My first alpha binoculars (2 Viewers)

[NatureLover123]

So you are a hunter right? With a 10x42 you will be able to easily address game and identify details of game also in bad light. (I don’t know if „address game“ is the right saying in English).

 

[NatureLover123]

So you are a hunter right? With a 10x42 you will be able to easily address game and identify details of game also in bad light. (I don’t know if „address game“ is the right saying in English).

For me my 10x42 SF works amazingly well to identify details on deer’s. I never tried an NL 10x yet.

 

[Matt_Hirst]

If you are considdering Swarovski, have a look at Kahles.

 

[hopster]

If you are considdering Swarovski, have a look at Kahles.

Yes, the top Kahles is exactly the last Swaro SLC model with the same reduced close focus ability and an ugly brown/orange casing. From experience, the 8x is optically excellent if you can get on with the focuser which is slightly slow and gritty compared to the best.

 

[Isthatascratch?]

So you are a hunter right? With a 10x42 you will be able to easily address game and identify details of game also in bad light. (I don’t know if „address game“ is the right saying in English).

Yes …”How do you do?”

 

[Dennis Mau]

If you are considdering Swarovski, have a look at Kahles.

Does Kahles use the same Field Pro lug system that Swarovski does? A Swarovski without Field Pro might be interesting. Kahles don't seem to have the sharp edges of a Swarovski, though.

Kahles 8x32 - binoculars review - AllBinos.com

The best binocular tests on the net. The comprehensive database of binoculars with their parameters and users opinions. Interesting articles and comparisons.

www.allbinos.com

 

[Richard D]

Does Kahles use the same Field Pro lug system that Swarovski does? A Swarovski without Field Pro might be interesting. Kahles don't seem to have the sharp edges of a Swarovski, though.

Kahles 8x32 - binoculars review - AllBinos.com

The best binocular tests on the net. The comprehensive database of binoculars with their parameters and users opinions. Interesting articles and comparisons.

www.allbinos.com

The Kahles Helia S are identical to the old 42mm SLCs made in the Swarovski factory, just with brown armour. Other Kahles are made in China and not of the same quality.

 

[dorubird]

My choice:

Zeiss SF 10x42 dissection

Binoculars are very personal tools! I noticed that it can generate endless discussions and conflicts even here on the forum! But here I just want to say my own opinion about this Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 (black version) binoculars. I start with the mechanical presentation. The covers of the...

www.birdforum.net

 

[Dennis Mau]

My choice:

https://www.birdforum.net/threads/zeiss-sf-10x42-dissection.419051/[/

http://

The Kahles Helia S are identical to the old 42mm SLCs made in the Swarovski factory, just with brown armour. Other Kahles are made in China and not of the same quality.

Interesting! Made in the Swarovski factory. So I guess you want to stick with the Kahles Helia S. How are the focusers on the Kahles? The SLC were sometimes a little dodgy.

 

[Richard D]

http://

Interesting! Made in the Swarovski factory. So I guess you want to stick with the Kahles Helia S. How are the focusers on the Kahles? The SLC were sometimes a little dodgy.

I don't own a pair but they're identical to the SLC - smooth and precise but slower than something like Zeiss Conquests.
What I would say is a fair review Swarovski 10x42 SLC HD Review

 

[Gzoladz74]

Doing a lot of research in advance is definitely the right thing to do, but do not underestimate side by side comparison. When I bought my first alphas I had them shortlisted to 2 pairs. I knew I could not go wrong with either. But when I tested them side by side (along a few other pairs too) there was one that was clearly for me and the other one not so much, both being outstanding instruments.

I suppose it is due to being an object that we handle so much and it spends so much time (literally) in our face, that it has to feel comfortable.

 

[Gdavis248]

Doing a lot of research in advance is definitely the right thing to do, but do not underestimate side by side comparison. When I bought my first alphas I had them shortlisted to 2 pairs. I knew I could not go wrong with either. But when I tested them side by side (along a few other pairs too) there was one that was clearly for me and the other one not so much, both being outstanding instruments.

I suppose it is due to being an object that we handle so much and it spends so much time (literally) in our face, that it has to feel comfortable.

Out of curiosity, what were the two pairs that you compared, and which one did you end up keeping?

