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Kahles 8x32 Binocular ?? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter gcole
- Start date
David in NC
Well-known member
I've always wanted to like them but only looked through them at the SHOT show once. I was impressed but everyone says you can't use a single inside test to tell the whole story.
I don't think they are well reviewed here for Euro made binocs (?).
I used to mispronounce it "kales" but it's "Kah-lus" according to reps and telephone reps.
I don't think they are well reviewed here for Euro made binocs (?).
I used to mispronounce it "kales" but it's "Kah-lus" according to reps and telephone reps.
mooreorless
Well-known member
Ka-Less or it seems most seem Kay Less like Frank posted, but if David talked to telephone reps I would think they would know.
David in NC
Well-known member
I've heard it that way also, but here's a video of a rep at SHOT (only have to watch first few seconds...link is to a police/military scope but made by Kahles...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTerNj81WcA
I found another YT video where rep with a strong European accent (Austrian maybe but I am not an expert on that) first says "Cal-us" (like we would pronounce "Callous" but immediately corrects himself to "kah-lus"...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTerNj81WcA
I found another YT video where rep with a strong European accent (Austrian maybe but I am not an expert on that) first says "Cal-us" (like we would pronounce "Callous" but immediately corrects himself to "kah-lus"...
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mooreorless
Well-known member
David sound like Kah-lus or Ka- Less to me. I think I read once someone said Cows.
David in NC
Well-known member
I know it's all splitting hairs at the end of the day, but I like being a close to correct as possible. Maybe we need a thread on correct pronounciations...? :king:
I always say "Swar-ov-ski" but I SWEAR it sounds like some (even the young US sales director-can't recall his name) are putting a quick "H" somewhere in there, and others put the "V" sound for the "W" (which may also be true as I *think* it would be in German at least which may be linguistically similar to Austrian as well as geographically)...
???
In pre-Internet days, I would just call a company to see how they answered the phone (that's what I did years ago with Kahles, but confirmed with two reps at SHOT 07 just to make sure I recalled correctly).
In several of my "hobbies" I have found product makers or providers of services that are routinely mispronounced, and I'm often guilty also. I'm MOST amazed at people that once you tell them "Hey I called the company and THIS is what they said" will STILL argue with you because a dealer SOMEWHERE pronounces it "this way"... :eek!:
One of my recent pet peeves in this area is a maker of custom rifle triggers, called Geissele Automatics. By the time I discovered them, there was already a thread on a popular firearms website on how to pronounce it with SEVERAL variations, some downright comical (Gisselle, Jiz-Lee, guysale, etc.)
So...I resorted to my old stand-by-I called the COMPANY. The female answering kind of chuckled and laughed, and told me that the pronounciation was one of the biggest questions she got. She told me it was "guys-lee" and that was per the OWNER'S prounciation and his family name. I posted this on the firearms site, and even posted that this was per the company (!) and STILL had posts after me giving DIFFERENT ("correct") pronouncements!!! :eek!:
I always say "Swar-ov-ski" but I SWEAR it sounds like some (even the young US sales director-can't recall his name) are putting a quick "H" somewhere in there, and others put the "V" sound for the "W" (which may also be true as I *think* it would be in German at least which may be linguistically similar to Austrian as well as geographically)...
???
In pre-Internet days, I would just call a company to see how they answered the phone (that's what I did years ago with Kahles, but confirmed with two reps at SHOT 07 just to make sure I recalled correctly).
In several of my "hobbies" I have found product makers or providers of services that are routinely mispronounced, and I'm often guilty also. I'm MOST amazed at people that once you tell them "Hey I called the company and THIS is what they said" will STILL argue with you because a dealer SOMEWHERE pronounces it "this way"... :eek!:
One of my recent pet peeves in this area is a maker of custom rifle triggers, called Geissele Automatics. By the time I discovered them, there was already a thread on a popular firearms website on how to pronounce it with SEVERAL variations, some downright comical (Gisselle, Jiz-Lee, guysale, etc.)
