Yet another review of the 8x40 SFL (1 Viewer)

[Richard D]

For me it feels like the same Material than the rubber from the Conquest HD?!? Or?

If it's the same compound it should last well although you might get powdery white blooming after a few years

 

[AlphaFan]

Thoroughly enjoying this thread and my 8x40 SFL. Agree with virtually all of the originator’s observations. I find the more I’m using this binocular, the more I like it. Had a true field test today as I took it to one of my favorite warbler migration spots - this place really pulls in birds, but the very tall and fairly dense forest with streams makes some extremely varied lighting conditions. Warblers constantly bounce around at all levels. This environment is a bit of an optics puzzle, but the SFL felt like it was in its natural habitat. The image is quite crisp, the handling very quick and easy, and the richly saturated yet natural colors just work. As others have noted the forward and high-center focuser did create some concern, but after some use discovered that I really like it. The focus is also extremely fast. As Bill pointed out — this may challenge the SFL to continually achieve optimum focus on a USAF resolution chart, but it really helps to quickly ID and stay on tree-hopping warblers.

 

[Troubador]

Thoroughly enjoying this thread and my 8x40 SFL. Agree with virtually all of the originator’s observations. I find the more I’m using this binocular, the more I like it. Had a true field test today as I took it to one of my favorite warbler migration spots - this place really pulls in birds, but the very tall and fairly dense forest with streams makes some extremely varied lighting conditions. Warblers constantly bounce around at all levels. This environment is a bit of an optics puzzle, but the SFL felt like it was in its natural habitat. The image is quite crisp, the handling very quick and easy, and the richly saturated yet natural colors just work. As others have noted the forward and high-center focuser did create some concern, but after some use discovered that I really like it. The focus is also extremely fast. As Bill pointed out — this may challenge the SFL to continually achieve optimum focus on a USAF resolution chart, but it really helps to quickly ID and stay on tree-hopping warblers.

Using my own focus-speed test, SFL 8x40 is very similar to Zeiss FL 8x32 and so a little slower than Conquest HD 8x32.

Lee

 

[AlphaFan]

Using my own focus-speed test, SFL 8x40 is very similar to Zeiss FL 8x32 and so a little slower than Conquest HD 8x32.

That very well may be true but wasn’t the point I was trying to make. My overall initial impressions of the SFL is that Zeiss did a superb job of designing a compact 40mm binocular, at least for birding; and in this particular case it fit quite nicely for a fairly challenging specific application. Are there binoculars with superior performance in specific areas? = undoubtedly.

I am curious though - what is your impression of how the SFL stacks up as an overall package against the FL and Conquest HD 8x32s?

 

[Troubador]

That very well may be true but wasn’t the point I was trying to make. My overall initial impressions of the SFL is that Zeiss did a superb job of designing a compact 40mm binocular, at least for birding; and in this particular case it fit quite nicely for a fairly challenging specific application. Are there binoculars with superior performance in specific areas? = undoubtedly.

I am curious though - what is your impression of how the SFL stacks up as an overall package against the FL and Conquest HD 8x32s?

And I was not trying to contradict anything you posted, only to add a little to it.

I think SFL has a character all of its own and will suit many people and certainly can stand alongside FL and Conquest HD and not feel inferior.

Lee

 

[Robert Moore]

I love the grippy texture of its armor and the way it feels in hand. I can hold it very still.

 

[b_reynolds_ak]

But as I sit here looking at all of them together, there is a clear winner in the all round category - the SFLs.

I recently received my 8x40 SFL and feel that it is fantastic all around bino.
I've tested many high end, mid size, binoculars in the past few years as I searched for the perfect pair for my uses.
The 8x32 BN's were probably my favorites due to their build quality and handling, and I'm glad that you still have that same pair!
The 10x32 NL's are absolutely perfect for my primary usage in the mountains. Everything but the glare. But I can deal with that because of their many other standout qualities. However their smaller exit pupil left a bit to be desired in low light wooded areas.
While the SFL's do not have the incredibly immersive viewing experience of the NL's and SF's, the view is perfectly adequate.
I briefly owned both the 8 and 10x32 SF's last year. The 10x blackouts were a deal breaker and the 8x green hue, atleast compared to the more neutral NL's, was not acceptable either.
The 8x40 SFL's are very easy to get behind with no blackouts. The color representation is just as good as the NL's for me. I really do believe that the SFL's are significantly better in that regard than any other Zeiss model.
I will most certainly be keeping these, as a compliment to the Victory Pocket 8x25's and 10x32 NL's. For me this feels like the perfect 3 bino quiver.

