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

I have $2K burning a hole in my pocket what binocular should I buy? (1 Viewer)

henry link said:
An object in an 8x binocular will look about as bright (minus transmission losses) as the same object looks to the naked eye IF the naked eye is moved 7/8 of the distance closer to the object, so that the object appears to be the same size as it appears through the binocular. Try it.
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Thanks, Henry. This is so basic I figured it had to be just a difference in the use of words. I'll still say binos are brighter in low light, meaning brighter from where one stands to use them, without imagining something else that probably isn't going to happen. Actually, I'm realizing that I need a break from worrying about questions like this. Good viewing to all!
 
[email protected] said:
Three remarkable things about the Swarovski SLC HD 8x56 are the flare control, CA control and the low light performance. You have to watch that you don't look directly into the sun because you have no warning you are getting close to it because you see no flare at all. They must really have good baffling or is it partly due to the big objective lens? I think a lot of the axial clarity and sharpness are due to it's complete absence of CA. I am still dumbfounded by how good it is in low light. I never realized the big eye binoculars were that good at dusk because I have never had one.
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Both probably, the large exit pupil helps in glare control it seems. The margins to the baffles are more generous. It's probably like stopping down a camera lens; the image gets sharper.
 
[email protected] said:
Three remarkable things about the Swarovski SLC HD 8x56 are the flare control, CA control and the low light performance. You have to watch that you don't look directly into the sun because you have no warning you are getting close to it because you see no flare at all. They must really have good baffling or is it partly due to the big objective lens? I think a lot of the axial clarity and sharpness are due to it's complete absence of CA. I am still dumbfounded by how good it is in low light. I never realized the big eye binoculars were that good at dusk because I have never had one.
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lol, you had the 8x56 FL for some time, or was it all a dream?

And you said you needed a chiropractor after hauling all that weight around - and said for the umpteenth time ''never again.''
 
Vespobuteo said:
Both probably, the large exit pupil helps in glare control it seems. The margins to the baffles are more generous. It's probably like stopping down a camera lens; the image gets sharper.
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Surprised me how much better the bigger aperture is in a lot of different areas. It makes the binocular a lot more versatile under different conditions.
 
james holdsworth said:
lol, you had the 8x56 FL for some time, or was it all a dream?

And you said you needed a chiropractor after hauling all that weight around - and said for the umpteenth time ''never again.''
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The new Swarovski HD SLC 8x56 is a different animal ergonomically than the Zeiss 8x56 FL. The older design of the Zeiss was front heavy and wasn't nearly as well balanced. You could really feel the weight. This new SLC does not feel like a 56mm binocular it is so well balanced. Here is a good comparison review from Cloudy Night's by Erik Baker and some quotes from it.

"The first thing you notice when you compare the 56mm Victory FL and SLC is how different they feel. Different materials on the outside, different shape of the barrels and different balance.
Compared to the Zeiss FL's, Swarovski has made a quantum leap forward in the ergonomics of 56mm binoculars with their SLC's. Where the 56 Victory FL's feel more like a shrunken 70mm bino, the 56 SLC's feel like a 42mm pair on steroids. Their compact feel of the SLC's is in no small part due to the cut-out thumb-rests. These also make the Swaro much easier to grasp and adjust the focussing wheel with your index finger. And where the Zeiss feel front-heavy, the Swaro's feel very well balanced. So in the ergonomics department, the new Swaro SLC 56mm's win with their refined, sleek well-balanced design."

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/446051-swarovski-slc-56-wb-vs-zeiss-victory-fl-56/
 
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[email protected] said:
The new Swarovski HD SLC 8x56 is a different animal ergonomically than the Zeiss 8x56 FL. The older design of the Zeiss was front heavy and wasn't nearly as balanced. You could really feel the weight. This new SLC doesn not feel like a 56mm binocular it is so well balanced. Read this comparison review.


https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/446051-swarovski-slc-56-wb-vs-zeiss-victory-fl-56/
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You said you never had a ''big eye'' bin, but you did - and the difference in weight is an ounce - call the chiropractor! Balance will have no effect on the weight on your neck and back, it's still 42 ounces hanging straight down.
 
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james holdsworth said:
You said you never had a ''big eye'' bin, but you did - and the difference in weight is an ounce - call the chiropractor! Balance will have no effect on the weight on your neck and back, it's still 42 ounces hanging straight down.
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Not if you use a harness. I never really kept the big Zeiss long enough to realize the advantages of the big aperture especially the low light performance. If I do much hiking with this one it might be time to get a harness to distribute the weight. This one I will use mostly in a static situation, whereas, I was trying to hike with the Zeiss and just a neck strap hiking. If I am hiking a long ways I will use my smaller Swarovski CL 8x30 or Swarovski CL-P 8x25.
 
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