dries1
Member
Fl
Paddy,
I do see your point, the FL 8X32 is also quite bright for an 8X32 roof.
Andy W.
Paddy,
I do see your point, the FL 8X32 is also quite bright for an 8X32 roof.
Andy W.
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In praise of the 32mm FL binoculars (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Pinewood
- Start date
14Goudvink
Well-known member
For a comparison see:
http://www.scopeviews.co.uk/Kowa8x33.htm
Roger Vine has also published a review of the FL:
http://www.scopeviews.co.uk/Zeiss8x32FL.htm
George
MandoBear
Well-known member
Makes the -5ºC here in Hereford seem positively toasty - not that the buzzard (all fluffed up against the cold) that I saw this morning appeared to agree...
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That is a great comparison! On those bright clear summer days the classic porro is still a delight to use and to hold: not just for its handling, light weight, the feel of old school quality, the immersive quality you (or at least I) can only get when using binoculars straight to one's eyes, and of course the field of view that modern binoculars have given up in order to be glasses friendly; but also in how it looks, and what it represents. But when the grey damp months set in, when speed, clarity and precision are essential, and also when on holiday where you might not get a second chance - the plastic alpha comes out, and comes into its own. It is an excellent example of what the modern lightweight sealed birding binocular should be.
There is a most readable comparison between the Leica 8x32 Trinovid (I forget whether BA or BN) and the 8x32 FL some pages down courtesy of thisisgood - one of the most detailed comparisons I've read. I came to the Plastic Alpha from the 8x30 SLC mark II which is reportedly (cf. Stephen Ingraham) a very similar sort of binocular to the Trinovid, and many of my impressions, especially re ease of view, are similar to thisisgood's - although unlike him I think its good points outweighed the not so good. The brightness (dielectric vs silver mirrors) and sharpness that instantly stood out when used side by side still impress me. During the "getting to know you" phase I most definitely experienced the same fiddlyness others have noted - it took me a while to learn how best to look through them, and even today it still happens, especially the first half an hour or so using them on the weekends after a long week at the office. It can not only be fiddly in eye placement (the position of my glasses on my nose must first be right, and then the placement of the binoculars on my glasses needs to be correct) - it is so sharp when zeroed in that I find myself having to refocus more than I did the SLC, chasing that ultimate level of sharpness. Interestingly, Roger Vine's review of the Kowa 8x33 mentions pretty much the same thing. But its performance is overall so good that I can overlook these niggles. Unlike Gilmore Girl and Pinewood I find most of my targets with binoculars, so have to be "in the glasses" a lot. Its small size and light weight, which let me hold it up to my eyes for long periods, extremely clean image (I don't think I am particularly sensitive to chromatic aberration, but do agree the FL image appears very clean), brightness, sharpness and field of view very nearly the same as my favourite classic 8x30s, are great virtues. A couple months back I had the opportunity to try out a fellow birder's 10x42 Noctivid and after having had a really good hard look through this most impressive binocular I expected coming back to the Plastic Alpha to be a noticeable step back, but much to my surprise, it was remarkably competitive, except in the control of flare, which fortunately isn't critical in most of the birding I do. I'm not sure if there will be x32 SFs for some considerable time, if ever, as the SF concept (rearward balance, open bridge and associated focus wheel placement etc) are of most value in the larger x42 sizes.
Mine is the old green version - I am sure the later black version is better yet. Snapshot taken after six hours or so watching a pair of city-living (unprepossessing location, I know - a 1960s era rooftop) Falco peregrinus ernesti.
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Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello Patudo,
Thank you for making this thread so informative. Indeed, I occasionally use a classic Porro, like the Leitz Binxuit 8x30 but all the disadvantage of roof prism binoculars seem to resolved with the exception of Field of view, but the 8x32 FL with a field of a bit more than 137m at 1000m is quite respectable, especially with it generous sweet spot.
Even with my specs, I had no trouble using the FL from my first day of ownership. Of course, the human interface with a binocular may be very personal.
There is only one binocular which I have owned that proved to be excessively fiddly: the Nikon 8x32 SE. I had problems with blackouts or kidney bean effect that made it unusable. I was instructed by its enthusiastic supporters to hold it differently from all other binocucars or to build up they eyepiece with washers. I could deal with neither a special way of holding the glass nor with altering it. I believe that if it needs to fixed, it must be broken or at least have a design fault. I acknowledge that mine is a minority opinion about that Nikon glass.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
Thank you for making this thread so informative. Indeed, I occasionally use a classic Porro, like the Leitz Binxuit 8x30 but all the disadvantage of roof prism binoculars seem to resolved with the exception of Field of view, but the 8x32 FL with a field of a bit more than 137m at 1000m is quite respectable, especially with it generous sweet spot.
Even with my specs, I had no trouble using the FL from my first day of ownership. Of course, the human interface with a binocular may be very personal.