 

[ReinierB]

I assume you really like lightweight
I have the SLC 8x42 and the NL 10x32 and like this couple. SLC 8x42 is heavier than the SFL 8x40, but my hope is that is has just a bit better performance at dawn/twilight because it is 42mm and has 91% transmission.
I only miss a pocket model.... and maybe a 12 power, but I am not sure yet.

 

[b-lilja]

Some additional field notes from an afternoon walking the Double Bluff beach on Whidbey Island in Washington State.

These bins continued to please. Spent the afternoon with a heavy scope (Kowa 884 and old Bogen tripod) over the shoulder, and the SFLs stayed out of the way, light in weight, like an 8x32. Interesting light conditions; filtered low angle, looking close to the sun a lot. Great crisp views throughout, perfect color rendering, perfect handling, quick in hand and focus. Could get an unexpected Rock Wren immediately in focus, then up at immature Bald Eagles, then out to Common Loons a couple hundred yards away.

The big bonus that I hadn't experienced fully is the better light gathering in a smaller, lighter package. A huge treat at twilight - about half the J Pod of resident Orcas were about four NM away at Point No Point. The SFLs definitely brought in more light than x32s and gave great views - fins, tails, spouts, splashes - really wonderful. This clinched it for me - a new appreciation of yet more out of these great, no fuss bins...

 

[brocknroller]

Hi all,

I honestly have found some of the negativity and ramble by others on Lee's thread to be tiresome and counterproductive, so I'm posting a separate review here. Y'all may do what you will with it.

I pre-ordered a pair as soon as they were available. I received them about a week ago, so take these as initial impressions. However, I feel like I know enough now to state that for me, these are the best binoculars available on the market, at any price, for my own purposes. They are superb.

I will post my thoughts consistent with my previous reviews.

General
I am a decent but not stellar birder, and bird in different habitats. A lot of seawatch, woods, located in Pacific NW of US. Our winter light here is subtle and highlights color shift. For much of the year, wetness is a thing, as is condensation (substantially actually). I often bird from my bike, and shove my bins in my handlebar bag, as well as a field coat. I am tough on gear. I often carry my scope over my shoulder and will one hand bins - an important consideration.

Other bin experience
I own or have owned many great bins, and have looked through pretty much all alphas more than once, except for the Swaro SLC and the Nikon EDGs. To summarize some of my opinions (again based on my own needs):
Swaro Pures and NL: I haven't been able to get past the glare. It is a thing for me. I also think the Pures are ugly.
Zeiss SF: The color shift, which I complained about previously, kept me from keeping these. They definitely have some faerie dust sprinkled on them optically however. Do not understand why the diopter has detents - do foci have detents?
Leica 8x42 Noctivids: Always intrigued, but ultimately size and weight hold me off.
Bins I currently also own: Leica Uvid 7x42 and 8x20, 8x32BN, Swaro 7x21 Curios, Zeiss 8x42FL old coating (non current non red), Nikon 8x32SEs. Of these, the best overall are the Nikons. However, those are not waterproof, making them only useful about half the time.

View
The resolution is superb. It is best of all my bins, along with the Nikon SEs, and that is saying a lot. Contrast is very good. Saturation is not quite like a top Leica, closer to Nikon, which is to say neutral - and isn't that what we want? They lack a certain something - pop, microcontrast - that I get in red coated Zeiss including the Conquest HD, later FLs, and certainly SFs. On balance, however, I prefer the view the SFLs to these other red-coated Zeiss given the SFL's color fidelity.

Edge sharpness for me in bins is meaningless, short of a real problem. I care about edge sharpness in scopes, not bins. I move bins where I want to look, just like my eyes, which have terrible edge sharpness btw !!!