So...I resorted to my old stand-by-I called the COMPANY. The female answering kind of chuckled and laughed, and told me that the pronounciation was one of the biggest questions she got. She told me it was "guys-lee" and that was per the OWNER'S prounciation and his family name. I posted this on the firearms site, and even posted that this was per the company (!) and STILL had posts after me giving DIFFERENT ("correct") pronouncements!!! :eek!:
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mooreorless
Well-known member
David I called an optics place out West and he made fun of me pronouncing Swarovski, he pronounced it like it was Polish Swarski or some such. I hear Leopold all the time.
David in NC
Well-known member
Okay-got me there... :-C
I'll admit that I have said "Leo Polled"so long, it's INGRAINED in my psyche I guess...I KNOW it's correctly pronounced "Lou-Polled" but I can't always pronounce it right-sometimes "Leopold" comes out before I think!
It's Kah'lus.
I own an 8 x 32.
Actually I own 2. I have an older, pre-2006, model and the current new model, 2011, and I have compared them both. I also wrote the one review it has on the Eagle Optic's website.
The current model is an excellent binocular. You can read an accurate review of it on Allbinos. My binocular is green in color and not camoflage like the one shown in Allbinos. Their review jibes with what I know about mine except I have determined that the FOV on mine is somewhat wider than the FOV they have credited it with.
I compared it closely with my older model Kahles; my 2010 Swarovski 8 8x30 SLC; my Nikon 8 x 32 LX L and my Nikon 8 x 32 SE. The SE was the best and the old Kahles 8x 32 was the worst. The new one was as good as and better in some respects than the LX L and the SLC. For instance it has better veiling glare control. In fact it has excellent veiling glare control.
It has a wider FOV than the SE and the older model Kahles. It's FOV, as far as I can tell, is the same as the SLC and the LX L but it is not the 435'@1000yards that is listed in the Eagle Optics specifications. I estimate about 411'@1000yards.
It is lighter in weight than the older Kahles with it's Magnesium frame. It's coatings are visibly much different and are as described in the Allbino's review.
It's oculars are about 3mm wider than the oculars on the old Kahles and the eye cups are 2mm longer. The right eye diopter is stiff and once set, stays set. It focuses in a counter clockwise direction. The focusing is extremely smooth but still firm with no backlash. It focuses slower than the Nikon LX L which is also very smooth but notoriously very fast.
It is not built in Austria. That was discussed here on Bird Forum by Gijs. It's SN is located underneath on the hinge where Swarovskis is and it has a number system similar to Swarovski. If I guessed correctly mine was made in 2011 in May but I don't know for sure.
It looks like it is built in the same place that makes the 8 x 32 Viper which is also reviewed on Allbinos. Allbinos criticised the Vipers coverings as having a gap in in it. IMO that is not possible with the Kahles. It has a very hard rubber exterior covering very much like the covering on my Leica 7 x 42 Trinovid BN. It is a very rugged binocular which can be taken anywhere. It is bright, sharp and has excellent contrast. I can detect no CA but I am not susceptible to CA.
It comes with optional winged eyecups which must be used with the eyecups in the down position. You peel the standard eye cups off and put the winged ones on. Do this with the eye cups in the down position because they are quite stiff and hard to get off and it might be possible to damage a grub screw in the mechanism operating the eye cups if you try to do this with the eye cups extended. The winged eye cups work well and at first I thought they impinged some what on the FOV but I have concluded that they don't.
I think that the Sale Price makes it an excellent buy! It should last a lifetime. It has an 11 year warranty.
Bob
PS: I forgot to add that it also has a very generous sweet-spot of about 70% which tapers off slowly to the edge, much like the SLC. The SE and LX L have flat fields.
I own an 8 x 32.
Actually I own 2. I have an older, pre-2006, model and the current new model, 2011, and I have compared them both. I also wrote the one review it has on the Eagle Optic's website.
The current model is an excellent binocular. You can read an accurate review of it on Allbinos. My binocular is green in color and not camoflage like the one shown in Allbinos. Their review jibes with what I know about mine except I have determined that the FOV on mine is somewhat wider than the FOV they have credited it with.
