Zeiss SF 8x32 discounted - Competing with itself or clearing stock?? (1 Viewer)

[Dr. K]

B&H Photo discounts products below minimum market price, allowable, apparently, because they don't advertise the price (you have to request the price and purchase link which is sent to your email). I've seen that this unlisted price is now $2000 USD, a $500 discount. I think it was $2100 a week ago.

Do you think this is...

A) Typical effort to make sales - "nothing burger"
B) Competing with the new kids on the block, SFL and HDX - seems an annoying development for retailers with deep stocks of sf
C) Clearing inventory for something in the pipes - but so soon!?

 

[Pinewood]

Hello,

Who knows but if it is either B or C, meaning truly discontinued, I am left with an assortment of outdated Zeiss 8x30/32 binoculars: Dialyt, FL and SF.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

 

[GrampaTom]

B&H Photo discounts products below minimum market price, allowable, apparently, because they don't advertise the price (you have to request the price and purchase link which is sent to your email). I've seen that this unlisted price is now $2000 USD, a $500 discount. I think it was $2100 a week ago.

Do you think this is...

A) Typical effort to make sales - "nothing burger"
B) Competing with the new kids on the block, SFL and HDX - seems an annoying development for retailers with deep stocks of sf
C) Clearing inventory for something in the pipes - but so soon!?

I don't know.

Though here's a story that may relate. One year after many monthly meetings discussing first the benefits of a new and improved product, followed by months of progress reports from the various departments, the CEO looked at us all and said, "OK, Ive been listening to you go on for months about how this new (insert model name here) is going to add revenue. I get the idea promoted, this model will take sales from our competitor and maybe will help us to capture potential sales in this new emerging, market segment. You cant though tell me this new product does not compete with stuff we already make. Next month I want a revisit of forecasts and I want to see your best attempt to show not only how much this thing will add in and of itself, but how much it will impact, take away from, compete with existing products."

Perhaps that speaks to "B" above...

Thinking of price points as tiers, places where various brands and models of binoculars compete for market share, one has to wonder. How do the brands (to include those that make, those that make/buy, and brands that just buy from OEM factories and do marketing), experience the market vis a vis price points? Is there room based on the way consumers see things for a Conquest HDX at say $1000.00, an SFL at say $1500.00 and the SF at $2000.00? Are there 3 price points the market and makers tacitly agree with, can the pie be sliced this finely or is there a production, physical distribution, channel of distribution issue, we of course cannot know, that suggests problems?

 

[Maljunulo]

Fortunately, optics keep working after they are no longer produced, and the gazllions of photons streaming through them does not wear them out.

 

[tenex]

A useful observation. I'll choose "A"; dealers are probably just having trouble selling SFs in a market dominated by NLs. Of course both models will eventually have successors, but it's hard to guess what their further advantage may be. Leica already has trouble explaining how NV is better than UV, though perhaps they'll do wider fields too one day.

 

[quincy88]

A. I've seen them do that with Leica's before too. I think they are just trying to move some binoculars. That seems like a decent deal.

 

[MiddleRiver]

A useful observation. I'll choose "A"; dealers are probably just having trouble selling SFs in a market dominated by NLs. Of course both models will eventually have successors, but it's hard to guess what their further advantage may be. Leica already has trouble explaining how NV is better than UV, though perhaps they'll do wider fields too one day.

FWIW, I’ve owned FL, SFL, and SF. The SF was def better.
I’ve owned trinovid HD, UVHD, UVHD+ and NV. They were each better than the next tier down. As a matter of fact I unloaded my UVHD+ and kept NV.

It’s funny, but at least with Leica and Zeiss, I have found the $ to correspond to increases in IQ etc. No one has needed to explain it to me, I used my eyes and took every bin I’ve owned on birding outings to evaluate them.

Maybe I’m an outlier?

 

[OneH]

I was told the Victory SF 32s were previously selling for $1200 at EuroOptic because they were junk and had major blackouts mainly because nobody was buying them.

