ZEISS Victory SF Appreciation Thread (1 Viewer)

[aznuge]

I hope this is not noise or out of scope...

But I do appreciate owning and using my Zeiss Victory SF 10x42. My main use is for the night sky, but recently I compared it to a newer member of my binocular team, in both day and night situations. The new one is really only new to me, but is actually the old and venerable Nikon 10x42 SE. Here is the comparison. This is all my opinion of course. For me, appreciation of a binocular comes from comparisons, extended use, and knowing both its strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Maljunulo]

A superb comparison indeed.

 

[Patudo]

Very enjoyable read aznuge. The 10x42 SE is my most used binocular and I brought it as a comparison binocular to last year's Birdfair. For what it's worth, having had the opportunity to compare it to the SF and various others (though not quite as thoroughly as you did), I found myself nodding with quite a few of your observations. Today's alphas do I think deliver slightly more pleasing colour rendition and probably a touch more clarity, and their ergonomics - balance, focuser, handling - are superb, the SF really excelling in this regard (I have always preferred the way a roof prism binocular points and handles though). I think they also better the SE in ultimate sharpness, although I found when trying it against my brother's 8.5 Fieldpro that they were very close in perceived sharpness, but the SE needed more careful tweaking/focus fiddling to get there. I like the SE a lot (amazing how competitive a well executed quality porro still is, frankly), but today's top of the range binoculars are amazing.

 

[[email protected]]

1. It's not that noticeable.
2. The Victory SF is a brilliant binocular in almost every conceivable way.

It is noticeable! I have never seen it on any other binocular I have tried, and I have tried at least 100 different binoculars. I settled on the Zeiss SFL 8x40. It has a little smaller FOV but all the other qualities of the SF 8x42 in a smaller, lighter package with NO orange crescent at the bottom of the FOV. In fact, I think the Zeiss SFL 8x40 might be the perfect birding binocular. I can't find anything wrong with it. It is kind of an SF light.

 

[dorubird]

1. It's not that noticeable.
2. The Victory SF is a brilliant binocular in almost every conceivable way.

It is noticeable!

Its black, its white. Its black, its white. Its black, its white.......

mgp13,

Enjoy your SF 8x42!!! It is a top binocular, the best of the best from Zeiss inginers and one of the best on the current market (along with others offcorse)! Don't let yourself be disappointed by the disappointing experiences of others! Some simply cannot be happy with any binoculars, because in the end they find a reason to sell them anyway. They do what they want, it's none of my business! But some are not stop with just that: when they see that other people can have different opinions and they are happy with their binos, they try to introduce others to their very subjective opinion and personal disappointing! We live in consumerist times where we are dissatisfied very quickly! In the end, all that matters is your personal experience with SF, and I saw that you like it a lot, and so do I. Even someone tells me "you must don't like it a lot! because it is black, it is so and so", in the end, witch binoculars stay in my hands moustly (sometime everyday), that binocular it is the best for me!

Orange ring ! Personal to see that orange ring, I have to use the binoculars improperly. Why would i do that? To see that orange ring, I have to look to one side in the FOV. In that unnatural position, I can't even see the entire FOV. I understood very well for a long time, from his many and frequent posts, that Denco have real problems with this orange ring! But we should not generalize to the majority who do not have such problems.
My personal impression about Zeiss Victory SF

View attachment 1427624
Binoculars are very personal tools! I noticed that it can generate endless discussions and conflicts even here on the forum! But here I just want to say my own opinion about this Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 (black version) binoculars.


I start with the mechanical presentation.

View attachment 1427596View attachment 1427597
The covers of the objective lenses and eyepieces are of very good quality, remaining in position. The only change I made to my taste was that I slightly loosened the rubber of the eyepiece covers to come off and settle on the eyepieces faster without difficult extraction, what could moving the position of the eyepiece cups. GOOD


View attachment 1427598
The eyepiece cups do not hold their position firmly. Here I am missing the perfect cups of the Conquest HD. Most consider the Conquest cups to be harder to move, but after a few twists the resistance becomes perfect for me (yes perfect!). So SF has this mechanical disadvantage but I solved the problem with wife black and discreet hair elastics as a spacer for my optimal distance. POOR


