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Which (if any) Porro would you consider an "Alpha" ? (1 Viewer)

To be honest, IMO that Optolyth isn't really that far away from alpha view. The Nikon SE and EIIs give certainly a wider field of view and sweet spot. But their wider FOV comes with a higher weight. In respect of contrast and image sharpness the Alpin can compete. It is one of the most lightweight and compact 8x30/32 bins on the market and has a remarkable closest viewing distance of about 2m.

Steve



Hermann said:
Well, I don't really agree with you here. I think there's a significant difference, with the two Nikon having both better sharpness and especially contrast than the Optolyth. I also find the Optolyth isn't as well made as the Nikon, especially the SE seems me to be quite a bit tougher than the Optolyth. The sealing of the SE is also better in my opinion. Most of the SEs I've seen were pretty clean, even after years of use, whereas I've seen a few Optolyths (both porros and roofs with external focusing) that had collected quite a lot of dust inside.

Hermann
Click to expand...


Its hard for me to give an opinion at the moment as the Optolyth`s need a full service and clean inside.

However there`s no doubt of the potential on offer.

A friend has an earlier 10x40 ceralin, mine are later ceralin plus and the lens coatings are totally different.

Really looking forward to getting them up to scratch.
 
There are a lot of porro binoculars which can be called alphas. Among these I had opportunity to use I can list: Fujinon FMT-SX (and their clones), Docter Nobilem, Nikon SE, Nikon EII, Steiner Nighthunter, Steiner Commander XP, Nikon IF SP WP, Swarovski Habicht...
 
Hermann said:
Well, I don't really agree with you here. I think there's a significant difference, with the two Nikon having both better sharpness and especially contrast than the Optolyth.
Click to expand...

Hermann, Is your opinion based upon a side by side comparison with an Alpin from latest production? Can't say anything about the effectiveness of the filter systems of these binoculars, though. Certainly the amount of dirt inside of binoculars with external focussing depends on the way and duration of use.

Steve
 
Arek said:
There are a lot of porro binoculars which can be called alphas. Among these I had opportunity to use I can list: Fujinon FMT-SX (and their clones), Docter Nobilem, Nikon SE, Nikon EII, Steiner Nighthunter, Steiner Commander XP, Nikon IF SP WP, Swarovski Habicht...
Click to expand...

Arek,

Today, I read your review of the Steiner 8x30 Nighthunter XP and was surprised to find how high they ranked in most categories and was particularly impressed with the high light transmission and that mesa-like flat "curve". I guess with 30mm objectives, they had to push the transmission to the max.

http://www.allbinos.com/188-binoculars_review-Steiner_Night_Hunter_8x30_XP.html

At the end of your review, you mentioned how some of Steiners porros at the lower end had been replaced with roofs, and wrote this in regard to the 8x30 Nighthunter XPs:

"It should be able to compete easily with roof-prism instruments twice or even thrice that expensive. Unfortunately it yields to those the best a bit."

I searched for how much these sell for in the US but couldn't find any stores that carried them. So I looked them up on Steiner's website and found that they, too, have been replaced by roofs!

http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/binoculars/hunting/nighthunter-xp-8x42

Brock
 
The attachment is a response to me about the BD 10X44 BP from a PM I sent to a member that I feel is very objective and accurate.
 

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brocknroller, Steiner still has porro Nighthunters in his offer but now it is called Nighthunter Xtreme. And please take into account that US offer of Steiner differs from European. See here:
http://www.steiner.de/en/binoculars/hunting/nighthunter-xtreme-8x30.php
http://www.steiner.de/en/binoculars/hunting/nighthunter-xtreme-8x56.php

We have reviewed 8x56 version here:
http://www.allbinos.com/index.php?test=lornetki&test_l=235

And still you have couple of nice porros in Marine line:
http://www.steiner.de/en/binoculars/marine/index.php
ald also Wildlife Pro 8x30:
http://www.allbinos.com/index.php?test=lornetki&test_l=255

Americans Nighthunters XP look very simillar to European Rangers Pro:
http://www.steiner.de/en/binoculars/hunting/ranger-pro-8x42.php

Talking again about Nighthunter XP 8x30. It is ideed very nice pair of binos. I use them with pleasure. Newer Xtreme version differs only slightly and in my opinion its rubber padding gives worse feeling than XP. Still there are some XPs available in the market and now in good prices due to the sale:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Steiner-Nigh...Foto_Camcorder_Ferngläser&hash=item58948ea1a8
 
Hermann said:
The Optolyth was about 2003, the SE about the same age.

