• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Zeiss at Birdfair 2019 (1 Viewer)

Hermann said:
Ask Zeiss AND Leica about a new 8x32 ... :) Last year word was that there'd be a Noctivid 8x32 this year, and Zeiss claimed they were working on an 8x32.

Hermann
Click to expand...

I've heard from trustworthy sources that people at Zeiss have been working on a new SF 32mm model for years, at least 3-4 years, and there have recurring rumors about the imminent launch of the SF 32 at the last 2 or 3 editions of the BirdFair, I've started to doubt that will ever happen, I hope I am wrong.
 
What would a 32mm SF have then... the flatter field of the SF? Open-bridge design seems irrelevant in that size.

As long as the SFs are getting new eyecups, I wonder whether they might also get HT prisms, since there's no longer a 42mm HT to maintain a distinction from.
 
tenex said:
What would a 32mm SF have then... the flatter field of the SF? Open-bridge design seems irrelevant in that size.

As long as the SFs are getting new eyecups, I wonder whether they might also get HT prisms, since there's no longer a 42mm HT to maintain a distinction from.
Click to expand...

I thought the SF already had (some) HT-glass in the prisms? Don't quite looks that way in the transmission curves and apparent color balance though. But it might be more about coatings than the glass? 92% transmission is not bad in comparison.

Open-bridge might not be relevant, but works nicely in the 8x32 Swaros I think. An 8x32 SF will probably be quite long as well so open bridge might save some weight.

Lowest CA in class would also be nice feature of the 8x32 SF, and smart-focus of course. Who doesn't like a smart focuser?
 
Last edited:
Joerg Schmidt has confirmed SF has HT glass but Zeiss are being coy about where exactly this is employed. One of the objective group is fluoride-doped and the only decent-sized lumps of glass are the prisms, hence the notion that the prisms are likely to have the HT glass.

Lee
 
Really the classic HT's FL glass or some new Schott glass that always gets available first to Zeiss being the sister company of Schott?
 
Vespobuteo said:
Open-bridge might not be relevant, but works nicely in the 8x32 Swaros I think. An 8x32 SF will probably be quite long as well so open bridge might save some weight.
Click to expand...
I dislike open-bridge myself, but do find it less of a problem in a small 32mm glass. That's the EL I find most comfortable to hold, because my fingers can still go pretty much where I want them to.

Troubador said:
Joerg Schmidt has confirmed SF has HT glass but Zeiss are being coy about where exactly this is employed. One of the objective group is fluoride-doped and the only decent-sized lumps of glass are the prisms, hence the notion that the prisms are likely to have the HT glass.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that. Coyness perhaps due to having needed to distinguish the HT line from SF? Though I still wonder, with "only"(!) 92% transmission. Didn't the HT have 95%? Even Leica claims 93%... with HT SP prisms. (Then again, the Swaro SLC 56s with AK prisms have only 93%, not 95 like the Zeiss. So there are inconsistencies here that I don't understand.)

.
 
Last edited:
Use of Schott HT glass

I’ve always assumed from the image in the initial HT brochure, that Schott HT glass is used for at least one of the eyepiece lenses

In contrast, the initial SF brochure states that Schott glass is used for the 'ultra-fluoride lens system' - but has no mention of Schott HT glass
And the expanded 'The Art of Precision' brochure outlines the 'new Ultra-FL concept' for the SF's objectives - and clearly indicates that the focusing lens is fluoride - but again no HT mention
Finally, a labelled SF diagram again mentions Schott fluoride glass but not HT glass

For most of the source material, see my previous post: https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=370530


John


ps. Leica also uses Schott HT glass: for the prisms in the Ultravid HD+ line, and; while it also uses the glass in the Noctivid line, it does not state whether that's for prisms or lenses
 

Attachments

  • HT brochure.jpg
    HT brochure.jpg
    99.9 KB · Views: 35
  • SF brochure.jpg
    SF brochure.jpg
    222.1 KB · Views: 26
  • 'Ultra-FL'.jpg
    'Ultra-FL'.jpg
    89.8 KB · Views: 24
  • SF image.jpg
    SF image.jpg
    115.6 KB · Views: 38
Last edited:
Taking into account Lee’s comment from post #24:
i.e. “Joerg Schmidt has confirmed SF has HT glass but Zeiss are being coy about where exactly this is employed”
I did a bit of Googling . . .

The term ‘Schott HT glass’ (and ‘Shott HTultra glass’) doesn’t describe glass of a particular chemical composition,
but rather a total of 13 different glasses that have in common the highest transmittance values
See the 2 screen grabs from the Schott website: https://www.us.schott.com/advanced_...ass/ht-and-htultra/index.html?us-origin=en-US

Also see the attached information sheet that indicates the glass is suitable for lenses or prisms (see ‘Supply Forms’)
- so Zeiss’ use verses Leica’s?

Zeiss may be understandably coy about mentioning HT glass in the SF model, since from a marketing viewpoint the primary claim of the HT model is its superior transmission
- both compared to the SF and other brands

And while the HT’s optical superiority is due to the totality of the technology it uses, since it’s named ‘HT’, it would be confusing as a marketing strategy to simultaneously:
- stress that the significant new optical technology it uses is HT glass, and
- then add . . . but so does the SF!

