Mark9473
Well-known member
Just speculating, but looking at the body shape of the HT54, it looks like a very short focal ratio objective, which inevitably stresses out most eyepiece designs.
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New Zeiss Victory HT 8x54 review from Allbinos (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter John A Roberts
- Start date
Just speculating, but looking at the body shape of the HT54, it looks like a very short focal ratio objective, which inevitably stresses out most eyepiece designs.
you're right, it's the oculars and lenses and prisms all working together, no way to know what decisions went into the design. Maybe the eyepieces are the same as the 42mm HT's and the focal ratio is shorter. I would have liked the HT 10x54 over the Swaro SLC 10x56 I ended up purchasing and keeping. But it only took about 10 minutes of comparing on my deck to choose the SLC, the optics were better to my eyes in every category, center, edge, color correction, sharpness. I guess that is the tradeoff with the larger size and weight of the SLC. It took a lot longer - months - for me to decide to keep the 10x56 SLC over the Ultravid+ 10x50, which were nice, but ultimately the larger aperture and ease of viewing w/ the SLC won.
I would nominate the Victory HT as the premium binocular line most in need of upgrade, that's my take on it. I would seriously prefer the 8x56 Dialyt, even with 1980's coatings. They were lighter and had better edge sharpness, the only downside with those was false color, which is generally not a problem in low-light observing or astronomy. No one has extended their "alpha" line of binos into 54-56mm territory, I'd love to see Zeiss break the mold by introducing 50mm or 56mm SF's or something else new.
dorubird
The unskilled mechanic blames his tools!
Speaking strictly about the light transmission graphs and color reproduction of these binoculars the situation is exactly the opposite! We notice that the Habicht 7x42 has not only a flatter transmission but even a slightly higher transmission over all violet-red spectrum than the HT 8x54... But I noticed that you also nuanced your statements later:
The light transmission graphs posted here by yourself from houseofoutdoor show very clearly that the light transmission graph at Habicht is almost a straight line, but at HT it is much more wavy, especially drops in the orange-red spectrum:
Otherwise, even with a less flat and slightly lower light transmission, I agree with you that, due to the larger exit pupil, the HT 8x54 will be still brighter than the Habicht 7x42 at night for a young person!
Anyway, HT 8x54 is a excellent pair of binoculars and I hope you enjoy using it!
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Perhaps (not) coincidentally, Dennis sold his just last week:
tenex
reality-based
Better in what respect? You haven't really said a word about the aberrations mentioned above, or their effect in blurring the outer field. Perhaps whoever bought this from Dennis would be kind enough to send it to Henry for reevaluation? Realistically, the question would be what remotely plausible mid-life improvement could just have corrected them better, short of a complete redesign. I'm skeptical.
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Henry, I am sure you are aware of the fact that when the team of optical engineers design a binocular like the HT 8x54 they have to make some hard decisions, but above all they have to remember what their major design goals and priorities are. The Zeiss HT 8x54 was designed specifically to be the highest performing binocular available in low light. In any optical design, if you try to increase brightness, you might lose something in another area, and it might create some CA or SA or some other aberration. Swarovski created the NL with a huge FOV, but as a consequence it has some glare problems. You have a lot of good ideas, but you don't know how they will affect the total performance of the optical system. Saying that Zeiss should use a doublet focusing element in the HT sounds good, but the decision to use a singlet or doublet focusing element depends on the design of the total optical system of that particular binocular. Zeiss may have used a singlet focusing element, which has less glass than a doublet, to maximize transmission to achieve their design goal of producing the brightest binocular available. I did like the Zeiss FL 8x56, but now that I have tried the HT 8x54 I actually prefer it over the FL, and I am sure when Zeiss designed the HT that is what they had in mind. You kind of remind me of an armchair optical engineer. You have good ideas, but you don't know how it will affect the final product. When optical engineers design a binocular, they use a computer program that they can input certain variables to see how making one change affects other optical quality of the binocular. I am sure Zeiss knew that there would be some SA and CA in the HT, but it was a side effect they had to live with to achieve the super high transmission. IMO, Zeiss has achieved their goals with the HT. It is one of the brightest binocular you can buy, it is 20% lighter than other big eye binoculars, and it has perfect color fidelity