There is less than 3/4 inch difference in length between the FL and the SV. All I know is doing a side by side the FL had less CA than the SV at the edge. Both had almost none on-axis.
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The Zeiss FL, the most CA free of all ? (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter SuperDuty
- Start date
That could be but I have compared quite a few binoculars for CA and I don't always agree with Allbino's but in this case I did. They are one of the few reviewers that actually put a number on things like CA so you can compare different binoculars. If you are sensitive to CA pick a binocular on Allbinos that tested highly for CA control like the FL. Most binoculars have pretty good center CA but it is edge CA control that separates them. On a bright day with preferably white clouds around look at a black vent stack on a house roof. On almost every binocular you will see a purplish to reddish halo surrounding it. Observe how thick it is or how far it extends from the stack. The thinner the halo the better the CA control. One time I used this test and went through a bunch of binoculars and really you can quantify or put a number on a binoculars CA control performance just like Allbino's does. To my eyes it is easy to see that the Zeiss FL beats the Swarovski SV. I don't think everybody knows what CA is and that is why they say they don't see it.
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james holdsworth
Consulting Biologist
What matters [to you] is what you see - therefore you really can't take any advice here about CA as gospel. You need to actually try out each binocular.
BTW - I have tried various EL-SV's / FL's and think they handle CA just about equally.
I agree. I had the Kowa and the Victory FL for about a month and constantly took them both out comparing them side-by-side. I also compared them to a coworker's SV EL.
But I am very discriminating when it comes to CA.
PeterPS
Well-Known Member
Many posters on this thread, including the undersigned, made the same point: CA is a personal thing. I have looked through many binocs, and for me the CA fringe is always green(ish). Others see it as a blue or orange or purple fringe/halo. I was told that the color depends on the viewing conditions, but I am not sure: to my eyes the fringe is always green.
Peter
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Kammerdiner
Well-known member
I believe the green fringe will always be on the inside edge of the object towards the optical axis and the pink/purple fringe will be on the outside edge. There are always those two colors and I have never yet seen a binocular without some CA.
My 8x32 SV is indeed about the same as the 8x32 FL, although the FL can hide some CA in the fuzzy edges and maybe that makes it look better to some.
Mark
PS: I just reconfirmed this with 5 binos and a scope--and I'm not doing it again.
I'm expecting Loons any day now so I'm off to see them.
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Maybe some people do have a harder time seeing CA. The FL doesn't hide CA in the edges. To my eyes the FL has less CA and the SV slightly more. I guess this would be a good thing for Henry to take some pictures of.I believe the green fringe will always be on the inside edge of the object towards the optical axis and the pink/purple fringe will be on the outside edge. There are always those two colors and I have never yet seen a binocular without some CA.
My 8x32 SV is indeed about the same as the 8x32 FL, although the FL can hide some CA in the fuzzy edges and maybe that makes it look better to some.
Mark
PS: I just reconfirmed this with 5 binos and a scope--and I'm not doing it again.
Kammerdiner
Well-known member
SuperDuty
Well-known member
That's interesting, I have always read reports of Leica binoculars having more CA than all of the other top Alphas.
Steve C
Well-known member
My own opinion is that CA sensitivity is indeed extremely variable among users. I for example am nearly immune to seeing it in anything, something for which I am extremely grateful. Lots of people have a hard time believing me, but that is the way it is...in my case .
It is natural to ask questions like this, but the reality is that many things in image presentation are far too personally variable for anybody to answer.
It seems to me that even CA sensitive folk don't see it the same way. So even asking CA sensitive users may not be too productive. You are the only one who has your particular CA sensitivity.
Dunno...maybe hypnosis might help? :eek!:
. It is natural to ask questions like this, but the reality is that many things in image presentation are far too personally variable for anybody to answer.
It seems to me that even CA sensitive folk don't see it the same way. So even asking CA sensitive users may not be too productive. You are the only one who has your particular CA sensitivity.
Dunno...maybe hypnosis might help? :eek!:
That is interesting that you don't see it in anything. I was going to ask you how the Maven's were at CA control but I guess you wouldn't really be able to tell. I would guess with ED glass and the longer bodies they are pretty good.My own opinion is that CA sensitivity is indeed extremely variable among users. I for example am nearly immune to seeing it in anything, something for which I am extremely grateful. Lots of people have a hard time believing me, but that is the way it is...in my case
It is natural to ask questions like this, but the reality is that many things in image presentation are far too personally variable for anybody to answer.
