Difference between Leica BA's and BN's?

[Buster]

This has probably been discussed before, but I can't find any information through a search. My question is, are there any differences between the Leica BA's and BN's other than the BN has the ability of closer focus? Am I safe in assuming the coatings, etc., are the same?

Thanks for any info.

[salty]

i think so. the A in BA stands for armoured. and the N in BN stands for near (near focussing) the B stands for black in both types.

so BA = black armoured
BN= black, near focussing

i think that is what it means.

[Buster]

I can understand the "A" for armored and "N" for near, but the "B" for black doesn't make sense because they're offered in green.

[John Traynor]

This has probably been discussed before, but I can't find any information through a search. My question is, are there any differences between the Leica BA's and BN's other than the BN has the ability of closer focus? Am I safe in assuming the coatings, etc., are the same?

Thanks for any info.

Try this
http://www.company7.com/leica/news.html

John

[Buster]

[QUOTE-n.b.: The coating has already been used for other binoculars, but is being advertised for the first time with the launch of the BN binoculars. The BC binoculars also feature HDC™ optical coating (but not the spotting scopes).[/QUOTE]

John,
Thanks for the link. If I'm deciphering things correctly, it appears the only difference is in the close focus, as the info as quoted above indicates the "HDC" coating was in use prior to the BN's being released, but wasn't advertised.

Thanks again.

[steverowe]

So does anybody know what BR means? I recently bought a pair of Leica BR 8x32s.

Steve

[salty]

So does anybody know what BR means? I recently bought a pair of Leica BR 8x32s.

Steve

black rubber, i think - they must be ultravids are they?

i have the 10x42br ultravids (black rubber armoured)
they also do the bl - black leather.

[Gary Hawkins]

the 'B' means Brille which is the German word meaning suitable for spectacle wearers i.e. with roll or push down eyecups. This designation is used by most makers.
'BR' means therefore suitable for spectacle wearers and rubber('R') armoured.
'BL' means suitable for spectacle wearers and leather ('L') covered.

[Rich N]

The most noticable difference between the Leica 8x42BA and 8x42BN... the close focus of the BA is 17.5 feet and the close focus of the BN is 10.2 feet. I think part of that closer focus was achieved by taking a little off the focuser travel past infinity.

I had both the 8x42BA and BN. From my point of view they were the same except for the difference in close focus and travel past infinity. I gave away the BA to someone who really need it and kept the BN.

Rich

[Gary Hawkins]

Exactly. The internal focus mechanism is slightly different but basically a bit of distance viewing has been sacrificed to achieve the close focus. This is the same as on the old model (x40 etc) binoculars. To convert them to close focus some of the distance viewing was lost - although if you needed a lot of dioptre correction they would not work for you.

[Wehr]

i think so. the A in BA stands for armoured. and the N in BN stands for near (near focussing) the B stands for black in both types.

so BA = black armoured
BN= black, near focussing

i think that is what it means.

Some of the BAs and BNs are also available in green and blue.

So all (especially older) German bins have been coded with B, if they were suitable for spectacles wearers. B means "Brille", which is the German word for glasses or spectacles. Zeiss coded their bins in this way too. Only the new Zeiss models do not have this coding, because all over the world it is not clear, that "B" actually means "long eye relief" or "high eyepoint".

Regards
Walter