THE ZEISS 8x42 VICTORY HT BINOCULARS
The only binoculars that exceed the light-gathering capabilities of the eye, these hunting binoculars by Zeiss are incredible tools for getting the most out of birding in the field conditions of Britain and northern Europe.
When an optics company bills their product as the “brightest premium binoculars in the world”, with “95% light transmission”, these are bold statements to make. That’s because brightness is the Holy Grail. In the last 20 years, top manufacturers – such as Swarovski, Leica, Nikon and Zeiss – have always placed brightness at the very top of the list when it comes to competition. And for good reason.
Colour and contrast are subjective. Some prefer the deep, reddish saturation of Leica; others the sharp, cool tint of Swarovski. Eye-relief is a matter of preference. So is weight, balance, size and almost every other aspect of a top binocular. Brightness, however, is not. Brightness can be tested. And if a binocular really is the “brightest” on the market, this will be shown up on almost every occasion that it’s used, especially in low light. So I put the Zeiss Victory HT 8x42s to the test with some scepticism – and picked a truly dark and dreary day on which to do it.
We arrived on the Somerset Levels for what must be one of the most awe-inspiring natural spectacles that can be seen in the whole of Europe. We’re all familiar with Starlings. But the sight of 1 million birds blotting out the sky, whooshing like jet engines as they pile into a teeming reed-bed, which sinks under their weight, is spell-binding. All too often, however, the concluding stages of this epic event are lost in darkness.
We had arrived a little early, and soon the HTs were put to use as a Buzzard mobbed a pair of Great White Egret across the Shapwick Heath reserve. One of only 2 breeding pairs in Britain, the egrets floated across a frame filled with light. This was the first time it became apparent that the HTs have the almost surreal effect of lightening the image. This was extremely noticeable and, for someone used to using high-end optics, pretty unbelievable. We are all used to tiny improvements in optics, so a quantum leap came as a shock.
Colour and contrast are subjective. Some prefer the deep, reddish saturation of Leica; others the sharp, cool tint of Swarovski. Eye-relief is a matter of preference. So is weight, balance, size and almost every other aspect of a top binocular. Brightness, however, is not. Brightness can be tested. And if a binocular really is the “brightest” on the market, this will be shown up on almost every occasion that it’s used, especially in low light. So I put the Zeiss Victory HT 8x42s to the test with some scepticism – and picked a truly dark and dreary day on which to do it.
We arrived on the Somerset Levels for what must be one of the most awe-inspiring natural spectacles that can be seen in the whole of Europe. We’re all familiar with Starlings. But the sight of 1 million birds blotting out the sky, whooshing like jet engines as they pile into a teeming reed-bed, which sinks under their weight, is spell-binding. All too often, however, the concluding stages of this epic event are lost in darkness.
We had arrived a little early, and soon the HTs were put to use as a Buzzard mobbed a pair of Great White Egret across the Shapwick Heath reserve. One of only 2 breeding pairs in Britain, the egrets floated across a frame filled with light. This was the first time it became apparent that the HTs have the almost surreal effect of lightening the image. This was extremely noticeable and, for someone used to using high-end optics, pretty unbelievable. We are all used to tiny improvements in optics, so a quantum leap came as a shock.
My previous binoculars, the Leica 8x42 HDs, were superb but, at best, they matched the surrounding light levels in the field. Until using the HTs, I hadn’t consider it possible for binoculars to actually add light invisible to the naked eye. This is due, apparently, to the new use of “High Transmission” lenses by SCHOTT, a German optical glass specialist. But, like me, you don’t need to understand the complex science employed by Zeiss to see the difference. It is as if the Victory HTs are shining a light onto the subject. If this sounds dramatic and far-fetched, I’d urge you to at least try them yourselves. The difference in brightness with any other binocular are striking.
Out on a windswept lake, thousands of calling Wigeon were back-lit on the grey water. With the sun behind them, this was ‘difficult’ watching - or should have been. It was extraordinary, therefore, to pick up the cream-stripe on a Wigeon’s head at over half a kilometre’s range. This was due, in part, to a total absence of chromatic aberration – a much-advertised Zeiss trademark - even where black branches met glaring white, sunlit water. I actively tried to catch the binoculars out, but even black birds against white sky were perfectly revealed in every feather.
Focusing was extremely smooth. The super-large focus wheel offered little resistance, allowing me to travel from infinity to my feet quite quickly, in spite of the large gear ratio. The close-focus was outstanding. Zeiss claims a close-focus distance of 1.9 metres, but this is conservative – I was able to focus just beyond my feet, a distance of no more than 1.5 metres. For the first time with any binocular, I was able to pick out a fragile Peacock butterfly, hibernating on the wooden wall of the hide beside me, in almost total darkness.
Out on a windswept lake, thousands of calling Wigeon were back-lit on the grey water. With the sun behind them, this was ‘difficult’ watching - or should have been. It was extraordinary, therefore, to pick up the cream-stripe on a Wigeon’s head at over half a kilometre’s range. This was due, in part, to a total absence of chromatic aberration – a much-advertised Zeiss trademark - even where black branches met glaring white, sunlit water. I actively tried to catch the binoculars out, but even black birds against white sky were perfectly revealed in every feather.
Focusing was extremely smooth. The super-large focus wheel offered little resistance, allowing me to travel from infinity to my feet quite quickly, in spite of the large gear ratio. The close-focus was outstanding. Zeiss claims a close-focus distance of 1.9 metres, but this is conservative – I was able to focus just beyond my feet, a distance of no more than 1.5 metres. For the first time with any binocular, I was able to pick out a fragile Peacock butterfly, hibernating on the wooden wall of the hide beside me, in almost total darkness.
The binoculars are certainly sturdy, being built for hunting, but their weight is well-distributed and they don’t have that annoying rear-heavy feel that causes fatigue. In fact, they weigh just 785g. With a large exit pupil of 5.3mm, these binoculars have an ‘immersive’ feel, something proven by their wide 408 feet of vision at 1000 yards.
So what are the drawbacks of the HTs over other Zeiss models and competitors? Personally, I’d have liked a touch more more saturation in the image. Some may find the weight a little on the heavy side. But these binoculars are built for illuminating where all others fail – and that, 99% of the time, trumps all in the gloomy conditions of north European birding. Given that these are hunting binoculars, the prime priority is always light – whereas the Zeiss Victory SF binoculars (which at the time of writing are starting to flow into the UK market) are a specially-crafted birding binocular. These will, hopefully, add a little contrast and a little more colour to an already extraordinary binocular.
I had expected a small leap, not a quantum leap, when I tried the HTs. But as the Starlings poured down in the near darkness, their spots remained visible long after my eyes had lost sight of the birds – and my fingers had gone numb.
So what are the drawbacks of the HTs over other Zeiss models and competitors? Personally, I’d have liked a touch more more saturation in the image. Some may find the weight a little on the heavy side. But these binoculars are built for illuminating where all others fail – and that, 99% of the time, trumps all in the gloomy conditions of north European birding. Given that these are hunting binoculars, the prime priority is always light – whereas the Zeiss Victory SF binoculars (which at the time of writing are starting to flow into the UK market) are a specially-crafted birding binocular. These will, hopefully, add a little contrast and a little more colour to an already extraordinary binocular.
I had expected a small leap, not a quantum leap, when I tried the HTs. But as the Starlings poured down in the near darkness, their spots remained visible long after my eyes had lost sight of the birds – and my fingers had gone numb.