 

[Gzoladz74]

Out of curiosity, what were the two pairs that you compared, and which one did you end up keeping?

Zeiss SF 8x42 and Swarovski EL 8.5x42 . The Pure NL had not been launched, this was c.10 years go, else I would have tested it too.

I got the Zeiss.

 

[Patudo]

It will probably be used more frequently during hunting and thereby without a tripod. The environment where I'm hunting is mostly dense woodland biotope

If the primary purpose is hunting you may have some requirements specific to that activity - performance in low light seems to be highly valued, some seem to prefer colour rendition that makes brown stand out from green, etc. Waterproofng and ruggedness will probably also become more important. It's not always easy to get a feel for how a binocular performs in those respects/in dense woodland in a city environment. To be really happy with your choice it may be worth offering to rent a display model for a day or two to trial it in the conditions it will actually be used in.

It may also be worth consulting hunting specific forums as commentators there will likely have more familiarity with typical scenarios and conditions. There are a couple U.S. based and probably one or two German language ones too.

 

[Hampus]

With your lack of experience with optics, as you point out, I would dabble in the second hand market for a bit.
Look at The Birders Store, Focal Point Optics, and especially Ace Optics.
All warrant their 2nd hand gear and whilst I'm not 100% sure, I think they will send abroad.

You could potentailly make a very expensive mistake taking a gamble!!! It's your money of course.

I'm not a fan of SFL's, I find them too middle ground, but they are very good.... I'd probably either save money and go Conquest HDX, or go the full fat SF.
Ultravids are 'bombers'.... just awesome optics that work and last.... NV's left me a tad disappointed for the money...but they ARE incredible.
Pures, well.... as I'm not a 'huge FOV' or 'field flattener' fanatic, I would take the stalwart EL's.... still amazing today. You will pay a fortune for the Pures' flat wide view... if it's not a priority... well thats a lot of money wasted.

Best all round binos i've looked through, ticking pretty much all boxes (FOR ME !!!)... is the Zeiss HT. So i bought them, and have yet to be swayed to go elsewhere. They are an assualt on the senses.
Those are available for just over the 1k mark, as are EL's, Ultravids etc on the 2nd hand market.
When you have settled a bit, you can pull the trigger on an 'alpha' pair with a bit more confidence, and knowledge.

You should know straight away when you look through a bad pair, your eyes won't be full relaxed if the collimation is out, and you will feel your eye muscles move when you take the binos away, but make sure you take time to adjust dioptre setting.

Anyway....
NV's or Pures.... well you won't be disappointed with either let's be honest.
Of the two, I'd go NV's, I think Leica make exquisite optics.

With your lack of experience with optics, as you point out, I would dabble in the second hand market for a bit.
Look at The Birders Store, Focal Point Optics, and especially Ace Optics.
All warrant their 2nd hand gear and whilst I'm not 100% sure, I think they will send abroad.

You could potentailly make a very expensive mistake taking a gamble!!! It's your money of course.

I'm not a fan of SFL's, I find them too middle ground, but they are very good.... I'd probably either save money and go Conquest HDX, or go the full fat SF.
Ultravids are 'bombers'.... just awesome optics that work and last.... NV's left me a tad disappointed for the money...but they ARE incredible.
Pures, well.... as I'm not a 'huge FOV' or 'field flattener' fanatic, I would take the stalwart EL's.... still amazing today. You will pay a fortune for the Pures' flat wide view... if it's not a priority... well thats a lot of money wasted.

Best all round binos i've looked through, ticking pretty much all boxes (FOR ME !!!)... is the Zeiss HT. So i bought them, and have yet to be swayed to go elsewhere. They are an assualt on the senses.
Those are available for just over the 1k mark, as are EL's, Ultravids etc on the 2nd hand market.
When you have settled a bit, you can pull the trigger on an 'alpha' pair with a bit more confidence, and knowledge.

You should know straight away when you look through a bad pair, your eyes won't be full relaxed if the collimation is out, and you will feel your eye muscles move when you take the binos away, but make sure you take time to adjust dioptre setting.

Anyway....
NV's or Pures.... well you won't be disappointed with either let's be honest.
Of the two, I'd go NV's, I think Leica make exquisite optics.

