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

New scope from Zeiss... (3 Viewers)

Thanks for that Daniel

Didn't see anything about the zoom range.

I thought Zeiss were bringing out 32mm SF's at the Birdfair...
 
Hi,

the video is quite vague indeed - looks more like Gavia than Diascope with the helical focuser.

Joachim
 
I think that it would be very strange if it is an expensive Gavia. Really hope they will release a worthy replacement to the diascope.

"The most powerful scope"? More than 75x mag? 95mm it seems, or 95x mag perhaps...

Helical focuser & zoom? Almost looks as if it has two "zoom" rings. Or is it a twist built-in teleconverter?
 
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Perhaps its a modular offering? In the video, it mentions "most powerful yet" so I'd anticipated at least 75x and maybe a 95mm objective? Not to get collective hopes up, but I heard that there has been a pre-production SF32 doing the rounds in the UK in the last month or so, but my source is not the most reliable.
 
I think that it would be very strange if it is an expensive Gavia. Really hope they will release a worthy replacement to the diascope.

It's about time for Zeiss to come up with a scope that can compete against the big Kowa and the Swarovski ATX, I'd say.

Helical focuser & zoom? Almost looks as if it has two "zoom" rings. Or is it a twist built-in teleconverter?

Looks like that, doesn't it? Focuser and built-in zoom, separate from the eyepice?

Now, that would be an interesting concept.

Hermann
 
Not to get collective hopes up, but I heard that there has been a pre-production SF32 doing the rounds in the UK in the last month or so, but my source is not the most reliable.

I just don't understand why Zeiss hasn't brought out a new 8x32 yet. OK, maybe they had to change a few things after working on the focuser of the (grey) SF, but surely it's about time for a new 8x32.

BTW, Leica also seems to be fast asleep. An 8x32 Noctivid would also be of interest to quite a few people, I reckon.

Hermann
 
On the eye piece it says:
23-70x95 and 22-65x85

So there should be two different sized objectives/bodies.

https://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics/en_de/nature/victory-spotting-scope.html

The complete photo can be seen here:

https://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics...01855771202.jpg/victory-spotter-b-xl-1920.jpg

Image name is "victory-spotter-b-xl-1920.jpg" so it seems it's a top of the line scope. :t:

Eye piece lens looks like it has pretty large diameter, so eye relief will be probably very good.
Eye piece seems to be removable.
Body material looks a bit like CARBON FIBRE but possible it's just the rubber armoring...
 
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It's odd that the zoom ratios for the two apertures are not quite the same. Maybe the magnifications are rounded to the closest whole number for one or both. For instance, if the 22x65x85 is really 21.5x65.4x85 that would make things about right.

This sure looks like another Kamakura product, maybe this time with enough value added at Wetzlar for a "Made in Germany" label. Compared to the Gavia I would hope for better color correction, lower spherical aberration and a clear aperture that matches the specified aperture.
 
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Hi,

so we have a 3x zoom range - it will be interesting what the FoV will be like - the wide angle zooms of the competition usually trade some zoom range for a wider FoV.
If we assume a 8-24mm zoom, this would make the 85mm version around 525mm or f6.2 and the 95mm version slightly faster around 555mm or f5.8. Are physical dimensions known already?

Regarding the two "focus" rings on the body - could that be a coarse and fine focus?

Joachim
 
Fine and coarse focus, didn't think about that one, but it's possible,
not sure if it's a good idea though, but at 70x and 95mm aperture it might be useful.

The naming indicates that it's a "Victory" series,
but it sure looks a bit like he Gavia, haven't found any possible 95mm kamakura clones though,
maybe it's a special design for Zeiss,
or is it related to the Meopta S2 HD?

Not made in Germany would be a disappointment...
Better optical quality than the Gavia
will definitely be needed, to make me interested...

One possibility is that the zoom (if it is a zoom) will fit on that Gavia as well.
Would explain the 85mm reference on the EP.
 
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Henry,

The discrepancy (small at that) in the zoom ratios most likely does come from rounding of the numbers to the nearest or best looking full integral. In any case, decimals don't really matter when it comes to magnification factor. FOV figures would be interesting to see. Otherwise, it will all come down to actual image quality. We'll see soon enough.

Compared to the ATX 95, the one clear advantage of the Zeiss will be the magnification range from 23-30x, which will be very welcome to many birders contemplating their choice. As a high magnification freak, I'm likely to stick with my ATX with extender X and 70-120x range, which the Zeiss from the little we have heard does not seem to offer (yet).

Kimmo
 
I am a higher magnification freak plus.
I would want a range of 20x to 200x on a top 95mm scope, if necessary with Barlows.

The excellent Mirador 70mm mirror spotter has a standard 30x to 120x zoom plus can take 1.25 inch fit eyepieces.
The Questar is an option also.

My astro scopes easily cover 20x to 200x.
 
The excellent Mirador 70mm mirror spotter has a standard 30x to 120x zoom plus can take 1.25 inch fit eyepieces.
The Questar is an option also.

I very much doubt these scopes are fieldworthy. The Questar most certainly isn't, it leaks like a sieve IME. Not the kind of scope I'd like to use in tough weather conditions.

Hermann
 
Anyway, that kind of settles the discussion on what was going to be Zeiss' 'new product' at BirdFair. 32mm SF must still be up the road apiece....
 
The Questar is used by several specialised military units.
I doubt it gets tougher than that.
It probably does leak.
Most astro type scopes are not waterproof.
I don't know if they use rain covers, with good quality optical windows.

Similarly early superb Russian similar scopes.

My Questars show no sign of water damage despite having had a hard professional life.
I got them cheaply because the field tech messed up the eyepieces and they could not show an in focus image. Probably after cleaning them.
It took me about fifteen minutes to take the eyepieces apart and reassemble them correctly.
 
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On the eye piece it says:
23-70x95 and 22-65x85

So there should be two different sized objectives/bodies.

https://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics/en_de/nature/victory-spotting-scope.html

The complete photo can be seen here:

https://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics...01855771202.jpg/victory-spotter-b-xl-1920.jpg

Image name is "victory-spotter-b-xl-1920.jpg" so it seems it's a top of the line scope. :t:

Eye piece lens looks like it has pretty large diameter, so eye relief will be probably very good.
Eye piece seems to be removable.
Body material looks a bit like CARBON FIBRE but possible it's just the rubber armoring...

Sorry, but we're embargoed from divulging details until Friday. At that time, I'll post a link to a complete video with Jerry Dobler explaining the features of the new scopes in detail. We're still waiting for pricing and specs.
 
Zeiss most probably will include all info on their site also on Friday...
It's a good new to Zeiss fans.
I find the eyepiece too short to be wide angled (compared to Kowa and Leica eps length), so the second ring can be a zooming ring in order to achieve wider AFOVs?
Nice to see that competition to the X95 will increase and look forward to see all specs, and the future replies of Kowa and Leica...;)
 
It's about time for Zeiss to come up with a scope that can compete against the big Kowa and the Swarovski ATX, I'd say.

Looks like that, doesn't it? Focuser and built-in zoom, separate from the eyepice?

Now, that would be an interesting concept.

Hermann

100% agree with all of this Hermann.

Lee
 
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