Carl Zeiss Binoculars

The ultimate in quality optics and binoculars, Carl Zeiss was founded over 150 years ago in 1846 and to this day maintain the very highest standards. Headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany, in northeastern Baden-Wurttemberg, with production centers in Europe, North America, Central America, and Asia, and offices in over 30 countries, make no mistake, Carl Zeiss Binoculars are of the highest quality. As well as binoculars, Carl Zeiss manufacture the rifle scopes, eyeglass lenses, camera and cine lenses, microscopes and optronics. Hollywood blockbusters like "Lord of the Rings" have been shot through Carl Zeiss objective lenses and the Ferrari Formula 1 team uses Carl Zeiss technologies to ensure the quality of its racing car transmission systems and bodywork.

Zeiss Binoculars
Carl Zeiss Binoculars pride themselves on the highest quality as well as innovation, examples of this include the special fluoride glass featured on the new Victory FL binoculars, whose lenses contain fluorine ions that contribute to a further considerable improvement in image quality. Another example of innovation are the Victory RF Rangefinder Binoculars that display the distance to the object you are viewing with the press of a button.

Most binoculars in the Zeiss range feature multi-coated optics, phase-coated prisms, twist-up eyecups, diopter control, and ergonomic focus. The High-end Zeiss binoculars are nitrogen-purged as well as having a range finder that displays the distance to the object in meters or yards, multi-coatings, and water-repelling coatings.

There are two main ranges produced by Zeiss binoculars, The Victory range is their top of the range binoculars and offer what they call "state of the art" performance with superior views and handling. And the Zeiss Conquest series, their "superior value" range that still maintains the highest Zeiss standards, but at a cheaper price level than the Victory series.

Zeiss Victory & Victory FL Range of Binoculars

All the binoculars in the Zeiss Victory range feature their Water and oil repelling protective coating called LotuTech® and all except the compact 8x20 and 10x25 binoculars feature the Zeiss Fluoride glass (FL) which is said to offer outstanding edge definition and minimal color fringing.

Sizes available in the Zeiss Victory Range:

• Victory Compact 8 x 20 T*
  Compact pocket binoculars for hiking and mountain climbing, operas and concerts.
• Victory Compact 10 x 25 T*
  Compact pocket binoculars for nature observation, holidays and traveling.
• Victory 8x32 T* FL
  Binoculars bright enough for all occasions. Ideally suited for stalking and field ornithology. Excellent performance even in the twilight hours.
• Victory 10x32 T* FL
  Ideally suited for mobile hunting, wildlife observation and birding. Discover fine details with brilliant purity and razor sharp clarity both in the distance and at close range.
• Victory 7x42 T* FL
  Highest light transmission of any binocular in its class, Nitrogen filled to prevent fogging and 100% waterproof
• Victory 8x42 T* FL
  Similar to the 7x42's but with an improved 8x magnification
• Victory 10x42 T* FL
  All the features of the 7x42's with an impressive 10x magnification
• Victory 8 x 45 T* RF
  Zeiss laser rangefinder binoculars - LED displays, and integrated BIS™ ballistic information system
• Victory 10 x 45 T* RF
  All the features of high-grade ZEISS binoculars, combining them with the functions of range-finding and ballistic information BIS™
• Victory 8 x 56 T* FL
  The traditional pair of binoculars for hunters. Reliable binoculars from dawn to the poorest twilight.
• Victory 10 x56 T* FL
  Most powerful binocular within the modern FL series.

So what do all the letters mean?

Victory FL series
The Zeiss Victory FL series of binoculars all contain the Zeiss Fluoride glass (FL) which help keep the edge definition of the image sharp with minimal color fringing.

T* and P*
If you take a look at the features and descriptions of most Zeiss binoculars, they will mention T* and P*, so what does this mean?

They stand for Zeiss' two proprietary anti-reflective coatings are called T* and MC multi coating and an additional Zeiss-exclusive coating called P* which stands for Phase Correction Coating, which is applied to Roof Prisms to correct color fringing. These coatings are there to limit the small percentage of light that is reflected away when it hits the glass surface of the optics and thus does not enter the binoculars and then your eyes. The glass surfaces are treated with a microscopic layer of refractive material, such as magnesium fluoride. To achieve this multi coating, several such refractive layers are applied, when this is done correctly these coatings can dramatically enhance light transmission properties of the binoculars by delivering more of the available light to the eyes.

Zeiss Victory Range Finder Binoculars

Surely the most innovative series of binoculars in the Zeiss Range are the Victory Range Finder Binoculars.

As you come to expect from Zeiss, the Victory 8 x 45 T* RF and Victory 10 x 45 T* RF binoculars come with very bright and powerful optics, but also include LED displays within the view that, with a press of a button on the binoculars will display the precise distance to the object you are viewing along with their integrated BIS™ ballistic information system.

Additional important features include ease of use and an informative, unclutered display concept - all in an ergonomic design for comfortable handling.

These binoculars are primarily designed as hunting binoculars, but I can imagine that they would be very usefull as marine binoculars as well as general wildlife viewing.

For more a demonstration how the Victory Range Finder binoculars work as well as a 360 degree view of the binoculars, their stats and features, click on the link below which will open a popup window (make sure your popup blocker does not block it)

View Demo of how the Zeiss Range finder works

Where to Buy Carl Zeiss Binoculars:

Below are a few featured Zeiss Binoculars: View All Zeiss Binoculars

View >> All Zeiss Binoculars

LotuTec® Coating was developed by Zeiss and uses a principal from nature, that they call the Lotus flower effect.

That is the water repelling characteristic of surfaces, to simply let water drops pearl off as well as repel dirt. LotuTec® acts as protective coating and cleaning and care is made much simpler. This technology has been used for a while on Carl Zeiss spectacle lenses and has now been developed for most of the Zeiss Victory Binoculars range (see full list below). Interesting to note that some Leica binoculars also have a similar coating, known as Leica AquaDuraTM-Coating.

LotuTec® advantages:

• Dirt, grease and water repelling pearl-off effect.
• Simplified, streak-free and gentle cleaning.
• Contrast-rich and brilliant image.

The following Zeiss Binoculars use their LotuTech coatings:

• Victory 8 x 56 T* FL Binoculars & Victory 10 x56 T* FL Binoculars
• Victory 8x32 T* FL & Victory 10x32 T* FL Binoculars
• Victory 7x42 T* FL & Victory 8x42 T* FL & Victory 10x42 T* FL Binoculars
• Victory 8 x 45 T* RF & Victory 10 x 45 T* Range Finder Binoculars