x32 SF (5 Viewers)

[tenex]

You got a crystal ball apparently.

Presumably Swarovski crystal

No, I just think to do an 8.8 degree FOV with sharp edges would take Nikon WX technology and that would mean a lot of lenses to correct the FOV and a bigger binocular like the WX to put them in.

This is the sort of pessimism often expressed here ("you wouldn't want a WX would you") so I'm eager to see what's actually possible in a more modest package.

It's one of the White faced scops owl complex, either Northern or Southern, can't remember the salient features off the top of my head. They're native to sub-Saharan Africa, but widely kept in captivity.

Northern looks right, thanks. An easy photo to set up then.

 

[temmie]

Zeiss marketing is really super lame. They have an excellent product ready to market and all they do is a fb video without tipping the veil just a bit about what exactly will come, and the advertisement in the magazine shows a birder with a x42.

Just show the bloody thing on the full page and claim the “revolutionary” / “legendary” x32 SF where everyone is waiting for, is about to come soon to a shop near to you. Nothing more or less has to be said. Make them, put them in the shops, make a birdforum Zeiss login and start releasing some info like cutaway views, send some bins to serious binoholics that can reveal how good they are and they will sell like hot cakes.

 

[Chosun Juan]

Zeiss marketing is really super lame. They have an excellent product ready to market and all they do is a fb video without tipping the veil just a bit about what exactly will come, and the advertisement in the magazine shows a birder with a x42.

Just show the bloody thing on the full page and claim the “revolutionary” / “legendary” x32 SF where everyone is waiting for, is about to come soon to a shop near to you. Nothing more or less has to be said. Make them, put them in the shops, make a birdforum Zeiss login and start releasing some info like cutaway views, send some bins to serious binoholics that can reveal how good they are and they will sell like hot cakes.

:brains:

........ in 2015 ! :cat:. :-O




Chosun :gh:

 

[[email protected]]

Chosun. If you make a video of you smashing your ZenRay with a hammer and then posting it on Bird Forum I will buy you a new Zeiss SF 8x32.(Just Kidding).:-O

 

[Swissboy]

I wonder when they will stop production of the FL 8X32, I will have to pick up an extra pair on discount.


Andy W.

It is no longer on their website, and the catalog only contains the Victory Pocket with or without the FL designation. The x32 (8 and 10x) are still in the overview table of the catalog, however. At least as of yesterday. Things can change fast, as we know by now. But essentially just diminishing the WOW entry that Temmie rightfully complained about.

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Robert,

The x32 FL's are still on the Zeiss international site, both under the Nature and Hunting options: https://www.zeiss.com/consumer-products/int/home.html
But they're not mentioned in the 2019/ 2020 Nature catalogue attached to the site - so obviously on borrowed time


John

 

[wdc]

Presumably Swarovski crystal


This is the sort of pessimism often expressed here ("you wouldn't want a WX would you") so I'm eager to see what's actually possible in a more modest package.

Me too.

The lower transmission of the x32 relative to the 42, as well as the less-than-svelte weight, could be the result of additional corrective elements to flatten the field to 'SF' standards.

I expect it will be a huge improvement over the Kowa BD XII 6.5 x 32. (and of course it should for the price)

-Bill

 

[Swissboy]

Hi Robert,

The x32 FL's are still on the Zeiss international site, both under the Nature and Hunting options: https://www.zeiss.com/consumer-products/int/home.html
But they're not mentioned in the 2019/ 2020 Nature catalogue attached to the site - so obviously on borrowed time


John

Thank you John, I definitely missed those pages. Still, happy to see them there for the time being.

I actually expect the FLs to keep on shining in their own right for all who prefer a smaller and lighter model and do not place such high priority on an even wider FOV.

 

[Looking Glass]

I saw an advert yesterday were Zeiss announced the release of the SF for May. The Photo shows a birder with a 42 SF

 

[Troubador]

Notice in that pic the artificially forward 'forced' 'grip' ? and the gap between the middle talon and the focus wheel ? ....... see - I told you the ergos where whack ..... ! :-O

Chosun :gh:

If I remember correctly you preferred HT's handling CJ.

Lee

 

[Chosun Juan]

If I remember correctly you preferred HT's handling CJ.

Lee

Ye Gods !! Lee - Nooooooooo !

That's like choosing between the devel and the deep blue sea ! :eek!: Deffo not the HT ergos ..... :-O

You might have misheard HG ! 3

Anyone would think I was difficult - lol




Chosun :gh:

 

[Troubador]

Ye Gods !! Lee - Nooooooooo !

