Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 vs Swarovski EL 10x42 (1 Viewer)

I just found this thread.

Vieux Campeur have a lot of demo stock, Noctivid, EL. Le Monde de l'Observation have SF but they may not have the EL. The two shops are a 15 minutes walk from each other, but it's much easier to try at Vieux Campeur, they will let you take the bin to the door, and there are usually some corvids perched at the Jussieu entrance about 3-400 metres away. The corvids killed the Noct for me, I got dazzled by the cloudy sky, a very unpleasant feeling that my Leica UV HD do not evoke even though they are said inferior to the Noct. None of these binoculars can be called mediocre however.

My take on SV vs. SF vs Noct is that I can't use the SV because of the IPD, but it seems very nice with nice color, the SF seems totally unbeatable for the view but color is not so good, the Noct simply didn't cut it, it's not in the same league as the two first IMHO. An SF is on my wish list, but my subsequent buy of the incredible Zeiss Pocket has momentarily quieted the acquisitive thirst - sometimes good is just about good enough. I can only speak of the samples I tried. All binoculars are not built equal, there is substantial sample variation and it is prudent to buy only what you try.

There is a new Zeiss SF 10x32 which is rumored to be optically very nice and should be hitting the streets soon.

I'm not a birdwatcher, I'm just a painter. Your mileage may vary.

Edmund

PS. If you get a chance try the Zeiss Victory Pocket, you may find they solve your bin problem in an unexpected way.

jfradm said:

Jan: Thank you for the tip. I’ll go to the view campeur in the coming days. Never imagine that they can have the SV in stock. Good news.
Torview : I havent considered the Noctivid just because I think they are une step behind the zeiss and the swaro in terms of optical sharpness/precision. However, as the owner of a pair of Ultravid HD+ 8x32 I know that building quality of Leica is outstanding.

For the moment the swaro are a bite in head for me. Weight and ergonomy of the zeiss are maybe a little better in a hand but in the other hand I have some little doubt regarding the quality of the armouring and of the eyecups of the Zeiss.

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Don't be mislead by the feel of the SF armour. It feels a little squashy as if it is not well attached but this is because underneath it consists of grooves separated by ridges. The saves some weight and also gives it a some 'bump absorption'. I have used and abused my SF10x42s for several years now in the west of Scotland in all kinds of weather and lying down on them on rocks and stones or on heather to take photographs. They still look like new and function perfectly. Also the eyecups were replaced with new design so they are now well made and have an extra position available. By the way I have never seen 'orange crescents' in any SF.

Good luck

Lee

Troubador said:

Don't be mislead by the feel of the SF armour. It feels a little squashy as if it is not well attached but this is because underneath it consists of grooves separated by ridges. The saves some weight and also gives it a some 'bump absorption'. I have used and abused my SF10x42s for several years now in the west of Scotland in all kinds of weather and lying down on them on rocks and stones or on heather to take photographs. They still look like new and function perfectly. Also the eyecups were replaced with new design so they are now well made and have an extra position available. By the way I have never seen 'orange crescents' in any SF.

Good luck

Lee

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I think that in the end the SV and SF are physically and optically very different tough and optically top-range products, and a matter of individual choice. The Noct is universally accepted as the most elegant, and I think it is also the most compact - and elegance is certainly a transmission factor of haveitis

It might be worth saying that today’s black SF is a bit reworked from the original gray version, just as the EL may have had some subtle production changes from the pre FieldPro days ...

Edmund

Torview said:

Jeff, I would just politely add as somebody who has the Zeiss and did have the Swarovski and compared them to the Noctivid, the Noctivid is the sharpest roof prism binocular I`v ever looked through, full stop.

John.

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I'd second that with the 10x42 Noctivid that I had the pleasure of trying and similarly I've also tried the Zeiss and Swarovski in 10x and owned/own both in 8/8.5x.

At this level SF, SV Noctivid it is a matter of preference of ergonomics and other minor quibbles. ALL of them are premium. I have the Noctivid 8X42 and the SV 8.5X42 both fit me well. Different strokes for different folks.

Andy W.

After trying the Zeiss and the Swarovski, it's finaly ending with the Swarovki.
It was difficult to rank them in terms of optical performance except that the swaro were sharper at the edge.
What I dislike on the Zeiss was the carrying case. A little bite old fashion. Moerover I found the general building quality a little bite better on the swaro + I prefer the eye cups protections and the innovative handling system.

Thank you for your help and your comments.

Congrets, you couldn't make a wrong choice.
Did Magasin had them both?

Jan

Le vieux campeur got the Swarovski and Leica Trinovid as well .
I went to the Maison de l'astronomie, just a 15 min walk distance to try the Zeiss victory.