Zeiss Victory 8x20 vs Leica Ultravid 8x20 (1 Viewer)

Hi all,

I'm in the market for a set of 8x20's. I briefly owned a pair of Zeiss victory (stolen from my car when I forgot to lock it one night!) and would enjoy checkout out the Leica's. However, the Leica's are much more expensive on the used market - not sure why.

Can anyone comment on the pros and cons of each?

Thanks.
-Adam

afk314 said:

Hi all,

I'm in the market for a set of 8x20's. I briefly owned a pair of Zeiss victory (stolen from my car when I forgot to lock it one night!) and would enjoy checkout out the Leica's. However, the Leica's are much more expensive on the used market - not sure why.

Can anyone comment on the pros and cons of each?

Thanks.
-Adam

Click to expand...

Adam -
I have both, and I consider them equals for optical and mechanical quality. I slightly prefer the ergonomics of the Leica; the larger, more prominent focus knob works better for me.
John

I had an earlier Leica pocket 8x20 for some years and just couldn't get on with the twin hinge arrangement. Just using the focus wheel altered the position of the hinged portions ie it changed the IPD, so making them a real faff to use. In the end I sold them.

I get on well the Zeiss's Victory Compact with its single hinge and assymetric design. I agree with John that the focus wheel (and dioptre wheel) would be improved if they were a little larger but otherwise I like them a lot.

My pair are sitting next to the computer monitor as I type this and have been my space-saving first-grab bins on my work station for the last 4 years.

Lee

I have both. Optically they are a toss-up (though early years of Zeiss lacked dielectric coating). Ergonomically, I like the Leica much better for the wrap around grip and focus knob. The Ultravid doesn't have the problems Lee/Troubador described. If you focus w/your left hand, you may not like the right hand grip enforced by the Zeiss. If you like the asymmetrical Zeiss, the Leica can be set up very quickly the same way, but has flexibility for being unfolded asymmetrically for either left or right hand. I prefer the BL version of the Leica for its smaller size and weight.

--AP

Great responses, thank you for your feedback.

One more question! I intend to pack these in my fly fishing vest. Can you see any reason why one or the other might be better for this application?

-a

I think that the one that opens quickest and can be put up to your eyes quickly would be the best.

I used to carry an Eagle Optics 6x32 Ranger Platinum in one of the big bottom pockets of my vest when I went fishing. It is as big as a normal 8x32. I also have the much smaller Opticron 6x32 Traveler and that would fit even better. I think it weighs about 14 ounces and it has a FOV of 420'@1000 yards. It also comes in 8x32 and 10x32 but the FOVs are correspondingly narrower.

I would rather have with me a binocular with a wide field. It is easier to use.

Bob

I finally got the Zeiss to go with my Leica and Nikon.
For me, ergonomics on the Leica and Zeiss are a toss up, YMMV.
The Leica, Nikon and Zeiss are a toss up, again for me, optically, but I prefer the ergonomics on the Leica and Zeiss with the Nikon being very usable.
The advantage of the 8x20 format is that it can fit in shirt pockets and can go anywhere, except if you are wearing a tux.
Going to larger size means you lose the go anywhere advantage and having a binocular in hand is better than having one left on the kitchen table because it is "just a little to big" to carry all the time.
Two trips to Hawaii, I had the Leica 8x20's while my 8x32's and 7x42's sat home because they were to big to be convenient.
Get one of the high end 8x20's, carry them everywhere and enjoy the views that you would have missed by not having some kind of binocular handy.
The Leica leather wrapped 8x20 Ultra is a real jewel and even a tiny bit smaller without the rubber armor.
Art

I have the Zeiss Victory 8x20 and the older model Leica 8x20 Trinovid which doesn't have stops on the hinges and can be folded into a "Z" shape if you like. It can be folded into a package much smaller than the Victory. It is quite good and is easier to carry around than the Zeiss if you are not planning on using a binocular very often. I usually take it with me if I don't expect to need a binocular where I am going except for casual viewing. It works very nicely at concerts and places like that.

I wouldn't want to go birding with either one of them and I would choose to take the Zeiss Victory with me if I wanted one with me when I was fly-fishing which I no longer partake in. It opens much quicker than the Leica. It would not be as easy to use, especially with eye placement, as the 6x32 I used to carry in my vest.

Bob