Did Optolyth change anything recently?

Hermann
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Don't know, but I had recently the chance to compare a new Alpin with a Nikon 8x30 EII and the result was as stated above. The Nikon seemed to be brighter though. Perhaps this is something along the lines of the brightness/contrast washout discussion or just another case of sample variation? Anyway, I think sometimes it could be quite worthwhile to look through optics without preconceptions.
Steve
 
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Well the Optolyth in my opinion is far from this status.
Maybe the Nikon Tropical but it's a simple single coated binocular with supurb optics. Of and the Nikon 8x32 SE..
 
hinnark said:
Don't know, but I had recently the chance to compare a new Alpin with a Nikon 8x30 EII and the result was as stated above. The Nikon seemed to be brighter though. Perhaps this is something along the lines of the brightness/contrast washout discussion or just another case of sample variation?
Click to expand...

Thanks, that sounds interesting. I'll try to get hold of a new Optolyth Alpin to have a look.

I don't think I'd buy one regardless of the optical quality though. Not unless Optolyth also improved the durability. I've seen far too many Alpin porros in the 1980s that were knocked out of collimation (plus a few that were flooded after a day's birding in the rain on Hegoland).

Hermann
 
Simon S said:
Well the Optolyth in my opinion is far from this status.
Maybe the Nikon Tropical but it's a simple single coated binocular with supurb optics. Of and the Nikon 8x32 SE..
Click to expand...

Out of that enormous museum collection of binoculars, only two porros can match alphas? Granted, coatings are very important, and so it's not really a far comparison, since except for Nikon and Fuji, companies stopped making premium porros quite a while ago, so older porros lack the contrast and color saturation of modern alphas.

But on raw optics alone, surely, there must be more in your collection that can compete? B&L Zeyphr? CJZ 8x50 Octarem? Any Fuji FMT? Swift 804 Audubon?

<B>
 
brocknroller said:
Out of that enormous museum collection of binoculars, only two porros can match alphas? Granted, coatings are very important, and so it's not really a far comparison, since except for Nikon and Fuji, companies stopped making premium porros quite a while ago, so older porros lack the contrast and color saturation of modern alphas.

But on raw optics alone, surely, there must be more in your collection that can compete? B&L Zeyphr? CJZ 8x50 Octarem? Any Fuji FMT? Swift 804 Audubon?

<B>
Click to expand...
Coatings aside there are IMHO many that can match or come very close to this status.
The 804 Audubon is one, Leitz Binuxit, The Russian 6x24's and many more have fantastic optical performance but are all using simple coatings.
 
I agree with both of the previous posts. I use a Nikon 8x30 EII as my main birding binocular. This was recently purchased to supplement my Swift Audubon 804.

I love the wide FOV, depth of field, and 3D view that these binoculars provide.

Although there is approx. 40 years of development between my two bins. the Audubon still impresses with its lovely relaxed wide view. It is not quite as bright as the EII, and the colours are not quite as vivid, but it is still a pleasure to look through.

The big advantage of the EII, is that it is half the weight and size of my (large body) Audubon, a big factor when you are getting on a bit like me!

Sandy.
 
There is plenty of fine glass that I have never touched so bearing that in mind my list includes the Nikon 8x32SE and 12x50SE, Nikon 8x30E II, Fujinon FMT-SX 10x50 (individual focus so only for distance work or astronomy) and the Swift 804ED. The Nikon 10x35E II, Swift 804FMC and Swift 826 get honorable mentions.
 
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