Swarovski habicht 7x42 (1 Viewer)

[William Lewis]

I should find out soon, I sold my trinovid 10x42hd's a couple of days ago and luckily enough a recently reconditioned (by swarovski, with recept) 2004 vintage 7x42 ga came up for sale so I snapped it up. I know it won't have exactly the same coatings as the current model but from what I've read will be more or less as good (no yellow tint of the '80's models), any imput on that would be welcome though. I personally wanted the armoured version as but would have settled for the black if one had come up at the right kind of money.

 

[William Lewis]

Hello

Just a quick footnote to say thank you for all the great advice.

I tried the kowa 8x33 genesis as suggested and they were excellent in terms of feel, mechanics and sharpness/ca control. Really nice bin but when comparing them back to back with there 8.5x44 big brothers I could see a significant difference in brightness as you'd expect which put me off a bit as I tend to do a lot of birding at dawn and dusk. If I didn't only have one bin at a time though I'd definitely consider them as a second pair. At £877 new though with very few coming onto the used market I had to rule them out unfortunately.

I sold the trinovid 10x42 hd's for £500 however at that point the wife said that was all I was allowed to spend on replacements, happy wife happy life so £500 it was.

As mentioned I managed to get hold of some 2004 vintage habicht 7x42ga's for £430 which I believe as they are late from that year definitely have swarobright, they certainly seem very bright! They were reconditioned in Absam 3 weeks ago with new eye cups, eye lenses and alignment. There are some very slight marks on the objectives but you can only notice them if you use the bins the wrong way round, I've cleaned them up as usual, lens brush followed by breath and lens cloth.

Ive been out birding with them for the first time this afternoon and am very content with them.

Within the field of view the optics are pretty much perfect, bright, clear as a bell, 3d at close range, no blackouts or flair - just excellent. I havent got much of an issue with the lack or field of view as the view within it is so good and the large exit pupil means the edges as such don't really show, I personally don't find it tunnel like at all.

The controls all have a nice mechanical weight to them, not quick by any means, I'd say fluid but firm, all with about the same mechanic resistance whether its the focus wheel, diopter or bridge which is nice. You can't move them by accident.

Maybe being a 2004 model the focus has eased up, maybe it was tightened up again during the reconditioning, either way it's not unpleasantly stiff to me.

Overall I think as a poster mentioned binoculars are always a compromise but having looked through a fair few bins over the last few weeks the habichts will be the compromise for me for a good many years.

Thanks again to all, really good advice for and an excellent companion to the ctc 30x75. Birding kit complete!

Will

 

[Paultricounty]

Hi

Yes 15 years of (harsh) use, no service, shirt cleaning didn't scratch the lenses.
Also have the Nikon E2 and prefer the Habicht, for my use and to my eyes it is a superior instrument (sharper, clearer, lighter, smaller, and more robust). Binoculars are all about compromises you "just" need to select the one you like the best (or the ones you like the best).

Cheers
zp*

Well said. E11’s nice binoculars, falls a little short of Habicht’s in optics. Looking through both the oohs and aahs come from the Habicht’s not the Nikons. Nikons are more comfortable, wider FOV, lighter (not necessarily smoother) focuser and very nice. But when you look through the Habicht’s you see the difference almost immediately.

nice post.

Paul

 

[Hermann]

E11’s nice binoculars, falls a little short of Habicht’s in optics. Looking through both the oohs and aahs come from the Habicht’s not the Nikons. Nikons are more comfortable, wider FOV, lighter (not necessarily smoother) focuser and very nice. But when you look through the Habicht’s you see the difference almost immediately.

I totally agree. The difference in clarity, sharpness and contrast is obvious. And there's another difference: In a wet climate the Nikon doesn't really work all that well. It leaks like a sieve.

The Habicht OTOH is waterproof.

Hermann

 

[Paultricounty]

I totally agree. The difference in clarity, sharpness and contrast is obvious. And there's another difference: In a wet climate the Nikon doesn't really work all that well. It leaks like a sieve.

The Habicht OTOH is waterproof.

Hermann

Gm,
Funny , that was one of the main things I was going to write and left it out. 🙄
Optically and mechanically I think it’s on a higher level than the Nikon. But then on the other hand the Nikon is a better birding binocular (in nice weather). The Habicht’s are kind of a niche market. kind of similar, we could say to the Leica retrovid, except water proof. The Habicht’s are modern versions of 100 year old porro binoculars and the retrovids are modern versions of the beginning of the roof binos.

All Wonderfully created works of art that are fun and enjoyable to use but, there are better tools today for the job.

Paul

 

[Loud Green Man]

I'm a big fan as evidenced by an allied Habicht 7X42 thread. However, I do accept they are far from the best choice for woodland birding due to their limited FOV that is indeed tunnel-like. The only advantage of this is it makes interpupillary adjustment nice and easy!

As for a "stiff focusing wheel" and at the risk of stating the obvious, it needs to be understood that in making such adjustment you instigate *visible and felt movement of the entire ocular assembly. Therefore the effort required to make adjustment can be impacted by a bino 'hold' that exerts pressure on the eyecups when drawn towards the head. (*Note: Those who have only owned/used roof prism bins may not be aware of this.)

