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Vintage Leica 7x42 on E Bay (1 Viewer)

squamish5

Active member
Hi All...as the title says, looking at some Leicas on E bay, they look 60's or 70's vintage, seemingly good condition for 750 USD....Does this seem like a fair price?
many thanks
Charlie
 
Hi All...as the title says, looking at some Leicas on E bay, they look 60's or 70's vintage, seemingly good condition for 750 USD....Does this seem like a fair price?
many thanks
Charlie

Charlie,

Do the binoculars say "Leitz" or "Leica" on them? If they are that old they would say "Leitz." Leica started using the name Leica in the 1990s.

To make things easier are they shaped like the current Leica Ultravids? Or are they shaped like this?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/8103356727

Bob
 
Thanks for the link Bob, yes they are Leitz and shaped like the ones in the link. The buyer just told me they are made in Portugal. Do you think they are worth that much?
 
Thanks for the link Bob, yes they are Leitz and shaped like the ones in the link. The buyer just told me they are made in Portugal. Do you think they are worth that much?

Hello Squamish,

Leitz had good quality control in Portugal, so its country of origin is no problem. Except for the very last Leitz binoculars, they did not have phase correction. If I am correct, all the Leica models are phase corrected, which is an important improvement.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur
 
Charlie,

I have one of them in the green armored version. I purchased it new, after it was discontinued, from a dealer in Toronto, Ont. in the early 1990's. I paid $500.00 for it. It originally sold for about $950.00. I was able to register it with Leica as a new binocular. Mine is also made in Portugal. That is no problem AFAIK. Leica still makes some of its binoculars in Portugal.

Personally I don't think they are worth $750.00. Perhaps to a collector, if they are in mint condition, they might be worth that.

They use Uppendahl Roof Prisms, which are no longer used in the binocular industry and that gives them their unique shape. Their prisms don't have phase coating although I have read somewhere that the ones made in the last 2 years of their production did have it. Mine do not. I got that info from Leica.

The 7x42 is probably the most usable of all those old Leitz models because of its large exit pupil and relative brightness. I used mine for nearly 10 years for all types of birding and travel without complaint. I even wore out a set of their folding eye cups and had to purchase new ones from Leica. They were expensive because they came as individual screw in units.

When I did purchase, 10 years later, a new Leica 7x42 Trinovid BN to replace it I was surprised at how much brighter it was than the Leitz. The Leitz also has a yellow color cast to its view.

Bob
 
Hello Squamish5,

Before jumping to buy a Leica or Leitz 7x42, you should have a look through a late model Zeiss 7x42 Dialyt BGAT*P. It may not be as rugged, nor waterproof, nor as close focusing, but I think the view is better.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
 
Charlie,

I don't think those Leitz would have had a narrow enough IPD for you. I measured my Leitz 7x42's IPD at about 57-58mm. Not much leeway there for you.

You should try a good Porro prism. I just measured my Nikon8x30 EII's IPD and it will get down to around 53-54 mm. The 10x35 will be the same.

Someone just reported here about buying a gray market 8x30 from Tri-State in NYC. I've had my 8x30 for over 10 years and 10x35 for nearly 10 years. Neither are water proof but, in truth-no hype, they both are as good a binocular as you can get for twice their price.

Bob
 
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Hi Bob,

I'd question the efficacy of the E2's eye relief for anyone who wears glasses. If the edge of the field stop isn't crisp, ... stop!.

The Zeiss Classic 7x42 BGAT*P that Arthur recommended appears on e-Bay fairly often, and although it costs more I would argue it being more durable and water resistant. Unlike Nikon, Zeiss also comes with a transferrable warranty. (They completely restored the one I bought on eBay.) With Nikon you never know what legal loophole they'll be using next.

Ed

PS. Anyone know if all P and P* models come under the "Classic" rubric?
 
...

PS. Anyone know if all P and P* models come under the "Classic" rubric?

Hello Ed,

As far as I know the P and P* designations are interchangeable, with the latter being used in later models to match the T* designation. We're there any 7x42 Dialyt Classics with a P*?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
 
Hi Bob,

I'd question the efficacy of the E2's eye relief for anyone who wears glasses. If the edge of the field stop isn't crisp, ... stop!.

The Zeiss Classic 7x42 BGAT*P that Arthur recommended appears on e-Bay fairly often, and although it costs more I would argue it being more durable and water resistant. Unlike Nikon, Zeiss also comes with a transferrable warranty. (They completely restored the one I bought on eBay.) With Nikon you never know what legal loophole they'll be using next.

Ed

PS. Anyone know if all P and P* models come under the "Classic" rubric?

Finding a good one for bidding on eBay is challenging....you'll generally know when you find it because it'll look great, is being sold by the person who bought it and used it, have heaps of quality photos, a box, bag and all, and everyone will be bidding on it like mad because they all know it's good. I won a bidding war like this recently and lost one more recently...I thought the cat was in the bag, relaxed with a coupel of hundred bucks lead up my sleeve, but then some SOB (probably one of you on here) got me in the last few seconds when I wasn't logged in properly. Hideous lol.

Otherwise it's often the same slightly dubious onseller with a buy now only option and one or two bad photos. No thanks. The dubious examples may look ok sometimes, but they'll just sit there and nobody will touch them with a barge pole.

So I find it really quite difficult to get good examples of said zeiss and others.

Ratiticus
 
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Hi Bob,

I'd question the efficacy of the E2's eye relief for anyone who wears glasses. If the edge of the field stop isn't crisp, ... stop!.

The Zeiss Classic 7x42 BGAT*P that Arthur recommended appears on e-Bay fairly often, and although it costs more I would argue it being more durable and water resistant. Unlike Nikon, Zeiss also comes with a transferrable warranty. (They completely restored the one I bought on eBay.) With Nikon you never know what legal loophole they'll be using next.

Ed


PS. Anyone know if all P and P* models come under the "Classic" rubric?



Ed,

Charley also has problems with his narrow IPD. I've been trying to find a good birding binocular that has an IPD that starts around 55 mm and the only ones I found are the Nikon EIIs and SEs. The SEs have longer ER around 17mm. I don't know how much of the FOV would be cut off if they were used with glasses and they are discontinued too. There may be other Porro Prisms that could work out.

Long eye relief is a plus in Charley's case. I know that the Zeiss 7x42 Dialyt had that. I ran into a guy at Hawk Mountain years ago who told me he got rid of his because the ER was "too long."

As for Nikon's warranty; for myself, I have a Nikon 8x30 EII that needs some work. I have all the right papers for it but I have no intention of sending it to Nikon because I don't want them to replace it with "one of equal value," so I am going to contact Suddarth about it and pay the freight.

Bob
 
Ed,

Charley also has problems with his narrow IPD. I've been trying to find a good birding binocular that has an IPD that starts around 55 mm and the only ones I found are the Nikon EIIs and SEs. The SEs have longer ER around 17mm....

Hello Ceasar,

I seem to recall that the 8x32 FL has a minimum IPD of 54 mm. Is that right?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:
 
Hello Ceasar,

I seem to recall that the 8x32 FL has a minimum IPD of 54 mm. Is that right?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:



Thank you Arthur. You are right.:king:

The 8x32 FL has an IPD range from 52-74mm and ER of 15.5mm.

The more economy priced Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 also has 52-74mm IPD range and 16mm ER while the 8x42 Conquest HD has the same IPD range and has 18mm ER. These sell for under $1000.00 and more savings are possible if they are Demos or open box.

http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/zeiss.pl?page=zeissconquesthd8x42

Bob
 
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Hello Ed,

As far as I know the P and P* designations are interchangeable, with the latter being used in later models to match the T* designation. We're there any 7x42 Dialyt Classics with a P*?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Absolutely right Arthur: P and P* were exactly the same.

Lee
 
Hello Ed,

As far as I know the P and P* designations are interchangeable, with the latter being used in later models to match the T* designation. We're there any 7x42 Dialyt Classics with a P*?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Anyone know if all P and P* models come under the "Classic" rubric?

Hi Arthur,

There is said to be no difference between [binoculars with] the two designations. I wouldn't argue that, particularly since Renze allowed as how he regretted spending money replacing his T*P model with a T*P*, and I haven't found any visible difference either.

I was actually asking a rather trivial historical question as to whether all T*P models were referred to as Classics. I created the cognitive illusion for myself that only the more recent T*P* models were so designated, but that was shattered by an eBay auction proving otherwise.

Whatever the case it is a great binocular to use even to this day.

Ed

PS. Incidentally, my specimen has an IPD range of 57-75, which may not satisfy the OP's needs.
 
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Ed,

Charley also has problems with his narrow IPD. I've been trying to find a good birding binocular that has an IPD that starts around 55 mm and the only ones I found are the Nikon EIIs and SEs. The SEs have longer ER around 17mm. I don't know how much of the FOV would be cut off if they were used with glasses and they are discontinued too. There may be other Porro Prisms that could work out.

Long eye relief is a plus in Charley's case. I know that the Zeiss 7x42 Dialyt had that. I ran into a guy at Hawk Mountain years ago who told me he got rid of his because the ER was "too long."

As for Nikon's warranty; for myself, I have a Nikon 8x30 EII that needs some work. I have all the right papers for it but I have no intention of sending it to Nikon because I don't want them to replace it with "one of equal value," so I am going to contact Suddarth about it and pay the freight.

Bob

Bob,

Hmmm. I thought you were talking about the E2, which has limited eye relief. The 8x32 SE is a different story altogether, although some folks were bothered by SAXP (spherical aberration of the exit pupil).

First time I've heard someone fearing their E2 being replaced by "one of equal [economic] value," but I wouldn't put anything past Nikon. My 8x32 LX L wasn't covered by their No Fault Policy because it was factory refurbished to new condition.

Ed
 
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