Zeiss Victory SF or NL Pure 10x42 (1 Viewer)

[dries1]

Well you are about to drop at least 2 grand on either - both are premium glass. It will be the views to your eyes along with your facial structure and ergos that makes the decision. Try them both, you might be surprised on the one you choose.

 

[Paultricounty]

For what little it may be worth, from reading comments from here, I remain quite content with my 8x32 SF.

I’ve not even seen the corresponding NL.

I don’t think you will find a better binocular to be more content 😁. You may like one better than the other , but they are both great.

 

[GrampaTom]

This may be worth a read...

Expirience with Zeiss Service bad.

This Post is with a Translator written. Pleas sorry for Bad Grammar. Hello all. I'd like to share my Zeiss service experience here, and encourage a discussion about what your experience is like, and whether it matches mine. I bought a then brand new Victory SF 8x42 in August 2015 in the then...

www.birdforum.net

 

[Scott98]

The blue ring of death is there on the SF but for me it was a problem in the bino store but not in real life. If you move your eyes around and strain to see the edge of field you will catch glimpses of blue. But I would categorize it as a blackout effect that happens when your eye is not positioned in the right place. NL's and EL's also have blackout problems if you move your eye out of position. If I do normal bird or astro viewing with the 8x42 SF I don't see the blue edge.

IMO these wide-angle binos are more demanding in terms of eye positioning, they're not as tolerant of your eye in the wrong place as older narrower-field binos. You have to try the two of them in person, the ergonomics work differently for everyone, you need to see how the eyecups work with your face, the focus knob position, etc. I do like the SF's lighter weight - about 10% lighter I think? Conversely the NL are more compact, a friend was standing next to me with 8x42 NL and they looked like 32's compared to my SF. If you like a smaller bino against your chest the NL is better.

 

[dorubird]

The Zeiss SF 10x42 (black version !) is a flawless pair of binoculars. SF does not suffer from glare in any situation (NL 10x42 I understood that it has problems in certain lighting situations). SF is very well balanced in the hands and is not heavy (780g). NL Pure 10x42 being smaller and heavier (850g) is denser, so it feels heavier than SF iin the hands! It is a pleasure to rotate the SF focus wheel!

 

[Rg548]

I think I would probably go Ultravids..... just a superb optical instrument, with a good case, and lens covers that work.
Surely no one could be disappointed in the View through Ultra's??

 

[Paultricounty]

I think I would probably go Ultravids..... just a superb optical instrument, with a good case, and lens covers that work.
Surely no one could be disappointed in the View through Ultra's??

Rg548,

I think most would agree with that statement, If one can get passed less eye relief and smaller FOV than the latest and greatest, then Leica has that luscious Image quality , second to none , but you have to put up with those drawbacks.

If a large eye relief and FOV is what you are looking for , or is needed like with the latest and greatest, then you have to put up with other drawbacks, like blackouts or kidney beaning, if the the eye is not positioned adequately, some glare issues or deadly blue rings 😜. I don’t believe, having owned all of the latest and greatest that the image quality is less than Leica, on the contrary I think the quality is just as good , and in some respects or attributes even better, but then you’re just giving up on that something special that the Leica image offers.

Im amazed every time I look through my SF’s, NL’s, EL’s, EDG’s, and Habicht’s, how Beautiful and sharp they all are, but there is something to Leica that stands out. Maybe it’s less about specs and more about user experience.

That’s my 2 cents.

Paul

 

[Ratal]

This may be worth a read...

Expirience with Zeiss Service bad.

This Post is with a Translator written. Pleas sorry for Bad Grammar. Hello all. I'd like to share my Zeiss service experience here, and encourage a discussion about what your experience is like, and whether it matches mine. I bought a then brand new Victory SF 8x42 in August 2015 in the then...

www.birdforum.net

You keep bringing this up as if it means something - it doesn't - it is a pandemic caused scenario that is far, far FAR out from Zeiss' normal world class customer care. An outlier on the statistics - and if a person was to go back through the records, all companies, all of them, have these deviations.


Zeiss' aftermarket care is stellar for the main part. One accidental mix up does not a bad track record make.

 

[Rg548]

My Zeiss customer experience was superb I have to say, through East Coast Optics.

 

[GrampaTom]

You keep bringing this up .....

Huh?

 

[Ratal]

Huh?

Seems I just have to go look, and wowser all my goly gosh, here we have an example of this post. "Huh" indeed.

 

[GrampaTom]

Ratal, please see my personal email to you. Not sure what your issue is, here.

 

[Ratal]

My issue is that the original post is NOT your experience - has zero to do with you - and you post it in Zeiss threads again and again - spotting scopes AND binoculars as some kind of warning - when it is abundantly clear from Zeiss owners (myself included for 10 years and counting) that it is a deviation from the norm.


Zeiss customer care is exemplary - and I have no affiliation just a very happy customer.

 

[GrampaTom]

Ratal,
I own two pairs of Zeiss, one a 1040B MIWG for 35 years, the second a Victory Pocket 825 for two. They've been great. According to the thread I linked twice so others, asking relevant questions could read it and do what they wanted with it. Not everyone has had the same experience as you describe. Have you communicated with the folks who posted in that thread youre not so happy with? That seems more appropriate. If theyre saying something wrong, that should be corrected, dont you think? Aren't we here to help each other? "Again and again" seems to overstate my involvement. There are many brands and models of binoculars from which to choose. After sales service is an attribute that matters, right up there with FOV, optical quality, focuser feel, appearance, price, balance. Will I buy another Zeiss? Those threads and posts give me pause. Im glad you are a happy customer.
Tom

 

[dorubird]

So, now my statement on the previous case.
After a very nice and competent conversation last week, Zeiss has decided to exchange the glass against a new glass.
Today, the new glass arrived in perfect condition! In addition, Zeiss was so nice, and has given me lens cleaning accessories and a Zeiss cap.
I can only say number one service!!! Just as you would expect from this manufacturer. The previous difficulties I had have now all been completely eliminated, and I can only recommend this company! The product needs nothing to say is simply first class.

Many thanks to all here in the forum who have followed this, and many thanks to the company Zeiss in Wetzlar!

Peter


Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Zeiss' aftermarket care is stellar for the main part. One accidental mix up does not a bad track record make.

If we search in the forum we will find unpleasant experiences with the service of the "big three" (Zeiss, Swarovski, Leica). But these are exceptions and these will not spoil my good opinion about the "big three" service! I do not judge too fast!