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BX-4 McKinley HD, new version (1 Viewer)

I called Leupold and they told me the following for the McKinley 8x42, current eyecup diameter = 47mm, new design eyecup diameret= 41mm
 
I called Leupold and they told me the following for the McKinley 8x42, current eyecup diameter = 47mm, new design eyecup diameret= 41mm

That would put the new model just like many others are at.
41mm is common among many Zeiss and Nikon models I
just checked.

That sounds like a good move on their part.

Jerry
 
That would put the new model just like many others are at.
41mm is common among many Zeiss and Nikon models I
just checked.

That sounds like a good move on their part.

Jerry

Jerry,

What effect does reducing the eyecup diameter have on the image itself?
I really liked the original but I know some people had issues with odd blackouts and whatnot.

All the best,
Justin
 
Jerry,

What effect does reducing the eyecup diameter have on the image itself?
I really liked the original but I know some people had issues with odd blackouts and whatnot.

All the best,
Justin

Justin:

It probably does not have anything to do with the image,
and it may be all they have changed is the armor along with
the eyecup to a smaller slimmer size.

I have only tried the McKinley in a store, and I found the large
diameter of the eyecups, and the size of the binocular to be
larger than average, and a handful.

If some had reported issues with the eyecups being too large
for proper eye relief or issues either with or without eyeglasses,
that is a good reason to change things. Any company does not
want to lose sales, because of issues like that.

Jerry
 
Jerry,

What effect does reducing the eyecup diameter have on the image itself?
I really liked the original but I know some people had issues with odd blackouts and whatnot.

All the best,
Justin

I don't see where making the eye cup smaller could affect the image. If I understood what I was told, the only thing that has changed is the eye cup design and the armoring. The oculars remain the same. I just looked at the original again and it looks like the room is there to gain with the same ocular. I have asked for a clarification on the point.
 
Jerry and Steve,
I guess what I meant by my question was whether modifying the eyecup diameter would alleviate issues with the blackouts that had been oft-reported.

Justin
 
Jerry and Steve,
I guess what I meant by my question was whether modifying the eyecup diameter would alleviate issues with the blackouts that had been oft-reported.

Justin

Justin:

I believe a smaller eyecup will help you with blackouts, and that
may be a reason why they have been redesigned.

As reported above a 47mm diameter eyecup is large, the largest
eyecup, I have ever found is the 45mm, in the Minox 15x58 ED.
The large size is not an issue for most users, and I have not found any binocular that I cannot get along with.

Steve, is the one that will be the best reference, as he has
experience, and a new McKinley coming.

Jerry
 
Jerry and Steve,
I guess what I meant by my question was whether modifying the eyecup diameter would alleviate issues with the blackouts that had been oft-reported.

Justin

OK, I suppose that with any eye cup design and eye relief specification, some people will at some point on the spectrum have some issues. With the new 41-42 mm eye cup, the McKinley will now fall in line with the common eye cup diameters of most binoculars. That is a significant reduction from the original 47 mm size. My guess is that it will alleviate the large proportion of the complaints Leupold got, which were about the eye cup being too large. I have a suspicion that many people who did not like the optics, while seemingly not bothered by the eye cup were in fact having some eye alignment issue.

The oculars do remain the same. What modifications might have been made to the eye cup assembly to house those oculars, I will have to wait and see.

As with any binocular, there will remain some issue for some people. Whether with the eye cup, the diopter, the focus, the size, the color...or something else. ;)
 
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I was pumped about the McKinley finally showing up in Canada. What a massive let down when I realized how fat the eye cups are, I couldn't use them at all. I have always found Leupold binos to be great but I pretty much wrote them off after seeing this offering. I'm in the market for a killer pair of 10x42 soon and will be awaiting a look at McKinley round 2.

Incidentally, has anyone who can use them compared them against the Northfork? I love love love those.
 
Hi,

I looked thru a pair of the new McKinley today, a 10x42 was all they had. The optics seemed decent but the ergos of this binocular didn't work with my hands or face.

CG
 
Hi,

I looked thru a pair of the new McKinley today, a 10x42 was all they had. The optics seemed decent but the ergos of this binocular didn't work with my hands or face.

CG

Strange, I just talked to Leupold yesterday, they haven't got the new version yet.
 
Ha, ha....

Bass Pro in my part of town says they are.

The question of if they are old or new version was asked twice and hashed thru with repeated confirmation.

From my own past experiences with Leupold, i have not found them too helpful and spot on with their comments.

You are referring to the Leupold that refers to their binocular as the "mojave" and "mohave" on their webpage?

I could give others but not interested in bashing Leupold. Just wanted to say the optics seem decent and the ergos didn't work for me.

CG
 
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If it was a binocular with large eye pieces and a right eye diopter it is not the new one. If it has the diopter on the center focus, it was probably the new one. My source is the McKinley project manager.

No. I'm not referring the the incorrect Mojave spelling ;). Guys who do web pages typically don't know enough about the optics to have a clue if what they are inputting into the site is accurate or not. That is a problem at some level with lots of optics outfits. For what little it is likely worth, the Bass Pro webpage has the original McKinley illustrated.
 
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If it was a binocular with large eye pieces and a right eye diopter it is not the new one. If it has the diopter on the center focus, it was probably the new one. My source is the McKinley project manager.

No. I'm not referring the the incorrect Mojave spelling ;). Guys who do web pages typically don't know enough about the optics to have a clue if what they are inputting into the site is accurate or not. That is a problem at some level with lots of optics outfits. For what little it is likely worth, the Bass Pro webpage has the original McKinley illustrated.

Steve,

I am drawing a blank on the diopter... frustrating... don't know when i'll get back out there, but will re-visit when i do and follow up post.

CG
 
If it was a binocular with large eye pieces and a right eye diopter it is not the new one. If it has the diopter on the center focus, it was probably the new one. My source is the McKinley project manager.

No. I'm not referring the the incorrect Mojave spelling ;). Guys who do web pages typically don't know enough about the optics to have a clue if what they are inputting into the site is accurate or not. That is a problem at some level with lots of optics outfits. For what little it is likely worth, the Bass Pro webpage has the original McKinley illustrated.

How about the eyecups? Are they still gargantuan on the new model? That seems to be the most common complaint about these binoculars, and something that I probably would have an issue with myself.

Brock
 
Hi,

I looked thru a pair of the new McKinley today, a 10x42 was all they had. The optics seemed decent but the ergos of this binocular didn't work with my hands or face.

CG

I was back at bass pro yesterday and looked at the bx4 mckinley.

It is the old version. I was mis-informed. :C

Please disregard my prior post.

My bad... my apologies.

CG
 
I was back at bass pro yesterday and looked at the bx4 mckinley.

It is the old version. I was mis-informed. :C

Please disregard my prior post.

My bad... my apologies.

CG

Nah, it was the clerk who was misinformed. I assume he's informed now? ;)
 
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