Posts Made By: Alan Birnbaum

I perhaps should have mentioned that a similar survey of the Pentax site confirms that they also will have a new set of models available, "DCF SP," the latter standing for "Super Performance." These will come in not two but FIVE sizes: 8 x 32, 8 x 42, 10 x 43, 10 x 50 and 12.5 x 50.

It would appear that the objectives are more complex, and the eyepieces also, including some aspheric elements. The 8 x 42 and 10 x 50 have very extended eye relief, but somewhat narrower, 50 degree AFV, while the others still list a 17 mm ER, but a 60 degree AFOV. Weight seems relatively light, 10 x 42 for example 25.0 oz, less than even the Zeiss EL or the Swarovski EL.

Anyway, I'm interested in comments particularly from anyone who has actually SEEN or USED a pair of either the new Zeiss Victory II B T*, or the Pentax DCF SP.

I have discovered that placing a rubber "finger," as used by my staff for sorting papers, onto my left third finger usefully improves my ability to focus the Minox BD/BR, which have a rather small, and initially, stiff focus ring.

Wow! The little guy looks like he was posing for pages 22-24 of David Sibley's new little book, "Sibley's Birding Basics," for the section entitled "Sorting Skills," i.e., how one little red bird differs from another. Heavy orange conical beak, tufted crown, black lores and supralores, gray dusted over the primaries. And of course, right at about the sort of scale one would likely see in the field.

While this black "duck wannabe" goes by the name of "Common Moorhen," around here of course it's UNCOMMON, but present here and there, amidst the hordes of white-billed fellow rails known as "Coots." Whatever committee designed this bird just didn't do a very good job!

Clearly it seems that there's no "standard" birding binocular. On my current trip to Honolulu, I'm using three, ranging from a Canon IS 18 x 50, down to Minox BD 10 x 25 BR folding. The latter should be very handy tomorrow, carried on a belt, to certain places in Pearl Harbor, where they frown on any bulky item, but on a day where some of the Hawaiian shorebirds might be an attraction between the ARIZONA and the MISSOURI tours.

And, I think it's very clear that one smaller pair of binoculars that can be taken almost anywhere are always useful, even if your main pair are three times the weight, and six times the price. Birds do NOT not know the difference, any more than a bass can figure out the price tag for the rod that has him hooked, or, the boat on which the angler is standing. (Yes, I'm a catch and release kind of guy....birding is ALWAYS "catch and release"!)

Alan Birnbaum
temporarily on Oahu

If it make any difference, in another forum, it was reported that Roland Christen purchased for his own use the Minolta Activa 10x42 waterproof roof prism binoculars. Likely, these are probably the same as the older Pentax that you mention, and likely very similar to the Eagle Optics Ranger Platinum Class 10x42. I wouldn't drop a name, save that arguably the best apochromatic refractor telescopes in the world, at least for the 92-155 mm aperture range come from Astro-Physics, of Illinois. And its designer-owner is....Roland Christen.

Alan Birnbaum
Fresno,CA

After some field use of the Minox BD 10x25 BR, I would allow that I would not recommend them for use as a primary field glass. Walking along the Ala Wai Canal today in Honolulu (sorry to all you guys shoveling snow somewhere), I found that in deep shade, trying to locate some Japanese White Eye, that these 2.5 mm exit pupil glasses are much slower than my Eagle Optics 8x32 Platinum Class Rangers, both in getting aligned to my own pupils, and then, locating small birds in the 5 degree field.

Clearly, the extra exit pupil of standard sized binoculars has a significant advantage, when a flitting bird allows just a few seconds to raise the glass, find the bird, then identify it. So, my recommendation for this instrument, and presumably any other folding glass, would be as a secondary unit.

NO, I never found the Japanese White Eye, though I did find a Yellow-faced Canary. A passing "major bird lady" did allow she HEARD the JWE, which apparently have been partly displaced by the larger Red-vented Bulbul.

Alan Birnbaum
temporarily in Honolulu, Hawaii

Erik D reports from reviewing new Bogen products in Las Vegas that:

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I'm not sure about the Zeiss, Leica or Nikon, but, one VERY nice feature of the tripod foot on the Swarovski 65 (and likely also the 80) is that it fits DIRECTLY into the rectangular slot for the smaller Bogen heads! This weekend, when the proprietor of the Wild Bird Center in Monterey proudly showed off her first 65 HD, I removed it from the Bogen 3405B, took off the QR plate, and replaced it onto that head.

So, that's one less item to lose, one less step to mount the scope, and one less chance to somehow drop over $1600 of fine Austrian optics onto dirt, concrete, etc!

Alan Birnbaum
Fresno, CA

Well, if anyone ever doubted what motivated Roland Christen to design 6" triplet f6 apochromats, surely, they could figure it out after a look at that Herschel-esque tube!

Here in the Central Valley tubes of that sort mainly are used out on the West Side...to irrigate cotton fields.

Alan Birnbaum
Fresno, CA

Very interesting; supposedly we have a few here in the Central Valley of California, but so far I have seen only Brewer's and Red-winged. I wouldn't mind a little variety!

Alan Birnbaum
Fresno, CA