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

Review of 8x25 Victory Pocket (2 Viewers)

I Really feel a short (compact length) binocular is more difficult to hold steady, as any rotation up and down of let’s say one centimeter will result in a much bigger tilt in your view compared to a long binocular, just like in high-mag vs low mag binoculars. I have the 8x25 and even though I can’t think of a much better compact binocular aimed at folding away very ‘compact’, on comparison with a longer length 8x30 I would always prefer the latter for the steadiness. Not for image quality, eye placement (I am a glass wearer and find the eye relief and placement very good), but for the steadiness. I bough it as a car bin / wife’s bin while travelling / Child’s bin / casual walk bin and that’s why I value the very low weight and possibility to fold it / put it in my wife’s purse / let my daughter use it without her complaining about the weight,...
 
I don't wear eyeglasses and I occasionally did get blackouts by placing the 8x25s too far into my eye sockets, but I think with enough use, the correct placement would come naturally. What I found really concerning was that I was unable to hold the 8x25s steady, the shake was much worse than what I get with my 10x42s. I didn't have problems with the 8x30s, I guess the larger size and extra weight helped me there.

Regarding blackouts, I have the same issue with compacts since I can actually fit the eyecups under my large brow which is not the case with mid or full size binoculars. I'm sure you would quickly learn proper eye placement, but you may want to give 10x variants a try. I'm normally an 8x guy, but I find that 10x sometimes produce a more consistent experience with compacts despite the small exit pupil.

Regarding shake, I have the opposite experience from many reviewers here in that I seem to be able to hold compacts steadier than with mid or full size. I wrap my hands around the barrels right at the eyepieces and butt my thumbs and forefingers right up against my face. This bracing technique allows me to hold a 10x compact steadier than I can hold an 8x mid or full size.
 
Worked out a good strap solution. DIY RYO harness - cost about $7. ~5in. 1.75mm polyester cord (old jacket pull tags), 7ft of 1/8in. (3mm?) shock cord, 1 cord lock and one small metal ring (taken from Swiss Army knife). I tied each of 2 2.5in pieces of 1.75mm cord into a small loop. Feed a loop strong there’s through this loop and both ends of the thread through the strap lugs to pull the 1.75mm cord through the lugs. Run each end of the shock cord through the cord lops that are now in the lugs, then each goes through the cord lock and is then knotted at the end. Take a bight of the shock cord from the exact middle of the shock cord length and make a small loop from this that feeds through the metal ring. Once this loop is through then the shock cord and cord kick gets tucked through that loop. Done.
I hope this helps someone.
 

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What is the apparent field of view of the pocket? On many sites (binomania, etc) it is stated at 60deg but on Zeiss US it is stated at 52deg.

Coming from the 60deg of my Habicht 8x30, if the Pocket is 52deg then it is nothing else than tunnel view whatever the others optical qualities, I may have decided to buy the pocket for ultralight activities but the 52deg, really I cannot

Take for examle the immersive 64deg apparent fov of the 8x32 FL, I hardly understand how AP can praise the pocket over the FL
 
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The field of view of the Pocket 8x25 is 130 meters at 1000 meters.

8x30 Habicht is 136 meters
8x32 FL is 135 meters

So it's a bit less than the x30/32 you refer to but not much. Eye placement (especially correct setting of IPD) is more critical than a x30/32 because of the smalle exit pupil, but it doesn't feel like a tunnel.

(as all above binoculars I refer to are 8x, I mention FOV as aFOV will be proportional)
 
The field of view of the Pocket 8x25 is 130 meters at 1000 meters.

8x30 Habicht is 136 meters
8x32 FL is 135 meters

So it's a bit less than the x30/32 you refer to but not much. Eye placement (especially correct setting of IPD) is more critical than a x30/32 because of the smalle exit pupil, but it doesn't feel like a tunnel.

(as all above binoculars I refer to are 8x, I mention FOV as aFOV will be proportional)

I agree for fov but for afov the differences are quite big, meaning thar you are seeing a much smaller image (tunnel view) with the pocket
 
What is the apparent field of view of the pocket? On many sites (binomania, etc) it is stated at 60deg but on Zeiss US it is stated at 52deg.

Coming from the 60deg of my Habicht 8x30, if the Pocket is 52deg then it is nothing else than tunnel view whatever the others optical qualities, I may have decided to buy the pocket for ultralight activities but the 52deg, really I cannot

Take for examle the immersive 64deg apparent fov of the 8x32 FL, I hardly understand how AP can praise the pocket over the FL

Looking on the Zeiss website here:
https://www.zeiss.co.uk/sports-opti...ocket/victory-pocket-8x25.html#technical-data

it clearly states the apparent field of view of the pocket is 60 degrees.
 
Afov

Let's look for the Victorys 8x25 and 8x32: for both the magnifications are the same, and the 'areas' seen through the bino have the 'diameter' 130m vs. 140m. My 8x25 Terra has 119m, which yields to a afov of 52°, that's psychological a bit tight and less comfortable than the 60°. Both the 60° and 64° (8x32) are not only mathematical closer, and both are not feeling tight. I've eyepieces for astro for many years and e.g. the TV Radian (60°) are way from orthoscopics 45°, but not feeling tight in comparison with 72° widefield.