There is only one binocular which I have owned that proved to be excessively fiddly: the Nikon 8x32 SE. I had problems with blackouts or kidney bean effect that made it unusable. I was instructed by its enthusiastic supporters to hold it differently from all other binocucars or to build up they eyepiece with washers. I could deal with neither a special way of holding the glass nor with altering it. I believe that if it needs to fixed, it must be broken or at least have a design fault. I acknowledge that mine is a minority opinion about that Nikon glass.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
NDhunter
Experienced observer
Arthur, this is just a play, but since you are the most vocal on the subject, if I had a dollar for every time you have dissed the Nikon 8x32 SE, on this forum, just because you are having trouble when you tried this well regarded model, I could buy a new Zeiss. :smoke:
Jerry
Jerry
Arthur,
You're a smart man...you know what you like and what you don't. Oh, and the human interface is not only personal but absolutely essential for a pleasant day in the field.
John
PS
Do you have any Tufted Titmice and/or Black-capped Chickadees in Central Park this winter? They're absent this winter in my neck of the woods.
Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello Pileatus,
Yes, I know what I like, in part because I have some experience in this class of binoculars. I have implied but I have not enumerated the 8x30/32 binoculars which I have owned and not just tried. They were the 8x32 FL, the Nikon 8x30 EII, the 8x32 Leica BN, and the Nikon 8x32 SE, in that order of preference. I have not mentioned two collectible Porro glasses, which were top dogs in their day.
This winter we have a plethora of tufted titmice and a fair number of black-capped chickadees. I see the latter at least once a day. The titmice are so common that they are almost a nuisance when I search distant trees where there is movement.
Yes, Jerry, I regard the Nikon SE as my worst binocular purchase, but I am dissing the glass not the people who find it to be a very usable glass. You may have noticed that Patudo brought up the subject of fiddly binoculars.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
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Pinewood
New York correspondent
Disrespect is a noun which which was turned into a verb, as in disrespecting someone. That has been shortened to "dissing." Whether the term is slang or not is a subject for others.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
'Dissing' is not alone in being a noun-turned-verb. A medal used to be an award at athletics events but is now also a verb: to medal, meaning the act of winning a medal.
Meanwhile back in the land of binos I visited a nature reserve today and saw an FL32 and a Leica BA/BN32, both looking well used and their owners both looking just as well used but also very happy.
Lee
Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello Lee,
As a genuine OAP, I am also looking well used but the only part of my FL which looks well used is the Zeiss nameplate.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
Well... actually paddy7 (post #5) was the first to mention it
, although in the negative, as he didn't find the 8x32FL fiddly. I do to some extent, and make no apologies for saying so. I spent about 11 hours with mine over the weekend, including about five hours observing over long distances, and found myself fiddling with the focus more than would have been ideal in order to achieve that happy state where you have the most relaxed view, eyes open naturally, without the slightest squint. I think its exceptional sharpness almost works against it in that once you've seen it, you know when you're not seeing it, and feel compelled to try to achieve it. The Plastic Alpha is more sensitive in this respect (to my eyes anyway) than most of my other binoculars but this niggle is more than outweighed by its good qualities. I have never even seen an 8x32SE let alone handled/looked through one. I'd certainly like to, as I enjoy the feel of a fine porro, and my experience of so-called field flatteners has been very positive. Others have reported blackouts and such with the SE series, so you're not alone in finding them fiddly. But sometimes one just can't get along with a particular binocular. The much loved 8x30 EII doesn't work for me. Fortunately, for every fine binocular that doesn't work for you there are likely many more that will.
NB. My own experience of the 8x30 Binuxit more or less matches yours.
PeterPS
Well-Known Member
I own both the FL 8x32 and the SE 8x32 and like them quite a bit (btw, no blackout issues with the SE). I also own the FL 10x32---the only 10x32 alpha binos that have worked for me, really excellent. Given the excellence of the FL 32 mm models will we ever see an SF 32mm line? Many people say that we will, and I know that the SF 32mm's have been in the works at Zeiss for already quite some time, but I am wondering if the market is sufficiently large for 32mm binos that will likely be as big as many 42mm's.
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Ine UK dealer reports that his sales of EL 32 easily exceed that of the 42 so I bet Swaro are glad they do a 32 at least for the UK market, and with western populations getting older due to longer survival rates one might expect lighter binos to get more popular over time. Opticron sell more 32s than 42s for example.
Lee
Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello PeterPS,
Yes, neither the 10x40 Dialyt nor the 10x50 Leica worked for me as well as the 10x32 FL.
As Troubador wrote the 8x32mm binocular market is strong. The 10x32 market seems to be a lot smaller. I would guess that the 8x32 market is even stronger in the USA, where twilight is rather shorter than in the UK.
Should Zeiss produce an 8x32 SF, I would certainly like to examine one but it would take a great improvement for me to purchase one.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
Yes, neither the 10x40 Dialyt nor the 10x50 Leica worked for me as well as the 10x32 FL.
As Troubador wrote the 8x32mm binocular market is strong. The 10x32 market seems to be a lot smaller. I would guess that the 8x32 market is even stronger in the USA, where twilight is rather shorter than in the UK.
Should Zeiss produce an 8x32 SF, I would certainly like to examine one but it would take a great improvement for me to purchase one.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
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