Zeiss 10x40 SFL - Roger Vine's Review (1 Viewer)

[John A Roberts]

Roger has just added a review on his Scope Views site: Zeiss 10x40 SFL Review

 

[Mark9473]

Great, they have a tripod adapter socket. I sometimes miss that on my HT.

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Mark,

Yes I too was pleased to see that.

And perhaps of interest to some, an infographic from the current SF and SFL brochure:

 

[b-lilja]

I find the supposition in his review that somehow Japanese manufacture means disposable quality makes zero sense to me. The SFLs are as well built as anything out there it seems to me, certainly as good as the SFs.

 

[Ratal]

I find the supposition in his review that somehow Japanese manufacture means disposable quality makes zero sense to me. The SFLs are as well built as anything out there it seems to me, certainly as good as the SFs.

"Zeiss didn’t actually build them so can they repair them?"

Man has a point - who repairs a set? Do Zeiss have the knowledge or ability in house or will they need sending overseas to Japan?


That said? I'd buy 'Made in japan' any day of the week. In fact, my Opticron kit is just that!

 

[Swissboy]

"Zeiss didn’t actually build them so can they repair them?"

Man has a point - who repairs a set? Do Zeiss have the knowledge or ability in house or will they need sending overseas to Japan?


That said? I'd buy 'Made in japan' any day of the week. In fact, my Opticron kit is just that!

With a bit of broadening of our horizons, we will realize that Japan has for a long time been synonymous with highest quality when it came to cameras. So no need to put a question mark with respect to "can they do it?"

 

[Ted Y.]

From the review: "Zeiss didn’t actually build them so can they repair them?"
Some charged question. Do the author knows some untold realities?
It is a Zeiss assumed binocular (can be made in Germany, Japan, or China), Zeiss is in charge for the warranty.
The technology/knowledge to repair/maintain is different from the technology/knowledge to build.

 

[William Lewis]

I've got a lot of time for Roger Vines reviews, god knows I've probably read most of them!

I think he makes fair points based in his recent experience with returning a zeiss but made in Japan product (in this case the pockets) as well as acknowledging that they are better made than other zeiss products, no slating of Japanese build quality, if anything the opposite.

Having had a go with the SFL's I didn't see much to disagree with in there.

 

[Ted Y.]

Having had a go with the SFL's I didn't see much to disagree with in there.

To much mystery for me. What is the issue for models made in Japan?
You must send the binocular in Japan? (and fill a lot of customs forms without any error nor omission and pay something?)
You send the binocular in UK and it is resended to Japan with surface mail?
Something else?

 

[crinklystarfish]

Having had a go with the SFL's I didn't see much to disagree with in there

Optically, I (mostly) didn't either: though the CA was a little more obvious in my case (from about 60% out).

I also remain of the view that there's often been something of a slight tendency to overstate the optical attributes of the x40 SFLs and the infographic referred to above reminds me of the impressive optical performance of the Victory Pocket range.

Through my VP 10x25 I really do see the nuances of whites and blacks evocatively attributed to SFLs: as well as fantastically neutral colour rendition and very impressive resolution. I'm personally not convinced that SFLs are quite up to VP levels of performance in these particular regards.

 

[William Lewis]

CA is a strange one. I'm quite sensitive to it and notice it in virtually all binoculars and although the best seem to make it largely undetectable centre field it does creep in the closer you get to the edge in most, usually at a much higher rate than field curvature. The only roof models that seem to have it properly under wraps throughout the field are the kowa genesis - that's the difference between proper flourite and high flourite content glass I suppose.

Interestingly I find good quality porro's seem to control ca better accross more of the field than roofs, I put this down to less glass elements in the design and possibly longer focal length (probably going to be corrected on this though!) in porro's of 40mm and above. Generally the length is similar to roofs but the lights doing more mileage through the prisms, Schmidt pechans do seem quite small in comparison.

 

[tenex]

I also remain of the view that there's often been something of a slight tendency to overstate the optical attributes of the x40 SFL

A slight understatement.

Interestingly I find good quality porro's seem to control ca better accross more of the field than roofs, I put this down to less glass elements in the design and possibly longer focal length

Besides the typically shorter focal lengths of roof models, an internal focusing lens contributes to more CA.

 

[Troubador]

To much mystery for me. What is the issue for models made in Japan?
You must send the binocular in Japan? (and fill a lot of customs forms without any error nor omission and pay something?)
You send the binocular in UK and it is resended to Japan with surface mail?
Something else?

Zeiss have clarified the position regarding service and repair of SFL models:

In EU: Send directly to Wetzlar

In UK: Send to East-Coast-Binocular

In USA: Send to Hebron KY

Lee

 

[tenex]

Of course that doesn't address whether they then send it on to Japan, or simply replace rather than repairing. But I expect one can feel confident of being properly taken care of in any case.

 

[Blincodave]

East Coast tell me that all European warranty work including the UK will be done in Germany and will not need to go to Japan. In time, UK warranty work will be done in the UK by East Coast who are, coincidentally, a superb company to deal with.

 

[Viewerinsweden]

I am too interesseted in a SFL 10x40 by Zeiss and have looked at them on serveral occasions. The built quality, and view felt very good and I also liked the concept of a light pair in this size. But the outsourcing part made me hesitate.
So I sent a mail to the service desk in Germany and asked if they would repair them in Germany or send them to Japan and they told me that they can and would repair them in Germany. However, the question is what would happen in 10+ years when the warrenty is gone? Mayby Zeiss ends their contract with the japanese company and would not be able to get spare parts after that.
For me a binocular for 1850 euros is an investment for life or at least for more then 10 years. Roger writes that he simply got a new victory pocket (Made in Japan) when his needed repair under warrenty.
Warrenty or not, I want my binoculars to be repairable even after 10 years. I do not want to be forced to throw them away and buy a new pair.
With Swarovskis and Leicas I would feel more confident when it comes to repairability.

 

[Ted Y.]

However, the question is what would happen in 10+ years when the warrenty is gone?

Is the warranty 30 years in Germany?

 

[Vespobuteo]

Is the warranty 30 years in Germany?

10 years in EU as far as I know.

Same as any Alpha bin made in EU.

The last Zeiss-models that had an official 30 years limited warranty I suspect was ≈ Zeiss Dialyt, but correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[torbjornhb]

Ah...
Taking into account the guarantee, it's going to be an expensive Christmas for my part 🙄. Took what I had and ordered the Zeiss SFL 10x40 and the Swarovski NL Pure 10x42 so he can choose himself. I love the weight/size of the Zeiss, but the guarantee not so much...

On the other side, the Swarovski costs a lot more, and the regular insurance we have will hopefully cover any of the binoculars if anything happens.

 

[UTGrad]

The Japanese are a very disciplined culture and take pride in their work. In less than 50 years in the late 19th-early 20th centuries they built a Navy that rivaled the world’s best.

Japan is the “Germany” of Asia IMO. I have zero qualms buying a Japanese product. In a matter of fact, Im more partial to Japanese products than some made here in the USA.