Iinitial reflections on the new Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25.
I have used it in the field only for a few hours, and am not sure when I can do so again.
My visual acuity is ~20/15. Myopic. Astigmatic, ~-1.0. The following tests were each with and without glasses.
Veiling glare: More than in the pocket Leica Ultravids, where it is very slight.
Backlit glare: Well controlled, but more than in the pocket Uvs.
Glare is stated first because it affects other optical parameters (below) when it is present, and also to me the difference between the image when there is veiling glare, for example when the subject is within foliage lit from above or a side, vs when there is none, when the subject is lit evenly or from the front, is a bit nagging; glare when backlit though does not nag me in this way, because it is "naturally" expected.
Sharpness: Very good.
- Vs Swarovski Habicht 8x30. A friend with acuity ~20/12 finds the Zeiss not as sharp. I cannot, or did not, see this difference.
- Vs Ultravid pockets. No direct comparison with the Uv. 8x20 was done, but on comparing with the Uv. 10x25 I feel that the Zeiss will be seen by me to be not quite equal in making out detail when that is done, due to Leica's contrast.
Sweet spot: Image is sharp nearly to the edge.
Color rendering: A little "cool".
Chromatic aberration. I am sensitive to color fringing in that it can be "provoked" easily and here that occurs less than 1/2 way from the center of view. In actual use it was never obtrusive or even noticeable.
Ease of view (quick relaxed observation on putting up to the eyes): Very good. Better than the Hawke Sapphire 8x25 (with smaller eyepiece diameter), which was my last pocket 8x, better than the Uv. 10x25 (with smaller exit pupil). [Edited after further testing to change Hawke comparison from "much" better.] (This too depends on the user.)
Field of view: The FOV of the Hawke, stated to be 6.8 deg., feels only a little less wide than of the Zeiss, stated to be 7.4 deg., so this to me is not striking.
Ergonomics: For my medium/small hands and the way I hold the body, with left index finger on focus knob, grip and balance of body, and focusing action, are very good. Barrels are thicker than of the 25mm pocket Uv. The strap lugs are located such that when the body is folded for ~60mm inter-pupil distance and placed flat on a plane surface it rests on these. This Zeiss can go into a front pocket of regular pants (mine anyway, fairly standard I think!) with that IPD held but the outline is more visible than of the Uv. 10x25, due to the bulkier barrels and the hinges lying less flat.
Finish: Not traditional Zeiss! On inspection, flawed, and armor seems flimsy. But in use the instrument feels robust enough.