Maybe we could start a monthly calendar called "Binocular Girl." Dorubird you can do the photography.
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Conquest HD 8x42 - Some thoughts. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Samolot
- Start date
It’s a really nice binocular. I couldn’t quite bear to part with it when I got some Swaros so it’s my in car and family holiday binocular and it’s always great. The swaros are much smaller so I prefer them when I’m also carrying a scope and camera. 42s on top of those give me neck ache but they are great bins and the difference in quality from the Swaros isn’t that great in normal usage
Samolot
Well-known member
I had that one when I had the 7x42 BGAT - lovely cover. However I only use the eyepiece cover when i store my bins. Otherwise I just take them off and keep them in my case when i head out for a hike.
Samolot
Well-known member
Just wanted to provide a little update. I bought a Maven B5 15x56 and was really impressed with them. In an effort to keep things consistent, I tried a Maven B1.2 8x42 and compared them to the Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42. My expectations were that the apparent field of view difference would be noticeable, and I expected cleaner colors, and everything else largely similar which would then lead to me let go of the conquests.
I spent the weekend comparing the B1.2 8x42 and the Conquest 8x42. Long story short - I returned the Mavens today. The colors were largely similar between the two - slightly cooler with a subtle blue/green bias in both - maybe a hint less with the mavens. The gold standard reference glass for this for me are my other Maven B5 15x56 with the fluorite glass coupled with AK prisms - colors are just dead neutral and bright. Back to the 8x42's, the field of view was wider with the Mavens, as was the AFOV. I thought this would win me over to keep the Mavens but it didn't. Here is where things started to slip - the eye cups on the mavens are similar to the Meopta Meopro Air series - clunky and uncomfortable. And here is the big one - contrast. The conquest HD's have some of the best contrast I have seen. While equally sharp, the details just pop more with the conquests which contributes to its snappy focus. When trying to ID birds in the thick bush - I find this attribute is very important and they just work really really well for this. Thin tree branches just popped into the view on the conquests.
Overall, I became more impressed with the conquests. With the extended eye cups they just work great and deliver some of the best views despite some short comings (narrow Fov and AFov).
I spent the weekend comparing the B1.2 8x42 and the Conquest 8x42. Long story short - I returned the Mavens today. The colors were largely similar between the two - slightly cooler with a subtle blue/green bias in both - maybe a hint less with the mavens. The gold standard reference glass for this for me are my other Maven B5 15x56 with the fluorite glass coupled with AK prisms - colors are just dead neutral and bright. Back to the 8x42's, the field of view was wider with the Mavens, as was the AFOV. I thought this would win me over to keep the Mavens but it didn't. Here is where things started to slip - the eye cups on the mavens are similar to the Meopta Meopro Air series - clunky and uncomfortable. And here is the big one - contrast. The conquest HD's have some of the best contrast I have seen. While equally sharp, the details just pop more with the conquests which contributes to its snappy focus. When trying to ID birds in the thick bush - I find this attribute is very important and they just work really really well for this. Thin tree branches just popped into the view on the conquests.
Overall, I became more impressed with the conquests. With the extended eye cups they just work great and deliver some of the best views despite some short comings (narrow Fov and AFov).
