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

Help Swaro or Zeiss (1 Viewer)

tom24

tom24

Well-known member
I'm thinking of adding an 80hd or 85 apo to the fold.
It'll probably be the last time i can afford to buy outright for years,so...
Any comments on choice?
I've a swaro 65hd at present and have had leica apo 77 in past.I can access the swaro 8o for testing but not the zeiss nearby.
I think i'll keep the 65 for when walking any longer distances.I have a 30x & 45x for this scope.I've not seen much of a difference to my eyes between the 80 & 65 but it would be apparent in digipics i beleive.
Give me your personal opinions on any differences you've found please,i'm edging toward the zeiss with a zoom at the moment.
I've read all the other threads,but want some more fresh comments from you all...
Many thanks, Tom.
 
tom24 said:
I'm thinking of adding an 80hd or 85 apo to the fold.
It'll probably be the last time i can afford to buy outright for years,so...
Any comments on choice?
I've a swaro 65hd at present and have had leica apo 77 in past.I can access the swaro 8o for testing but not the zeiss nearby.
I think i'll keep the 65 for when walking any longer distances.I have a 30x & 45x for this scope.I've not seen much of a difference to my eyes between the 80 & 65 but it would be apparent in digipics i beleive.
Give me your personal opinions on any differences you've found please,i'm edging toward the zeiss with a zoom at the moment.
I've read all the other threads,but want some more fresh comments from you all...
Many thanks, Tom.
Click to expand...

If you go for the the larger Swaro, it is hardly worth to keep the small one as well. The size and weight difference is not that great. Zeiss and Swaro differ considerably in the color cast, Swaro being on the blue side, Zeiss a bit on the yellow. But that is probably only apparent if you can compare them side by side. Nikon and Leica would be a bit more neutral, by the way.

My brother who has the Swaro 80 certainly does not think there is a problem, whereas I am aware of the cast each time I look into his scope, since I use either a Nikon or a Leica scope.
 
Last edited:
tom24 said:
I'm thinking of adding an 80hd or 85 apo to the fold.
It'll probably be the last time i can afford to buy outright for years,so...
Any comments on choice?
I've a swaro 65hd at present and have had leica apo 77 in past.I can access the swaro 8o for testing but not the zeiss nearby.
I think i'll keep the 65 for when walking any longer distances.I have a 30x & 45x for this scope.I've not seen much of a difference to my eyes between the 80 & 65 but it would be apparent in digipics i beleive.
Give me your personal opinions on any differences you've found please,i'm edging toward the zeiss with a zoom at the moment.
I've read all the other threads,but want some more fresh comments from you all...
Many thanks, Tom.
Click to expand...
I can use a Swaro 65 (my brother's) but went for the Zeiss 85 as I enjoy the far wider view zoom and the extra brightness at late dusk when the Zeiss is truly a wonder.
 
I'm also wondering if leica are due a redesign of the 77...new size;ergonomics maybe even the optical qualities.
 
tom24 said:
I'm also wondering if Leica are due a redesign of the 77...new size, ergonomics - maybe even the optical qualities.
Click to expand...
We've been waiting a long while. I bet when it finally comes out, it'll be darn good!
 
scampo said:
We've been waiting a long while. I bet when it finally comes out, it'll be darn good!
Click to expand...

Yes, I think we should not hold our breath for this. Leica can be very conservative, particularly when they actually have a fine product. Weight has never been their prime consideration. And that would really be the main improvement they could possibly make. I would also not expect them to go the Zeiss way for a wider FOV on their zoom. I think they would only opt for a wider FOV there if they found a way to still maintain optical quality up to the edges. The benefits of a large FOV per se is hardly fitting into their philosophy of optical quality. But then, I am merely speculating, albeit on a level that could be called an educated guess.
 
Swissboy said:
Yes, I think we should not hold our breath for this. Leica can be very conservative, particularly when they actually have a fine product. Weight has never been their prime consideration. And that would really be the main improvement they could possibly make. I would also not expect them to go the Zeiss way for a wider FOV on their zoom. I think they would only opt for a wider FOV there if they found a way to still maintain optical quality up to the edges. The benefits of a large FOV per se is hardly fitting into their philosophy of optical quality. But then, I am merely speculating, albeit on a level that could be called an educated guess.
Click to expand...
I'm not too sure. I suspect the need for a wide fov is a design point intended not for birders but for hunters, maybe? And Leica sell in that quarter, I suspect.
 
Managed a look through an ats80hd with 30x today.It was sunny at first but clouded over a bit.
The difference to my eyes in brightness/resolution is not much at all.I'm now of the opinion that i've got not just a cherry of a sample but an absolute cherry of a specimen in my 65hd.Also had a feel of the weights of the metal tripods i used to carry..they should be classed as torture instruments..remind me of the days we had to run carrying telegraph poles between us..total torture.
I don't think there's any justification in changing scopes now in my case,think i'll concentrate on adding to my bins,the more important item in optics imo.
I could do with the likes of a 8x32 br for family hols'.
Anyone else find the difference between the smaller scopes and larger models almost non existent?
 
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