Of course for users this should not be a big issue. As with a sausage, you don't need to know the ingredients to enjoy the result


John
 

Attachments

  • 13 Types.jpg
    13 Types.jpg
    94.7 KB · Views: 32
  • schott-ht-and-htultra-glasses-april-2015-us.pdf
    245.6 KB · Views: 10
  • Advantages.jpg
    Advantages.jpg
    86.3 KB · Views: 21
Last edited:
Birdforum said:
Get your hands on the Victory SF binocular and enjoy the unrivaled field of view and the perfect ergonomics, now also including improved eyecups for a better handling exclusively shown and available for the first time at Birdfair.
Click to expand...

Any news/photos of the improved eyecups?
 
Vespobuteo said:
Any news/photos of the improved eyecups?
Click to expand...

I tried an SF with these new eyecups and they felt excellent as they moved up and down, with no sloppy unnecessary movement and the click-stop positions felt very secure.

A big improvement on the old ones which did the job but didn't feel top class while they were doing it.

Lee
 
John A Roberts said:
Taking into account Lee’s comment from post #24:
i.e. “Joerg Schmidt has confirmed SF has HT glass but Zeiss are being coy about where exactly this is employed”
I did a bit of Googling . . .

The term ‘Schott HT glass’ (and ‘Shott HTultra glass’) doesn’t describe glass of a particular chemical composition,
but rather a total of 13 different glasses that have in common the highest transmittance values
See the 2 screen grabs from the Schott website: https://www.us.schott.com/advanced_...ass/ht-and-htultra/index.html?us-origin=en-US

Also see the attached information sheet that indicates the glass is suitable for lenses or prisms (see ‘Supply Forms’)
- so Zeiss’ use verses Leica’s?

Zeiss may be understandably coy about mentioning HT glass in the SF model, since from a marketing viewpoint the primary claim of the HT model is its superior transmission
- both compared to the SF and other brands

And while the HT’s optical superiority is due to the totality of the technology it uses, since it’s named ‘HT’, it would be confusing as a marketing strategy to simultaneously:
- stress that the significant new optical technology it uses is HT glass, and
- then add . . . but so does the SF!

Of course for users this should not be a big issue. As with a sausage, you don't need to know the ingredients to enjoy the result


John
Click to expand...
John, that is correct - the Schott 'HT' glass is a range of 13 different types which could be used anywhere the parameters match.

Zeiss has never been "coy" about anything ! :-O Most of it's claims have bordered on the absurd:-

"Up to and more than 95% transmission" lol ! 3:) for the HT ..... this is as a direct result of using HT glass. If you look carefully in the catalogue there will be a footnote somewhere that details the transmission graphs of the various HT glass types are 'guaranteed minimum' values. The corollary being that the 'actual' value 'may' indeed be slightly more depending on the actual batch, alignment of the planets etc. ! That is exactly where this marketing gem has come from. :cat:
The other one of course being "Smart Focus" (SF) ..... it would have been more accurate to call it 'Pedestrian Medium Focus' (PMF) ! :-O

With Leica using HT glass for the prisms - if Zeiss was doing the same they would be blowing that trumpet long and hard. My guesstimate is that Zeiss is using it in 1 minor lens (probably in the eyepiece) only ...... otherwise if it was more than that and especially the longer light path through the prisms then we wouldn't have the unbalanced 'green ham' colour rendition of the SF.

Part of that is no doubt a conscious decision to differentiate the colour rendition from the HT, but part of it will be completely involuntary due to the limitations of a lack of more HT glass - particularly in the prisms. Now that the HT is gone, there is no reason not to add HT glass to the prisms etc to deliver a better product.




Chosun :gh:
 
Troubador said:
I tried an SF with these new eyecups and they felt excellent as they moved up and down, with no sloppy unnecessary movement and the click-stop positions felt very secure.

A big improvement on the old ones which did the job but didn't feel top class while they were doing it.

Lee
Click to expand...

May current version SF:s be upgraded with these?
 
I had the new eyepieces fitted at Birdfair. They are superb and the equal of eyepieces on any other top of range binocular. :t:
 
Warning! This thread is more than 5 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

Passakorn
How do other alphas compare to the Swarovski EL 8.5x42 and Zeiss Victory 8x25 Combo?
2
Replies
24
Views
2K
Rg548
R
D
Zeiss SFL 8x40 This Year's Best New Birding Binocular!
2
Replies
31
Views
5K
AlphaFan
A
J
Do you consider Resale Value/Opportunities due to Brand Recognition?
Replies
14
Views
687
Patudo
P
B
Should I sell my Kowa bd ii xd for Swarovski 8x25 CL/Zeiss pocket victory 8x25?
Replies
6
Views
2K
Mike Crawley
Mike Crawley
G
Leica, Zeiss & Swarovski binoculars compared: A personal report
2 3
Replies
42
Views
3K
Paultricounty
P

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top