One of the inherent hazards of reviewing birding products is that you run the risk of getting something you don’t want to give back after the review. Almost 15 years ago I conducted a wide-ranging survey of binoculars that resulted in me switching to a pair of Zeiss Victory 10x32 binoculars. They have been my trusty birding companions ever since, performing flawlessly in all habitats from the tropics to Antarctica. The combination of brilliant optics in a compact, lightweight and rugged package is unbeatable. Or so I thought, until I was asked to review the new Zeiss SF 32-millimetre range.
Zeiss brought out the open-hinge design SF range to rave reviews in 2016, but only in the larger 42-millimetre objective models. I read the reviews with interest, but my days of lugging around ‘full-size’ binoculars are long past. However, it was inevitable that a 32-millimetre range would follow, and when asked to give them a test drive I was eager to see what Zeiss had delivered.
On opening the box, the most striking difference from the old Victory 10x32 is that the SF is appreciably longer. It also weighs a little more (653 compared to 630 grams, including the comfortable padded neck strap and rain guard). Throw in a slightly less impressive close focus distance (nominally 1.95 metres) and you might be wondering why Zeiss bothered to replace the Victory. But once you pick up the SF you know why. These are quite simply the most ergonomically lovely binoculars I have ever used.
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