x32 SF: the waiting begins (2 Viewers)

[Chosun Juan]

CJ

Bet you didn't foresee the announcement of SF90!

Lee

Half true Lee - it was eagerly awaited, though perhaps expected at more of a hybrid V6TT "Dino" type 'entry' offering. It is very exciting! that Ferrari has come out with the full whack 1000cv market positioning first up (not entirely unexpected when cost recovery /image etc is taken into account). It has thoroughly put it's competitors to the sword (take that! McLaren! - though I do rather like the Speedtail

I have already put my order in (to the Universe for a "Assetto Fiorano" variant o




Chosun :gh:

 

[Dennis Mau]

I just ran across a special Zeiss Bulletin at their website and they have actually RELEASED a prototype picture of what the new Zeiss 8x32 SF is going to look like or at least this is their goal and what they are shooting for!:clap:

 

[Swissboy]

I just ran across a special Zeiss Bulletin at their website and they have actually RELEASED a prototype picture of what the new Zeiss 8x32 SF is going to look like or at least this is their goal and what they are shooting for!:clap:

But please without that stupid strap attachment! Looking into the neighbor's garden is OK, but don't just do a uninspired copy.

 

[temmie]

Looks like a very early prototype, I’ll give my opinion once this prototype is improved significantly

 

[Dennis Mau]

Looks like a very early prototype, I’ll give my opinion once this prototype is improved significantly

Interesting that Zeiss is changing their color to green. I guess they did a marketing survey and they found out green binoculars sell better for some reason. Possibly brand association. I don't know about that Northern Goshawk emblem though. That is certainly going to cause some trademark lawsuits!

 

[Troubador]

Looks like a very early prototype, I’ll give my opinion once this prototype is improved significantly

You are right Temmie, this early prototype programme was abandoned due to glare problems and the inadequate and unambitious field of view of 141m at 1,000m which although sounds plenty, doesn't stand up when SF42 already has 148m. I guess SF32 will be targeting over 150m.

I like the green colour but all of the SF42s produced in this green faded to a kind of grey colour before they even left the factory which is why the later units reverted to traditional black.

Lee

 

[paddy7]

Although Zeiss has always had a close relationship with green - according to others, not me!

 

[Chosun Juan]

You are right Temmie, this early prototype programme was abandoned due to glare problems and the inadequate and unambitious field of view of 141m at 1,000m which although sounds plenty, doesn't stand up when SF42 already has 148m. I guess SF32 will be targeting over 150m.

I like the green colour but all of the SF42s produced in this green faded to a kind of grey colour before they even left the factory which is why the later units reverted to traditional black.

Lee

Apparently early customers of this model were highly dissatisfied ! Grrrr !

This is despite the class leading ease of view, and finding in practice that any glare problems were just an Internet myth invented by 3 bored mice !

What really p****d customers off was the blue ring around the periphery of the Fov, the loose and squishy faded armouring which showed up grubby fingerprints, and the dodgy cheap focuser components supplied :storm: and of course we won't even mention the horrible eye cups which caused those 3 mice to poke their eyes out in despair ! :eek!:

3




Chosun :gh:

 

[Troubador]

One thing is very clear and that is that the present management of Zeiss Sports Optics are determined that there will be no more premature announcements of new product such as happened with HT, SF and Harpia.

Lee

 

[David in NC]

One thing is very clear and that is that the present management of Zeiss Sports Optics are determined that there will be no more premature announcements of new product such as happened with HT, SF and Harpia.

Lee

Wasn't it the HT release that gave us the COUNT DOWN (and the COUNT UP ) "clock"?

 

[Troubador]

Wasn't it the HT release that gave us the COUNT DOWN (and the COUNT UP ) "clock"?

HT was only the first David, SF and Harpia also suffered long delays before supplies reached the dealers. All three were examples of how not to launch a new product.

Lee

 

[Pinewood]

Hello,

Would anyone care to comment on what he considers to be the useful lifetime of an "alpha" binocular and even how often a manufacturer should redesign a product? Perhaps, time to upgrade is solely dependent on the introduction of new technology. The short lived, original Zeiss Victory, not the FL line, was rather unimpressive. The FL line claimed to reduce chromatic aberration and a better colour rendition and had a generally positive reception. The SF line's improvements were better ergonomics and wider field. Was that enough to encourage anyone to an early upgrade?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[Dennis Mau]

Although Zeiss has always had a close relationship with green - according to others, not me!

