Advice on Habicht please. (1 Viewer)

[iseegeorgesstar]

Yes.... that would be great thanks...

I am also very interested! How will the Habicht 10x40 perform in dimlight and will it be better than say a nice 10x42 or 8x42.

Another question for me is: the black one or the green rubbered one... The beauty or the workhorse... If the eyecups of the black one are comfortable enough I would take that one. Otherwise the GA version would be a better fit, although I much prefer the looks of the black beauty.

Hey, Some preliminary comments... maybe I don't have the refined optical palate I thought I did -- but I'm having a hard time finding much of a difference! If there are differences it feels like they have more in common than opposed. However also I have to strongly emphasis I think I need to learn to use the 10x40 habicht more. The diopter adjustment in the right eyepiece keeps throwing me off for some reason and in lowlight I struggle to bring the image together. It's a lot more effortless in the roofs -- everything is already set, and I just put up the latter up to my eyes and boom I'm looking. Whereas with the habicht I'm still fidgeting and learning and trying to find placement. So take my comments with a few mountains of salt.

I was looking off my balcony at the sides of demolished and exposed buildings. Small textures on the wall, scratches into the paint. Honestly I couldn't see one thing I didn't see in the other. I really tried to see if there was a brightness difference but I was hard pressed to find one. Maybe the blacks were more alive or black oily (like crude oil) in the habicht. I would look through the habicht at the building walls or nearby banner posters and think this is amazing and well lit and then expect to be underwhelmed in the roof but I wasn't. In lowlight, and emphasis in low light, I think I may have even preferred the colors (at least red) in the roofs. Not sure. More testing is needed, in different conditions. These are all cursory comments. Lastly, when getting close to street lights I was definitely able to provoke glare in the habicht. It was like white tentacles attacking me everywhere. And the light even broke off into a rainbow once. A very stringent test no doubt.

Overall I love the habicht and want to be buried with them. But for low light conditions I find it hard to believe they can outclass a bigger aperture instrument such as a premium 10x50 roof. Also I want to re-emphasis my viewing conditions were limited and I need to learn to use them better; and, then return to re-evaluate my lowlight comments.

 

[NDhunter]

Hi iseegeorgesstar (post #53),

In regard to objective covers for the 10x40W RA, If you contact SONA (Swarovski Optik North America) they may be able to provide a set.
See posts #43, 44 and 47 in: Habicht 10x40 WGA Objective Covers

There's also discussion about the focuser.


John

John:
There is no such thing as a Habicht RA. I thought you gathered that, as I mentioned it above.
It is a GA, (gummi armor).
Jerry

 

[[email protected]]

Hey, Some preliminary comments... maybe I don't have the refined optical palate I thought I did -- but I'm having a hard time finding much of a difference! If there are differences it feels like they have more in common than opposed. However also I have to strongly emphasis I think I need to learn to use the 10x40 habicht more. The diopter adjustment in the right eyepiece keeps throwing me off for some reason and in lowlight I struggle to bring the image together. It's a lot more effortless in the roofs -- everything is already set, and I just put up the latter up to my eyes and boom I'm looking. Whereas with the habicht I'm still fidgeting and learning and trying to find placement. So take my comments with a few mountains of salt.

I was looking off my balcony at the sides of demolished and exposed buildings. Small textures on the wall, scratches into the paint. Honestly I couldn't see one thing I didn't see in the other. I really tried to see if there was a brightness difference but I was hard pressed to find one. Maybe the blacks were more alive or black oily (like crude oil) in the habicht. I would look through the habicht at the building walls or nearby banner posters and think this is amazing and well lit and then expect to be underwhelmed in the roof but I wasn't. In lowlight, and emphasis in low light, I think I may have even preferred the colors (at least red) in the roofs. Not sure. More testing is needed, in different conditions. These are all cursory comments. Lastly, when getting close to street lights I was definitely able to provoke glare in the habicht. It was like white tentacles attacking me everywhere. And the light even broke off into a rainbow once. A very stringent test no doubt.