It seems to me that even CA sensitive folk don't see it the same way. So even asking CA sensitive users may not be too productive. You are the only one who has your particular CA sensitivity.
Dunno...maybe hypnosis might help? :eek!:
I have always heard that Leica's don't control CA well either. But the Trinovid 8x32 BA I had was pretty good at controlling CA but the Leica Ultravid HD 8x42 is not so great according to Allbino's.
Leica Ultravid HD 8x42
Chromatic aberration Slight in the center, a bit higher than medium on the edge. 5.3/10.0
I would but I have since sold my Zeiss FL's. I had the 8x32, 8x42, 10x42 and 8x56 FL's. But I remember comparing them for CA very carefully and there was a distinct thicker halo around the SV's. I like the overall optics on the SV better that is why the Zeiss FL's are gone. This CA is interesting because it really bothers some people with reports of "Neon Signs" around stuff to heh it's no big deal and then some people don't even see it.Can you step outside and confirm that for us real quick?
Steve C
Well-known member
Just because I don't see it in normal use conditions, that does not mean I can't find it, or know what it is. Mostly with me it is that a precisely focused binocular does not show it. Defocus it slightly in situations where CA is easily seen and I can usually bring it into play. One scenario where I see it most readily is dead center in the field with the ridge line of either Stukel Mt to the east of the Klamath Hills to the south with the ridge line in bright sunlight it will usually show up.
The Maven B2 is the most glare free and CA resistant binocular I have ever used. I simply can't get glare at all and CA is terribly difficult to induce. I almost have to be looking as close to the sun as I dare along the sunlit ridge to get it at all. That is me. I will not recommend a binocular to anyone specifically to reduce CA.
I don't know about the CA in short vs long designs, but the Maven B2 is very long. The B3 is shorter and CA is a bit easier to see. The Maven B1 is somewhere in the middle, both in length and CA.
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elkcub
Silicon Valley, California
Steve,
You might want to factor in the FOV, since lateral CA increases optically with field angle. Also, since the retina is differentially sensitive to color, from center to periphery, it's a good idea to equalize the AFOV as well. The best comparisons would be between binoculars of the same FOV and AFOV, hence also the same magnification.
Ed
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Steve C
Well-known member
Ed,
Thanks. However I don't see CA even in older vintage porros with afov of 75-80*. Just seems that with me if it has a proper focus spot, I don't see CA.
It may be that resolution has some bearing as it seems that better resolution should have some bearing on how well or at least how sharp a binocular can be focused.
However it seems like there is more area in which CA can appear in wider afov instruments.
The only two binoculars I have ever seen CA in a focused glass were a Pentax SP 8x42 and recently a big Hammers 7x50 with Individual focus.
Thanks. However I don't see CA even in older vintage porros with afov of 75-80*. Just seems that with me if it has a proper focus spot, I don't see CA.
It may be that resolution has some bearing as it seems that better resolution should have some bearing on how well or at least how sharp a binocular can be focused.
However it seems like there is more area in which CA can appear in wider afov instruments.
The only two binoculars I have ever seen CA in a focused glass were a Pentax SP 8x42 and recently a big Hammers 7x50 with Individual focus.
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Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello,
Like Steve, I rarely see colour fringing in any well made binocular, even among the mid priced glasses and even with old wide FOV Porro binoculars.. However, when I look carefully, I can sometime make out a loss of edge sharpness of a dark object against a cloudy sky. This is also chromatic aberration. I understand that others are far more sensitive to chromatic aberration.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
Like Steve, I rarely see colour fringing in any well made binocular, even among the mid priced glasses and even with old wide FOV Porro binoculars.. However, when I look carefully, I can sometime make out a loss of edge sharpness of a dark object against a cloudy sky. This is also chromatic aberration. I understand that others are far more sensitive to chromatic aberration.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
Most porro's are pretty CA resistant even though most don't use much ED glass. Probably the simpler optical design. Most don't even need ED glass. It is interesting that some people like Pinewood don't even see the color halo of CA but just recognize it by loss of edge sharpness.
