Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've had a pair of 10x42 Trinovid Ultra's for 10 years now and have found nothing better except the current Leica binoculars. Love them and take them everywhere. Make great birding glasses, although the glasses used by most are 8x glass. I also have a pair of Nikon binocs, but not even close to the Trinovids. Gene -------------- Original message from Jeff Moore <jbm@jbm.org>: -------------- > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information