Overall I love the habicht and want to be buried with them. But for low light conditions I find it hard to believe they can outclass a bigger aperture instrument such as a premium 10x50 roof. Also I want to re-emphasis my viewing conditions were limited and I need to learn to use them better; and, then return to re-evaluate my lowlight comments.

You will see more detail with the 10x50 roof because of the higher magnification, but the Habicht 7x42 will still be brighter with the 6 mm EP and very high transmission.

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Jerry (post #62),

Thanks for picking up the typo.
Though to be accurate, the German language word is gummiarmierung.

Perhaps of interest to some, several years ago I posted a table of various German abbreviations used by Swarovski,
primarily in relation to the traditional Porro prism models:



John

 

[Thotmosis]

Thanks a lot John, i was always wondering what DP and STP stands for on the box that came with my Swarovski Habicht Df 8x30 W O GA STP

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

You will see more detail with the 10x50 roof because of the higher magnification, but the Habicht 7x42 will still be brighter with the 6 mm EP and very high transmission.

I was thinking of the 10x40 w ga habicht. The 7x42 is no doubt a splendid instrument as well. This while porro experience is really making me itch for the nikon 8x30 e2's. But they're a bit pricey compared to what they use to be...

With regard to the habicht, I'm incredibly pleased and happy with my purchase. They are such a joy to use in regular daylight. For years I've been looking for the right bino that gives a "normal" view and it turns out it was porro all along. The only issue or drawback I'm having, as stated, are the ergonomics and, more specifically, the difficulty in reaching and micro-adjusting the focuser. With the more compact roof it's a very smooth operation; I can easily adjust with one hand while viewing. With the habicht I'm still fumbling around and need to use two hands to really diligently use the focuser. But the view is sublime to describe it in one word.

Also I emailed swarovski support the other day about the objective covers but no reply yet. I still need to register my binoculars online but since I'm a USA resident and bought the binos through a Japanese vendor I wasn't sure what the conditions of the warranty are or will be. Hopefully support will offer clarification on that too.

Edit: Also I forgot to mention these binoculars are remarkbly free of CA. I was only able to provoke a little fringing today on this brown rooftop railguard I use as a test across the street. In my tract 10x42 it's CA city. A thick ugly band of CA. With the 10x40 habicht there's almost no CA fringing at all -- remarkable.

 

[Paultricounty]

I was thinking of the 10x40 w ga habicht. The 7x42 is no doubt a splendid instrument as well. This while porro experience is really making me itch for the nikon 8x30 e2's. But they're a bit pricey compared to what they use to be...

With regard to the habicht, I'm incredibly pleased and happy with my purchase. They are such a joy to use in regular daylight. For years I've been looking for the right bino that gives a "normal" view and it turns out it was porro all along. The only issue or drawback I'm having, as stated, are the ergonomics and, more specifically, the difficulty in reaching and micro-adjusting the focuser. With the more compact roof it's a very smooth operation; I can easily adjust with one hand while viewing. With the habicht I'm still fumbling around and need to use two hands to really diligently use the focuser. But the view is sublime to describe it in one word.

Also I emailed swarovski support the other day about the objective covers but no reply yet. I still need to register my binoculars online but since I'm a USA resident and bought the binos through a Japanese vendor I wasn't sure what the conditions of the warranty are or will be. Hopefully support will offer clarification on that too.

Edit: Also I forgot to mention these binoculars are remarkbly free of CA. I was only able to provoke a little fringing today on this brown rooftop railguard I use as a test across the street. In my tract 10x42 it's CA city. A thick ugly band of CA. With the 10x40 habicht there's almost no CA fringing at all -- remarkable.

The E2’s really aren’t that expensive, they go for around $500 new. I’d consider the 8x30 Habicht as another great option.

If your in the states your Habicht’s will go back to Austria for most needed service. Mine just arrived back today , they were sent in for collimation and one other service.

 

[[email protected]]

I was thinking of the 10x40 w ga habicht. The 7x42 is no doubt a splendid instrument as well. This while porro experience is really making me itch for the nikon 8x30 e2's. But they're a bit pricey compared to what they use to be...