View attachment 1427602
The focus system is perfect. By focus system I mean: the focus wheel and its position relative to the anatomy of the hands. The black version of the SF is known to have improved the rotation of focus wheel to the degree of excellence. Perfect like knife cutting through butter. From infinity to 1.6m it is almost two complete rotations without 45 degrees. As much as it is silky, it is just as accurate, without the feeling of intermediate adjustments. The new Black edition deserves the name "SmartFocus". PERFECT


View attachment 1427603
The diopter adjustment is central with a locking system. It has a margin of -4 +4 diopters adjusment. On position "0" there is a small "click" which can be a small inconvenience for those who have to make only a very small adjustment from "zero". GOOD


View attachment 1427627
The finish is made of rubber very pleasant to the touch, the texture is elastic and gives a firm grip. The binoculars have a utilitarian design but the finishes are very carefully crafted: the connections between the metal and the armor are very carefully resolved; the armor has the same surface texture as the magnesium bridges. The structural elements are made of magnesium. This makes it very durable and light at the same time (790g). VERY GOOD


View attachment 1427606View attachment 1427607
Binocular resistance. The binoculars are resistant to immersion in water 400mbar. The instrument is filled with nitrogen and can be used between - 30 ° C and + 63 ° C. The outer lenses are treated LotuTec for quick cleaning and against fogging or water deposition. PERFECT


View attachment 1427609
The Ergonomics is impressive. It is a long binoculars but due to the weight distribution towards the eyepieces the binoculars stick to the eyes perfectly, creating the impression that it is much lighter and at the same time being much better stabilized. PERFECT


Optical aspects

View attachment 1427610 The optical system consists in 2 lenses for the objective lens, one for the focus, Schimtd-Pechan prisms, and 7 lenses for the eyepiece. It is used Schott Fluoride glass. The sketch in the picture is drawn by me inspired by the section through binoculars. The focal length is greater than average, making binocular much easier optically corrected. The dielectrical prisms are treated with over 70 layers, and the lenses with T * treatment.

The light transmission is a very good 93% in the green spectrum. It is a binocular that has a well-balanced contrast / brightness ratio, but with a very SLIGHT inclination towards brightness. This delicate brightness boost at the expense of contrast. This it is very useful aspect when watching birds in the backlight, because you can see more shades of color in this extreme contrast situation. VERY GOOD


View attachment 1427611
The resolution on the center is the highest I have encountered with 10x binoculars. I tested on the target resolution from 10m a lot of very good 10x binoculars, even larger than 50mm : Swarovski Swarovision EL 10x42, Swarovski SLC WB 10x50, Fujinon FMTR SX 10x50, Nikon Astrolux 10x70 IF SP WP, Meopta Meostar B1.1 10x50. None of them reached the details of the Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 on the tripod. The only 10x binoculars that matched the same SF resolution is the "younger brother" Zeiss Conquest HD 10x42. PERFECT

The edge clarity it is very good, clarity it is extended by approximately 90%-95% in FOV VERY GOOD

The white balance is natural and even-tempered, but compared to other standard binoculars you can see a discret cool green shade. GOOD


View attachment 1427612
The glare resistance. The binoculars being tested in all kinds of extreme scenarios: against the sun at different angles outside the frame, against the street lamps, against the desk lamp, the moonlight inside and outside the frame, and did not create me any problems. For example I watched a couple of swans glide majestically on the water in the light of the setting Sun. With the Sun setting in FOV and reflected in the water too, there was no drop in contrast or any glare. Fabulous image!!!! The only weakness is in the night time when I have the light source behind me. Then I see some small reflections on the edge of the Fov but they are present due to the fact that I wear glasses and the parasitic light penetrates next to the my glasses and cannot be efficiently blocked by the eyepiece cups. VERY GOOD


View attachment 1427613
The eye relief is 18mm, enough for any spectacle wearer. The new black version has replaced the eyepiece cups with some that can be extended one step further than the old ones, an important aspect especially for those who do not wear glasses. It has no blackout but I must be care when adjusting the eyepiece cups. VERY GOOD

Chromatic aberrations are almost absent even in contrasting light conditions (only very difficult to detect on the edges of the FOV) VERY GOOD


