Do the owners of both Zeiss SF and Swarovski EL/NL feel they are uncomfortable for the different color cast? (3 Viewers)

[Paultricounty]

When I use the term 'colour cast' I mean that the entire view exhibits this colour which may be subtle or a little stronger. Sometimes I have the impression (and would welcome being corrected) that when some members mention a colour cast they simply mean that this colour, if it is present in the scene being viewed, is stronger through the binoculars than when viewed with the naked eye. To me this is not a 'cast' but a colour bias.

What do other members think?

In my opinion the Swarovski Habichts and ELs are the closest thing in color , or lack thereof to what my eyes see naturally. When using the mentioned binoculars side-by-side my eyes can see a difference. Whether it’s a more saturated color of objects like Leica or just a slight color hue like Zeiss or Nikon.

But using them separately on different days I don’t notice it. What I find is that a warmer , like in Nikon or Leica are easier on my eyes over long observing periods.

Paul

 

[Conndomat]

When I use the term 'colour cast' I mean that the entire view exhibits this colour which may be subtle or a little stronger. Sometimes I have the impression (and would welcome being corrected) that when some members mention a colour cast they simply mean that this colour, if it is present in the scene being viewed, is stronger through the binoculars than when viewed with the naked eye. To me this is not a 'cast' but a colour bias.

What do other members think?

Lee,

when I got my Zeiss SF 8x42 it was a very foggy day here, too bad I would have liked to have tested the glass outside.
So I played around with the SF, eyepiece cups, focusers etc.

When I stopped in the fog I got a slight shock, I saw a very clear green cast.
I then picked up a Swarovski and here the fog was really grey, it was the same with another Swarovski.

I still don't have a sufficient explanation why I see this green so clearly on the Zeiss, the first time I saw it was in a FL and that was probably 15 years ago, at that time I had never heard of this phenomenon before.

Andreas

 

[Troubador]

Lee,

when I got my Zeiss SF 8x42 it was a very foggy day here, too bad I would have liked to have tested the glass outside.
So I played around with the SF, eyepiece cups, focusers etc.

When I stopped in the fog I got a slight shock, I saw a very clear green cast.
I then picked up a Swarovski and here the fog was really grey, it was the same with another Swarovski.

I still don't have a sufficient explanation why I see this green so clearly on the Zeiss, the first time I saw it was in a FL and that was probably 15 years ago, at that time I had never heard of this phenomenon before.

Andreas

Andreas, I remember your story of the green fog. It must have looked odd.

I have searched for this green cast with FL32 & 42, HT and SF32 and 42 and have not been able to see anything like it. I absolutely believe this is what you saw but my eyes do not see this.

 

[Conndomat]

Andreas, I remember your story of the green fog. It must have looked odd.

I have searched for this green cast with FL32 & 42, HT and SF32 and 42 and have not been able to see anything like it. I absolutely believe this is what you saw but my eyes do not see this.

Lee, I don't want to sell my experiences as apodictic truth, our eyes are different and despite the "green tint" I perceive in the Zeiss binoculars, I like them very much.
Zeiss simply builds fantastically good binoculars.

Andreas

 

[Maljunulo]

I learned a new word.

 

[kimmik]

better than adictic but not as good as superapodictic?

 

[Binocollector]

I thought about this just yesterday after I read an article about how different the sense of taste between different people can be and how much the number of receptor cells on the tongue varies.
And I thought, "here we are in all the different forums talking about our very subjective impressions of optics, thinking most people will see the same thing when using them." Maybe that is further from the truth than we realize. Maybe Andreas just has unusual perception of greens. After all we have twice as many green receptors as for other colors. Like a "super taster" when it comes to tasting bitterness in food. (it's not the same for all tastes, I think the difference in our perception of "sweet" is far smaller than the differences in the perception of "bitter").

 

[Paultricounty]

Andreas, I remember your story of the green fog. It must have looked odd.

I have searched for this green cast with FL32 & 42, HT and SF32 and 42 and have not been able to see anything like it. I absolutely believe this is what you saw but my eyes do not see this.

Lee I can see the green in the SF’s, only when comparing to other binoculars side-by-side. I also can say that I know that others can see it without side-by-side comparisons and some can’t see it at all. My wife cannot see the difference between the SF and EL, yet those are the two binoculars that allow me to instantly see the green in the Zeiss when comparing.

So it’s a very individual thing where some can see it very clearly and others not at all, very similar how some people can see more CA in certain binoculars than others.

Paul

 

[Binocollector]

I'm always surprised when I use my IOR 7x40 which has the strongest yellow tint of all my binos -- after using it for a minute, that tint is no longer all that visible but when I then take the bino off my eyes, I'm like "huh, what's with the colors?"

