• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Older Leitz Trinivid - does anybody remove or customise the eyecups? (1 Viewer)

Rathaus

Well-known member
Let me get in before any naysayers by saying - yes...I do indeed realise that these are not the worlds greatest binoculars by today's standards, but when I'm in a relaxed mood, they really do bring me great viewing pleasure. They are charming instruments with a special view which for me has the 'X factor' we all enjoy in some form or another.

So, I've been rotating the old trinivids into the viewing mix lately. These two in particular - the 10x40 (122m) and the 8x32 (150m)....I've taken to using them quite well without the very thin outermost plastic/rubber eye cups (unscrewed). The 10x40 appear to have an extra mm or two built into the outer spacer ring (chapter ring) as you can see in the photo.

I wear no specs, and The eye relief is minuscule on these bins, but I prefer that, ultimately due to the very intimate view on offer which I just don't quite get from bins when my eyes are thrust out an inch from the eyepieces. I've taken to wiping my eyes and lashes down quite vigorously with a clean damp towel prior to viewing to remove excess oil and this does make a difference. I also have a feeling that when the small eyecups are left in place, they tend to unhelpfully funnel my lashes in towards the eyepiece.

Have any other owners of these bins experimented with eyecup modification or added sticking foam or bicycle tubes or winged eyecups or anything else...to give a larger stabilising anchoring point for my brow. Do any other larger eyepieces fit..generic or otherwise?

I might also try some winged eyecups.

Warm regards,
Rathaus
 
Last edited:
Note the difference in width between eyepiece lock down rings in 8x and 10x. I've been using these as my eyecups. This system without the slim funnel like outer eyecup screwed into place is working ok, but I feel it could be even better. I just tried the swarovski winged eyecups and they were too large. How about a section of bicycle tube?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2874.JPG
    IMG_2874.JPG
    88.2 KB · Views: 314
Last edited:
Note here the difference in eyecups between the early 10x which has two sections forming the eyecup which both screw clamping down onto the loose spacer/data ring, and the later version but same spec 10x (122m), which has a single screw down rubber eyecup which clamps onto the loose spacer/data ring. The later rubber eyecups are ok (better than the small funnel like ones), but still, I feel improvements could be made.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2880.jpg
    IMG_2880.jpg
    274.6 KB · Views: 343
Last edited:
Rathaus,

I have experimented a lot with eye cup modification, tot the point where all my binoculars from past and present were/are modified to some extent. The problem with Leitz binoculars however is, that you can't do much about them. If you want more height for instance, and still like to use the original eye cups, there's only a few millimeters to gain. The most important problem however is that the design of the Trinovids is so strong that you will easily ruin its wonderful proportions.
The best solution I've found to make the original eye cups more comfortable, and of which I'm able to more or less live with, at least in practical use, is to apply the long 18 mm Leitz replacement eye cups and roll these down to the preferred height.
See this thread for pictures (post 22 etc.): http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=3265838#post3265838

best regards,

Renze
 
Rathaus,

I have experimented a lot with eye cup modification, tot the point where all my binoculars from past and present were/are modified to some extent. The problem with Leitz binoculars however is, that you can't do much about them. If you want more height for instance, and still like to use the original eye cups, there's only a few millimeters to gain. The most important problem however is that the design of the Trinovids is so strong that you will easily ruin its wonderful proportions.
The best solution I've found to make the original eye cups more comfortable, and of which I'm able to more or less live with, at least in practical use, is to apply the long 18 mm Leitz replacement eye cups and roll these down to the preferred height.
See this thread for pictures (post 22 etc.): http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=3265838#post3265838

best regards,

Renze

Renze,

Many thanks for that information. From reading the linked thread, we appear to be thinking in a very similar way about this, and your solution seems like a good one. The rolled down rubber would give the boon of added rigidity as well as a large circumference. (Gaskets and spacers are sidestepping the issues I have with the eyecups)
So, it's the 18mm eyecups from the leitz 7x42 trinivid model. I'll see if I can track some down on eBay. I use no rainguards by the way, so that's a non issue for me.

Thanks again.

Rathaus
 
I've done some preliminary searches,,,,Any ideas on how to track down and buy some 18mm eyecups for a leitz 7x42 trinovid?
 
I've done some preliminary searches,,,,Any ideas on how to track down and buy some 18mm eyecups for a leitz 7x42 trinovid?

If my memory serves me well It's been a couple of years since I've seen Leitz replacement eye cups on eBay, so this is not a reliable source. If I'm not mistaken Leica still has them on stock, so the best way is to contact a Leica dealer in your country.

Renze
 
If you are an original purchaser and your Leitz binocular is registered with Leica your luck might be better. That is how I got new eye cups for my 1984 vintage 7x42 Trinovid BA Green Amored binocular. They me cost $50.00 for the pair of them.

Leica has a record of the 1 Leitz and 3 Leica binoculars I own.

Bob
 
Last edited:
If you are an original purchaser and your Leitz binocular is registered with Leica your luck might be better. That is how I got new eye cups for my 1984 vintage 7x42 Trinovid BA Green Amored binocular. They me cost $50.00 for the pair of them.

Leica has a record of the 1 Leitz and 3 Leica binoculars I own.

Bob

Hmm...Leica may get confused if I start telling them I want 7x42 18mm tinovid eyecups to fit onto 8x and 10x trinivids.
 
