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Leupold Yosemite BX-1 6x30 Review (1 Viewer)

Mr Hornblower

Well-known member
Hi all, Has anybody got a pair of these little fellas, what are they really like, and is the focus wheel really as stiff as some say or do they loosen up if used for a while?
 
Piggyback on this one... are they actually different from the "original" yosemite's or is it only cosmetic? same factory? prisms, coatings, FOV, specs? etc?

tia
 
I have an original pair of the Yosemite in 6x30, and have tried the new model in the store.
Not side by side, but I would go with either as I believe they would be much the same.
As far as armor the new one has changed, and so have many of Leupolds models.
I think it was mentioned they may have gone to a different mfr. in China for these.
The focus can be a bit tight, but some is due to the fact they are waterproof and so
they have some seal drag. I am not bothered by it, they may get smoother with age.
Very nice binocular, I recommend them.
Do a search back for comments on the Yosemite, its hard to find a bad word.

Jerry
 
I own an older model beige 6x30 and agree. I was wondering if it was a redesign or just a face lift.

I have a beige one also. I wouldn't consider it a face lift. I haven't seen a new one in person but now it looks a bit less "classy." It looks like all the other binoculars on the block now in that price range. I don't think Leupold redesigned them otherwise, so my guess is it was done to save manufacturing costs.

I'm sorry I didn't get one in the Brick Red color too.

Bob
 
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In 12/2010 I had a series of phone calls and emails with Leupold's technical people after the BX-1 specs were leaked on EO website. The gist of the discussion was around the revised BX-1 specs particularly on exit pupil and close focus. The net result of this is that they said that they were publishing the actual measured results on the BX-1 instead of the specification sheet as in the past. Besides, the new close focus was actually what the old model did anyway.
I pointed out to them that an EP of 4.6 would mean the 6x30 would actually translate into either a 6.5x30 or a 6x28. We know from many of Henry's past measurements of other inexpensive porros that the objective or magnification could be off a bit from what manufacturers usually publish.

I doubt Leupold changed factories since they also changed the armoring of the Cascade, Olympic, pinnacle and Mojave. To change factories to make the identical binos would be astronomically expensive, whereas a new mold only for the armoring would cost less than $9000 per model to be amortized over the number of units.

I have the old pink camo 6x30 and when I compared them to the new BX-1 last fall, I could notice no difference other than the armoring.

And I see that CDNNsports still has the 6x30 pink camo on sale for $69.99 - they are way too cool. Who wants funeral black?;)

Tom
 
I have a beige one also. I wouldn't consider it a face lift. I haven't seen a new one in person but now it looks a bit less "classy." It looks like all the other binoculars on the block now in that price range. I don't think Leupold redesigned them otherwise, so my guess is it was done to save manufacturing costs.

I'm sorry I didn't get one in the Brick Red color too.

Bob

Bob

I looked long and hard for a pair of the brick reds, but they were discontinued about 2 years earlier, and I couldn't find a reasonable deal on a pair. Someday I'll come across a pair.

Besides, if I look at my pink camo ones thru my Sightrons, they take on a reddish tint;)
 
I'd wanted a 6x30 Yosemite for quite some time, and eventually bought a used one in mint condition recently (original black model, green rings). To be candid, I was disappointed. It has a nice wide and sharp view, but the focus is just not what I'm used to (superb Nikons) and it doesn't 'feel' like a high quality binocular. I can see why lots of people out there like the Yosemite, but it just doesn't do anything for me, although the original's design/styling is much 'classier' than the 'fussier' new BX-1, in my opinion. I wanted to like it, but I don't.
 
i have the beige one, but i think it's out of stock. i've had it for seven years and theres only one problem, one of the screws is loose and rolls around on the inside. it doesn't block the view, so it's a pretty trusty pair. i just realized this post is ten years old.
 
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