Speaking of, color fidelity is really excellent. Kudos to Zeiss for listening (?) and delivering truly excellent neutral colors. To me my SEs have had the most neutral, true to life color; the SFLs are similar, but with more light transmission and thus "lift" in the view.

Glare is not perfect but very good. I'm not troubled by it as I am by many Swaros.

I am not bothered by CA much, and don't really see it in these.

3d is very good; certainly it's no SE (nothing else is) but it's fine.

Eye relief excellent.

View overall is very, very fine. I will say - it is perhaps not quite as calm as my FLs and SEs, in terms of ease of view. I love my SEs in particular for their remarkable ability to deliver all day comfort - I used them for a week in the Steens and they were so good for that, minimizing eye strain. I am guessing these SFLs won't be like that, but not bad either.

Functional design

Well, let's just say these are wonderful bins functionally.

The light weight is amazing for the format. I realistically can one hand these with my scope over my shoulder, which is a major benefit (just too much with the 8x42 FLs with their bulk) The new Zeiss attention to backweighting is really nice, and helps stabilize the bin axially.

Layout is simple. I would prefer the focus at the back, but am not that troubled by its more forward location.

Let's talk about the focuser. It's fast, very fast. I like it - I am often birding at the shore and moving between distance and nearfield quickly. The speed does make the focus a little "tippy" ie you can overshoot - but I know from my Conquest HDs, with a similar quick focus, you just adjust. People have mentioned a stiff focus - mine is very fine, perfect - I wonder if these have already been addressed in factory (my serial is 52592xx). I also like the width of the focuser, it's a chunky little sucker.

Gription is great on both the body and focuser.

As someone with astigmatism, I deeply appreciate an easy diopter. My right eye tires quickly over the day, and I often need to adjust the diopter - hardly a set and forget sort of thing for me. And for heaven's sake - no detents on the diopter - noone should ever do that! None here thankfully. My favorite diopter is on the Curio, but the old standard on the right barrel works just fine.

Eyecups seem good. Clicks up and down. I might have added a couple clicks. Swaro still gets the eyecup award though.

I believe, but am not positive, that the harness eyelets are cast into the magnesium body, and not a plastic component that is part of an overall assembly. Assuming this, these might be my favorite eyelets ever, chunky and metal.

Main hinge tightness is perfect - pretty stiff and solid, but not overly so.

I have not tested the Lotutec, but assume it is like my Conquest HDs. I find hydrophobic coatings to be totally necessary here in the winter - more for condensation than anything - fogging bins are a thing. Keeps my FLs from being winter bins.

Apparent durability is just hard to judge. I gave my tough old Conquest HDs to a dear friend - those are my reference standard for toughness, along with my BNs, and to a lesser degree Uvids. These are simple, which is good. Looking into the objectives, the rubber/magnesium body does seem really thin relative to other bins, especially given the magnesium body is cast (I assume). Only time will tell if that's an issue. If I were going on an expedition for weeks/months on end and total toughness was needed, I'm not sure I'd take these, more likely a Leica or maybe an EDG based on what I've seen. But overall, I'm not worried.

I've run out of time tonight and will add more tomorrow - aesthetic design, plus brief comparos to my other bins. But overall - I've found my new core go-to's. I'm stoked!

Yes, excellent, you covered all the bases. If Zeiss could stick some more stickion into the focuser, so it wasn't so "tippy," I might add the 8x40 SFL to my Wish List. I would prefer a stiff focuser to a loosey goosey, though for me the EDG hits the perfect balance. I am addicted to EDG focusers, but otherwise, the SFL sounds great. I especially like the sharp images, compact size, light weight and "gription" on the body. I had trouble finding a steady grip on the 8x42 "Fat Boy" EDG.

I know someone who has an 8x42 SFL and now owns my 8x42 EDG, and he's betixt and between about which one he wants to keep. Unlike me, he has no trouble holding the 8x42 EDG steady (the slimmer barrels and lighter weight of the 8x32 EDG works better for my shaky hands). I also have the 8x32 SE, and to me, the 8x32 EDG is the roof equivalent of the SE. However, I have never tried to use either one with one hand on the handlebars.

