Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/18

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Subject: [Leica] binoculars - looking for assistance
From: jbm at jbm.org (Jeff Moore)
Date: Thu Jan 18 10:13:49 2007
References: <82c9dd70701180437w53164f0as5cdf7876ee4dc0c1@mail.gmail.com> <p06230900c1d56116a61b@[10.1.16.129]>

2007-01-18-12:44:02 Henning Wulff:
> Have a look at Canon image stabilized binoculars. Optically they 
> might not be as good as the very best from Leica, Zeiss or Swarovski 
> but the IS more than makes up for that. They would be in the upper 
> price bracket, but are fantastic at the higher magnifications.

And then... to get back to on-topic fanboyism, I've never seen the equal
of Leica binoculars.  Granted, I haven't made a concerted effort to make
sure I sampled the best from Zeiss (although I have owned well-respected
glasses from Bushnell, whose upper-end models are (or were when I was
shopping) still considered world-class)...  but through recent (not
decades old) Leica binoculars, the saturation of colors is incredible,
compared to any other glasses I've tried -- and I'm told that really
subtle matters of tone can be involved in identifying those feathered
creatures.

Dipping briefly into some recent reviews, I see hints that Swarovski
glasses have become better than they were when last I looked...  but I
lika Leica, just 'cause.

The question of IS is an interesting one, though -- even 8x binoculars
can annoyingly magnify slight hand tremors, so depending on the power
needed and the steadiness of the intended users' hands, stabilized
glasses, even if noticeably inferior optically, might possibly be a more
practical choice.

Another practical concern is size and weight versus low-light abilities
(and also the matter of a larger, and thus less fussy to get lined up,
exit pupil).  The traditional x42 size has a little edge in these areas
over the midsize x32 glasses, but the latter are a really compelling
tradeoff in these areas -- a much less neckache-inducing weight, but
still comfortable to look through.  The baby x20-or-so glasses are just
annoying to try to use.  This all based on my experience with 8x glasses
-- more magnification requires a bigger objective for the same exit
pupil.

Is this to be a surprise gift, or can the recipients try things for
themselves?

 -Jeff

In reply to: Message from faneuil at gmail.com (Eric Korenman) ([Leica] binoculars - looking for assistance)
Message from henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff) ([Leica] binoculars - looking for assistance)