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

I preferred the 8x20 Ultravid over all other compacts (it was before the 8x25 Swarovski, haven't tried that one) primarily because of the ergonomics, with the bigger focussing wheel and short bridge.

All the top ones had great optics in my opinion. Some may have been better than others.
 
I have both the 8x20 Ultravid and 8x25 Swarovski. They are both excellent binoculars, but if I could only keep one it would be the Ultravid because of its compact size and build quality. I just sold my 10x25 Ultravid. It's a little too finnicky to use for birding because of it's smaller exit pupil and field of view, but for close up views in a compact package it does the job very well. If the birds would cooperate and remain still, I actually prefer the view a 10x binocular provides, but sometimes you have to compromise. Also, I second Gijs recommendation that you look at the leather model before you buy. The price might not be too much more if you can find one without the very nice but expensive hard leather case.
 
CloseFocus said:
I have both the 8x20 Ultravid and 8x25 Swarovski. They are both excellent binoculars, but if I could only keep one it would be the Ultravid because of its compact size and build quality. I just sold my 10x25 Ultravid. It's a little too finnicky to use for birding because of it's smaller exit pupil and field of view, but for close up views in a compact package it does the job very well. If the birds would cooperate and remain still, I actually prefer the view a 10x binocular provides, but sometimes you have to compromise. Also, I second Gijs recommendation that you look at the leather model before you buy. The price might not be too much more if you can find one without the very nice but expensive hard leather case.
Click to expand...

The 8x20 and 10x25 have the same exit pupil diameter: 2.5mm.

I like the idea of 10x as I already have Leica Ultravid 8x32 BR. But if it is hard to hold still...
 
Dialyt said:
The 8x20 and 10x25 have the same exit pupil diameter: 2.5mm.

I like the idea of 10x as I already have Leica Ultravid 8x32 BR. But if it is hard to hold still...
Click to expand...

Between the two 8x's, I much preferred the UV over the Zeiss. I though the Leica provided a slightly sharper view, and to me had a more substantial feeling in the hand than did the Zeiss.

If you want a 10x, then between the Zeiss and the Leica, the UV once again provided the sharper view. In and of themselves, they are not hard to hold still. However, I realize that you might not be able to do what I can do. For bright conditions, the 10x Leica UV HD works very well. Anything less, and they would be a poor choice. I use ours a lot during the summer, but very little during the winter.

That being said - If I were to be in the market for a small 10x bino, I would buy the Swarovski CL-Pocket. We have the 8x version, and it is a wonderful little bino.
 
Dialyt said:
The 8x20 and 10x25 have the same exit pupil diameter: 2.5mm.

I like the idea of 10x as I already have Leica Ultravid 8x32 BR. But if it is hard to hold still...
Click to expand...

I should have said that a 2.5mm exit pupil is small for a 10x binocular.

Since you need a binocular for hiking, and I needed one for biking, I will go into a little more detail. If you go for athletic hikes, get the 8x25 Swarovski. I chose it because of the larger exit pupil, easier to turn focus knob, and large eye cups, which help when you stop in the middle of exercising, and have to get the binocular into position and focus quickly. For some reason the hinges don't feel like they're tight enough, even though I've never had any problem with them staying in place, but the optics are excellent as you would expect.

If you don't need a binocular for quick looks or woodland birding, I would go with the 10x25 Ultravid. Many people don't like the 10x25 size, but I've had some memorable long distance views through mine, and I only sold it because I couldn't use it for the kind of birding I do most of the time, although I do miss having it handy in my glove compartment. I had no problem holding it steady except when I tried to use it on bike rides. You may prefer the 10x25 Swarovski for the bigger eyecups and faster focusing, although fast focusing isn't as much of a concern for a binocular used for long distance viewing, and the Leica may fold down into a smaller package, although I could be wrong about that. It's been a long time since I've looked through a 10x25 Zeiss. It's probably as nice optically as Leica and Swarovski, but I prefer the Leica focus knob for most situations.

People will say that there isn't anything you can see in a 10x that you can't see in an 8x, and that may be true upon close comparison, but a 10x binocular shows that extra detail at first glance, which is all you get sometimes. I have a 10x32 Ultravid that I will keep until Leica comes out with a new model that size, and if Leica comes out with a new 10x25, I'll probably get that too.
 
8x20 Ultravid vs. Victory

Dialyt said:
...which is the best?
Click to expand...

I have both of these in my daypack right now, and in my opinion their views are identical - both are about as good as an 8x20 can be, given current technology. I prefer the larger focusing knob of the Ultravid, so that's the one I usually grab first; the Victory usually serves as a loaner or backup.

The 10's will be harder to hold steady, most likely, so ideally you should look for an opportunity to try them out and compare them to the 8's.
 
John Frink said:
I have both of these in my daypack right now, and in my opinion their views are identical - both are about as good as an 8x20 can be, given current technology. I prefer the larger focusing knob of the Ultravid, so that's the one I usually grab first...
Click to expand...

I own both, and I agree. The optics aren't identical (e.g. the Zeiss has a slightly flatter field), but they are equally good. Since the focus knob of the Ultravid is better, that's the one I prefer to use for birding.

--AP
 
Alexis Powell said:
I own both, and I agree. The optics aren't identical (e.g. the Zeiss has a slightly flatter field), but they are equally good. Since the focus knob of the Ultravid is better, that's the one I prefer to use for birding.

--AP
Click to expand...
Does a flatter field mean no barrell/rolling effect when panning? Does the Leica have that effect?
 
Dialyt said:
Does a flatter field mean no barrell/rolling effect when panning? Does the Leica have that effect?
Click to expand...

