CN FORUMS ARCHIVE Telescope Reviews: BVD

Two recent reviews have been added to the long disfunctional , Simpson Optics' Better View Desired web site

The new additions are written by different reviewers , who have taken over from the highly respected Stephen Ingraham .

The first one , contributed by Wayne Moses , covers the newer lightweight , 8x version of that top of the range 42mm Nikon roof prism model which seems to have more different names than it has serious competitors amongst the elite of the birding binocular market .

http://betterviewdesired.com/12-05/Nikon%20LX%20L%208x42.html

One of the celebrated models this lighter weight version was clearly designed to compete against ( along with the Swarovski EL and Leica Ultravid ) is the Zeiss *T*FL , whihc is reviewed here by Tom Lester .

http://betterviewdesired.com/12-05/Zeiss%208x42TFL.html

Whilst finding a return to ACTIVE SERVICE from such a long standing and invaluable source of birding optics information
most welcome , and having enjoyed reading these two new additions , personally , I find the writing styles of BOTH reviewers to be displaying signs of being possibly overly influenced by that of their predecessor , Stephen Ingraham .

Stephen always DID err on the side of " diplomacy " and could certainly never be accused of having ever been condescending , but at least in his summarising , he always gave a strongish hint as to how highly he actually rated any particular model ( using his beloved Nikon 8 x 32 SE as a yardstick )

A major problem with there now being two independent reviewers is that such a system of measurement or points scoring system , however quaint and eccentric , has now been rendered virtually impossible .

So Tom Lester has officially announced the Zeiss 8 x 42 *T*FL to be the new " REFERENCE STANDARD " , whilst for all we know , he may not even have compared it side by side against the Nikon LXL , which has been praised so highly by a reviewer who , again , for all we know , has never tested the Zeiss .

And let's not forget the Leica Ultravid has it's fair share of supporters too -- not to mention those loyal and faithful owners of the Swarovski EL .

ANY optics review is almost bound by nature to contain elements of a subjective nature , and it is with an open mind and no suggestion of being any more discerning than the next observer that I feel inclined to comment about my humble disagreement with at least two points made by Wayne Moses in his Nikon LXL article .

In it , he mentions that when the heavier version of the model was first introducedin 1998 , as the VENTURER in the USA ( High Grade in the UK ) that it provided the BRIGHTEST image amongst it's competitors .

To MY eyes , it DID NOT and still does not , provide as BRIGHT an image as the Zeiss 7 x 42 classic , which has the advantage of using A.K roof prisms .

He also states that the Venturer , subsequently re- named , variously ( LX ) ( HG ) or ( Premier ) displays no more chromatic aberration than any of it's competitors .

I'm afraid I have to disagree about that too .

He DOES mention that the originally version was HEAVY .

With THAT , I will agree wholeheartedly , adding the prefix TOO .

Regards , Kenny

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Milton Wilcox R.I.P