The focusing on my pair is positive but silky-smooth. Just a tad stiffer when the temperature drops.

LGM

 

[dries1]

What does a 8X30 Habicht sell for in the UK?, not interested in the 10X40. Here in the US I don't see to many and have seen prices over $1,000, which I think is absurd.

 

[MiddleRiver]

What does a 8X30 Habicht sell for in the UK?, not interested in the 10X40. Here in the US I don't see to many and have seen prices over $1,000, which I think is absurd.

I also considered one, and found EU prices to be around $950 and closer to $1250 from US vendors.

 

[dries1]

I also considered one, and found EU prices to be around $950 and closer to $1250 from US vendors.

That is a big ouch, I paid less than that for my EII and Nikon SE.

 

[Paultricounty]

I think I paid $1125 with Honey creek bill and beak, Gordan. Free ship no tax. Special order in states. Was about 10 weeks if I remember. He opens and checks every aspect before shipping if requested. Interesting note, he had mentioned that he has never seen a bad one come through. Habicht’s that is.

The price is what it is. I think all binocular prices are absurd. You could show me cheaper Binoculars that all mechanically better for birding but not near as good optically.


Paul

 

[William Lewis]

What does a 8X30 Habicht sell for in the UK?, not interested in the 10X40. Here in the US I don't see to many and have seen prices over $1,000, which I think is absurd.

Hi Dries 1.

The 8x30's go for around £780 here in the UK. They 7x42 non armoured are cheaper by about £30/40 the 10x42's a bit more. You pay a surprisingly hefty premium for the armoured versions with the 7x42 ga going for around £900 which seems like a big hike for some rubber but as mine are getting on for 18 years old and the armour looks like new at least its good quality!

 

[Loud Green Man]

LGM

 

[dries1]

Thanks for the price information on those gentlemen, are there any 8X30s rubber armored? I have not seen too many if at all, I have seen the IF years ago but not many CF models.

 

[Paultricounty]

Thanks for the price information on those gentlemen, are there any 8X30s rubber armored? I have not seen too many if at all, I have seen the IF years ago but not many CF models.

From what I’ve been told they do not make 8x30 Rubber armor anymore, but they had in the past and they’re very rare.

 

[henry link]

Five years ago, after I complained here that there was no rubber armored CF 8x30 Habicht even though Swarovski obviously had the parts to make it, Jan van Daalen made the extraordinary offer to have a pair custom made for me by switching the objective lenses between an IF 8x30 GA and a CF 10x40 GA. I believe at least one other pair was made up for someone else at the same time. As far as I know those are the only rubber armored 8x30 Habichts with current Swarovski coatings in existence.

 

[[email protected]]

Five years ago, after I complained here that there was no rubber armored CF 8x30 Habicht even though Swarovski obviously had the parts to make it, Jan van Daalen made the extraordinary offer to have a pair custom made for me by switching the objective lenses between an IF 8x30 GA and a CF 10x40 GA. I believe at least one other pair was made up for someone else at the same time. As far as I know those are the only rubber armored 8x30 Habichts with current Swarovski coatings in existence.

If I remember correctly, after all that trouble, you didn't like the Habicht 8x30 GA that much anyway. Wasn't there a lot of veiling glare in it? From your post.

"Here's a photo and explanation of the veiling glare in my old 8x30 Habicht from 1990. I bought a new 8x30 W GA Habicht last year. It looks just the same."

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=3201487&postcount=23

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Henry (post #55),

In regard to rubber armoured CF 8x30W's with current AR coatings, that's not quite true.

There seems to have been a small run of RA CF 8x30W Habichts back in 2015. I’ve no idea why they were done/ who for, nor how many there were.
The two units that I've seen were on different Iranian sites (!?). See two images for each (they're numbered in the regular sequence used for both RA and leatherette CF Habichts).

So clearly Swarovski could offer more if they wished to do so. They necessarily have the moulds needed for the x30 RA objectives, to meet any orders for the special IF version that's offered to government purchasers.

- - - -
The RA CF 8x30W was originally offered until around 2001, but was discontinued due to lack of demand, see post #1 at: https://www.birdforum.net/threads/second-hand-habicht-porro’s-to-use.391231/


John


p.s. An image of Jan’s custom conversion for Henry can be found in post #145 at: Swarovski DF 8x30W O GA STP

 

[henry link]

Nothing on the internet can escape you, John!

 

[Paultricounty]

If I remember correctly, after all that trouble, you didn't like the Habicht 8x30 GA that much anyway. Wasn't there a lot of veiling glare in it? From your post.

"Here's a photo and explanation of the veiling glare in my old 8x30 Habicht from 1990. I bought a new 8x30 W GA Habicht last year. It looks just the same."

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=3201487&postcount=23

Forgive me for a personal observation. Why a rubber 8 x 30 Habicht.… why would you take a perfectly elegant, beautifully crafted fully waterproof binocular then add a bunch of weight and a whole bunch ugly to it. Why?

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi again Henry,

That's one of the things that greatly amuses me about the Internet; the obscure public source information that's available with a bit of careful digging!


John