With regard to the habicht, I'm incredibly pleased and happy with my purchase. They are such a joy to use in regular daylight. For years I've been looking for the right bino that gives a "normal" view and it turns out it was porro all along. The only issue or drawback I'm having, as stated, are the ergonomics and, more specifically, the difficulty in reaching and micro-adjusting the focuser. With the more compact roof it's a very smooth operation; I can easily adjust with one hand while viewing. With the habicht I'm still fumbling around and need to use two hands to really diligently use the focuser. But the view is sublime to describe it in one word.

Also I emailed swarovski support the other day about the objective covers but no reply yet. I still need to register my binoculars online but since I'm a USA resident and bought the binos through a Japanese vendor I wasn't sure what the conditions of the warranty are or will be. Hopefully support will offer clarification on that too.

Edit: Also I forgot to mention these binoculars are remarkbly free of CA. I was only able to provoke a little fringing today on this brown rooftop railguard I use as a test across the street. In my tract 10x42 it's CA city. A thick ugly band of CA. With the 10x40 habicht there's almost no CA fringing at all -- remarkable.

You will see more detail in daylight and low light with the Habicht 10x40, but it won't be as bright as the Habicht 7x42, but it will be pretty close. I would recommend the Nikon SE 8x32 over the E2 if you can find a good one. The SE has better build quality being better sealed, it is brighter, it has much sharper edges, a flatter field and excellent stereopsis. The Habicht 8x30 is another option, and it is very bright also, but it has some glare issues the Habicht 10x40 and 7x42 don't.

The focuser is tight on the Habicht 7x42 because the binocular is waterproof and sealed, and the seals make the focuser tight. Fortunately, the 7x42 has such excellent DOF because of the low 7x magnification that you don't have to focus it a lot beyond 20 yards. It is weird you didn't get the objective covers because they used to included with the binoculars. I have linked a place to buy them if Swarovski won't send you a pair for free. They have been getting kind of cheap lately.

If you purchased your Habicht's from a Japanese vendor, they are gray market, and you probably won't be able to register them through Swarovski. I never worry about warranties much anyway because I never have used them. I would rather get the binocular at a lower price and self insure. Porro prism binoculars are known for not having much CA even without HD glass, whereas, roofs have a lot of CA unless they have really high-end HD or fluorite glass. My $100 Pentax Papilio 6.5x21 reverse porros have less CA than the $800 Swarovski Curios roofs 7x21 I had.

Swarovski Obj Lens Cover: 7x42 Habicht (sku: 88-292C) - Optics4Birding

Swarovski Objective Lens Cover for the 7x42 Habicht (Read Description) - Objective Lens Cover, Green Rubber for the 7x42 and 10x40-MGA. Per Piece....

www.optics4birding.com

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

The E2’s really aren’t that expensive, they go for around $500 new. I’d consider the 8x30 Habicht as another great option.

If your in the states your Habicht’s will go back to Austria for most needed service. Mine just arrived back today , they were sent in for collimation and one other service.

That's true. I need to figure out what I'm going to do with my tract bino -- keep or sell. I don't really see myself returning to roofs for regular daytime use now that I've experienced a high end porro but, at the same time, I do quite enjoy the compactness of the former.

I was reading up on all posts here comparing the e2s and 8x30 habicht. Seems like the former might be dimmer and have a red cast but controls glares better and has a wider fov. Both have a 3m minimum focus distance though.

That's good to know about servicing. I meant though that allegedly there can be warranty issues when buying internationally; i.e. North America subsidiaries don't accept or have a different warranty range.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

You will see more detail in daylight and low light with the Habicht 10x40, but it won't be as bright as the Habicht 7x42, but it will be pretty close. I would recommend the Nikon SE 8x32 over the E2 if you can find a good one. The SE has better build quality being better sealed, it is brighter, it has much sharper edges, a flatter field and excellent stereopsis. The Habicht 8x30 is another option, and it is very bright also, but it has some glare issues the Habicht 10x40 and 7x42 don't.

