Zeiss scores victory at opera - Zeiss 8x20B T* Victory Compact Binoculars 8x20 BT 522035

orld-class opera deserves world-class binoculars, and a performance of La Traviata featuring Renee Fleming as Violetta deserves no less than the Zeiss 8x20B T* Victory Compact Binoculars.

I was immediately drawn to their compact size. The binoculars fold so that when they are stored in their case they are about the size of a thick wallet. They are not a problem to carry in a purse or in a coat pocket. The soft canvas case has secure Velcro closure and a belt loop.

Using the included neck strap, I put the binoculars on at the start of the show and wore them throughout the evening and intermissions. They are light enough that I did not notice they were there when I wasn't using them.

I wear glasses and I'm always concerned about scratching the lenses with the eyepieces of binoculars. The soft rubber covers on the eyepieces of the Zeiss 8x20B T* Victory guard against this and I was completely confident that my glasses were protected.

Of course, a major reason we buy Zeiss is for high performance optics. When I held the binocluars, but not at my eyes, the light jumped out of the eyepieces like bright television screens calling me to look at them. The bright, crisp image made the china serving set on Violetta's dining table in the country garden positively 3-D!

Before the show, friends said the binoculars would be too powerful, making the field of view too narrow, but from my seat in the nose-bleed balcony of the Civic Opera House in Chicago, the Zeiss were perfect. When I wanted to see the emotional interpretation of Ms. Fleming's face, which was most of the evening, her character was perfectly framed, head to toe, with enough extra room top and bottom to accept a duet of singers spaced fairly far apart. Most of all, I appreciated the power of the binoculars to see if Alfredo really gets to kiss the Diva. The kisses looked real, and how! I never felt like was missing any of the action and, even if I had a better ticket on the main floor, I think I would still want the power to see the performers' faces.

Bravissimo Zeiss! A star performance is the result of a lifetime of dedication, hard work and understanding your audience.
Pros: Small Size, Super-sharp image

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.