because of it's flat transmission curve. You are criticizing things like CA and SA that aren't important to the targeted buyer of the HT. The buyer of the HT primarily want's low light performance. Many people like the HT 8x54 and the HT 8x42 for those reasons, and it still has a cult following even on Bird Forum. It strikes me as humorous that you act like you know more than the entire optical engineering design team at Zeiss! I mean, it is fine to criticize a binocular, and you don't have to buy it, but you don't have the back round or design experience to tell Zeiss how to design their binoculars. I am sure if Swarovski could make the NL without any glare they would, and if Zeiss could make the HT without any CA or SA they would. They are not dummies, or they wouldn't have been in the optics business for 150 years.I haven't posted on this thread lately just to avoid the unpleasantness of dealing with Dennis. I'm afraid if you want the best off-axis corrections neither the FLs nor the HTs are going to deliver. I'd call them adequate at correcting field curvature and off-axis astigmatism, but just barely. The 8x54 HT I tested had those barely adequate off-axis corrections, but (unlike the 8x42 HT I also tested) the 8x54 also had unexpectedly high axial spherical aberration and lateral CA, which were optically disqualifying in a way that the monochromatic off-axis aberrations weren't. The 8x54 I tested also had a slight yellow/green color bias, similar to my 8x56 FL, but that wouldn't have been disqualifying either. See the post below :
Tests of the Zeiss 8x54 HT
I’ve finally finished assembling star-test and other images from the Zeiss 8x54 HT I spent some time with. There are too many images for one post, so I’ve decided to make 5 separate posts. Anybody with comments please wait until all 5 are up. Thanks. The first two images are star-test...www.birdforum.net
The image in that post shows that my 8x56 FL and the 8x54 HT I tested both displayed a yellow/green bias, most likely from the rapid roll-off in the transmission of both at the red end of the spectrum, something that shows up in every spectrogram I've seen of those two binoculars. My guess, based on two other spectrograms I've seen of the is FL that the sharp roll-off in Allbino's spectrogram of the 8x56 FL between 550 and 475 nm was exaggerated. Notice that review came soon after Allbinos began using a spectrometer in 2010, a period when a number of dubious transmission measurements appeared in their reviews.
That's all I've got to add except for one more link to a thread from the days when Dennis was temporarily a very happy 8x56 FL owner. If you can wade through all of it I think you'll notice that there is nothing but high praise and no complaint to be found about "distortion", color bias or even weight - that is until the divorce is already underway in posts #129-131. 131 reads like a school boy's whopper after being caught red handed.
King Of Beasts!
I picked up a Zeiss 8x56 FL probably because Henry Link said it was optically one of his favorite binoculars and I respect his opinion. I compared it to my favorites right now the Canon 10x42 L IS and I have to say Henry was right as usual. The big Zeiss is one of the best binoculars I have ever...
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You're correct in that the Habicht 7x42 and HT 8x54 would be very close in low light performance. The Habicht might have the edge if you are over 60 because of it's super high transmission, but if you are younger and your pupils are dilating more, the bigger EP of the HT would probably make it appear brighter. You could see more detail in low light with the HT also because of the higher magnification and superior Twilight Factor.
I'm reminded of Bertrand Russell's quote: "The whole problem with the world...............
tenex
reality-based
One wonders why Dennis is still inclined to make excuses for a bin he's already sold on... is the only remaining reason animus against Henry?
I have no animosity towards Henry. He is very knowledgeable about binoculars and optics, but I don't feel he knows enough about the HT's total design parameters to be making suggestions for improvements. Binocular design is extremely complex and if you change one thing you could be affecting the performance in another area. His suggestion to change the focusing element from a singlet to a doublet is foolhardy. I am not making excuses for Zeiss or the HT, I am just trying to explain why the HT might have some some CA and SA. No binocular is perfect. None of the alpha binoculars are perfect, including the SF, NL or Noctivid. I don't think the HT deserves the bad rap Henry is giving it. If Henry thinks he can design a better low light binocular than the HT, he should do it. He could put Swarovski, Zeiss and Leica out of business! I would be first in line to buy one. Not everybody shares Henry's opinion on the Zeiss HT. My point is, don't discount the Zeiss HT because Henry Link says it is a "dog" because you might be missing out on your favorite binocular. Here are some comments from optics4birding.
"The HTs were really worth the wait because they are fabulous! They are, if anything, even brighter than the FLs, and that’s just the beginning."
