overcast day. I was using an inexpensive 7x36 Vortex that had a lagging focus in one of the objective tubes.

Anybody who sees something like that routinely has my sympathy.:eek!:

Bob

chill6x6 · Apr 14, 2016

SuperDuty said:
That's interesting, I have always read reports of Leica binoculars having more CA than all of the other top Alphas.

Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it...looking at shore birds etc around some salt ponds in St Kitts....a little breeze causing a little wave action around the shore. Those waves breaking on the shore...orange/red with SV 8X32s. PREVALENT! I asked Ashlee to see her binoculars which were the Trinovid 8X42s...and PRESTO....PERFECT and CORRECT color.

ronh · Apr 14, 2016

The 8x42 FL is the most CA free binocular I've seen. I have not had a good try with an HT, but Zeiss does not advertise such an improvement in it, and I would be surprised to see one, having found Zeiss advertising quite factual.

FWIW, I have never noticed CA while actually birdwatching in any circumstance where the view was not already so crappy from bad lighting that the elimination of CA would have appreciably improved it. Under "CA conditions", scattered light usually hurts the view worse than CA. My favorite, the 7x50 FMT-SX, (which I actually birdwatch with, being retired and sorely needing discipline) is rather bad for CA by comparison, but it beats the 8x42 FL in other ways that pull it ahead for me.

This all said, it is perfectly fine to be obsessed with any optical effect you please, each part of the learning curve, beautiful in its way.

Ron

denco@comcast.n · Apr 14, 2016

ronh said:
The 8x42 FL is the most CA free binocular I've seen. I have not had a good try with an HT, but Zeiss does not advertise such an improvement in it, and I would be surprised to see one, having found Zeiss advertising quite factual.

FWIW, I have never noticed CA while actually birdwatching in any circumstance where the view was not already so crappy from bad lighting that the elimination of CA would have appreciably improved it. Under "CA conditions", scattered light usually hurts the view worse than CA. My favorite, the 7x50 FMT-SX, (which I actually birdwatch with, being retired and sorely needing discipline) is rather bad for CA by comparison, but it beats the 8x42 FL in other ways that pull it ahead for me.

This all said, it is perfectly fine to be obsessed with any optical effect you please, each part of the learning curve, beautiful in its way.

Ron

Thanks, Ronh for agreeing about the Zeiss FL. What binoculars have you compared it with?

Torview · Apr 14, 2016

The worst binocular I`v owned for ca was an 8x40 Zeiss Conquest BT, its always there in every binocular off axis for me, but as long as the sweetspot is free of it I`m happy.

Ranking the best I`v owned.

1. Zeiss 8x32 FL
2. Swarovski 8x32 SV
3. Leica 7x42 UVHD+
4. Nikon 8x32 SE / EII
5. Leica 8x42 UVHD

But I`m convinced the same binocular will show different levels of ca for say ten users, if they were together and passing the optic around between themselves at the same location.

PeterPS · Apr 14, 2016

I believe the green fringe will always be on the inside edge of the object towards the optical axis and the pink/purple fringe will be on the outside edge. There are always those two colors and I have never yet seen a binocular without some CA.

Hi Mark:

You are fully right, I have just checked it using my EDG 10x42 and it is exactly as you say. I have to check this using other bins as well---I have no idea why but I never saw the purple fringe before (maybe because the green fringe looked more striking to my eyes?). Anyways this is precisely one of the downsides of reading BF posts---you become aware of aberrations that you were unaware of---and once you see them you cannot unsee them....

Peter.

Troubador · Apr 14, 2016

pesto said:
Hi Mark:

Anyways this is precisely one of the downsides of reading BF posts---you become aware of aberrations that you were unaware of

Peter.

Peter,

Your post is a bit harsh isn't it?
I know we are an odd bunch on BF and one or two of us are perhaps a prism short of a full Schmidt-Pechan but 'aberrations' is going a bit far, surely?

Lee

SuperDuty · Apr 14, 2016

Not according to Jerry, I'm surprised he hasn't dropped by with a post to chastise me for starting another CA related thread. 3

:king::-O

ronh said:
This all said, it is perfectly fine to be obsessed with any optical effect you please, each part of the learning curve, beautiful in its way.

Ron

Kammerdiner · Apr 14, 2016

pesto said:
Hi Mark:

You are fully right, I have just checked it using my EDG 10x42 and it is exactly as you say. I have to check this using other bins as well---I have no idea why but I never saw the purple fringe before (maybe because the green fringe looked more striking to my eyes?). Anyways this is precisely one of the downsides of reading BF posts---you become aware of aberrations that you were unaware of---and once you see them you cannot unsee them....

Peter.

The full spectrum occurs at both edges, but in most high-contrast backlit situations half of it will fall within the object itself and mostly not be noticed. The inside edge hides the purple, the outside edge hides the green.

CA occurs everywhere, though, and if it's bad enough it will degrade the entire image. I've seen a few that had it real bad. That's why ED glass is desirable: it helps to clean up the entire image not just the edges.

Most of my binoculars are top-drawer these days, but in terms of CA even the Sightron 8x32 does well enough for me in most cases. And even though I can see CA in every bino I've ever used I'm evidently not as put off by it as some. Mostly I don't go looking for it either. When it happens it happens.

Aberrantly yours,

Mark

ronh · Apr 15, 2016

"What binoculars have you compared it with?"

Dennis,

Most significant to this discussion, I've compared the 8x42 FL at length with the 8.5x42 SV, which is still good on CA, and which I have come to prefer to the 8x42 FL for other reasons. Still, my personal hyperion is the big Fujinon, which is in fact bad!

Ron

Troubador · Apr 15, 2016

Kammerdiner said:
Aberrantly yours,

Mark

:-O

Lee

denco@comcast.n · Apr 15, 2016

The big Fujinon is good optically and I am surprised it isn't good at CA control being a porro. Most porro's are pretty good even without ED glass. I don't remember how the Fujinon controlled CA when I had mine. I just couldn't tolerate the weight. I compared my Fujinon 7x50 FMT-SX when I had it to a Habicht 8x30W and the little tiny Habicht was as bright in most situations and a lot easier to carry so I sold the Fujinon but I do understand the love for the Fujinon's. They are a lot of glass for the money when you can pick one up for $350.

ronh · Apr 16, 2016

Just a reminder that "central" CA is very technique dependent. We center the object in the field in hopes of a CA free view, but if our eyes aren't centered on the eyepieces, it's not going to happen, Zeiss FL/HT, Porro, or whatever. Getting intimate with your eyecups and learning to center your eyes, and getting the IPD just right, by viewing a CA-harsh target, is time well spent. Glasses wearers are at a disadvantage because they can't feel the eyecups, good luck there.

Ron

The Zeiss FL, the most CA free of all ? (1 Viewer)

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