Are you referring to bias or binocular color?

 

[paddy7]

Are you referring to bias or binocular color?

Well, there has been long debate about the colour cast of Zeiss favouring the green range. Whether i see it or not is a matter i'm taking psycho-analytical advice for.
It was kind of a joke. I laughed; a bit.....

 

[elkcub]

Hello,

Would anyone care to comment on what he considers to be the useful lifetime of an "alpha" binocular and even how often a manufacturer should redesign a product? Perhaps, time to upgrade is solely dependent on the introduction of new technology. The short lived, original Zeiss Victory, not the FL line, was rather unimpressive. The FL line claimed to reduce chromatic aberration and a better colour rendition and had a generally positive reception. The SF line's improvements were better ergonomics and wider field. Was that enough to encourage anyone to an early upgrade?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Hi Arthur,

In my opinion, forever! I'm perfectly happy with my alpha binoculars, which include Swaro, Zeiss, Leica, and Swift products. They're all over 10 yrs. old and stood the test of time. The last "upgrades" that Swarovski and Swift introduced were actually downgrades, e.g., the 8x42 SLC, and last Swift 804ED Audubon, from which I learned a sobering lesson: Achieving the ultimate can hurt business, so always leave flaws to improve upon in the future.

Ed

 

[NDhunter]

Wasn't it the HT release that gave us the COUNT DOWN (and the COUNT UP ) "clock"?

Zeiss is famous for the initial branding of the Victory HT Binoculars, "Designed by Hunters for Hunters".

That was the kickoff advertising effort, not sure why they went that direction and the HT line had a relatively short model life.

It is hard to have 2 flagship models, so the SF is the winner here, I agree this
is a very good binocular.

Jerry

 

[paddy7]

Hello,

Would anyone care to comment on what he considers to be the useful lifetime of an "alpha" binocular and even how often a manufacturer should redesign a product? Perhaps, time to upgrade is solely dependent on the introduction of new technology. The short lived, original Zeiss Victory, not the FL line, was rather unimpressive. The FL line claimed to reduce chromatic aberration and a better colour rendition and had a generally positive reception. The SF line's improvements were better ergonomics and wider field. Was that enough to encourage anyone to an early upgrade?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Do you mean 'useful lifetime' from a marketing/sales/promo point of view, or for the user? How often does a manufacturer need to re-generate sales by re-inventing its products?
From the user's point of view: if you buy bins that are as good as your particular eyes need or can use (bowing to the inevitability that at least one side of that equation will slowly get worse); that these bins are extremely well engineered and constructed, and that you have them serviced from time to time and keep them in good order, then the only reason to change them would be BinLust when something new comes around.
It will be a test of one's own inner strength if someone completely satisfied by a FL 8x32 is suddenly confronted with a SF....

 

[Troubador]

Paddy is right, the bino brands need to sell binos and not just in the first year of a model's introduction but continuously. They don't operate in a vacuum, competitors launch new or refreshed models which attract the attention of customers and sales can drift away from long-established models to newer ones no matter how good the older ones are. Brands respond to this by launching their own new or refreshed models.

You can see this operating on a wide variety of products, not just binos. A walk through any supermarket reveals labels on bottles of shampoo, toilet cleaner, washing-up liquid and many other products all carrying a flash shouting NEW.

New versions of car models are launched at regular intervals as the brands seek to keep them centre-stage.

The pressure to replace perfectly good product comes from the fact that competitors are doing this and getting their products reviewed in the media and creating a buzz and an excitement around their new product that generates sales for them.

None of this means that anyone who is happy with their Dialyt or original EL or their FL or BA/BN has any need to change unless a new model has features that would genuinely increase their enjoyment.

Lee

 

[Swissboy]

………..: Achieving the ultimate can hurt business, so always leave flaws to improve upon in the future.

Ed

So true, and likely an important marketing feature in many fields.

 

[Swissboy]

...........It will be a test of one's own inner strength if someone completely satisfied by a FL 8x32 is suddenly confronted with a SF....

:-O

That's why I'm NOW buying a FL 8x32.