"There’s no way to describe that brightness, but we can illustrate it. Two of us were out birding at dusk one evening when a large group of geese flew into the pond in front of us. The one of us using the Victory HTs could easily pick out the 3 Greater White-fronted Geese mixed in with the Canada's as they splashed in for a landing. Once on the pond, where it was even darker, the HTs were still easily picking out the three different geese. The other person was using Victory FLs and couldn’t make them out, but when we exchanged binoculars, there they were! Simply put, the light throughput of the HTs is so good that it allows you to see things that even other excellent binoculars just can’t pick out."
"The HTs have slightly better than average depth of field and average field curvature. We feel that the HTs have better field edge performance than the FLs did. That “soft” portion of view at the field edge is smaller on the HTs than it was on the FLs. The HTs also are notably better than average on color aberration, which is to say we see less of it."
" We think the Zeiss Victory HT is a fabulous binocular, whether you want to use it for birding, hunting, or general nature watching. The brightness and clarity of the view is breath-taking, the ergonomics are excellent, and the ease of use is superb."
Zeiss Victory HT Binoculars Review
The optics experts review the top optics and best accessories available, at various price points, from all major manufacturers. The reviews cover all aspects of the items including their accessories. From the most expensive to the most moderate priced items. What you get and what you should expect.
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tenex
reality-based
Regarding the review sources Dennis cites in #50:
1. Sites like Optics4birding that sell binoculars have no interest in saying anything negative about any model they offer, so such "reviews" are of little value.
2. Canip's review by contrast does mention (several times) "rapidly increasing blurriness the more off-axis you go", the consequence of poorly corrected aberrations that was being discussed here and is a reason why many people would prefer another model to HT 54.
Apparently to a certain sort of person, one statement or source is as good as any other, so one can simply pick and choose at one's whim. Or can only do that?
1. Sites like Optics4birding that sell binoculars have no interest in saying anything negative about any model they offer, so such "reviews" are of little value.
2. Canip's review by contrast does mention (several times) "rapidly increasing blurriness the more off-axis you go", the consequence of poorly corrected aberrations that was being discussed here and is a reason why many people would prefer another model to HT 54.
Apparently to a certain sort of person, one statement or source is as good as any other, so one can simply pick and choose at one's whim. Or can only do that?
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I like reading your posts and getting your perspective but it would be a lot easier with the text broken up into paragraphs every few sentences. It's easier to read on the monitor....just an FYI....I'm getting lost in a sea of unbroken text here!!
Conndomat
United States of Europe
I only know the 54 models, the 8x54 was not my binocular, the 10x54 was a bit better, but I wouldn't swap them for my FL 10x56.
But the decisive factor is that you shouldn't lump the 54 models with the 42 models, according to all the reports I've read, the 42 models seem to do better, the 8x42 in particular often gets good reviews.
Sometimes there are clear quality differences in a model series, this seems to be the case with the HT as well.
Andreas
But the decisive factor is that you shouldn't lump the 54 models with the 42 models, according to all the reports I've read, the 42 models seem to do better, the 8x42 in particular often gets good reviews.
Sometimes there are clear quality differences in a model series, this seems to be the case with the HT as well.
Andreas
Here is a good review on the Zeiss HT 10x54. It is very positive and no mention of CA or SA. He mentions the HT outperformed the Swarovski SLC in low light. The fact is, the HT may have some weaknesses, but it is an excellent performer in low light and that is what it is meant to do.
“Do you know what I think these (meaning the Zeiss Victory HT’) have the edge over the Swaro in low light”
"Review of the Zeiss Victory HT 10x54 Binoculars
Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 Review.
Courtesy of Zeiss UK and Zeiss Hunting EU, I am proudly bringing to you the review of one of the most amazing sets of binos I possibly have had the pleasure to use.
Firstly I will get the Tech Spec over and done with before delving into the ins and out, or should I say, the ups and downs of these amazing pair of binoculars.
Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 price is around between £1700 and £2100 depending on where you buy them from.
Performance:
Nitrogen Filling: Yes
Pupil Distance: 58 – 76 mm
Lens Coating: LotuTec
Water Resistance: 500 mbar
Close Focus: 3.5 m
Field of View at 1000 m: 110 m
Eye Relief: 16 mm
Exit Pupil Diameter: 5.4 mm
Twilight Factors: 23.2
Functional Temperature: -30 | +63 °C
Effective Lens Diameter: 54 mm
Magnification: 10x
Apparent Field of View: 63°
Lens Type: FL, HT
Diopter Adjustment Range: +3 | -3 dpt
Physical Details
Weight in Use: 1050 g
Exit Pupil Diameter: 5.4 mm
Height: 193 mm
Now the geeky stuff is over and done with, I can start with the review.