The focuser is tight on the Habicht 7x42 because the binocular is waterproof and sealed, and the seals make the focuser tight. Fortunately, the 7x42 has such excellent DOF because of the low 7x magnification that you don't have to focus it a lot beyond 20 yards. It is weird you didn't get the objective covers because they used to included with the binoculars. I have linked a place to buy them if Swarovski won't send you a pair for free. They have been getting kind of cheap lately.

If you purchased your Habicht's from a Japanese vendor, they are gray market, and you probably won't be able to register them through Swarovski. I never worry about warranties much anyway because I never have used them. I would rather get the binocular at a lower price and self insure. Porro prism binoculars are known for not having much CA even without HD glass, whereas, roofs have a lot of CA unless they have really high-end HD or fluorite glass. My $100 Pentax Papilio 6.5x21 reverse porros have less CA than the $800 Swarovski Curios roofs 7x21 I had.

Swarovski Obj Lens Cover: 7x42 Habicht (sku: 88-292C) - Optics4Birding

Swarovski Objective Lens Cover for the 7x42 Habicht (Read Description) - Objective Lens Cover, Green Rubber for the 7x42 and 10x40-MGA. Per Piece....

www.optics4birding.com

Thank you for the info.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Hello,

I've been using the habicht more. I just wanted to comment. I added a bino bandit glare blocker I had lying around. And the view is so much better. I can really take in the fov now and focus on the entire view. The whole thing (when looking out at the clouds in the distance) just feels like I'm looking out at my own personal portrait. It's great.

I would also add -- interesting enough -- that now that I can comfortably take in the whole fov and focus on it. It feels a little straw-like to me. Like looking through a straw. Not by much but, indeed, just a touch. I didn't really notice that or experience that without it. In fact, the fov kind of felt generous in a way without them originally.

I have a feeling the habicht may be more comfortable to use now in lowlight with the glareblockers -- we'll see. I'm also getting better about learning to hold and position them. They'll never be a fact-action bino for me but they're a gorgeous piece of equipment to have. Thanks.

 

[ReinierB]

Thanks for the update!
Is it possible to take a picture of the binoculars with this glare blocker? I do not really have an idea what this exactly is...
Am I right that you like the Habicht, but you see its restrictions as well?
Is the Habicht nice for birdwatching? Or is the focuser too slow for that purpose?

 

[Paultricounty]

Thank for the update!
Is it possible to take a picture of the binoculars with this glare blocker? I do not really have an idea what this exactly is...
Am I right that you like the Habicht, but you see its restrictions as well?
Is the Habicht nice for birdwatching? Or is the focuser too slow for that purpose?

Bino bandit

 

[ReinierB]

Yikes. Aesthetics are also important to me.

 

[William Lewis]

These work- Field Optics Eyeshield Winged Eyecups Compact Size The Birders Store

I find my brow and nose block most stray light so it's only the sides that need a bit of blocking. Having said that it's generally only small eye relief+large eye cups (e.g Nikon e2) that I find let stray light hit the oculars.

Will

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Paul's screenshot is pretty accurate actually. I will try to take a picture in the coming day or two.

The aesthetic may not be for everyone but with the glareblocker attached now -- at the risk of being hyperbolic -- I feel like I have a whole new bino.

Yes I personally enjoy the habicht. Overall I give it a very positive rating. But I do see a "restriction," namely in the lack of fact-action focuser ability. For example, if I want to catch a car or a truck that drives through the busy street down below. It's very difficult for me to re-focus the bino correctly if I have to. Likewise if I'm trying to catch a plane I see shoot by in distance -- again literally 1-2 second window -- and I just can't focus in time.

Because the bino is so wide the focuser is further to reach. This may not be too much of an issue for some people but for my hands it is. And if I re-adjust my hand to accommodate the extra distance to the focuser; there's still the fact that the focuser itself is very stiff. I don't mind it too much. But getting a nice smooth micro-focus in just really isn't that do-able for me -- at least not yet.

With my compact roof bino, I don't have any of the fast-action focuser problems. I can narrow in on the view super fast if I'm alert enough. And I can adjust the focuser/bino with one hand which makes keeping a steady consistent view much easier because I have my other hand free to really stabilize the bino. For the habicht, to get some solid focuser action I have to use two hands.