With the binos you'll see a bird (tree, mountain) exact in the same size, only the width of the surroundimg landscape is a little smaller (130m vs.140m or 7,7% more in the 32, which yields to 3,85% on 'both sides…). In comparison, the 52° of the Terra is more on the tighter side.

Manfred
 
I agree for fov but for afov the differences are quite big, meaning thar you are seeing a much smaller image (tunnel view) with the pocket

for AFOV the differences are proportional to the 130 vs 135 meters difference.

If you want it, you can always calculate aFOV as follows:

Pocket: 130 meters at 1000 meters.
so the viewing angle is the inverse tangens of 130 divided by 1000
alpha = tan-1(130/1000) = 7,438 (decimal degrees)
Multiply this angle by the magnification, and you get 59,5 degrees.

For the 8x32 FL this will be: tan-1(135/1000) = 7,72 * 8 = 61,78 degrees.
 
Zeiss work in metric dimensions so the 130m fov is safe. Sorry to say but the conversions to Imperial dimensions often results in mistakes. Using the website astronomy.tools https://astronomy.tools/calculators/binoculars I entered into a calculator the 130m to derive the true fov in degrees then entered this plus the magnification to obtain the AFOV and the answer was 59.28 deg which confirms Temmie's calculation.

Lee
 
What is the apparent field of view of the pocket? On many sites (binomania, etc) it is stated at 60deg but on Zeiss US it is stated at 52deg...

The Zeiss USA spec of 52 degrees is wrong. I thought maybe it was carried over accidentally from the 8x20 Victory Compact, but no, those were 54 degrees.

--AP
 
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Whatever the statistics, i find the Pocket 25s to have a very spacious view for such a compact binocular, and quite bright enough to use right into dusk.

When i tried almost every compact binocular going at BirdFair UK last year, that was one of my prime criteria - the overall field, and 'feel' of that field. I've had a couple of smaller, cheaper models before (e.g. Nikon Travelite reverse porro) and - while very usable - it was like looking up toilet rolls compared to the Zeiss.
It is perhaps the compact size when presented to the eyes that enables that ability to get straight onto the bird, mentioned several times in this thread. The FoV certainly is an ally in that.
 
With an AFO of 60º it should be a joy to see the bird surrounded by a good piece of field, has anyone used these Zeiss Victory to observe the Moon or the Milky Way? I once read that the binoculars of the Victory series had such a degree of contrast that observing the Moon you could see the lunar seas of a very dark color, when usually they do not look like this ...., I do not know if this little Zeiss would happen the same…
Regards,
Wachi.
 
To enhance the ease of view, which winged eyecups do you use/recommend ?

To summarize, I sold my Habicht 8x30 because of flare/glare, however I didn’t use winged eyecups which seems to greatly improve the view. So as I missed my Habicht, I asked my dealer to order the Habicht as well as the new CL companion 8x30 to compare them.

But now after reading the pocket reviews, especially the one of Alexis, I’m thinking to re-buy the Habicht for the wonderful view and the Pocket for ultralight activities (no strap, pouch and so on). Maybe also the Pocket can be the only one needed... All of this, I agree, is very theoretical !
 
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By all means try winged eyecups, but before you do try a thumbs up grip.

I wound up buying the 8x25 Victorys and I'm quite happy with them. I still don't like the case but this was remedied by using a Leupold Go Afield case (size small) and this works for me. The bins go in there just as you use them without losing your IPD and the case is hardly larger than the bins themselves.

I also don't care for the strap but in fairness, as most straps go, it's pretty good IMO. I just don't like the feel of neoprene straps on my skin and even though this strap is relatively small I still think it is unnecessarily bulky for such a small bin.

I remedied this for myself by making a strap of 1.5mm nylon cord (the type kids use to braid bracelets) and upholstery leather. The cord has a break strength of 25kg (tested with a luggage scale) and the leather is soft and supple. Super comfortable and unobtrusive are words to describe this strap.
 

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By all means try winged eyecups, but before you do try a thumbs up grip.

I wound up buying the 8x25 Victorys and I'm quite happy with them. I still don't like the case but this was remedied by using a Leupold Go Afield case (size small) and this works for me. The bins go in there just as you use them without losing your IPD and the case is hardly larger than the bins themselves.

I also don't care for the strap but in fairness, as most straps go, it's pretty good IMO. I just don't like the feel of neoprene straps on my skin and even though this strap is relatively small I still think it is unnecessarily bulky for such a small bin.

I remedied this for myself by making a strap of 1.5mm nylon cord (the type kids use to braid bracelets) and upholstery leather. The cord has a break strength of 25kg (tested with a luggage scale) and the leather is soft and supple. Super comfortable and unobtrusive are words to describe this strap.

I’m not so fond of this handling method

Those eyecups seems to fit the Habicht 8x30 eyecups greatly, certainly they would be good for the Pocket

https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=367763

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/2PCS-Binocu...ye-guards-EyeShield-for-33-35mm-/252856552550
 
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Just a couple of hours ago a test of the Zeiss Victory 8x25 is published on the WEB-site of House of Outdoor under "Verrekijkers testen en vergelijken". Next to the Zeiss Victory 8x25, the Swarovki CL Pocket 8x25 and two Bynolyts 8x25 are investigated as well.
Gijs van Ginkel
 

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