Zeiss Victory SF 8x42

What can I tell you about these binoculars? This particular model has led me in a full circle a bit like the way that you may appreciate where you live but decide to go travelling the world and then rediscover the reasons why you love the place of your birth all over again. What am I talking about? I’m appreciating these 5 years later even more than when the first version was released.

When this model was initially released, I was all over them like a rash! I travelled many miles to the nearest place I could get my hands on a pair and check them out. It was a great place to test them out because the shop (which is now closed sadly due to vandalism and theft) was inside a rather large hide overlooking a dam and in fact there were ospreys nesting nearby.

As I was casually panning across the lake, a kingfisher just so happened to track right across my field of view as it was hunting heading from my right to the left as I was panning in the opposite direction. Big deal you may think. But, apart from the fact that I always get excited when I see kingfishers, it hadn’t really registered to my mind how easy these binoculars made an otherwise very easily missed opportunity into one that I still remember today. It’s true I was looking at the right place at the right time but, I saw what I saw not just because I was looking, but because these binoculars have such a magnificent field of view. This can’t be ignored. These beauties offer a spectacular 148m at 1000m!

You know when you watch an accomplished artist or athlete perform something that is very difficult and they make it look effortless and superbly easy, you may start to think to yourself, “I could do that”, or “I fancy having a try at that. I think I could do it!” These binoculars make birdwatching almost as effortless as you could hope for. They enable you to experience the designer’s intention and make it accessible for you to enjoy with the same ease they demonstrated.
I say this because after I had purchased the 10x, the bigger brother model due to their equally impressive wide field of view of 120m at 1000m, they too made finding the target easier than I had ever experienced with a 10x power binocular. I felt that there were no compromises with the 10 and I was completely satisfied with my initial decision, and remained so for a long time.

However, perhaps the only compromise with the bigger brother was that it just simply didn’t give you that all-encompassing envelopment within the image that the ‘sibling’ 8x provided, which I had taken for granted, even though I was blown away by the view. Simply put, you can see more of the environment with the 8 and for more of the time. Although this is generally the case when comparing magnifications within a given manufacturers range, here there is a significantly noticeable difference of an extra 28m. This is more than 23 per cent more image than the 10x. The question is though, “Is this worth compromising the details you see with the 10?” Possibly, yes…

The real-world pros for these binoculars for me are the following. Firstly, they offer a genuine viewing experience that is hard to beat. They are the swimming pool of clear water you want to dive into and be swallowed up by…and they deliver on the results. They inspire you to want to get out and see more things more of the time, no matter what the weather is doing. (They’re fully waterproof.) When you use these, you feel more like you are part of the environment that you are observing from within rather than interrogating. They are almost a romantic, dreamy-like tonic to use while remaining highly resolving and possibly slightly sharper across the whole range of the view than with the 10.

It is however almost impossible to see the sharpness difference here described unless you have eagle vision yourself. The reason I mention it all was because I had read it illustrated by the designer Gerold Dobler himself in an interview where he likened it to camera F stops. At different apertures, you get different levels of sharpness right to the edges. (Most cameras have a sweet spot at around F8 for example). As the lens goes through its curvature, varying sharpness is delivered accordingly similar to the F stop variations. Are these SF 8x binoculars sharp? Deadly so. Are the 10x binoculars sharp. Deadly sharp also. This is more of a technical point than anything that detracts from the 10x user experience. It’s just that the 8 is even more subtly refined. When was the last time you complained that a golf ball wasn’t textured to your liking? Probably close to never because it is more than super sufficient for purpose. These binoculars both resolve as well as you may ever need unless you’re in the market for low-light bins. Even so, these perform very well at dawn and dusk with their 5.25mm (5.3 rounded up), exit pupil.

These 8x make you feel like you are part of the world you are observing because they put you in context of the natural world. You become part of the environment with these unlike anything else I have ever used. They feel very natural in use. I can only imagine how incredible these would be in the open plains of the Sahara or on safari. At greater distances you tend to be affected by heat haze which a higher power model will not necessarily deal with adequately enough, depending on how clearly you want to see the water evaporate!

Secondly, the naturalness of these binoculars in use is enhanced because the colour rendition is equally natural – not too cool or warmed up. I don’t find it too blue or orangey. The colours are not at all washed out, they are very representative and not boosted for ‘artificial’ punchiness. It makes for a relaxed feel. They are not as saturated as the Noctivid’s amazing rendering of greens, reds and blues but the lighter weight may be a more significant factor for you anyway.
Thirdly, the speed and accuracy with which you can adjust focus also makes the feel very relaxed, responsive and rewarding. You focus finger lies naturally in line with the adjustment and these are very easy to use single-handedly with minimum image wobble and excellent stability.

Fourthly, their balance is tipped back toward your eye socket which takes the weight when stood still perhaps more effectively so than when panning. Either way, because they are ‘wobble-free’, this means you may use your individual arms in shifts, alternate left and right and get twice as much glassing time or at least as much as the 780g unit will allow you before you are eventually beaten by the lactic acid build up. Arguably more time than the competition but how much will depend on you. (Amazingly the 10x weigh the same as these and are no heavier.)

You’ll get no motion sickness due to field flattening effects which are subtle here and again contribute to a natural viewing experience with the apparent field of view at 64 degrees. Ergonomics add to this natural feel further still.

Accessories are great including a decent case and straps. I have the objective lens covers connected to the lower bridge on the supplied quick release lanyard which works well for me. You can get away with taking these hiking. If you really want to go lighter, perhaps consider the newer 8x32 in the same SF range.
If you are a birdwatcher, you must seriously consider buying these. After using many high end 8x42s including the NL Pure by Swarovski, I find these images more relaxed, true and less intense.

Overall, these are probably one of, if not, the most natural 8x42 binoculars to use and take in the world view with and, at a reasonable weight for prolonged use while still feeling like you own something of substance in your hands.

Got this and the Leica Noctivid 8x42 almost at the same time from Optics trade.. The Zeiss really feels much lighter than the Noctivid and better balanced although the actual difference is less than a 100 grams. The optics is very sharp in both but i think is Zeiss SF is brighter and of course wider in FOV.. The build quality of Ziess is very good but i feel the Noctivid has a very solid feel, look ,fit and finish. Its a real competition of optics and build quality so its very difficult to decide a winner.Purchasing from Optics trade was pleasure and i appreciate their excellent customer service.
Vaidy