Zeiss Victory RF 10x42- Optical Quality worse than regular Victory?

[Winchester44]

Hey there everyone I’m currently looking for a pair of range finding 10 x 42. I tried EL range Swaro and optically they were magnificent, a bit large and oddly shaped to my hands. I have yet to get my mitts on the Leica or the Zeiss. The Leica might fall into the same large boat as the EL range and have read their optics are more comparable to the trinovid or just different due to the unique prism design. From what I’ve read the Zeiss might be the Goldilocks combination of decent ranging, normal size and excellent optics. However, there seems to be some argument over the optical quality. Some claim it’s absolutely alpha and the equal of a normal victory while others claim it’s really closer to the conquest, and therefore the price is not fully
merited. I’d be very curious to talk to anyone who’s had long-term use and can speak to quality of optics. Many thanks in advance!

 

[Schutzprecision]

I’ve used the zeiss victory rf binos for a few years now. To my eyes the glass is very good. I haven’t used the victory non range finding binos but I have a pair of Leica ultravid 10x42 and swaro slc 10x42. Glass quality is subjective but to my eyes the Zeiss is better than my swaros and leicas. Ranging and firing solutions have been spot on. Hope this helps.

 

[Ramem7mm]

I have the Victory RF 10x42 and main reason I bought them is to utilize the range finder and get a shoot to solution. The shoot to solution is awesome and I really like that part. I use them frequently with hunting as well as shooting matches and going on 4th season with them so they have been used quite a bit. I feel like the image is just ok as long as you get everything focused perfectly and be very steady. The focus knobs move very easily so its a big pain in the but to constantly fix everything every other time I take it out of the bino harness. I have looked through the Swaro and I did like them as well, however I wasn't going to sell mine just to buy the Swaro and be out the extra cash. No experience with the others noted.

 

[Formidilosus]

Hey there everyone I’m currently looking for a pair of range finding 10 x 42. I tried EL range Swaro and optically they were magnificent, a bit large and oddly shaped to my hands. I have yet to get my mitts on the Leica or the Zeiss. The Leica might fall into the same large boat as the EL range and have read their optics are more comparable to the trinovid or just different due to the unique prism design. From what I’ve read the Zeiss might be the Goldilocks combination of decent ranging, normal size and excellent optics. However, there seems to be some argument over the optical quality. Some claim it’s absolutely alpha and the equal of a normal victory while others claim it’s really closer to the conquest, and therefore the price is not fully
merited. I’d be very curious to talk to anyone who’s had long-term use and can speak to quality of optics. Many thanks in advance!

The Zeiss RF glass is nowhere near Conquests. People saying that are seeing what they want to see.

The problem I, @Ryan Avery, and a few others have noted with the RF’s- is the glass is almost too bright. They are excellent, but they are so bright that glassing on very bright days, snow with sun, etc. becomes tiring.

 

[Shraggs]

The ZEISS RF series use the same lens and coating as the original victory fl, not the most current coatings. I also owned and used the original victory and recently sold them - still absolutely great glass, alpha all the way. Due to the right barrel display internally if you look and compare to the non rf you might notice 1% less detail in the center.

I agree with form the conquest is not in the same discussion comparison to the RF.

Also agree they are bright. And I use/used 8x not 10. But that is why I went with ZEISS in the first place. For my local deer hunting I wanted the best light gathering possible especially walking in farm land fields before first light I can scan a field before walking if deer are there - yes I can see them at night with them.

Yep, they can be annoying and fatiguing in good light as they are bright.

Trade offs. But the glass fov and detail is alpha.

 

[khuber84]

I have several lrf binos. Zeiss, sig, vectronix, been behind all the alpha stuff plenty. The zeiss victory rf glass is better than than everyone but swaro and the newest pro series Leica. Zeiss is brighter with more pop than Leica but Leica resolves just as good. The glass in the zeiss is great. But.........the laser is prob the worst of all them. Good luck getting consistent accurate ranges in snowy broken terrain past 900y, if there's smoke, haze, fog, snow, rain, good luck past 900y. On a perfect day, 1300ish is all mine will give me unless I'm trying to range a huge object, then they'll go to 1500-1600 Tripod mounted. The ballistic solver works but requires tweaking. The glass in the newest gen2 sigs is actually quite good. I love my vectors but if I had to make a second choice, they would likely be it, or the Leica. Leicas display just takes a long time to cycle through the data in the display.

 

[Winchester44]

I have several lrf binos. Zeiss, sig, vectronix, been behind all the alpha stuff plenty. The zeiss victory rf glass is better than than everyone but swaro and the newest pro series Leica. Zeiss is brighter with more pop than Leica but Leica resolves just as good. The glass in the zeiss is great. But.........the laser is prob the worst of all them. Good luck getting consistent accurate ranges in snowy broken terrain past 900y, if there's smoke, haze, fog, snow, rain, good luck past 900y. On a perfect day, 1300ish is all mine will give me unless I'm trying to range a huge object, then they'll go to 1500-1600 Tripod mounted. The ballistic solver works but requires tweaking. The glass in the newest gen2 sigs is actually quite good. I love my vectors but if I had to make a second choice, they would likely be it, or the Leica. Leicas display just takes a long time to cycle through the data in the display.

Thanks!!

 

[Ucsdryder]

I had SFs and now I have RFs. Are they “as good”. To the eye, they’re pretty damn close. I can glass for hours and I don’t feel like I’m lacking any optical quality and never have any fatigue. People who have an issue with the glass are seeing what they want to see.

 

[Weldor]

Had Swaro's and Leica, and the Sig's . Been using the the Victory for 3 years. They are bight and clear and work well for me. Out of all of the ones I have owned the Sig had a great rangefinder but lousy glass. the others are top notch glass but the rangefinder was not great if it was foggy or raining.