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Leica 8x32 BA (1 Viewer)

Binastro

Well-known member
The 8x32 Conquest HD and even more so the 8x42 Monarch HG have proved disappointing scanning the horizon at night near immovable street lights.
The ghosting, flare and glare are unacceptable for my purposes.

Leica BA 8x32 6 months warranty.
I was pleased the binocular was not cleaned externally, as I could see the condition it was stored in. The attached leather case does not smell fresh and the leather strap is worn. So considerable use but very good condition. I put aside the case and strap.
I cleaned the external optics with Baader Wonder fluid. The external condition seemed a bit suspicious, but when cleaned everything is fine. Condition very good, seemingly unmarked.

Serial No. 10643xx. Maybe 20 years old. I don't know when made.

Slight pincushion distortion. Conquest HD 8x32 almost rectilinear.

If Conquest HD 88% transmission I estimate Leica BA 78%.
Seemed like 10% brighter HD in daylight, but 15% brighter late evening getting dark.
Field HD considerably wider.
HD felt more comfortable on my eyes. Brighter, larger field, apparently slightly more 3D at 120 m I think because of brighter, wider image. Also HD easier to hold steadily, maybe because Conquest HD is considerably longer, so slightly better apparent resolution in Conquest HD.

Full Moon almost unchanged in size or shape near field edge using the 8x32 BA.
Small amount CA centrally with BA, less with HD.
 
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Front baffling is most interesting in the Leica 8x32 BA Trinovid.
An arc of baffling of 140 degrees is present in both tubes at opposing positions. Normal this baffling is 360 degrees or absent, say in the Optolyth 10x40 Osiris.
Leica seem to know what they are doing here. It is subtle.

There seem to be 2 uncoated surfaces in each tube?
With this sample there is slight loss of the exterior surface coating of the multicoated rear eye lens surfaces.
From cleaning, but this binocular has been well looked after and cleaned carefully.

My dioptre setting was initially 0.9 D marked, but it varies a bit over the day. I have little accommodation.

Ghosting, flare and glare.
Here my expectations have been confirmed.
There are faint ghosts from the bright streetlight, possibly from the uncoated surfaces.
Also some small reflections and small flare.

But I judge it to be excellent. 8x32 Leica BA 8.4/10 to 8.6/10 compared to 7.2/10 for 8x32 Conquest HD and 6.8/10 for the sample 8x42 Monarch HG here.

10x42 Conquest HD 8.9/10 superb.

8.5x44 HR/5 5.5/10 only.

But I am looking for a good 8x binocular for scanning at night near streetlights.
So I have found what I was looking for, although in the daytime the 8x32 Conquest HD is considerably better.
 
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Under some circumstances (e.g. looking across water) the 8x32 BA I used to own showed some veiling glare. A late BN and the Ultravid BR were even beter than the BA in difficult light conditions.
 
Thanks for that.
Are you talking of 8x32 late BNs and 8x32 Ultravid BRs?

I suspected this, using the 8x32 BA, as looking at a low full Moon I saw some, but was not sure if it was real.

The problem is I don't have access to every possible binocular, and spending a lot of money on expensive binoculars that should perform well but don't is just wasting money.

I suppose the new Noctivids are the best performing binoculars in this regard, but they don't make an 8x32? and it would be expensive.

I have an old 12x50 Ultravid that is excellent, but different spec binoculars often differ widely.

Any idea when 10643xx batch was made?
 
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Binastro;

Back in 2008 I sent several binoculars to Orb, one of the better NIST/ISO labs in the states, to get a reference for my transmittance setup.

Attached is their report for my 8x32 BA.

Edit: Binastro, I forgot to mention that the original did not match my measurements and then noticed that Orb had used illuminate A and I normally use illuminate D65. I had Orb recalculate using D65 and have also attached that report.

The reason I keep the BA is during the fall, in the mornings, when the color temp is around 3000-3500k the reds and orange, yellow really look good. When the color temp of the atmosphere gets up around 5000-6000k the red end of the spectrum starts looking somewhat flat.
 

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Thanks Ron.
I changed computers to read the reports.
Then I changed glasses.
Then I read them.
Very interesting.

By eye I felt that the 8x32 Conquest HD was 15% brighter than the 8x32 BA in poor light, late evening, and 10% brighter in good daylight.

I don't know how old my 8x32 BA is or whether it is older than your test sample.

It is very frustrating trying to get myself a suitable binocular.
I cannot see the horizon from street level, so I have to view near immovable street lights.
Searching for Noctilucent cloud or faint Aurorae is not easy, and the 8x32 Conquest HD is not up to the job and the sample 8x42 Monarch HG here is worse and impossible to eliminate large circles of glare. Maybe matt black paint is needed here not shiny black.

Some say the Habicht 8x30 is very good, some say awful.
The 8x32 Nikon SE is very good but I get blackouts and don't like it.

No binocular is perfect. No car is perfect.
I have had perfect days when younger, but even these don't last.
 
Binastro,

Just some random comments from a Leica fan and stargazer.

In my small town suburb, rather than staging a frontal visual assault near streetlights, what worked for me was hanging opaque shrouds to shield myself from direct view of them. This caused a great relaxation in my astro-psyche, as well as in my requirements for well baffled astronomy binoculars. In the process, I chose a good location for a comfortable upward looking chair in which elbows and head could be braced, permitting effective hand held high resolution use (double stars for example) with binocular magnifications up to 15x. This caused a relaxation in the rest of myself, aka "solid laid back dude".

