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Message: <blockquote data-quote="John Dracon" data-source="post: 1603253" data-attributes="member: 14799">Have been enjoying reading the flow of thoughts and opinions on the endangered optical species, viz., porros and just why the roofs are dominating the market.  I picked up a recent Zeiss catalog on sports optics and was surprised to read (1) that Zeiss has begun to move away from its long established tradition of marketing only the best and (2) that only one porro model is still in production.My experience over the years with Zeiss binoculars is that each model was at the apex in terms of optical design and purpose.  Now we have best (FL Victory) and good (Conquest) binoculars to choose from with the Conquest line being expanded significantly. This certainly is a philosophical shift on Zeiss's part.  The only porro now listed is the 7x50 B IF rubber covered binocular. The outstanding 15x60 porro is no longer being made. I have one of those big honkers, and it is truly an exceptional piece of optics.  What I found most interesting in their catalog is that they still are pushing their 8x56 telescopic looking roofs, even when they have more compact roof models which in my judgment are superior. That football field long roof (pardon the hyberbole) is a dinosaur with a narrow field and swings like a pendulum when dangling from the neck.  I had one and quickly traded it off.  One day I ran into a fellow hunting big horn sheep on a steep mountainside.  He had one of those old "classics" as they are called, and he readily admitted he had bought (and brought) the wrong glass.  Evidently, Zeiss is still caught up in some nostalgia by including that binocular in its line.  I call it a man bites dog kind of optical piece.  I can't imagine a birder buying one of those.  John</blockquote>

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