Zeiss SFL 10x50 review with digiscoping video samples (8 Viewers)

[HenRun]

Colour of CA fringing makes a difference - I can tolerate more yellow-green than purple-magenta even if the quantity is pretty similar.

Same here.

 

[Yarkho]

And same to me, it's mostly the violet that i dislike, even though the green part is there in equal regard. (I also know a person who dislikes the green fringing).

 

[Maljunulo]

The only binoculars I have owned since 1998, are Nikon Venturer LX 10X42, Swarovski EL SV 10X42, Zeiss SF 8X32, Swarovski Habicht 8X30. Also Fujinon FMT-SX 10X70, and 16X70.

I have not been aware of CA in any of the Swarovski or Zeiss glasses, and I have looked for it. The memory of the Fujinons is a bit faded, so I can't say now.

That's the best I can do.

 

[PatR]

I do see a minute bit of CA every now and then in my Leica and Zeiss bino's at certain angles and in differing light. But it has never unduly bothered me....until I bought the Fujinon FMTR 16x70 bino's. CA on steroids.

I swear I heard the late, and truly great, Eva Cassidy softly singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as I panned from hill tops to roof edges and on to the gorgeous Charolais cattle in the field below who were saturated, head to hoof, in green and purple. A sort of bovine Joseph's Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat moment.

Operation Return to Vendor was implemented with indecent haste.

It's there. Some see it, some don't......I do, and it (mostly) doesn't affect my viewing pleasure as I just change position and look elsewhere. Simples.

 

[Scott98]

I am a bit envious of those who claim they don't see CA.

I'm not! I wish I could see into the IR and UV wavelengths like some of the birds. I'll take as much of the visible spectrum as I can get.

To me the goal of reducing CA (to nothing) isn't some optical purity fetish, it's about the sharpness of the views...CA reduces it. It's similar to binoculars with 80's coatings. When you look at a duck on the water on a bright winter day with white markings, the edges of the markings aren't as clear.

The last pair of binos I had with visible CA were 10x35 E2's I bought for high-power viewing. When viewing distant birds on the mudflats I thought the CA had a serious impact on my ability to see the markings on them. They're still high quality binos, but once you get used to no CA, you don't like to see it again, that's what happened to me.

 

[Scott98]

I do see a minute bit of CA every now and then in my Leica and Zeiss bino's at certain angles and in differing light. But it has never unduly bothered me....until I bought the Fujinon FMTR 16x70 bino's. CA on steroids.

I haven't used these, but I have noticed with my Nikon IF binoculars you tend to get a lot of CA during the day because you're never focused quite right. They're made to be focused on one zone, like astronomy or distant maritime targets. I rarely get them focused precisely enough when fooling around on birds with them.

 

[PatR]

I haven't used these, but I have noticed with my Nikon IF binoculars you tend to get a lot of CA during the day because you're never focused quite right. They're made to be focused on one zone, like astronomy or distant maritime targets. I rarely get them focused precisely enough when fooling around on birds with them.

Must admit that when focused on objects that would not show CA they were remarkably good and very powerful. Obviously tripod mounted as they are heavy and impossible to hold steady. But on sharp edges, hills to sky horizons and power lines they were totally pants.

I bought them primarily for astronomy and ship watching. But even then, and properly focused, they displayed a severe amount of CA. I wish I had researched them fully before buying as it would appear that it was a common complaint from many users.

 

[HenRun]

The only binoculars I have owned since 1998, are Nikon Venturer LX 10X42, Swarovski EL SV 10X42, Zeiss SF 8X32, Swarovski Habicht 8X30. Also Fujinon FMT-SX 10X70, and 16X70.

I have not been aware of CA in any of the Swarovski or Zeiss glasses, and I have looked for it. The memory of the Fujinons is a bit faded, so I can't say now.

That's the best I can do.

Those are some nice binoculars for sure. I did not notice any CA in the Zeiss SF 8x32 and for the Swarovski it has been so long ago I can't recall anything other than that I liked it a lot. Fujinon photographic lenses have been excellent but I have not seen through any of their binoculars as they are quite rare over here, except for the 7x50 marine bino that seems to have been around "forever".

The rest on your list are unknown to me. But I am sure you chose them for good reasons.

 

[leviathan]

I too failed to notice any CA on my Zeiss SF 8x42, no matter where I looked: Moon, cables or trees on a sky background, bright LEDs, etc.
However in the SFL 10x50 video here CA is quite obvious on some objects.

 

[Scott98]

Must admit that when focused on objects that would not show CA they were remarkably good and very powerful. Obviously tripod mounted as they are heavy and impossible to hold steady. But on sharp edges, hills to sky horizons and power lines they were totally pants.

I bought them primarily for astronomy and ship watching. But even then, and properly focused, they displayed a severe amount of CA. I wish I had researched them fully before buying as it would appear that it was a common complaint from many users.

Good to know! I recently ordered the updated 18x70 Nikon SP's (Astroluxe) through the local bird store, they are phenomenal, I can't see any CA on the moon. In terms of build quality I'd say they're the nicest binos I own...mechanical artwork Using them mostly for astronomy but I have a tripod & head and hope to use them sometime, instead of a spotting scope.

I can't even get them focused from my house during the day....minimum distance is 500 feet.