I don't bird. But given the above comments, I don't imagine the habicht to be an ideal instrument in the field for birdwatching. Unless it's birding at a distance or something or with slow moving birds.

I will also add that the great depth of field in the habicht means you don't have to be precisely on focus to have a good view.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Pictures.

tract 10x42 uhd
habicht 10x40 w ga
celestron 25x70 skymaster

Also I would add, regarding the glareblocker, that I feel like it press against my nose a bit on the habicht but not on the roof bino. So it might not be for everyone depending on their facial geometry.

 

[Paultricounty]

Paul's screenshot is pretty accurate actually. I will try to take a picture in the coming day or two.

The aesthetic may not be for everyone but with the glareblocker attached now -- at the risk of being hyperbolic -- I feel like I have a whole new bino.

Yes I personally enjoy the habicht. Overall I give it a very positive rating. But I do see a "restriction," namely in the lack of fact-action focuser ability. For example, if I want to catch a car or a truck that drives through the busy street down below. It's very difficult for me to re-focus the bino correctly if I have to. Likewise if I'm trying to catch a plane I see shoot by in distance -- again literally 1-2 second window -- and I just can't focus in time.

Because the bino is so wide the focuser is further to reach. This may not be too much of an issue for some people but for my hands it is. And if I re-adjust my hand to accommodate the extra distance to the focuser; there's still the fact that the focuser itself is very stiff. I don't mind it too much. But getting a nice smooth micro-focus in just really isn't that do-able for me -- at least not yet.

With my compact roof bino, I don't have any of the fast-action focuser problems. I can narrow in on the view super fast if I'm alert enough. And I can adjust the focuser/bino with one hand which makes keeping a steady consistent view much easier because I have my other hand free to really stabilize the bino. For the habicht, to get some solid focuser action I have to use two hands.

I don't bird. But given the above comments, I don't imagine the habicht to be an ideal instrument in the field for birdwatching. Unless it's birding at a distance or something or with slow moving birds.

I will also add that the great depth of field in the habicht means you don't have to be precisely on focus to have a good view.

Oh yes , one of the major complaints on the Habicht’s, the very stiff focusers especially more of an issue on the 10x because of the shallow FOV, having to refocus constantly.

Shhh , don’t tell anybody but I just got my 7x42 back from Swaro, went in first week of May , they had to go to Austria because US doesn’t service specific things on Habicht’s. Had the focuser lightened up considerably, now much more intuitive and much nicer to track birds on the wing and fast moving objects. And still 100% water proof.

Paul

 

[Scott98]

just a thought on some of your comments - after a period of testing I've gravitated towards lower power for birding - 7x and 8x mostly - after experimenting more with 10x and 12x. 10x provides more detail on the birds, yes, but there's also less depth of field as power increases. That decreases ease of focusing, and IMO, increases the chance of diopter difficulty. There's a smaller tolerance for error between the 2 diopter settings.

I also find a bit of a claustrophobic effect, where only the bird or object you're viewing is in focus, more of the FOV is out of focus. At 15x it becomes intolerable to me. I've developed a preference for 10x only when the bird is far in the distance, like viewing seabirds on the water. When the birds are closer it seems like I'm spending more time tweaking the focus on them then at 7x or 8x.

And the 10x exit pupil is smaller and that generally leads to less comfort. When I've taken out 10x42's and 10x35's and run them against my 10x56, the difference really jumps out at me. The ease of viewing in the 10x56 is better. I notice my 7x42's and 10x56 have a very comfortable view that lets my eye wander around naturally versus smaller exit pupil binos.

 

[[email protected]]

Oh yes , one of the major complaints on the Habicht’s, the very stiff focusers especially more of an issue on the 10x because of the shallow FOV, having to refocus constantly.

Shhh , don’t tell anybody but I just got my 7x42 back from Swaro, went in first week of May , they had to go to Austria because US doesn’t service specific things on Habicht’s. Had the focuser lightened up considerably, now much more intuitive and much nicer to track birds on the wing and fast moving objects. And still 100% water proof.

Paul

I wonder how they loosened them up? Grease?