 

[Patudo]

It could also be your individual perception of that color hue, everybody’s eyes are different and perceive color more or less differently. I find the greenish hue increases contrast, go figure.

Yes, and even between eyes. My left eye sees things a little more greenish, my right eye a little more red.

Also agree with kabsetz (post #13) - the difference between a SF and SV is marginal compared to some of the old binoculars with a really distinct yellow (most often) cast. That said, I did notice that a slight difference when going between SF/SV and my comparison binocular (10x42 SE) at the last Birdfair, but found I adapted to it pretty quickly, within 30 seconds or so. But your eyes may well be different of course...

Conndomat (post #22), I have had a very similar experience of seeing the green cast in FLs (both 8x32 and 8x42) in grey fog/mist type conditions. Under most conditions I don't see it but dull grey days, for whatever reason, seem to bring it out for me. I don't mind it personally, certainly not compared to how hazy/smog type conditions can make the view through a binocular with a yellow colour cast quite unpleasant - but frankly those conditions are not enjoyable for any binocular - you keep thinking your lenses need cleaning when in fact they are perfectly fine.

 

[lmans66]

But in all fairness… my Leica has a color preference to red/orange etc…. So do not all bins have some color preference?

 

[Troubador]

But in all fairness… my Leica has a color preference to red/orange etc…. So do not all bins have some color preference?

But how much of the colour is due to the binos and how much to the observer's eyes? I use Zeiss SF 8x32 and Leica Trinovid HD 8x32 and I do not notice a green cast in the Zeiss nor unnaturally bright reds in the Leica.

 

[Conndomat]

Maybe Andreas just has unusual perception of greens.

Hello,

the odd thing is really that I only see it in the Zeiss glasses.
Everything evenly in the Swarovski SLC, EL, NL, Leica Noctivid, Ultravid, Nikon EDG.

I used to have a Dodecarem and an Octarem, here I found yellow very dominant, since the FL series I have felt a visible shade of green. I can't really explain it.
I haven't tried the SFL yet, so I can't comment on that. The positive thing is, the shade of green really doesn't bother me, after a short time I forgot about it.

Andreas

 

[kimmik]

Zeiss - warm led light
Swaro - cool led light
Leica and nikon - incandescent light

Some will understand exactly what i mean.

 

[Paultricounty]

Zeiss - warm led light

2700-3500K

Swaro - cool led light

4000-6000K

Leica and nikon - incandescent light

2000-3000K

Some will understand exactly what i mean.

Hows that 😀.

Paul

 

[kimmik]

Further to the colour temperature difference (not being strict, just analogy here), the incandescent light has excellent colour rendering. It is the favoured continuous lighting for best skin tone eg at west-end productions.

The reason being broader smoother spectrum of light, for incandescence.

 

[Richard D]

I understand the colour temperature analogy, but for me Zeiss remind me slightly of shooting film stock under flourescent light with slightly too weak an FLD filter. It's not terrble, and just like with the yellow of old Carl Zeiss Jena binoculars my brain adjusts after a short while so I don't notice it, but it's initially there.

 

[lmans66]

But how much of the colour is due to the binos and how much to the observer's eyes? I use Zeiss SF 8x32 and Leica Trinovid HD 8x32 and I do not notice a green cast in the Zeiss nor unnaturally bright reds in the Leica.

This is a good point lee.... here we are all the time attempting to read into the colors of each binocular and while it is likely there are some colors that are inherent within each binocular brand, we forget about the human eye. The more a person is off the norm, whether it is to color blindness or the opposite (whatever that is called) come into play. So maybe some of our debates here evolve around the uniqueness as individuals.... jim

 

[Hermann]

I used to have a Dodecarem and an Octarem, here I found yellow very dominant, since the FL series I have felt a visible shade of green. I can't really explain it.
I haven't tried the SFL yet, so I can't comment on that. The positive thing is, the shade of green really doesn't bother me, after a short time I forgot about it.

If you use a binocular over some time, the brain "adjusts" to the colours, unless it's really a very strong colour cast like the yellow colour cast of the Zeiss Jena 7x40 EDF or the Baigish 7x30. I only notice e.g. the reddish colour casts of the Nikon SE or the Nikon HGL when I switch from the Habicht (the most "neutral" of all my binoculars) to the Nikons.

Hermann

 

[wdc]

I've only ever noticed a color shift when comparing side by side, and looking at light valued, neutral surfaces. I noticed a subtle green-ish in Zeiss compared to a blue-ish cast in the Swarovski. Its a quiet difference that quickly disappears with use, in my experience. I've had Zeiss, Swaro, and Leica bins in my possession for several years, and don't even think about a color 'issue' between them. Its more, do I want 10x or 8x? Do I want a smaller bin (32) or a larger one (42) etc. Ironically, I use the Leica more than the others for awhile, but it is not a color choice that is driving the decision.

-Bill