Any reviews on Leica Duovid 8-12 X 42 binoculars

[kev_pot]

Hi,

I'm looking for a review on Leica Duovid 8-12 X 42 binoculars. Any

owners of these binoculars out there? I'm thinking about to buy one

but not sure about the quality comparing to Trinovids. Thanks.

[notraces]

Kev,

 

Check out www.betterviewdesired.com --- not sure if the binos you're talking about

are listed -- but all the top ones are reviewed...

 

My personal preference is Swarovski 8.5 x 42 EL's.... I have several binos (I've been a

birder for over 30 years)... if you have any questions, let me know! Good luck with

your purchase.

 

Bob

[paul hart]

I have these binos. They were the first pair of decent ones I ever owned, and I have never compared them with any others apart from the much cheaper ones I had before, which is not a fair comparison.

 

So I can't say how they compare with the Trinovids, but I am totally happy with them. They are compact, beautifully balanced, and very well made. The image is bright and the detail is phenomenal.

 

You may know that they now make a 10-15x model; I've never inspected them but they seem to be quite a bit bigger.

[jorn ake]

I have been birdwatching with Zeiss optics for quite a while now, after using any number of binoculars beforehand over the years. I too was interested in this model, just from a "have they figured out variable magnification yet" standpoint. Earlier attempts by other companies have been largely unusable. While I have only looked through these binoculars in the store, I thought they were pretty great and compared favorably with my fixed magnification Zeiss (10x40BGNs from a few years ago - haven't found anything yet to make me switch) as far as light transference and detail resolution. No surprise - these are Leica binoculars after all. But my Zeiss feel so much lighter. If you are thinking of using these binoculars for any sort of carry-along activity, the weight becomes THE factor for me, after the optics of course. And while I know a lot of birders like Bob Smith above prefer an 8x binocular for birdwatching, I have never found 8x's to be quite the magnification best for my use in the field. While I have not done this, you can have Zeiss adapt their binoculars for close focusing, which will make them perfect for near birding. I haven't really found the need. If you are not interested in Zeiss (you can still get my model at what I think is a really incredible price for amazing glass) then look at the Leica Trinovid 10x32s or the 10x42s. On a weight/optical acuity scale, the Trinovid 10x32s are some of the best of the best. I guess I am saying that I am convinced the Duovids are excellent but not my choice for carrying around my neck all day long.

 

Your mileage may vary, especially if you are looking for something to use from a porch or solid viewing spot, or if you need nautical binoculars to keep on a boat. We have both here assumed binoculars & birding go hand in hand.

[patrik in sweden]

I wanted to have a bair of binoculars similar to the optics of my M-system. But rather the buying the "baddest" of them all, ie the ones you refer to, I decided for a pair that can go along everywhere and not being too heavy, the 8x 32 Trinovids. They are superb. They are by no means any crappy binos, but it is better to have a "less" good binos around your neck, than the best there is at home...

 

Good luck!

[dan flanders]

Some years ago I managed the binocular & scope dept at a sporting goods store in Alaska. We stocked all the major brands, Leitz, Zeiss, Swarovski, Steiner, B&L, and several economy lines. I�ve been a long time admirer of Leitz products and at time the Trinovids were in my opinion the best we could offer. Then Leica decided to improve the Trinovids by making them totally waterproof and adopt a different form of roof prism which all told added approximately half again to their weight, a sacrifice I felt was questionable inasmuch as I had carried the previous Trinovid edition twenty or so years without complaint. The accompanying price increase pushed the Leicas out of consideration for most of our clients, many of whom were big game guides and other outdoorsmen. Swarovski produced an excellent glass that appealed to the hunting set, and Helmut Swarovski came to Alaska to hunt several years in a row and in several instances presented his guides with a pair of binoculars. These, to my mind were the best buy available at that time.

<p> From my own view as a purveyor I found one economy glass that seemed to surpass all others, and even challenged its more expensive competitors. This was the Bushnell Custom in 10 x 42 and 8 x 36 (endorsed by the Audubon Society), later labeled by B&L and equaled only by their flagship, the Elite. I have never found another binocular that could compare with the Customs for edge to edge field sharpness.

<p> Apparently quantum improvements have been made in the design of sporting binoculars since my involvement, but it is difficult to imagine just what improvements could justify the exorbitant prices, and I suppose I will have to be satisfied with my old original Trinovids, a B&L Zephyr, and a Zeiss Deltrintem.

[james_.1]

I owned trinovid 10x42 and they're awesome. Sold them but will be getting ultravid 10x42 BL (leather) sometime soon hopefully. Magnesium for lighter weight and better performance supposedly. And the look is retro cool.