I don't see that effect in either bin. The flatter field gives the Zeiss a slightly larger sweet spot (area of center to edge sharpness) when looking at a plane perpendicular to the viewing axis.

--AP
 
Leica Ultravid 8x20 vs Zeiss Victory 8x20

IMHO, I prefer the Leica, a group of us compared the Leica Ultravid vs the Nikon LXL Premier vs the Zeiss Victory.
Optically the Leica and Nikon were preferred (Zeiss , Nikon and Leica keep improving their glass), handling the Leica was preferred with the Nikon second an Zeiss last.
I am using the Leica but could learn to live with the Nikon.
I will be trying a Zeiss Victory to see how the optics have been improved.
Get a Kowa BD 8x25 and save a big chunk of change vs the Swaro CL.
I prefer a 8x30 or 8x32 to the 8x25 formatt.
The little 8x20's can be carried in a pant or jacket pocket quite easily, the 8x25's can't so you might as well go with a 8x30/32.
A buddy an I were in Maui, HI and from 3/4 of a mile were whale watching in a cove, early morning, no haze or distortion and the Leica worked superbly.
You can have the Leica with you all the time when out and about.
It is great glass and super small, just so easy to have with you.
Be careful though, it will get permanently "borrowed" by lady friends.
Art
 
Leica Ultravid 8x20 vs Zeiss Victory 8x20

For anyone in the USA, Cameralandny has demo pairs at a good price.
You might check other dealers also for clean demo's.
Since my lady friends seem to really like the small glass and borrow them on a permanent basis, I have saved quite a bit by buying clean demo's.
I have done business with Cameralandny, Eagle Optics and SWFA and never had a problem, also bought new from BHPhoto and Adorama with no problem.
I may pick up a pair of Zeiss Victories to again compare.
Art
 
Dear all,
It may also be worthwile, as I have written in another post, to look at the Zeiss Conquest Compact 8x20. The design is already more than 50 years old, but the optics are constantly updated in quality by Zeiss and the latest versions have T*P coatings and can compete very well with the Utravid and the Victory. Moreover it is very lightweight and compact when folded.
Gijs
 
I know that a while back (12-18 months) I decided to look at an ultra-small pair for keeping with me at all times and while I would have loved to had the Leica, I could only afford the Alpen ED 8x20. I liked these better than I thought I would but they are tough to use being SO small. I almost never use them because of how hard it is to get the full field of view with them...I mean you have to be PERFECTLY aligned with ZERO head movement.

Fast forward to April of this year...I was able to attend the Birding Optics Expo in Columbus Ohio. While my main purpose there was to select an 8x primary binocular, I did pick up and play with the Leica 8x20, thinking it would just SLAY the little Alpen in my mind. I did not find that to be the case. I do think the glass is a bit better but the overall handling of the little 8x20 IN ANY BRAND in my big hands against my big face is the problem.

I really wished I would have taken the advice of some who said to get the smallest "decent" 8x30 or 8x32. In fact...I'll probably sell the Alpen when I get a decent 8x30 or 8x32. I wanted to like the 13 oz Opticron 6x but I was personally not impressed with the optics at all.
 
Gijs van Ginkel said:
...look at the Zeiss Conquest Compact 8x20. ...the optics are constantly updated in quality by Zeiss and the latest versions have T*P coatings and can compete very well with the Utravid and the Victory...
Click to expand...

I think saying it can compete well optically with the Ultravid and Victory is a true statement only if you are maybe talking about performance in the very center of the field. Otherwise, the Victory and Ultravid are much better optically and far less fiddly w/respect to focus and folding. If for no other reason, what disqualifies the Conquest from ever getting my recommendation is that it doesn't have provision for proper attachment of a neck cord/strap.

--AP
 
AP./,
I took a brand new 8x20 Compact with the latest coatings, central focus (so not the one introduced in 1968 by Roland Leinhos, since that did not have central focus and it did not have T*P coatings). The hinge worked perfectly well from the new sample as did the central focus and the neck cord is thin but that is no problem since the binocular is featherlight. If you want a really compact 8x20 which fits in your breast pocket: this is a good choice. By the way these Zeiss mini's were the first commercially produced binoculars with Schmidt prisms according to Hans Seeger..
Gijs
 
Yes, the Conquest/Classic design has been around a while, and the new production with composite body material and the latest coatings are certainly different than Zeiss's compacts of the past, but I guess I'm a little more picky about my optics and their ergonomics, especially for the price. I find the 8x20 Victory, Ultravid, and Nikon LX much superior optically, which is especially noticeable with respect to sweet spot size (and field flatness, especially for the LX and Victory) and to viewing with strong subject backlighting. Both the Victory and the Ultravid have better close focus for butterfly watching, accept a standard neck cord/strap, and hang flat against the chest. The Conquest has an awkward built-in cord and dangles crazily. Another nice feature of the Victory and Ultravid is that they have positive stops on the hinges, making it much easier to unfold them consistently quickly. If the Conquest sold for about $200, I might consider it over the competition (Pentax, Kowa, Minox), but for $500 I expect a lot better. For that price, I wouldn't dream of purchasing the Conquest over the superb Nikon LX. My overall favorite is the Ultravid for its combined optical quality and big focus knob--it's the only one that I can use almost as easily as a larger bin in the heat of fast-paced brush and woodland birding for sparrows and warblers.

--AP
 
Last edited:
AP,
I agree that we disagree about the qualities of the 8x20 conquest compact compared to the Victory and Ultravid and I am strengtened in my opinion and personal preference about this binocular after my visit to the Photokina today.
Gijs
 
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