View attachment 1427616
The field of view is a generous 6.8 degrees. The big AFOV gives the impression of "being there". Compared to Swarovision EL the difference in FOV is not big (6.4 vs 6.8) but differnce in AFOV is big and after looking through SF, Swarovski seemed like a "keyhole" (It can be noted only by comparison) VERY GOOD

3D. The image has an accentuated three-dimensionality for a binocular with Schimtd-Pechan prisms. This stereoscopy is due to the difference of 6mm that I measured in favor of the distance between the front lenses vs eyepieces distance. But this 3d impression is also due to the geometric corrections of the visual field that is not completely straight. VERY GOOD


Conclusions

View attachment 1427617
Every time I put in front of my eyes I have said that this is the binoculars I have been waiting for a long time! The focus is impeccable. The weight of the binoculars is well distributed in the hands. The apparent field of view is large and easy to look at! I was further impressed by the resolution of this binoculars. In addition to this clarity, the binoculars have a fairly strong 3d effect for a roof. With this binoculars, even ordinary things become spectacular to watch! Optically it is a jewel of binoculars being extremely well corrected in all optical chapters. Bravo Zeiss!

 

[Woen]

I love it that you love them so much!

 

[Jos Stratford]

Previous posts deleted - please discuss binoculars, rather than hurling personal comments at each other.

 

[Scott98]

Interesting comparison with the SE porros! For me the hand-hold comfort on the SF's make it the first roof binos to be as comfortable to hold as traditional porros. The other thing that stands out to me w/ the 8x42 SF's is the sharpness while doing astronomy. The tightness of the star images appears the best of any bino I've used, they are tiny specks.

The contrast and blackness of the background sky, also outstanding. Overall it gives you the feeling like you are getting state-of-the-art optics and ergonomics for that huge price tag.

 

[Maljunulo]

My 8X32 SF is a never-ending source of delight too.

 

[Maljunulo]

Previous posts deleted - please discuss binoculars, rather than hurling personal comments at each other.

Accounts need to be deleted, not posts.

 

[Scott98]

While I find it strange that something like the red crescents could put you off so much, I do empathise somewhat. I sent mine back due to an internal reflection that I just couldn't stand. Replacements are on their way.

ORANGE crescents! Red crescent is the humanitarian aid organization that works in Islamic countries....gotta keep this stuff straight!

 

[mgp13]

To summarise what I've read (that  others have written) about the SF x42s:

- Superb optical quality but with slightly less contrast than NLs or Noctivids, and with an emphasis on greens. Some say the view is not as "sharp" as NLs or Noctivids although there's debate around this.

- The large FOV is more than ample for most (certainly haven't read anyone complain about it), bettered only by the NL Pure although interestingly this is not usually cited as a reason one prefers the NL over the SF. I wonder if beyond a certain point a larger FOV becomes less noticeable.

- Certainly they are a great choice for astronomy too. Some say it's their preferred astronomy binocular, producing pin sharp images of stars.

- The ergonomics are nothing short of amazing. Almost everyone agrees on this. The focus wheel is just right and they feel much lighter than they are (probably thanks to ErgoBalance). They are extremely easy to use and have an effortless quality to them.

- They appear to be more resistant to condensation than most binoculars, possibly due to the LotuTec coating.

- Their performance in low light is much better than most binoculars and among the best for x42s. Some have said they are the ideal binocular for cloudy days.

- The eyecups are very comfortable and the view is very accommodating.

- Control of stray light is excellent although a minority of users complain of small orange crescents that appear in the periphery in some conditions.

- The Victory SF has historically been plagued by some quality control issues, most of which were rectified when the black models were introduced but some continue to be affected by a lack of blackening on one of the internal surfaces of the eyepiece. This causes a reflection to appear outside the FOV.

 

[AlphaFan]

To summarise what I've read (that  others have written) about the SF x42s:

- Superb optical quality but with slightly less contrast than NLs or Noctivids, and with an emphasis on greens. Some say the view is not as "sharp" as NLs or Noctivids although there's debate around this.