Brock

 

[Swissboy]

....................

I know someone who has an 8x42 SFL and now owns my 8x42 EDG, and he's betixt and between about which one he wants to keep...................

Brock

Is that the 8x42 SF, maybe? The SFLs are 8x40 and thus slimmer.

 

[Paultricounty]

Since when is an SE on the same level as an EDG😲

 

[brocknroller]

Is that the 8x42 SF, maybe? The SFLs are 8x40 and thus slimmer.

No, it was the 8x40 SFL. He likes the 100 grams lighter weight and the Zeiss eyecups, which fit his face better than those on the fatter, heavier EDG. I found the 8x42 EDG's eyecups perfect for my Simian face, which doesn't have much space between the brow and cheek. The EDG's eyecups fit snugly but not too snug in that primitive eye box. The 8x32 EDG's eyecups are smaller and slide around a bit when I pan but not bad enough to be an issue. It's the large and deep rubber eyecups on the 8x32 SE that rubs me the wrong way. I turn the eyecups upside down and use them that way. It's more comfortable, and I can see more FOV. Surprisingly, he didn't mention the difference in focusers, which for me would be an issue. Fast cars--Yes. Fast women--Yes. Fast focusers--No.

 

[Ratal]

HEY!!!! ^^^^^^^^^ I did that sitting for my new hat.

Hard to get hats to fit a 65 cm skull. I sat still and everything whilst they measured me up.

 

[Maljunulo]

I turn the eyecups upside down and use them that way. It's more comfortable, and I can see more FOV.

I’m confused…. how do you turn a circle “upside down”?

 

[Troubador]

I’m confused…. how do you turn a circle “upside down”?

Mal you are being mischievous . You can't turn a circle upside down but for sure you can turn binocular eyecups upside down, although they might not then function as expected.

 

[Maljunulo]

Mal you are being mischievous .

Perhaps a photo might help.

 

[brocknroller]

I’m confused…. how do you turn a circle “upside down”?

That sometimes happens when you get older. Let me demonstrate.

Here are two 8x32 SEs. The top one (with the dirty lenses) was owned by someone who folded down the eyecups, which caused them to flare out at the edges when they were folded up. Not so comfortable for my face since the wide eyecups just barely fit into my eye sockets. So, I can't see the field stop and the FOV is vignetted.

The second sample has more rounded eyecups, They are a bit flared, though not as much as they look because there is some distortion happening with the camera lens (shut up, Paul!). But they are more comfortable, and I can see more of the FOV.

The next photo shows how flipping the eyecups upside down on the flared pair makes them rounder and smaller, easier to fit into my eye sockets.

The last photo taken from the side shows the flared eyecup on the left and the rounded upside down eyecup on the right on the same pair. When I heard the SEs were being discontinued I bought a couple pair of brand new eyecups, which I will keep as backups.

 

[Paultricounty]

That sometimes happens when you get older. Let me demonstrate.

Here are two 8x32 SEs. The top one (with the dirty lenses) was owned by someone who folded down the eyecups, which caused them to flare out at the edges when they were folded up. Not so comfortable for my face since the wide eyecups just barely fit into my eye sockets. So, I can't see the field stop and the FOV is vignetted.

The second sample has more rounded eyecups, They are a bit flared, though not as much as they look because there is some distortion happening with the camera lens (shut up, Paul!). But they are more comfortable, and I can see more of the FOV.

The next photo shows how flipping the eyecups upside down on the flared pair makes them rounder and smaller, easier to fit into my eye sockets.

The last photo taken from the side shows the flared eyecup on the left and the rounded upside down eyecup on the right on the same pair. When I heard the SEs were being discontinued I bought a couple pair of brand new eyecups, which I will keep as backups.

Can’t really see what your trying to show , the pictures aren’t clear 🤪😂🙏🏼✌🏼.

 

[Swissboy]

Can’t really see what your trying to show , the pictures aren’t clear 🤪😂🙏🏼✌🏼.

Same problem here!