If he can find sponsors who will invest in and support scientific projects like this "Big Year" birding competition more power to him.
I note that last year he hiked the Pacific Trail.
http://noahstrycker.com/about/resume/
Last edited:
-
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.
When a new Leica binocular? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter AlbertoJ
- Start date
If he can find sponsors who will invest in and support scientific projects like this "Big Year" birding competition more power to him.
I note that last year he hiked the Pacific Trail.
http://noahstrycker.com/about/resume/
i reckon he was sponsored and received everthing for free
Noah is a nice story. Local kid who is following his dreams. Has been a number of local newspaper stories about him. He is not rich, he is just following his dreams and able to pay a few bills doing so.
He gets to pay for his trips from some sponsors and book advances. Also maybe family help in someways. I believe he got a small book contract advance for the world bird tour. He has to fulfill the book deal in certain amount of time.
He also did the thru hike of the PCT ( Pacific Crest Trail- 2600+ miles) a couple of years ago. He got some sponsor money I think from that as well, along with doing a blog along the way. Took about 4-5 months straight of steady hiking to do it. So obviously this kid is a real slacker.
He apparently learned a lot of info on the thru hike to help him plan out and carry through with the logistics of the year bird trip.
Started getting interested in birding when he was young because of one of his elementary teachers. The world could use a few more like Noah. So do not skewer him by conjectures that are unfounded. Easy to make stuff up here on a computer while this fella is out there doing it- chasing his dreams. 8-P
Last edited:
Hermann
Well-known member
Depends a bit on how you're using your binoculars, don't you think? If you regularly spend the whole day in the field, birding from sunrise to sunset, or hiking longer distances, especially in difficult terrain, you've got to keep the weight down. And make no mistakes: There's a huge difference between carrying a 1000 gr binocular and one that weighs below 800 gr.
Oh, the Design Selection series. Perhaps the worst design error Zeiss made in their long history of making binoculars, ever. When they came out a couple of birders I know got the lightest of the lot, the 7x45. Used them for half a year or so, then switched to something lighter. Even the hunting fraternity over here shunned them because of their excessive weight.
Hermann
CloseFocus
Well-known member
Leica does make an open hinge binocular, the 8x56 Geovid. It was designed "with hunters, for hunters," or so says Marcus Zeidler, head of product management at Leica Sport Optics on the official Leica website. Moderators should forward all complaints to him.
Last edited:
It is interesting how people can adapt to binoculars. Jerry Liguori used a Zeiss 7x45 for 14 years.
In his comments on OPTICS FOR HAWK WATCHING at page 8 in his book HAWKS At A Distance, printed in 2011 Jerry Liguori has this to say about Zeiss 7x45 Night Owls: "There are several manufacturers that offer high-quality models. I have used Zeiss 7x45 Night Owls since they were introduced in 1994 and still love their sharpness and unmatched wide field of view. However I acquired Zeiss Victory FL binoculars in 2008 and believe they offer the finest image available."
Bob
A2GG
Beth
If Leica adds an additional model to their lineup, I'm ok with this. I just don't want to see the current UV discontinued anytime soon. It would just be sad (to me) to see the classic UV design get replaced with what is considered a more popular design in the open bridge. I don't have anything against open bridge per se...I love the little Swaro SV 8x32...it's a great Swaro classic and I came close to buying it once.
I just checked Nikon's site and looks like they don't have any open bridge in their lineup currently. I do notice the single hinge is getting thinner in a lot of models from different optics companies and this isn't a complaint, just an observation. Vortex's newly released bins are resembling the shape of their Razor with thin bridges which is attractive. I loved the Razor the couple of times I handled it at the store.
I wonder how Leica will do financially with updating the UV and releasing a new Trinovid and wonder the sales of the other two with their recent uogrades as well.
GiGi
The bins I most commonly see these days and for the past decade are Swaro ELs, by far and I mean f a r.
Go back a couple of decades and it was Leica BA/BN.
Folks starting birding or with ambitions for better bins look to what others are carrying and most are carrying open hinges.
In the States it could be different as most folks won't spend more than $500 (according to some market research) and I am talking about the alpha end of the market, but lower down in the market you can see many brands offering a choice of open bridge or classic bridge and this seems only sensible to me. And of course now Zeiss has done this but in their own way. Leica has the Perger which is a terrific breath of fresh air too but there are no signs of a nature observation version yet.
