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Where premium quality meets exceptional value. ZEISS Conquest HDX.

Why are those dang Habicht's so BRIGHT! (3 Viewers)

Dennis you are going over the top on this. Face it, Dennis you have no biceps, that is why you prefer the Habicht. That is one glass I will never own, the tiny exit pupil coupled with the other ergonomic nightmares. I will keep my 8X56s.
 
Dennis you are going over the top on this. Face it, Dennis you have no biceps, that is why you prefer the Habicht. That is one glass I will never own, the tiny exit pupil coupled with the other ergonomic nightmares. I will keep my 8X56s.
Those 8x56's are the best optics I've ever owned I think.
They are big and heavy, too much so for my wife, and son.
I shall probably regret selling mine one day, and should have kept them, but I'm not good owning something I don't use, cameras, lenses, binoculars, bikes..... whatever. I will use my Meoptas more, worry about them a lot less, and throw a Habicht into the mix one day soon.
 
Those 8x56's are the best optics I've ever owned I think.
They are big and heavy, too much so for my wife, and son.
I shall probably regret selling mine one day, and should have kept them, but I'm not good owning something I don't use, cameras, lenses, binoculars, bikes..... whatever. I will use my Meoptas more, worry about them a lot less, and throw a Habicht into the mix one day soon.
By the way congrats on the Meostar 10X42, I have the 7/8X42 and all I can say is they are the best value glass in my collection.
If I were you I would spend some extensive time with the Habicht before you actually pull the trigger, and try to get one slightly used as the asking price IMHO is over the top.
 
No, not unless somebody comes out with a better porro which I doubt. I decided I really like the 3D, immersive view of the porro's. I like the Habicht 8x30W so much, I picked up a Habicht 7x42. Now that one is REALLY bright! They are almost like night vision binoculars! I also have the Nikon E2 8x30 which I like a lot also for their huge FOV.
Good to hear Dennis. Enjoy your Habichts in good health.

Lee
 
So Dennis, are the NL's going to appear on eBay?? :) :)

Seriously, I can't see why you are getting so excited about them? They maybe ok, but really there are simply far more, far better modern bins available nowadays. BTW have you ever tried the Opticron SR.GA 8x32?? If I was after a porro I would go for that one - it's a fraction of the price of the Habicht and actually rather good.
 
My one and only binocular at the moment is a pair of Swarovski 10x40 W GA Habicht.
Impressive view with perfect colour cast ie no colour cast and no CA either that I have detected.
The handling is just so nice and the focuser I haven't found problematic though I focus with my thumbs from underneath.No wings that way, even less than with roofs.
Peter.
 
Congrats on the new binos Dennis. I've always wanted to try a pair of Habichts. I've seen other sources (some of the ones you linked/quoted) talking about their brightness and have always been intrigued. The 10s are the most appealing to me, but I'd be happy to try any of them. Heck, I'd be happy to just see a pair.
 
Congrats on the new binos Dennis. I've always wanted to try a pair of Habichts. I've seen other sources (some of the ones you linked/quoted) talking about their brightness and have always been intrigued. The 10s are the most appealing to me, but I'd be happy to try any of them. Heck, I'd be happy to just see a pair.
For all their limitations, there is something very magical about those Habichts, even just holding them, before you actually look through them.
 
Congrats on the new binos Dennis. I've always wanted to try a pair of Habichts. I've seen other sources (some of the ones you linked/quoted) talking about their brightness and have always been intrigued. The 10s are the most appealing to me, but I'd be happy to try any of them. Heck, I'd be happy to just see a pair.
I use the 10x40 GAs. They're possibly slightly brighter than the NL Pure 10x42s - light transmission is better, but obvious you've got the extra 2mm with the Pures. I think the Habichts edge it, but there's nothing really in it. Similar central sharpness although clearly the NL Pures are pretty much sharp to the very edge whilst if you compare the two side by side the outer drop off of the Habicht is quite obvious. In use I don't find the drop off an issue, but don't expect edge-to edge sharpness. Neither show CA to noticeable levels. The focus is slower on the Habicht, but after a little use it eases up - as an 'issue' I think it's exaggerated as a problem but they aren't the fastest binoculars for significant changes in viewing distances - e.g. bushes in front of you to overhead raptor. I think this is as much to do with the long travel as the firmer focusing (as a plus you never get the sloppy focusing some brands offer - once locked on it stays there and you won't accidentally focus past where you want to be).As a on glasses wearer the eye-relief and eyecups are fine on the Habicht but glasses wearers might have issues. The Habichts balance nicely in the hands and whilst they're bulkier than comparative roofs they're not heavy and the rubber armour makes them feel tough. I would say a Porro design is inherently better balanced for holding steady than a roof, but to be fair the thumb indents on some roofs help very well. At closer distances - the '3D' quality of the Porro design is more engaging than the very flat view of the NL's, but the further away you focus the less difference there is, and as noted you do get near perfect sharpness across the field with the NLs. FoV of the Habichts is decent, but clearly the NL Pure 10x40s are better