If you are an original purchaser and your Leitz binocular is registered with Leica your luck might be better. That is how I got new eye cups for my 1984 vintage 7x42 Trinovid BA Green Amored binocular. They me cost $50.00 for the pair of them.

Leica has a record of the 1 Leitz and 3 Leica binoculars I own.

Bob

Bob:

Leica has stepped up their customer service here in the US. Last year
I posted about a nice 10x40 Leitz Trinovid that I purchased.
They sent me new eyecups, no charge.

The previous owner had cut them down, I suppose for eyeglasses.

The previous posts mention removing, I would advise cutting them
down, so you don't scratch up your glasses.

Jerry
 
For those interested, I've sourced cheap firm rubber winged eyecups - and they fit. The trick was sourcing something small enough to fit the svelt old trinovids.
They can be used in wing configuration, or reversed. They are still allowing a full FOV, but that's with no spectacles.
I'll post up a few photos to show the fit. Not the prettiest thing, but it works. For the first time, my old trinovids can be anchored against the brow.
 
The only old trinovids I have which they won't fit are the trinovids which came with the softer rubber eyecups, as seen second from the left here.

Also - the rubber eyecups will fit the 6x24 trinovids, but it won't fit into its soft leather case....the 6x24 is fine without them anyway.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3013.jpg
    IMG_3013.jpg
    189.9 KB · Views: 206
  • IMG_3004.jpg
    IMG_3004.jpg
    237.8 KB · Views: 171
Thanks for the photo, what Leitz models do you have there ?

Tell us more about them ?

Jerry

Jerry,

At the risk of boring the Leitz cognoscenti (and correct me if I'm wrong) - these first Trinovids are among the first Leitz roof bins and the first with internal focus. The two on the left are the 10x40 with 122m/1000m FOV, the next is the 8x32 with 150m/1000m, and the little ones on the right are the 6x24 trinovid with 212m/1000m, and the 6x24 Amplivid 212m/1000m. For binoculars 50-60yrs of age they are phenomenal.
I've taken one of the 10x40 and the 8x32 apart for cleaning (the others are mint) and I have never seen a binocular constructed with such exquisite detail and inhumanly fine tolerances. I've never even seen an old trinovid out of collimation. It makes me slightly suspicious.... I have wondered if the early trinovids weren't confiscated from a creature in Area 51.

The 6x24 are my favourite format and, imo, the most relevant of the old trinovid today. Leitz first released the Amplivid in this format, and then the trinovid. A fat 4mm exit pupil in a binocular so punchy yet tiny is incredible. I've never seen its like before. Anyway, they're not to everybody's taste, but I love these old things.

I've just attached another photo comparing the size of the 6x24 Trinovid to some other more common bins including 8.5SV, Nikon Ell 8x30, Nikon M7 8x30.
The last photo - favourite large oculars next to favourite small objectives.

Rathaus
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3015.jpg
    IMG_3015.jpg
    153.7 KB · Views: 189
  • IMG_3019.jpg
    IMG_3019.jpg
    221.5 KB · Views: 204
  • IMG_3021.jpg
    IMG_3021.jpg
    127.1 KB · Views: 188
Last edited:
Jerry,

At the risk of boring the Leitz cognoscenti (and correct me if I'm wrong) - these first Trinovids are among the first Leitz roof bins and the first with internal focus. The two on the left are the 10x40 with 122m/1000m FOV, the next is the 8x32 with 150m/1000m, and the little ones on the right are the 6x24 trinovid with 212m/1000m, and the 6x24 Amplivid 212m/1000m. For binoculars 50-60yrs of age they are phenomenal.
I've taken one of the 10x40 and the 8x32 apart for cleaning (the others are mint) and I have never seen a binocular constructed with such exquisite detail and inhumanly fine tolerances. I've never even seen an old trinovid out of collimation. It makes me slightly suspicious.... I have wondered if the early trinovids weren't confiscated from a creature in Area 51.

The 6x24 are my favourite format and, imo, the most relevant of the old trinovid today. Leitz first released the Amplivid in this format, and then the trinovid. A fat 4mm exit pupil in a binocular so punchy yet tiny is incredible. I've never seen its like before. Anyway, they're not to everybody's taste, but I love these old things.

I've just attached another photo comparing the size of the 6x24 Trinovid to some other more common bins including 8.5SV, Nikon Ell 8x30, Nikon M7 8x30.
The last photo - favourite large oculars next to favourite small objectives.

Rathaus
Rathaus, i measured my 10x40 Trinovid cups to be 31mm, so i suspect the 33mm cups won't fit, but you seem to have them fitted on the most left bino?
 
...the little ones on the right are the 6x24 trinovid with 212m/1000m, and the 6x24 Amplivid 212m/1000m. For binoculars 50-60yrs of age they are phenomenal.
I've taken one of the 10x40 and the 8x32 apart for cleaning (the others are mint) and I have never seen a binocular constructed with such exquisite detail and inhumanly fine tolerances. I've never even seen an old trinovid out of collimation.

The 6x24 are my favourite format and, imo, the most relevant of the old trinovid today. Leitz first released the Amplivid in this format, and then the trinovid. A fat 4mm exit pupil in a binocular so punchy yet tiny is incredible. I've never seen its like before. Anyway, they're not to everybody's taste, but I love these old things.
I see this member is no longer on the forum, but this post I just found regarding the 6x24 Trinovid, of which I just received an excellent copy, seems to be very well described in as much as it mirrors my own feelings on this unfortunately discontinued masterpiece.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 2 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top