That's like choosing between the devel and the deep blue sea ! :eek!: Deffo not the HT ergos ..... :-O

You might have misheard HG ! 3

Anyone would think I was difficult - lol

Chosun :gh:

LOL I thought that would wake you up.

But CJ, you invoke Gods and the Devil in your post so I suppose HG must stand for Her Godliness.....

Shame about the T20 Ladies cricket wash-out but well done Australia for getting through to the final.

Lee

 

[Chosun Juan]

LOL I thought that would wake you up.

But CJ, you invoke Gods and the Devil in your post so I suppose HG must stand for Her Godliness.....

Shame about the T20 Ladies cricket wash-out but well done Australia for getting through to the final.

Lee

Oh no Lee - I would never use the D-word (or the H-word) !

It was to the Devel that I referred (as in Sixteen) - that fabulous piece of Middle Eastern Vaporware ! :eek!:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HAouk1q_d7E

Yeah, you'd think a major sporting event would have a few backup rain days ....... but we'll take all the rain we can get over here at the moment - these low 20's temps and rain on the tin roof are glorious

To be honest I'm not much into the women's cricket - the bowling is well down on the men's (I reckon my express offspins would go much better , but due credit I reckon the ladies batting is even better than the men's - some of those girls are out of the stadium ! ..... it's just that with me coming in after the rabbits in the line up I don't have much interest in the batting (I like watching Steve Smith though for his fly swatting setups and leaves - lol)

I don't know how much Jamie Somers cost to put back together, but I could do with a fair chunk over 6 million right now !

I will leave this thread to the true aficionados - Zeiss has had enough free publicity .... though if they want to sling me a new x32 SF I'd be happy with the 8x - gotta fess up though - I'd gut it and stick the optics in a custom HG style body




Chosun :gh:

 

[jgraider]

Zeiss sport optics needs a serious shot in the arm. I understand their sales have been lagging for a while now.

 

[NDhunter]

Well, that post came from someone closely connected to Zeiss. Zeiss has lost some good people over
the past few years.
I find Zeiss largely missing in some large sporting goods chains, no binoculars, not much of anything
connected to sports optics.
It does take some boots on the ground and more in sales. I have experience.

Jerry

 

[Canip]

I think Zeiss marketing has been doing a great job.
Instead of press bulletins etc. - one little „info leak“, and let the thing run .....
it has just been one month of posting and we now have 271 posts - äh, 272 - about a binocular that no one has seen and that has not even been introduced to the market ...

 

[In Focus]

Now officially released:

https://www.zeiss.co.uk/consumer-products/home/website/nature-observation/more-discoveries.html

Will be available to pre-order here shortly:

https://www.at-infocus.co.uk/product/zeiss-victory-sf-black/

The In Focus Team

 

[steven4240]

Zeiss victory sf32
https://www.zeiss.de/mehrentdeckungen

 

[Troubador]

First Impressions

After many false predictions and nods and winks for several years, at long last the rumoured and almost mythical SF 32 has surfaced.

After a brief try-out I have to say I was wrong about one fundamental. I have expressed doubts more than once that the kind of balance possessed by SF42 could be repeated in a 32 mm model, but by golly it has. Zeiss’s latest baby weighs pretty much the same as Swarovski’s EL but the balance means the weight almost disappears when you grip it and lift it up. It is long enough to allow a good open-hinge grip with two fingers wrapped around the barrel and the third resting on the third hinge. Your first finger falls naturally on the focus wheel, just as it does on the 42.

As leaked a couple of weeks ago, the field of view of the 8x is 155 metres at 1,000 metres, or 465 ft at 1,000 yds, equating to a true angle of view of 8.80 degrees. The view is huge and sharp. Even the 10x has 130 metres at 1,000 metres, so 390 feet at 1,000 yards or 7.40 degrees true angle of view. The close focus distance is stated to be 1.95m for both 8x and 10x but was closer than this on the unit I tried.

In short, this is a worthy follow-up to the 42.

Lee

 

[Swissboy]

............In short, this is a worthy follow-up to the 42.

Lee

It's interesting to note that Zeiss's own promotional pictures show the x42 model with extended eyecups and the x32 with the retracted ones. Thus optically enhancing the size differences. Your photo here provides a more "neutral" comparison. Of course, I assume your photo comes from Zeiss as well, it's just a matter of presentation.

I have been sensitized to this difference of presentation while studying the Zeiss x32 FLs. It always bothered me that it was constantly shown with the eyecups pulled out. Personally, I need them retracted, and I also feel the FL x32 looks better that way. With the SF, things look less critical. Nevertheless, the size difference between the x32SF and the FL becomes more apparent when the eyecups are retracted.

At any rate the new x32 SF looks very classy with its eyecups retracted. :t: