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

7X42 Format. (1 Viewer)

pluton

Well-known member
Hello,
I'm trying to find information about the 7X42 format, I love it, I had a Carl Zeiss Jenoptem from the old 7x50 years ago, it was very bright, it turned the image towards yellow, very warm tones, I never bothered, the position of the eye in the eyepieces It was very comfortable, not black out, with a reasonable weight, 7.1º from the field ... the distant birds looked tiny, it was a 7X, but the close ones showed them very well, during the day they were very very bright and at night sometimes I pointed them at the stars, they were also very bright, sometimes they were even "too bright" giving a fairly clear sky background, but under a dark dark sky I saw all kinds of nebulae and star fields .... it is a format that always I loved it ... I don't know if the 7x42 can come close to those impressions with the 7X50 ...
Maybe someone who has compared them or has a good 7X42 could comment ..
I know there are some good Leica 7X42 (I think there is a Trinovid and some HD ..), a Zeiss Victory FL * T and some old Swarovski ..

Of these there is a model that is better for "non-spectacle wearers" (not too much eye relief so as not to cause black out)
Kind regards and thanks in advance.
Pluto.
 
Hello,
I'm trying to find information about the 7X42 format, I love it, I had a Carl Zeiss Jenoptem from the old 7x50 years ago, it was very bright, it turned the image towards yellow, very warm tones, I never bothered, the position of the eye in the eyepieces It was very comfortable, not black out, with a reasonable weight, 7.1º from the field ... the distant birds looked tiny, it was a 7X, but the close ones showed them very well, during the day they were very very bright and at night sometimes I pointed them at the stars, they were also very bright, sometimes they were even "too bright" giving a fairly clear sky background, but under a dark dark sky I saw all kinds of nebulae and star fields .... it is a format that always I loved it ... I don't know if the 7x42 can come close to those impressions with the 7X50 ...
Maybe someone who has compared them or has a good 7X42 could comment ..
I know there are some good Leica 7X42 (I think there is a Trinovid and some HD ..), a Zeiss Victory FL * T and some old Swarovski ..

Of these there is a model that is better for "non-spectacle wearers" (not too much eye relief so as not to cause black out)
Kind regards and thanks in advance.
Pluto.

I love 7X42s. I like 7Xs in general. I've got several including a 7X50 Meostar and 7X42s including the FL, SLC Neu, UVHD+, EDG, Trinovid BG, and the Meostar B.1.
Quite frankly all those are very nice binoculars and all would be worthy purchases. The UVHD+ is the only current available model and maybe a Meostar here and there. For a non-eyeglass user I probably go FL, SLC New, and UVHD+. The others will probably have too much ER for you. You might watch for a previously owned, nice condition FL or SLC Neu.
 

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I love 7X42s. I like 7Xs in general. I've got several... 7X42s including the FL, SLC Neu, UVHD+, EDG, Trinovid BG, and the Meostar B.1.
... For a non-eyeglass user I probably go FL, SLC New, and UVHD+...

That's a quite astonishing 7x42 collection (or part thereof!). You already gave some indication of preference, but could I ask:

Which view do you prefer?
Which feels easiest in your hands?
Which do you use most?

Regards
Andy
 
Hello, Pluto.

I have several 7x binoculars, all porros. Among others, the Carl Zeiss Jena 7x50W multicoated that you describe. Also a Nikon 7x50 from the E series and a Nikon 7x35 from the basic series 'Sporting' (this one is optically excellent). I think the 7x35 combination (in porro type) is very useful and can be an alternative to 7x42. Have you tried any 7x35?

Regards
Rafael
 
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In addition to the great 7x42s mentioned above, another set of options are the 7x45 Maven which has been measured to have a larger field of view than stated on the website, and the Leica "Retro" Trinovid 7x35; these models are still in production.

I've owned both the 7x42 Leica Ultravid HD and the 7x42 Zeiss Victory T*FL and I personally like the Leica better in terms of color and performance in poor light, but preferred the wider, chromatic aberration free field of view and handling of the Zeiss. So I cannot say one is definitively better than the other - just different.

Justin
 
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Based on my personal preferences in 7x42 I own:
Zeiss FL T overall for reasons mentioned by jremmons in post 5, especially FOV;
Nikon EDG II for best image, performance in difficult light, and best focus function by far;
Leica UVHD+, slightly better AFOV than EDG, just slightly behind in image quality.

Re eye relief, the EDG are listed as 22mm and that seems pretty accurate so that could be too much ER for use without glasses as the Op asks but I have no problems with it

Needless to say all are excellent.

Mike
 
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old Zeiss

Hello Pluton,

I own a late model Zeiss 7x42 Dialyt ClassiC, a phase coated binocular. It some respects it is like a Porro binocular with its moving bridge. This means slow focussing and a close focus of 4.35m. With its Abbe-König prisms it is long but has the light transmission of a Porro. The length probably gives it a low chromatic aberration. Although big, the telescope tubes offer a very ergonomic feel and allow its weight and size to be of little concern. It has a wide field of 8.5º, wider than many 7x50 optics. It is superior to my Leica 7x42 BA in many respects: field of view and edge sharpness for sure.
Obviously, this binocular is out of production.

Stay safe,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
 

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I love 7X42s. I like 7Xs in general. I've got several including a 7X50 Meostar and 7X42s including the FL, SLC Neu, UVHD+, EDG, Trinovid BG, and the Meostar B.1.
Quite frankly all those are very nice binoculars and all would be worthy purchases. The UVHD+ is the only current available model and maybe a Meostar here and there. For a non-eyeglass user I probably go FL, SLC New, and UVHD+. The others will probably have too much ER for you. You might watch for a previously owned, nice condition FL or SLC Neu.

Chuck:

You have an exceptional collection there, but one that is missing is the Zeiss B/TP Dialyt. The raves about this binocular are real it is just a joy
to use.
Arthur has shown us a very nice one.
Jerry
 
Don't overlook the Leica Trinovid 7x42 BA. It is very close in performance to the newer Ultravids and it is built like a tank. It is a classic and still very sought after. Leicas are known for rich, vivid, saturated colors and the BA does not dissappoint. You can get one on eBay for between $600 to $800 or a fraction of what an Ultravid HD will cost.
 

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That's a quite astonishing 7x42 collection (or part thereof!). You already gave some indication of preference, but could I ask:

Which view do you prefer?
Which feels easiest in your hands?
Which do you use most?

Regards
Andy

Hi Andy,

I'll just answer which I use the most... Of the 7X42s the UVHD+ easily gets the most use followed by the Zeiss FL. That really shouldn't be taken in a negative way towards the other binoculars. Literally all those represent the cream of the crop. If I didn't have the UVHD+ I'd just pick up one of the others and be just as happy and content that they were some of the finest available. Much of this whole forum comes down to personal preference. So in this group of 7X42s I have a 1a, 1b, 1c etc...all good ones.

Chuck:

You have an exceptional collection there, but one that is missing is the Zeiss B/TP Dialyt. The raves about this binocular are real it is just a joy
to use.
Arthur has shown us a very nice one.
Jerry

Hi Jerry,

Thanks! I have been thinking of that over the years. It's hard for me to find one in the condition I'd want...Arthur's is a very nice one. I've also always had a hankering for a 10X40B.
 
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Chill... for what it's worth, I think the 7x42 Dialyt, fine binocular though it is, is superfluous if you already have the 7x42 FL and the others in that format you mentioned. The 10x40, though still (I think anyway) an excellent package, really neat and compact (a bit like a larger Retrovid), may not compare so well optically to modern 10x42s - james holdsworth has said the 10x42 Terra is better, and though I still haven't been able to do a side-by-side comparison between the two, I believe him. Nice to have for nostalgia, or if optical performance isn't really necessary, but if you already have a quality 10x42 (or three) there's little practical point in getting one.
 
Chill... for what it's worth, I think the 7x42 Dialyt, fine binocular though it is, is superfluous if you already have the 7x42 FL and the others in that format you mentioned. The 10x40, though still (I think anyway) an excellent package, really neat and compact (a bit like a larger Retrovid), may not compare so well optically to modern 10x42s - james holdsworth has said the 10x42 Terra is better, and though I still haven't been able to do a side-by-side comparison between the two, I believe him. Nice to have for nostalgia, or if optical performance isn't really necessary, but if you already have a quality 10x42 (or three) there's little practical point in getting one.

Thanks for the info Patudo. I have quite a few format duplications all ready so the purchase would be more of a historical/nostalgic purchase. The 10X40 was the first really good binocular I ever used. I remember it to this day the difference between what I had that I THOUGHT was a good binocular and that Zeiss 10X40. When I got home from that trip I IMMEDIATELY purchased a SLC 10X42. And here we are today....



Does Chuck strike you as the guy who avoids a binocular because it may be “superfluous” to what he already has? :p :D

You know me too well! ;)
 
just bought the Habicht 7x42. absolutely stunning optics, the resolution is remarkable. FOV is not an issue for me. depth of field makes viewing such a pleasure. i like the stiffer focus as it doesn't get bumped out of its setting while in my harness. I use it for hunting so most of my viewing is from 20m to infinity. the depth of field is such that i need to do very little focusing anyway.

I'm in love!
 
I am interested in this configuration, does anyone have any reccomendations for a cheaper pair? The Opticron Discovery 7 x42 is more in my budget range at the moment, I'm looking for something with a little more twilight power than an 8 x32 or even 8x 42

Edit- Porro or roof is OK, looking for a reasonably wide FoV and ideally a2-3m close focussing range, so maybe porros are out. Actually not fussed about comprehensve water resistance for this pair
 
I am interested in this configuration, does anyone have any reccomendations for a cheaper pair? The Opticron Discovery 7 x42 is more in my budget range at the moment, I'm looking for something with a little more twilight power than an 8 x32 or even 8x 42

Edit- Porro or roof is OK, looking for a reasonably wide FoV and ideally a2-3m close focussing range, so maybe porros are out. Actually not fussed about comprehensve water resistance for this pair

Hello Stephen,

An 8x42 has a higher twilight factor than a 7x42 of equal quality.
7x42-17.15
7x50-18.7
8x42-18.33
8x50-20

Remember that twilight factor is a log scale so that the difference between the 7x42 and the 7x50 is noticeable.
I have doubts that you can find a higher twilight factor than an 8x42 with 3m close focussing.

There are 8x42 binoculars with 7º or 7.4º fields of view and close focus.

Stay safe,
Arthur
 
Hello Stephen,

An 8x42 has a higher twilight factor than a 7x42 of equal quality.
7x42-17.15
7x50-18.7
8x42-18.33
8x50-20

Remember that twilight factor is a log scale so that the difference between the 7x42 and the 7x50 is noticeable.
I have doubts that you can find a higher twilight factor than an 8x42 with 3m close focussing.

There are 8x42 binoculars with 7º or 7.4º fields of view and close focus.

Stay safe,
Arthur
Thank you
 
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