In most respects the NL Pure 10x42s are arguably the better birding binocular, as you would expect for a modern top-of the line binocular costing two and a half times the Habicht's cost, but if you're key concerns are central sharpness and a bright image the Habichts are pretty much their equal on these measures. I've no desire to swap mine - the wider FoV, edge sharpness and slightly faster focusing aren't big enough draws for me. If I was choosing today and money was not a consideration then I'd probably still go for the Habichts but buy the NL Pure 12x42's too...

In terms of trying the Habichts - sadly they seem to be limited to special order with most dealers. I do wonder what the sales would be like if dealers had them in stock. Maybe I've been lucky, but generally most fellow birders at reserves have been more than happy to swap bins for a short test. Obviously older Habichts won't have the newer coatings, but any pair made in the last 12 years or so will have them.
 
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I think my 7x42's are bright because they're gathering a lot of light with the large objectives, not asking it to do too much in terms of magnification and only using it to project a small field of view. They use decent multi coatings to help, the total internal reflection of the porro means less is lost and they use a lot less glass elements than most binoculars, especially roofs and the 7x42's only have 3 I believe glass elements in the eye pieces.
 
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I think my 7x42's are bright because there gathering a lot of light with the large objectives, not asking it to do too much in terms of magnification and only using it to project a small field of view. They use decent multi coatings to help, the total internal reflection of the porro means less is lost and they use a lot less glass elements than most binoculars, especially roofs and the 7x42's only have 3 I believe glass elements in the eye pieces.
Don't forget, the the size of the objective only matters when the pupil of the eye is large enough to accept the entire exit pupil. In bright daylight if the eye is open to only 2-3mm an 8x30 can be just as bright as a 7x42. The narrow field of view has no effect at all on brightness.

Roof prism binoculars can be just as simple as Porros. The old Zeiss 8x56 Dialyt was the roof prism equivalent of the 7x42 Habicht: Abbe-Konig prisms with 4 reflections and total internal reflection, cemented doublet object and 3 element/2 group eyepiece.
 
So Dennis, are the NL's going to appear on eBay?? :) :)

Seriously, I can't see why you are getting so excited about them? They maybe ok, but really there are simply far more, far better modern bins available nowadays. BTW have you ever tried the Opticron SR.GA 8x32?? If I was after a porro I would go for that one - it's a fraction of the price of the Habicht and actually rather good.
The NL is long gone! They had way too much glare in the bottom of the FOV. In my experience, none of the modern roofs are any better and most are not as good as the Habicht's. I haven't found any that are as bright or as transparent and have that that marvelous 3D view. Thanks for the tip on the Opticron's. I will have to try those, although Opticrons are not real common on this side of the pond. I love trying new binoculars!
 
I did test the Habicht whilst I had the Zeiss, but not side by side.
Both very bright, superb optics, but that Habicht does surprise you with its view, whereas the FLs kinda do what you expect..... which is very good indeed.
The little Habicht seems to exceed your expectations. You don't expect a little porro to be that good!
 
Don't forget, the the size of the objective only matters when the pupil of the eye is large enough to accept the entire exit pupil. In bright daylight if the eye is open to only 2-3mm an 8x30 can be just as bright as a 7x42. The narrow field of view has no effect at all on brightness.

Roof prism binoculars can be just as simple as Porros. The old Zeiss 8x56 Dialyt was the roof prism equivalent of the 7x42 Habicht: Abbe-Konig prisms with 4 reflections and total internal reflection, cemented doublet object and 3 element/2 group eyepiece.
True, but the 96% transmission of the Habicht's can make that exit pupil appear brighter even in the daytime, with a magic sparkle. The old roof prisms were just as simple in design, but they didn't have the modern glass or coatings the Habicht has and consequently didn't have near the transmission. I had some of the older Zeiss 8x56 Dialyt and many other older binoculars, and most were not very bright because of the coatings.
 
Dennis you are going over the top on this. Face it, Dennis you have no biceps, that is why you prefer the Habicht. That is one glass I will never own, the tiny exit pupil coupled with the other ergonomic nightmares. I will keep my 8X56s.
Don't ever compare them to the Habicht's in the daytime. You might sell those big, heavy 8x56's. 96% transmission can make up for a lot of aperture in the daytime when your eye can't open up far enough to utilize that big exit pupil of the 8x56! I measured my biceps, and they were 24 inches(or was that mm?). Not too bad for my age!:ROFLMAO:
 
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