I prize good baffling as much as any other optical quality. I think the Trinovid BA/BN better in this regard than the Ultravid. I perhaps unwisely base this opinion solely on the 50mm, in which the BA/BN accomplishes the often ignored but seemingly dirt level easy task of hiding the objective mount from the eye's view. The UV fails here, as can be seen in the photos of the exit pupils in the Allbinos review. Every BA/BN so tested on that website shows no internal reflections outside the exit pupil. My experience, owning a 10x50 BR and a 12x50 BN, corroborates those photos. It looks like a mighty thin bright ring in those photos, but it is quite significant in glare inducing circumstances. I gather also from various tests and reviews that no binocular since the BA/BN has been as well baffled, until the appearance of the Zeiss HT and lately the Leica Noctivid.

I love my 12x50 BN! With its good baffling and accurate adjustment, the image appears remarkably sharp, clean and contrasty despite its old timey coatings, even in difficult daytime lighting situations. And as Surveyor says, this vintage coatings bring out autumn colors beautifully.

I had an early BA in 8x42 that I wish I hadn't gotten rid of. As far as I could tell, the fronts of the objectives were uncoated. So goodbye 3% of the light right off the top, but this may have been a wise choice by Leica, as "HDC", or high durability coatings, came later.

Enjoy your 8x32. I like stargazing with my little 8x30 Fujinon FMTR-SX. 4mm exit pupils give very sharp images in my aging eyes, and the darkened sky background results in my lessened frustration/even greater relaxation, if that can be imagined.

RonH
 
Serial No. 10643xx. Maybe 20 years old. I don't know when made.

I just checked my SN. Probably older than your sample by quite a bit, 10242xx.

I am pretty sure I got mine new in the 1991-1993 time frame.
 
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Hi RonH and Ron.

Last night up to midnight the sky above the horizon was clear and transparent.

The Noctilucent cloud season lasts from late May to early August.
I used the 8x32 BA to get good views of the sky where NLC might lurk,
Although the observation was negative it was unambiguous. Negative observations are as valuable as positive and fix the southernmost extent of NLCs.
The star fields and stars were good in the 8x32 BA.

The Conquest 8x32 HD was not up to the job, as the flare pillars were just where NLCs could be hidden from view.
In this sky location any NLCs are hundreds of miles away above Scotland at an altitude of 82 km or 51 miles.

I have been observing and photographing NLCs since 1969, probably one of the longest spells as an observer.

They are an indicator of climate, and maybe climate change also.

Besides using shrouds, I found it simpler to put a modified cardboard box over my head.
Nobody found me like this, although a policeman queried why I was using the 12.5 inch Dall Kirkham from the front garden. I showed him a very fine view of Saturn. He didn't comment. I don't think he appreciated folks who could read and write.

P.S.
A transgression from 1967.
The 3 feet of the 8.5 inch f/6 C.Frank Newtonian were sinking into the grass.
My friend, whom I have known since 1952, had a pile of 2ft square British standard paving stones stacked vertically against his lamp post. We thought they were abandoned, and 'borrowed' three.
We hauled them 100 yards to my front garden, where they spent several years supporting my scopes.
Although we did this on a very foggy night, his father saw strange goings on. I can't remember what happened regarding this. But he never found the culprits.
 
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This morning early I measured the field of the 8x32BA as 7.8 degrees (7.81 deg ).
I think that the claimed field is 7.7 degrees, maybe.

The field is somewhat curved.

This binocular is very good for observations near street lights.

There was very heavy scintillation. Bright stars going from strong red to many other colours rapidly. Heat haze from a hot day. Difficult to sleep.

Weight 8x32 BA 636g.
Weight 8x32 Conquest HD 625g.
 
Yes, I am. But the BA was pretty good in most light conditions, better than the Zeiss Conquest 8x32 HD I have now :-( I'm quite satisfied with the Nikon 8x30 E2 in this respect.

Hello,

I found the 8x32 BN to be superior in glare and ghosting to both the Nikon 8x32 SE and the 8x30 E2, with the SE being more problematic with the eye cups turned down when I wore eyeglasses. As far as I know, the BA and BN had identical baffling.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
 
8x32 BA Allbinos say that the field is 7.7 deg and 132m at 1000m.
But 132m is 7.56 deg.
7.7 deg is 134m.
My measure is 136m.

Leica Sports Optics catalogue Oct 2006 says.
40 016
8x32 BN
135m
404 ft
7.7 deg.
close focus 2.1m
+- 4 diopters
IPD 57-74mm.
9 elements each side with HDC coating.
Phase correcting coating P40.
watertight to 5m.
Die cast aluminum, nitrogen filled.
Approx. 635g/22.4 oz

Four-lens objective with an achromat(?).

-25C to +55C.
SRP £799.

I suppose the coatings on BNs may be better than on BAs, but I find the BA excellent at night near street lights.
 
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There have been some asking about objective covers for the Leica 8x32, BA and BN.

I have found that those from the Swarovision 8x32 fit perfectly.

Arthur, I found a nice Red BN. These are a very nice binocular, I like it in many ways.

Jerry
 

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Jerry,

Take good care of that red BN. Should it ever see service by Leica, they will replace the red armour with the standard black armour.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
 
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