Lee
A2GG
Beth
It's different over here for sure. Sounds like invasion of the body snatchers over there
Lots of Nikon here and they don't have any open bridge models in their lineup currently. I don't accept that a company must have an open bridge design in their line in order to survive. I don't think there's any real evidence of this. I don't think it's only open bridge why Swaro dominates over there. It has to be a combo of things they do right and one being customer service. Leica's customer service has a lot of complaints on this forum and it seems they are trying to fix this recently, but this is one reason perhaps why sales aren't as good as the others. Eye relief for people with glasses is another issue with Leica and Swaro is much better here.
Leica dropping the price for Trinovid is probably more effective over here than making an open bridge design...just my hunch.
Last edited:
A2GG
Beth
Out of curiosity I looked to see which companies currently don't offer an open bridge
style bin and they are very few:
Nikon
Kowa
Meopta
Leica (there's geovid but that's range finding bin)
Maven
Eagle Optics brand
I may have missed an obscure company, but I think I got them all.
style bin and they are very few:
Nikon
Kowa
Meopta
Leica (there's geovid but that's range finding bin)
Maven
Eagle Optics brand
I may have missed an obscure company, but I think I got them all.
Last edited:
james holdsworth
Consulting Biologist
In the 80's and early 90's, in terms of alphas - at least what I saw in Canada and the US - it was Zeiss Classics and Bausch and Lomb Elites. Leica [Leitz] were rare and Swaro non-existent.
CloseFocus
Well-known member
GG, this is a good list. I remember the mystery surrounding Nikon's decision not to use an open hinge in their new line. I don't see the attraction of the open hinge design myself. Spotting a bird often means being quick on the draw, and having a forward hinge to constrain the positioning of ones fingers, or bump into, seems pointless, if not counter-productive. For me, a forward hinge is a superfluous piece of hardware that should only be used if it offers significant weight gain, or is absolutely necessary to maintain collimation. Leica may come out with an open hinge line some day to compete in that market, but as conservative as Leica is, I don't think they will ever drop their traditional design features.
A2GG
Beth
Thanks CF. The open bridge design is not for everyone and that's why there are still single hinge available.
I guess Lee's and the OP's position is that Leica should offer this design as an addition to their lineup for those who prefer this design and to stay competitive. Other good brands don't have one and seem to do ok, so I don't think it's essential Leica follows or copies the others. But who knows what will happen in the future.
I can understand how some people like this design. Every time I've handled the SV 8x32 at the store I found it super comfortable to hold and, as I mentioned , I came close to buying one. i still wouldn't mind having an SV...they are beautiful. I just like that Leica has their own unique design which sets them apart and I don't care if others copy Swaro ... in my mind I still think of Swarovski as the 'original'. Does anyone know if Swaro developed the design first or was it done before?
At the Audubon store I go to from time to time, they have the old EDG 1 (7x42) and I didn't find it as comfortable to hold as other open bridge bins I've tried. The EDG 2 has better ergonomics to me. It seems the open bridge needs to be done right. I only handled the SF once and can see why people like the feel of it...it's done right ...too big for me though...I prefer compact and the feel of the UV better.
I guess Lee's and the OP's position is that Leica should offer this design as an addition to their lineup for those who prefer this design and to stay competitive. Other good brands don't have one and seem to do ok, so I don't think it's essential Leica follows or copies the others. But who knows what will happen in the future.
I can understand how some people like this design. Every time I've handled the SV 8x32 at the store I found it super comfortable to hold and, as I mentioned , I came close to buying one. i still wouldn't mind having an SV...they are beautiful. I just like that Leica has their own unique design which sets them apart and I don't care if others copy Swaro ... in my mind I still think of Swarovski as the 'original'. Does anyone know if Swaro developed the design first or was it done before?
At the Audubon store I go to from time to time, they have the old EDG 1 (7x42) and I didn't find it as comfortable to hold as other open bridge bins I've tried. The EDG 2 has better ergonomics to me. It seems the open bridge needs to be done right. I only handled the SF once and can see why people like the feel of it...it's done right ...too big for me though...I prefer compact and the feel of the UV better.
Last edited:
GiGi
There have been threads on this question and the answer is that Gerold Dobler developed the modern version of the open bridge at Swarovski and today he is at Zeiss where he was the leader behind the SF which takes the concept a step or two further.
But there is nothing new under the sun and if you go back far enough you can find many vintage bins with a bridge down by the objectives.
Lee
Similar threads
