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I suppose the Victory series of the German Carl Zeiss company doesn’t need an introduction; not so long ago the series was given a remake – the Victory HT binoculars were launched. Here we tested the previous model so the Carl Zeiss Victory 8x42 T* FL. That instrument is still available on the market and very attractively priced to boot – after the new series hit the shelves you can find a good bargain. The Zeiss Victory 8x42 T* FL reached an excellent result of 140.9 points in our optical test, managing to take the third place right after the binoculars produced by Nikon and Swarovski. Let’s check how it fared in the endurance test!

Low temperature

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After 24 hours spent in a temperature of – 22° C the central focusing wheel moved exactly as it should – it remained smooth and even, like in the room temperature. The individual focusing click-stop mechanism (for dioptre regulation) worked very heavily though; still it was possible to get the right settings. The eyecups regulation and the gauge of the tubes weren’t problematic.

High temperature

In the case of high temperatures we haven’t met any problems with the eyecups, the tubes gauge or the dioptre correction. There weren’t any grease stains either on the casing or inside the tubes. The only issue we noticed was very specific slack while moving the focusing wheel. It could be felt only when you turned the wheel very slightly, with a more distinct movement it disappeared very quickly and the degree of resistance returned to that characteristic for a room temperature norm.

Waterproof qualities

No reservations whatsoever – the binoculars survived one hour in the water without any problems.

Falls

Two falls from different heights didn’t cause any serious issues. The binoculars remained properly collimated and the eyecups weren’t damaged in the process as well. There were no traces of the falls on the casing. In fact only one problem appeared and for a short period of time. After hitting the floor, the eyecups started working with more resistance – sometimes it was so hard to set the proper position that we risked unscrewing them completely. It lasted only several days after the fall, though, and then their work returned to normal.

Optics cleaning

The fingerprints on the front elements aren’t distinct and they can be removed very quickly even with a dry cloth. Residue of water, which got stuck after applying high temperature, didn’t have any tendency to cumulate on the elements and could be cleaned without any problems. The drops of rain dribble down perfectly well. A big grease stain after a while changed into particular drops and it could be removed with one swipe of a cloth. It’s clear the hydrophobic LotuTec coatings are working as they should and deserve the highest grade.

Other

No other flaws.

Summary

The chart below shows the results the tested pair of binoculars got in particular categories:

The score of our endurance tests speak for itself: we deal here with a very solid pair of binoculars which, after a year of intensive wear and tear, looks like new and all its mechanisms are fully functional. Some small slip-ups connected to extreme temperatures don’t change the overall picture, which is very positive. If you want a pair of binoculars, produced by a reputable company, which will serve you many years problem-free and you don’t want to spend a huge amount of money, like 7-10 thousands PLN, on it the Zeiss, tested here, will be an excellent choice.