First of all, thank you for sharing your insights and knowledge. Your advice will be very helpful.

I have used a variety of optics but never owned a really nice binocular nor spent much time with one. Right now im using an old zeiss 7x32 that was given to me by my grandfather. It has worked up until now but I'm craving something nicer. I'll definetly take your advice and explore the used market, I've been doing it a long time but the not many have showed up lately.

I'm always very meticulous and thoughtful before making big purchases and will make sure to test out a variety of models before I make my decision.

Cheers!

 

[Hampus]

I agree, he should write a book!!

If you can try in strong sunlight also, looking to one side of the sun, with the sun to the side etc to see how they work with you.

One big one for me is viewing the creature with a strong backlight.. how well the bird or subject is clear, particularly the colours. It’s really quite astonishing what you can discern what it is against a very very bright blue sky etc.

Sound advice, thanks a lot! Hopefully the store owner will let me try them out outside. Unfortunetly the store is located in the middle of Stockholm... Hopefully there will be some pigeons atleast to look at!

 

[Hampus]

Personally, I would choose the NL if it's x10 or the NV if it's x8. Lately, I've been really tempted to try the NV in x8 to see for myself, how much better is it compared to the NL in terms of saturation, contrast, and resolution? Are the differences truly significant, or just marginal?

Hopefully I can find out more about that when I get the chance to try them side by side. I'll head back here and give you my impressions.

 

[Hampus]

I agree that 8x42 is a good all-around choice and that the Noctivid and NL Pure are both excellent in different ways. I would prefer them to the SF. I personally have the Noctivid in 8x and in terms of central sharpness, contrast and accurate but vibrant colours I don't think it can be beaten, nor on build quality. You'll need to get the eye position just right though in order to get the best out of it.

I am not someone who cares about a huge FOV or perfect field edges otherwise it would have been a tougher call between NV and the NL. Be aware of the ongoing issues about armour degradation (quite common it seems) and now connectors failing (more rare). They also have a tendency towards glare looking towards the sun or bright skies, at least worse than the NV, and this is something that needs to be taken into account.

I second the recommendation above for a used Zeiss HT and the Japanese shop in Osaka is still selling the Nikon EDG 8x42 at a great price if you can live with the (small) risk of problems because the long-term future of servicing is uncertain.

I may be about to migrate from the Noctivid to a 7x as my main birding binocular, and if so financial realities might force me to sell the NV which is less than 2 years old and in perfect condition. If so, I'll let you know.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. What you're mentioning matches the impressions I've gotten when reading reviews on the forum. I'm leaning towards the NV at the moment based on those parameters. I can see the usp of having a large FOV, but personally I feel it's not that big of a deal for me.


That's very nice of you. I'd be delighted if you did, if haven't already gotten around to purchasing the NV by then

 

[Hampus]

If the primary purpose is hunting you may have some requirements specific to that activity - performance in low light seems to be highly valued, some seem to prefer colour rendition that makes brown stand out from green, etc. Waterproofng and ruggedness will probably also become more important. It's not always easy to get a feel for how a binocular performs in those respects/in dense woodland in a city environment. To be really happy with your choice it may be worth offering to rent a display model for a day or two to trial it in the conditions it will actually be used in.

It may also be worth consulting hunting specific forums as commentators there will likely have more familiarity with typical scenarios and conditions. There are a couple U.S. based and probably one or two German language ones too.

That's definetly aspects I had not thought much about. I'm hoping the store I'll be visiting might be able to give me some advice or point me in the right direction. I think they are offering 30 days purchase on approval (if that is the correct term in english?). In that case I can test them at home in different conditions and make up my mind.

To be honest, I just want a quality optic that will make me want to use it. It doesn't have to be the perfect hunting binocular per se, I've gotten along well with my old Zeiss 7x32 for many years. I think any decent binocular will be an upgrade.

Thanks a lot for your knowledge. I'll keep it in mind going forward.

 

[Hampus]

So you are a hunter right? With a 10x42 you will be able to easily address game and identify details of game also in bad light. (I don’t know if „address game“ is the right saying in English).

That's correct. I feel this decision will become harder and harder... I understand what you mean. But in terms of light transmission, would there be a big difference between 8x and 10x if both have a 42 mm objective lens?