I compared it closely with my older model Kahles; my 2010 Swarovski 8 8x30 SLC; my Nikon 8 x 32 LX L and my Nikon 8 x 32 SE. The SE was the best and the old Kahles 8x 32 was the worst. The new one was as good as and better in some respects than the LX L and the SLC. For instance it has better veiling glare control. In fact it has excellent veiling glare control.
It has a wider FOV than the SE and the older model Kahles. It's FOV, as far as I can tell, is the same as the SLC and the LX L but it is not the 435'@1000yards that is listed in the Eagle Optics specifications. I estimate about 411'@1000yards.
It is lighter in weight than the older Kahles with it's Magnesium frame. It's coatings are visibly much different and are as described in the Allbino's review.
It's oculars are about 3mm wider than the oculars on the old Kahles and the eye cups are 2mm longer. The right eye diopter is stiff and once set, stays set. It focuses in a counter clockwise direction. The focusing is extremely smooth but still firm with no backlash. It focuses slower than the Nikon LX L which is also very smooth but notoriously very fast.
It is not built in Austria. That was discussed here on Bird Forum by Gijs. It's SN is located underneath on the hinge where Swarovskis is and it has a number system similar to Swarovski. If I guessed correctly mine was made in 2011 in May but I don't know for sure.
It looks like it is built in the same place that makes the 8 x 32 Viper which is also reviewed on Allbinos. Allbinos criticised the Vipers coverings as having a gap in in it. IMO that is not possible with the Kahles. It has a very hard rubber exterior covering very much like the covering on my Leica 7 x 42 Trinovid BN. It is a very rugged binocular which can be taken anywhere. It is bright, sharp and has excellent contrast. I can detect no CA but I am not susceptible to CA.
It comes with optional winged eyecups which must be used with the eyecups in the down position. You peel the standard eye cups off and put the winged ones on. Do this with the eye cups in the down position because they are quite stiff and hard to get off and it might be possible to damage a grub screw in the mechanism operating the eye cups if you try to do this with the eye cups extended. The winged eye cups work well and at first I thought they impinged some what on the FOV but I have concluded that they don't.
I think that the Sale Price makes it an excellent buy! It should last a lifetime. It has an 11 year warranty.
Bob
PS: I forgot to add that it also has a very generous sweet-spot of about 70% which tapers off slowly to the edge, much like the SLC. The SE and LX L have flat fields.
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looksharp65
Well-known member
German.
The pronounciation would be Kaaah-less with a very open "a", just like in duck, buck, uh ...
If you're speaking Received Pronounciation, perhaps "Carless" might do
Then it's Tsize, Like-Aah and Svaah-Roff-Ski. And Mean Ox.
//L
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eitanaltman
Well-known member
Bob - I'm pretty sure the one Allbinos reviewed is the older model before they expanded the FOV. It's possible the coatings were updated since the pre 2006 model you have but it doesn't seem to be the newest version.
I was told by the Kahles dealer in America that my older one was made prior to 2006. They said that's as close as Kahles in Austria could estimate it from the SN.
My new one has coatings that more or less match the descriptions Allbinos give in the review of the one they tested. It is possible, as you note, that the coatings were changed at an earlier date than when Kahles tweaked the oculars to make the FOV wider.
The FOV on the old model was 399' @ 1000' yards according to the specs. The oculars on my new model have definitely been "tweaked" a bit to give them a wider diameter and the eye cups are longer. These differences are clearly visible when they are compared.
One problem with my sample is that the Specifications sheet did not have specs in it for the 8 x 32 model; they were only listed for the 8 x 42 and the 10 x 42. I called Eagle Optics about it and they told me all of the Kahles spec sheets were like that. I can tell you that I am pretty sure that the FOV on it is not 430' but closer to 411' like the FOVs on the SLC and the LX L.
I'll compare their respective FOVs again though.