 

[Dr. K]

I was told the Victory SF 32s were previously selling for $1200 at EuroOptic because they were junk and had major blackouts mainly because nobody was buying them.

I haven't tried them, but I am super skeptical that they are correct in this assessment. This model is very popular, ranked among the best by many sources, and praised in a great many threads here on BF.

I thought you learned your lesson about taking EuroOptic for their word?

 

[Pinewood]

I was told the Victory SF 32s were previously selling for $1200 at EuroOptic because they were junk and had major blackouts mainly because nobody was buying them.

Hello OneH,

Certainly, not my experience. They have been on the market for years, with many satisfied users. I have been using mine for more than a year

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

 

[Maljunulo]

I was told the Victory SF 32s were previously selling for $1200 at EuroOptic because they were junk and had major blackouts mainly because nobody was buying them.

Neither of those statements is true.

Generally, blackouts result from misalignment of the eyeball with the binocular exit pupil. Since the binocular is an inanimate object, it does not control blackouts.

 

[MiddleRiver]

Currently my favorite x32 glass ;-)

 

[Bill Atwood]

All SFLs are likewise priced as are some Ultravids and Noctivids. Kowa scopes also are treated the same. NLs are openly $400-$500 off which seems pretty rare for Swaro. Maybe times are tough.

 

[gerdwichers8]

I would like to own one of the two smaller sf's. I keep using an nl but not fond enough to buy a second with different specs. However, I try to get back to just one alpha rather then buying a third.
As a child I used an 8x30 and that 8x32 sf is awesome!

 

[NDhunter]

All SFLs are likewise priced as are some Ultravids and Noctivids. Kowa scopes also are treated the same. NLs are openly $400-$500 off which seems pretty rare for Swaro. Maybe times are tough.

You are correct, times are tough for high end retailers.
Jerry

 

[OneH]

I haven't tried them, but I am super skeptical that they are correct in this assessment. This model is very popular, ranked among the best by many sources, and praised in a great many threads here on BF.

I thought you learned your lesson about taking EuroOptic for their word?

I was going to buy one of each 8x32 and 10x32 Victory SFs for $1400 apiece and asked a buddy Peregrine1 who's more of a high end bino expert and this is what he told me. I don't have any experience yet with these because I was talked out of buying one and after being told they were selling for $1200 I'll just wait till they go down that low again before buying.

 

[OneH]

Hello OneH,

Certainly, not my experience. They have been on the market for years, with many satisfied users. I have been using mine for more than a year

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

I'll re-add them to my list to buy

 

[Pinewood]

I'll re-add them to my list to buy

Hello OneH,

Trying before buying is always a good idea.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

 

[Ribbon]

$1200 for a new SF32 would be an absolute steal for me.

I dropped my 8x32 a week ago after years of intesive usage, so I have to send it to Zeiss for repair. I now use a SF8x42 which I bought almost directly, also because I realised for the first time what it's like to have no spare bin at hand... For me there's a personal preference for SF's after compairing them in a store with NL, Noctivid etc.

Sometimes there are 'black outs', yes. In my opinion the main reason for this is (like stated above) bad alignment, but also using the wrong eyecup position, so there's a solution for this 'problem', at least in my case.

I still consider a 8x32 alpha of one's choice to be the sweet spot between quality and portability, so when one of these is discounted for whatever reason, it's a great deal.

 

[Declan Joseph Deasy]

$1200 for a new SF32 would be an absolute steal for me.

I dropped my 8x32 a week ago after years of intesive usage, so I have to send it to Zeiss for repair. I now use a SF8x42 which I bought almost directly, also because I realised for the first time what it's like to have no spare bin at hand... For me there's a personal preference for SF's after compairing them in a store with NL, Noctivid etc.

Sometimes there are 'black outs', yes. In my opinion the main reason for this is (like stated above) bad alignment, but also using the wrong eyecup position, so there's a solution for this 'problem', at least in my case.

I still consider a 8x32 alpha of one's choice to be the sweet spot between quality and portability, so when one of these is discounted for whatever reason, it's a great deal.

How does the 8x42 compare with your previous 8x32?