I have been using these binoculars now for over a month along with the victory HT 2.5-10×50 rifle scope and I have to say the capabilities of both are just amazing.
From day one I started to test the 10×54 HT binos in all the conditions that the documentation said that it thrived in, and I must say from the start it surprised me.
Testing
I live in the Highlands and as anyone can tell you at this time of year the hours of darkness are far longer than our hours of light, when you’re in the field it is vital to know the equipment you use can keep you working for as long as possible, test one was exactly about this.
I needed to see for myself the difference between these Victory HT binoculars and my trusty Barr & Stroud’ that I have tested against £500 and £600 binos such as Vortex HD’ and Hawke HD’, along with that I wanted to answer the question that I have been given many times before “do high end binos really warrant the money they demand?”.
I took the Zeiss Victory HT 10×54’s to the Viewpoint a few miles from my home, the height of the viewpoint is around 1600ft and the weather was far from clear and to top it all off it was also getting dark as it was around 1600hrs. At this time of year, sunset is at 1530hrs.
The viewpoint has unrestricted vision for miles including, on a clear day, full vision of the whole Strath that I live in.
Straight away I could tell how useful these binos were, from where I sat to the adjacent ridge across the valley is around 2 miles and the clarity through the Victory HT was crystal clear compared to my Barr & Stroud 10×50’s, I could pick out sheep clear as day across the valley and deer down deep in the valley also. The light was fading and very quickly it was getting dark and although the camera on my phone was able to cope with the low light objects I was viewing, to the naked eye were now quickly becoming shadows and the rain that was now coming sideways in high wind did not help the issue, this was a perfect time to test the Victory HTs capabilities. Over this period the Zeiss Victory HT was beating my regular binos by at least 1000yrds and that to me was just awesome.
Second test was to have them out in the field.
Glen the MD of Game Management Scotland Ltd and I headed to the hills of north Sutherland for some stalking and forest management, for me this was an ideal situation to be able to see how the Zeiss Victory HTs performed in a work situation. By the time we were on location it was around midday and the weather was far from clear, however, clarity distance was a lot further than expected.
Rain showers were coming and going as we were spying over our hill area, at times hindering us to spy deep into the valley where GMS grounds lay. Spotting long distance was easy and picking out deer and sheep from a long way away was not a hard task, do not get me wrong none of the binos we had with us could have topped the spotting scope for this job but the Victory HTs really did impress me greatly.
Unfortunately, stalking was not going to happen this day, but it gave us a chance to recce the woods and check ride clearance.
The good thing about Glen being with me was that it gave me a chance to test the Zeiss binos against his Swarovski SLC range finding binos that he owns, arguably I was able to test these two rivals at the exact same time and also get the opinion of a well-respected stalker at the same time.
We stopped over one of the clear fells in the forest just as it was getting dark, I asked Glen to try out the Victory HT, and I was very surprised at his analysis over comparing both side by side. Now his Swarovski binoculars retail at around £2300 and in comparison the Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 are as low as £1700, so I expected Glens binos to come out on top, so when Glen gave me his feedback I was taken aback.
Glen had said, “Do you know what I think these (meaning the Zeiss Victory HT’) have the edge over the Swaro in low light”
It was completely unexpected for him to come to that conclusion, as he is a strong advocate of Swarovski products.
Next test was on a stalk for Roe deer in heavy bracken.
Again, the Zeiss performed spectacularly against difficult undergrowth of heavy bracken and heather.
After a while of spying, I spotted two sets of Roe Does with kids, 4 deer in total. They were hard to see with the naked eye and to be frank and honest at 450yrds in thick bracken I really struggled to see them with the Barr and Strouds, but with the Zeiss Victory HTs it was no issue at all.
It is obvious within reading this that I am impressed 100% by these binoculars, so finding bad points on them is difficult, or maybe more like blinkered. The Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 are phenomenal optics, and because it pretty much does what it is says it does, I have to say finding faults can only be found by nit picking at the basic size of the unit.
The Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 are no heavier than any other high-end binoculars on the market, however, if I was having to nick-pick on the design a little it would be that I find them too long and too bulky for stalking. This is an important aspect that is often overlooked, many who will buy these and use them will be hill walkers, stalkers and Ornithologists of whom will often walk and travel long distances with much more equipment on them. As a stalker myself and with back up thoughts from, friend and colleague as well as boss, Glen, we both agree that if you had to crawl into a beast with them tucked in your jacket you could find some problems.
Other than size, I really did not find any fault with the Zeiss Victory HT 10×54, and they performed far better than even their more expensive competitors.
What can I say?
Clarity – amazing
Quality – very strong and robust.
Over all, performance in low light – outstanding.
Final thoughts
For those that have been following my review updates over the last few weeks I have started using a phrase I have coined “On the edge of darkness, Zeiss has the edge” and I have to say that rings 100% true to me.
For me these binos would be a great “jeep” binoculars, allowing me to spot the deer I want to stalk and in return allowing me to plan my stalks from a distance, however, for Game counting such as pheasants and Grouse these are perfect with the outstanding optics picking out birds even in the most enclosed cover.
For getting close up views of what you are wanting to see with edge to edge clarity, I cannot believe there is better out there after the tests I have put them through.
The HT part of the name means “High Transmission” which means it has 95% light retention, the SF models only have 92% which in real terms it has an extra 15–30 minutes extra shooting time, and you can really tell this when you are looking through and does make a difference if you want that extra time for a successful hunt.
For me though price is a big thing and financially the Zeiss Victory HT is at a lower cost than it’s competitors which makes it complete value for money even at a £1700 price range. The refined clarity is worth every penny and for the professional market I honestly believe that you cannot get better.
Zeiss has really excelled and shown with this product that they are at the top of the sector in regard to optics not just with the binoculars or the clarity but the quality of the accessories that come with it also showing what you are buying and what you are getting for your money is a very premium professional product.
I have to say Zeiss has really opened my eyes when it has come to the premium market in regard to optics, I am blown away with the Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 binoculars I truly am, and I do not think anyone would be disappointed if they purchased these.
“Do you know what I think these (meaning the Zeiss Victory HT’) have the edge over the Swaro in low light”
"Review of the Zeiss Victory HT 10x54 Binoculars
Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 Review.
Courtesy of Zeiss UK and Zeiss Hunting EU, I am proudly bringing to you the review of one of the most amazing sets of binos I possibly have had the pleasure to use.
Firstly I will get the Tech Spec over and done with before delving into the ins and out, or should I say, the ups and downs of these amazing pair of binoculars.
Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 price is around between £1700 and £2100 depending on where you buy them from.
Performance:
Nitrogen Filling: Yes
Pupil Distance: 58 – 76 mm
Lens Coating: LotuTec
Water Resistance: 500 mbar
Close Focus: 3.5 m
Field of View at 1000 m: 110 m
Eye Relief: 16 mm
Exit Pupil Diameter: 5.4 mm
Twilight Factors: 23.2
Functional Temperature: -30 | +63 °C
Effective Lens Diameter: 54 mm
Magnification: 10x
Apparent Field of View: 63°
Lens Type: FL, HT
Diopter Adjustment Range: +3 | -3 dpt
Physical Details
Weight in Use: 1050 g
Exit Pupil Diameter: 5.4 mm
Height: 193 mm
Now the geeky stuff is over and done with, I can start with the review.
I have been using these binoculars now for over a month along with the victory HT 2.5-10×50 rifle scope and I have to say the capabilities of both are just amazing.
From day one I started to test the 10×54 HT binos in all the conditions that the documentation said that it thrived in, and I must say from the start it surprised me.
Testing
I live in the Highlands and as anyone can tell you at this time of year the hours of darkness are far longer than our hours of light, when you’re in the field it is vital to know the equipment you use can keep you working for as long as possible, test one was exactly about this.
I needed to see for myself the difference between these Victory HT binoculars and my trusty Barr & Stroud’ that I have tested against £500 and £600 binos such as Vortex HD’ and Hawke HD’, along with that I wanted to answer the question that I have been given many times before “do high end binos really warrant the money they demand?”.
I took the Zeiss Victory HT 10×54’s to the Viewpoint a few miles from my home, the height of the viewpoint is around 1600ft and the weather was far from clear and to top it all off it was also getting dark as it was around 1600hrs. At this time of year, sunset is at 1530hrs.