Completely agree with almost all of your Post #52 summary = spot on. However, I believe the line in bold will lead some “Lurkers” and others to develop a misimpression that the SFs lag behind the NL or NV in resolution (or maybe it is just the way the term ”sharpness” comes across). IME they do not, at least in apparent resolution. In owning both the SF & NL for a while now I haven’t ever experienced a field situation where the SF lags in this regard; and having compared it several times - it is at least the equal of the NV. Where I see an apparent difference is color contrast. The color saturation of the NL is deeper, but to me it appears a bit overly (unnaturally) saturated, especially on sunny days; and one of the reasons I find the NL at its best on overcast days.

 

[Paultricounty]

Completely agree with almost all of your Post #52 summary = spot on. However, I believe the line in bold will lead some “Lurkers” and others to develop a misimpression that the SFs lag behind the NL or NV in resolution (or maybe it is just the way the term ”sharpness” comes across). IME they do not, at least in apparent resolution. In owning both the SF & NL for a while now I haven’t ever experienced a field situation where the SF lags in this regard; and having compared it several times - it is at least the equal of the NV. Where I see an apparent difference is color contrast. The color saturation of the NL is deeper, but to me it appears a bit overly (unnaturally) saturated, especially on sunny days; and one of the reasons I find the NL at its best on overcast days.

It’s very easy for lurkers or people coming here to get suggestions on some of these binoculars and get misleading information , and more times than not, because of Brand loyalists.

I may be wrong but I believe almost half the posts about which Binocular is superior seems to come from people that lean towards one brand or another.

Having tried all of the SF’s, NL’s and Noctivids , and now owning a combination of a few of them. I find not only is it difficult or splitting hairs to say which one is sharper, because it changes under different conditions. it’s also very subjective to individual image tastes and physiological differences that may lead somebody to choose one over the other. For me they’re all so good that it’s really very difficult to say definitively in general which one is better. I find on some days I like one over the other. Of course if there are people that have issues with some individual trait of one Binocular over another I can understand how easy it is to choose one over the other.

Paul

 

[AlphaFan]

It’s very easy for lurkers or people coming here to get suggestions on some of these binoculars and get misleading information , and more times than not, because of Brand loyalists.

I may be wrong but I believe almost half the posts about which Binocular is superior seems to come from people that lean towards one brand or another.

Having tried all of the SF’s, NL’s and Noctivids , and now owning a combination of a few of them. I find not only is it difficult or splitting hairs to say which one is sharper, because it changes under different conditions. it’s also very subjective to individual image tastes and physiological differences that may lead somebody to choose one over the other. For me they’re all so good that it’s really very difficult to say definitively in general which one is better. I find on some days I like one over the other. Of course if there are people that have issues with some individual trait of one Binocular over another I can understand how easy it is to choose one over the other.

Paul

Agreed. Whether brand loyalty or perceived feature/view characteristic preference has greater influence over purchase decision will vary greatly from person to person. We often see folks going to exhaustive lengths to identify the perfect all-around glass, when the reality is every optical device Is a compromise of view characteristics/features/functions to varying degrees. All inevitably circles back to the familiar theme of there being no substitute for first-hand comparison in field environments. We test-drive autos, test the fit of new boots, date prior to marriage, etc - it should be no different with optics. The great news is when it comes to optics we have the burden of wading through many exceptionally high performers.

 

[Maljunulo]

The first sentence of post #54 should be a sticky.

 

[Scott98]

- Superb optical quality but with slightly less contrast than NLs or Noctivids, and with an emphasis on greens. Some say the view is not as "sharp" as NLs or Noctivids

No, this is backwards, sharpness and contrast are best in the SF's

NL field of view is wider, not better, AFAIK. This is the Zeiss sub-forum, we don't need to cater to the insecurities of the Leica/ Swaro cult here

 

[Paultricounty]

No, this is backwards, sharpness and contrast are best in the SF's

NL field of view is wider, not better, AFAIK. This is the Zeiss sub-forum, we don't need to cater to the insecurities of the Leica/ Swaro cult here

Do you mean the Leicatards & Swaro minions 😆🤣

 

[Ted Y.]

"This is the Zeiss sub-forum, we don't need to cater to the insecurities of the Leica/ Swaro cult here"
Really not.

 

[Paultricounty]

"This is the Zeiss sub-forum, we don't need to cater to the insecurities of the Leica/ Swaro cult here"
Really not.

But I feel so inadequate. 😔