Since the SFL'S price point is midway between the Conquest HD and the SF, I would expect the optics will be midway between the two also. Zeiss won't make them as good as the SF, or they will cannibalize their sales of the SF, and they have to be a little better than the Conquest HD to get people to upgrade.
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The new ZEISS SFL Binoculars. Maximum Image Quality. Minimum Weight. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Birdforum
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Paultricounty
Well-known member
Nice. Are the eyepieces built better, different from the SF? Or the same plastic with three threads?
How do,they compare to the NL?
Paul
Hey Paul, sorry for late reply.
I did not scrutinize the eyepieces thoroughly. They worked well for me with glasses but I did not check out build/materials.
Comparing the eyepieces to the NL I will have to say that on my pair of NL's the left ocular is prone to untwist/unscrew if changing position.
Eye relief is better on the NL - well, it would be hard to top anyway. Eye relief on the SFL is more than sufficient for me and my glasses.
The SFL feels rugged. The NL is rugged. Time will tell if the SFL is as rugged as it feels.
SFL should be hitting the shelves any week now. I have one on preorder at a discount and will see if I end up adding one to the stable.
I did not scrutinize the eyepieces thoroughly. They worked well for me with glasses but I did not check out build/materials.
Comparing the eyepieces to the NL I will have to say that on my pair of NL's the left ocular is prone to untwist/unscrew if changing position.
Eye relief is better on the NL - well, it would be hard to top anyway. Eye relief on the SFL is more than sufficient for me and my glasses.
The SFL feels rugged. The NL is rugged. Time will tell if the SFL is as rugged as it feels.
SFL should be hitting the shelves any week now. I have one on preorder at a discount and will see if I end up adding one to the stable.
Hi Dennis. Do you now think SFL is better than Noctivid optically? I am curious to know you thoughts.
I have only looked through Noctivids briefly. I don’t think the SFL is any better, nor are they significantly worse.
Build quality is usually Leicas forte.
Except for Leica focusers which in general I don’t think are good enough for the price point, I would not trade a Noctivid for the SFL if I had the Noctivid already.
If I was in the market for either one I am not sure I would stretch the budget towards the Noctivid considering the price gap, but I love the looks of the Leica Noctivid.
Build quality is usually Leicas forte.
Except for Leica focusers which in general I don’t think are good enough for the price point, I would not trade a Noctivid for the SFL if I had the Noctivid already.
If I was in the market for either one I am not sure I would stretch the budget towards the Noctivid considering the price gap, but I love the looks of the Leica Noctivid.
If I was to jump into the "Alpha" category, would the SFL be one to try ...... is it close to the top of the pile?
There is a 8x40 SFL open box I have spied, with a bit of a discount. Is the warranty transferable and is it good to cover any risks? I don't normally consider used optics.
There is a 8x40 SFL open box I have spied, with a bit of a discount. Is the warranty transferable and is it good to cover any risks? I don't normally consider used optics.
Personally, I chose the SFL over the top offerings in the Alpha category, like the Pure NL which I sold to a friend.
Some, or even most, would perhaps prefer the Pure NL but a discounted SFL does put the SFL at a very good price point - performance is great regardless of price.
Some, or even most, would perhaps prefer the Pure NL but a discounted SFL does put the SFL at a very good price point - performance is great regardless of price.