The viewpoint has unrestricted vision for miles including, on a clear day, full vision of the whole Strath that I live in.
Straight away I could tell how useful these binos were, from where I sat to the adjacent ridge across the valley is around 2 miles and the clarity through the Victory HT was crystal clear compared to my Barr & Stroud 10×50’s, I could pick out sheep clear as day across the valley and deer down deep in the valley also. The light was fading and very quickly it was getting dark and although the camera on my phone was able to cope with the low light objects I was viewing, to the naked eye were now quickly becoming shadows and the rain that was now coming sideways in high wind did not help the issue, this was a perfect time to test the Victory HTs capabilities. Over this period the Zeiss Victory HT was beating my regular binos by at least 1000yrds and that to me was just awesome.
Second test was to have them out in the field.
Glen the MD of Game Management Scotland Ltd and I headed to the hills of north Sutherland for some stalking and forest management, for me this was an ideal situation to be able to see how the Zeiss Victory HTs performed in a work situation. By the time we were on location it was around midday and the weather was far from clear, however, clarity distance was a lot further than expected.
Rain showers were coming and going as we were spying over our hill area, at times hindering us to spy deep into the valley where GMS grounds lay. Spotting long distance was easy and picking out deer and sheep from a long way away was not a hard task, do not get me wrong none of the binos we had with us could have topped the spotting scope for this job but the Victory HTs really did impress me greatly.
Unfortunately, stalking was not going to happen this day, but it gave us a chance to recce the woods and check ride clearance.
The good thing about Glen being with me was that it gave me a chance to test the Zeiss binos against his Swarovski SLC range finding binos that he owns, arguably I was able to test these two rivals at the exact same time and also get the opinion of a well-respected stalker at the same time.
We stopped over one of the clear fells in the forest just as it was getting dark, I asked Glen to try out the Victory HT, and I was very surprised at his analysis over comparing both side by side. Now his Swarovski binoculars retail at around £2300 and in comparison the Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 are as low as £1700, so I expected Glens binos to come out on top, so when Glen gave me his feedback I was taken aback.
Glen had said, “Do you know what I think these (meaning the Zeiss Victory HT’) have the edge over the Swaro in low light”
It was completely unexpected for him to come to that conclusion, as he is a strong advocate of Swarovski products.
Next test was on a stalk for Roe deer in heavy bracken.
Again, the Zeiss performed spectacularly against difficult undergrowth of heavy bracken and heather.
After a while of spying, I spotted two sets of Roe Does with kids, 4 deer in total. They were hard to see with the naked eye and to be frank and honest at 450yrds in thick bracken I really struggled to see them with the Barr and Strouds, but with the Zeiss Victory HTs it was no issue at all.
It is obvious within reading this that I am impressed 100% by these binoculars, so finding bad points on them is difficult, or maybe more like blinkered. The Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 are phenomenal optics, and because it pretty much does what it is says it does, I have to say finding faults can only be found by nit picking at the basic size of the unit.
The Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 are no heavier than any other high-end binoculars on the market, however, if I was having to nick-pick on the design a little it would be that I find them too long and too bulky for stalking. This is an important aspect that is often overlooked, many who will buy these and use them will be hill walkers, stalkers and Ornithologists of whom will often walk and travel long distances with much more equipment on them. As a stalker myself and with back up thoughts from, friend and colleague as well as boss, Glen, we both agree that if you had to crawl into a beast with them tucked in your jacket you could find some problems.
Other than size, I really did not find any fault with the Zeiss Victory HT 10×54, and they performed far better than even their more expensive competitors.
What can I say?
Clarity – amazing
Quality – very strong and robust.
Over all, performance in low light – outstanding.
Final thoughts
For those that have been following my review updates over the last few weeks I have started using a phrase I have coined “On the edge of darkness, Zeiss has the edge” and I have to say that rings 100% true to me.
For me these binos would be a great “jeep” binoculars, allowing me to spot the deer I want to stalk and in return allowing me to plan my stalks from a distance, however, for Game counting such as pheasants and Grouse these are perfect with the outstanding optics picking out birds even in the most enclosed cover.
For getting close up views of what you are wanting to see with edge to edge clarity, I cannot believe there is better out there after the tests I have put them through.