Bob
eitanaltman
Well-known member
The Allbinos review is dated May 2011, and they usually have the bins for a while before posting their review. That plus the quoted spec (and measurement confirming) for FOV make me think it's the older version before the redesign. Also I haven't seen the new one in camo. I contacted a Kahles rep once asking about a demo on SWFA's sample list and they said the new ones are "loden green" not gray (or camo I guess?).
Hi Eitan,
I've gone to Kahles current website, done some work and come up with a sort of history of the changes in the binoculars since 2007 from the information found in the website below and it appears that your opinion that Allbinos reviewed an older model is correct.
http://www.kahles.at/eng/products/downloads/
It leads off with a PDF brochure for 2013 which includes the binoculars and their specs and that they come in loden green. FOV of the 8 x 32 is 399'@1000 yards.
There is also a PDF brochure for 2012 which shows all 3 binoculars, their specs and says they come in Loden Green. FOV of the 8 x 32 is 399'@1000yards.
Then there are PDFs of full catalogs of Kahles products, including binoculars for 2011 and 2007. The 2011 catalog states that they have Magnesium construction, but it only shows the 8 x 42 and 10 x 42. The 8 x 32 is not listed in it and specs are not given. What it does state is that they are new, lighter in weight, with higher light transmission (+90%) and oil phobic lens surfaces.
The 2007 PDF catalog shows all three binoculars in Green, Gray and in Camo. It does not mention magnesium construction. And it has their specs. FOV of the 8 x 32 is 399'@1000 yards.
Conclusions:
Kahles is primarily a manufacturer of top end Optical Rifle Sights and it also manufactures 3 very good binoculars suitable for hunters in 8 x 32, 8 x 42 and 10 x 42. All of the new binocular models since 2011 are Loden Green in color. Prior to that there were gray ones and ones with camo color.
Their binoculars were improved with magnesium construction and new coatings on the lenses around 2011. The 8 x 32 was not completed at that time and did not make it into their 2011 catalog but made it into the 2012 and 2013 brochure.
Sometime between 2007 and 2012 Kahles "tweaked" the oculars which is why I noted their differences in diameter and the differences in the lengths of the eye cups when I compared my new ones with my old ones which I was informed were made "sometime" before 2006 by the Kahles rep here in the USA.
Bob
PS: The final conclusion is that Allbinos did review an older model Kahles, made prior to 2011 because they picture an 8 x 32 in Camoflage color. http://www.allbinos.com/22-binoculars_reviews-Kahles.html
http://www.allbinos.com/181-binoculars_review-Kahles_8x32.html
Kahle's 2011 catalog and brochures forward to 2013 only lists Loden Green binoculars.
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German.
The pronounciation would be Kaaah-less with a very open "a", just like in duck, buck, uh ...
If you're speaking Received Pronounciation, perhaps "Carless" might do
Then it's Tsize, Like-Aah and Svaah-Roff-Ski. And Mean Ox.
//L
Hej
Wouldn't that be Shvaah-roff-ski? I don't think they have a pure sounding S in German or Austrian do they?
Hej da
eitanaltman
Well-known member
Good detective work Bob! Weird that their 2012//2013 catalogs don't note an increased FOV for the 8x32, still listed at 7.6* (399'). Are the rumors of increased FOV on the newer models false then? The FOV specs are identical between the 2007 and newer catalogs; in fact ALL the specs appear identical save for slightly lighter weight on the newer models and slightly longer minimum focus spec.
looksharp65
Well-known member
They sure have. A word like "süß" or "süss" (sweet, cute) even shows that they sometimes use a special character for double-s although the pronounciation is identical. To say "Du bist shysh" to a German girl would make her think you're either drunk or feebleminded.
And there's no such language as "Austrian" - German is Austria's official language.
Hej hej
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The pronounciation would be Kaaah-less with a very open "a", just like in duck, buck, uh ...
If you're speaking Received Pronounciation, perhaps "Carless" might do
Then it's Tsize, Like-Aah and Svaah-Roff-Ski. And Mean Ox.
//L
Yes, that´s exactly right.
_
