Best all-around: SFL 8x30 or 8x40? (1 Viewer)

[gwlee]

How is the eye relief of 8x30 vs 8x40? Zeiss states the same 18mm for all SFL models, which is a bit unlikely. Or?

I wear eyeglasses and seem to need more eye relief than most. Both SFLs have enough ER for me. Raising the eyecups 1 or 2 stops from fully down works well. When I find just the right size o-rings, I might use them to make a stop 1/2 way between stops 1 and 2.

The 8x40 might have had a touch more. I say “ “might” because I didn’t have the opportunity to use them side by side.

I find the 8x30‘s eye relief similar to the eye relief offered by my 7x42 UVHD+ in side-by-side testing. From memory, I think the eye relief of the 8x30 SFL is a little more generous than the eye relief of 8x32 EL that I owned previously.

 

[Swedpat]

I wear eyeglasses and seem to need more eye relief than most. Both SFLs have enough ER for me. Raising the eyecups 1 or 2 stops from fully down works well. When I find just the right size o-rings, I might use them to make a stop 1/2 way between stops 1 and 2.

The 8x40 might have had a touch more. I say “ “might” because I didn’t have the opportunity to use them side by side.

I find the 8x30‘s eye relief similar to the eye relief offered by my 7x42 UVHD+ in side-by-side testing. From memory, I think the eye relief of the 8x30 SFL is a little more generous than the eye relief of 8x32 EL that I owned previously.

Thanks for another confirmation of the eye relief of SFL 8x30. I recently tried SFL 8x40 and it worked very good. And several years ago I tried EL 8x32 and found it was the first 8x32 which worked very well with eyeglasses for me.
So this should mean SFL 8x30 really is excellent with eyeglasses.

 

[MiddleRiver]

How is the eye relief of 8x30 vs 8x40? Zeiss states the same 18mm for all SFL models, which is a bit unlikely. Or?

Both SFL's have excellent ER (I own both and wear glasses - sometimes slim wire-framed and sometimes heavier plastic framed). With the SFL30's, I need to be a little more careful about ER, and IPD or I do get some blackouts. I often set those eyecups one click out, tho really I've adapted to it. Both are excellent bins.

 

[Maljunulo]

I do not believe that the relative optical "quality" of two binoculars can be ascertained by stripping them down and laying the parts on a table, for a “close examination”.

I do believe that the idea that a $1,000 binocular and a $3,000 binocular are the same, and the manufacturer of the $3,000 glass is gouging you is delusional.

I’m old and crabby, and I cling to my opinions.

 

[Maljunulo]

To get back to the topic, I would choose the 30mm version, strictly for the weight and size.

 

[Swedpat]

To get back to the topic, I would choose the 30mm version, strictly for the weight and size.

30-32mm is a great size for an allround binocular. Pretty comfortable in the hands and not too bulky for walking around while enough brightness for a bit dusk and dawn too.