The HT part of the name means “High Transmission” which means it has 95% light retention, the SF models only have 92% which in real terms it has an extra 15–30 minutes extra shooting time, and you can really tell this when you are looking through and does make a difference if you want that extra time for a successful hunt.
For me though price is a big thing and financially the Zeiss Victory HT is at a lower cost than it’s competitors which makes it complete value for money even at a £1700 price range. The refined clarity is worth every penny and for the professional market I honestly believe that you cannot get better.
Zeiss has really excelled and shown with this product that they are at the top of the sector in regard to optics not just with the binoculars or the clarity but the quality of the accessories that come with it also showing what you are buying and what you are getting for your money is a very premium professional product.
I have to say Zeiss has really opened my eyes when it has come to the premium market in regard to optics, I am blown away with the Zeiss Victory HT 10×54 binoculars I truly am, and I do not think anyone would be disappointed if they purchased these.
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So do you think they were simply lying about being able to pick out the different Geese with the HT and unable to with the FL? The HT regardless of what Henry says is a better low light binocular than the FL. It has Schott HT glass and the FL does not. The HT was designed from the ground up to perform in low light. The HT does have field curvature and the edges do get soft, but so does the FL, but that doesn't affect it's low light performance. On-axis, it is extremely bright and extremely sharp. That is the way it was designed. It isn't an SF, NL or EL.
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The HT review above is more broken up. Hope that helps. Thanks, for the compliment!
tenex
reality-based
Well, the fact is I do have great difficulty believing it. What could explain such a difference, with slightly higher transmission balanced out by smaller objectives? And how much do these people even know about optics, to plan and conduct their tests? Your next "review" in #54 is no better; this ignoramus is amazed that a 54mm binocular gathers more light than a 42mm "Swarovski SLC range finding bino" (which does not exist, it must be EL Range) which of course is more expensive simply because it's a rangefinder. Pure junk. And I'm sure there's plenty more of it out on the internet, but if you can't tell it's junk, don't bother bringing it here.
I really don't think the great majority of birders know, or indeed care, what make/model binoculars the shooting fraternity use. More likely the "archiving" of the HT series might be an indicator that the wide FOV and (possibly) better edge performance of the SF are more valued by more of the people who actually buy them (as opposed to tire kicking or talking about them on Birdforum) than absolute brightness - not likely to be a serious factor in most birding given that the SF transmission figures are already very good - and colour rendition.
As regards the 8x54 HT specifically, when I tried it at the 2019 Birdfair I liked the image the Swarovski 8x56 showed me a whole lot better (although that was on a bright sunny day - not the conditions one would typically use that class of binocular). However, Chill seems to be pretty satisfied with the example he purchased a year or so ago (?), so if I was in the market for something like that, I suppose I would want to give the HT another trial. The x54 HTs do have the advantage of being lighter and less bulky (though the impression one may get is that they feel less rugged).
I agree about the SF being a better all around birding binocular, and I am sure they sold better than the HT 8x42, and that is why Zeiss discontinued them. I use a Swarovski NL 8x32 because of the same reasons. It is a better all around birding binocular, especially if you bird mostly in the day and in open areas. The SLC 8x56's view during the daytime would probably appeal to most birders because of the flatter field and sharper edges but the Zeiss HT 8x54 will outperform it in low light and as you say the HT 8x54 is 20% lighter and less bulky than the SLC 8x56. One thing to remember also is the SLC 8x56 is not Swarovski's top binocular the EL and now NL are, but the HT 8x54 is Zeiss's top low light binocular, so they have thrown the best of everything into them. The HT's have the best Schott HT glass and the very best Zeiss coatings on them. If you compare an HT and a SLC you will notice the finer build quality of the HT with better higher quality armor and a smoother better focuser just like their SF line. That is why the HT commands a higher price than the SLC. I guess I am defending the HT 8x54 because after trying it, I don't think it deserves the lemon status that Henry has given it.
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I believe the Barr and Stroud was a 10x50, so it was pretty close in aperture, but obviously no competition for the HT. I didn't realize the Swarovski was a 10x42. That would be no competition at all for a 10x54, except in the daytime. I find Opticsforbirding has some pretty good reviews, and they seem to be pretty knowledgeable about birding and optics. Of course, there is a certain amount of bias in all these reviews. Allbinos is probably the least biased, and I think even their reviews can be biased to a certain extent. Allbinos prefers flat field binoculars to a large extent.
