[gr8fuldoug]

I do not make the news, I am just reporting it. Leica is having a July 1st price increase.
Just thought I should let you know as we just got the new price sheets.
Remember, there is always big savings available with the Leica Certified Pre-Owned, Leica warrantied, program.

[karmantra]

Cabelas is showing the 8x20 BCR Ultravids at $620, an increase of $25, and the 10x25 BCR Ultravids at $680, an increase of $35! Glad I got mine when they were under $500 each at Eagle Optics, couldn't (& wouldn't) buy them for that kind of $$$$ now!

[Chris Moore]

Originally Posted by gr8fuldoug

I do not make the news, I am just reporting it. Leica is having a July 1st price increase.
Just thought I should let you know as we just got the new price sheets.
Remember, there is always big savings available with the Leica Certified Pre-Owned, Leica warrantied, program.

mmmmmm thats interesting. Even more expensive now for an inferior focusing system to the other top makes. Perhaps they need the funds to improve things !!!

[BMR]

Originally Posted by Chris Moore

mmmmmm thats interesting. Even more expensive now for an inferior focusing system to the other top makes. Perhaps they need the funds to improve things !!!

Yes, and the other makes being more money for lesser, more fragile build quality.

[Chris Moore]

Originally Posted by BMR

Yes, and the other makes being more money for lesser, more fragile build quality.

IMO wrong.There is little to choose between both the optical and build quality of the top makes ie Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski and Nikon as has been previously documented. It has also been well documented that the focusing system of Leica binoculars is to say the least erratic. My comment therefore, tongue in cheek, is to enquire why is this so considering the cost ????? Many cheaper binoculars have a smoother focusing wheel - why oh why is it so difficult for Leica ???????? My current binoculars are the Zeiss 8x32 fl, I have previously owned 8x32 ultravids, optically excellent, but focus wheel poor !! I changed because it was so irritating. Leica's explanation is that you can use their bins at -25C hence no lubrication !!! How many people will be birdwatching at -25C ??? Ridiculous!!!

[Otto McDiesel]

Originally Posted by Chris Moore

How many people will be birdwatching at -25C ??? Ridiculous!!!

It must be exciting to see frozen birds dropping out of the sky.

[Stewart J.]

Have owned the Nikon 8 x 42 HGL's for almost 2 years, also own Ultravid 10 x 42's. Nikons are superb optically and focusing is in a league of their own but really have a fragile build quality issue which needs addressing. The Lecias are still looking new and of far better quality (focus problems aside). Shame really but I wouldn't buy Nikons again or recomend them, they are really looking shabby, we also have the Nikon 8 x 32's HG's and rubber coating is of far superior quality.

Take note anyone from Nikon.

Stewart

[bradshrike]

Originally Posted by Chris Moore

IMO wrong.There is little to choose between both the optical and build quality of the top makes ie Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski and Nikon as has been previously documented. It has also been well documented that the focusing system of Leica binoculars is to say the least erratic. My comment therefore, tongue in cheek, is to enquire why is this so considering the cost ????? Many cheaper binoculars have a smoother focusing wheel - why oh why is it so difficult for Leica ???????? My current binoculars are the Zeiss 8x32 fl, I have previously owned 8x32 ultravids, optically excellent, but focus wheel poor !! I changed because it was so irritating. Leica's explanation is that you can use their bins at -25C hence no lubrication !!! How many people will be birdwatching at -25C ??? Ridiculous!!!

I hunt and look at birds at -25c and appreciate my bin's not freezing up. Yeah, had an 8x32 BN and now have an 8x32 Ultravid (from Doug@Cameraland BTW... GREAT service and pricing).

Leica's are built like the proverbial Teutonic Tank and I can appreciate that...

[Otto McDiesel]

The value of the UD dollar is on a downward slope compared to the Euro. This means the European binoculars imported into the US will likely increase in price.

[Swissboy]

Originally Posted by Brad_A

Leica's are built like the proverbial Teutonic Tank and I can appreciate that...

That does not mean that they need to have a coarse focus! Their Trinovids are a case in point; and some Ultravids are perfect as well!

[bradshrike]

Originally Posted by Swissboy

That does not mean that they need to have a coarse focus! Their Trinovids are a case in point; and some Ultravids are perfect as well!

The reason for it is they don't use any lubricant... it's a design philosophy and doesn't bother me one whit.

[denco@comcast.n]

Originally Posted by gr8fuldoug

I do not make the news, I am just reporting it. Leica is having a July 1st price increase.
Just thought I should let you know as we just got the new price sheets.
Remember, there is always big savings available with the Leica Certified Pre-Owned, Leica warrantied, program.

What can you get the Leica Trinivids 8x32 BN's for under this pre-Owned program?

Dennis

[gr8fuldoug]

Originally Posted by denco@comcast.n

What can you get the Leica Trinivids 8x32 BN's for under this pre-Owned program?

Dennis

Dennis,
Like new, Leica Certified Pre-Owned, with the Leica 10 year warranty, case, strap and rainguard run $849.99 shipped in the USA.

Doug

[Birdspotter]

Originally Posted by Chris Moore

. Leica's explanation is that you can use their bins at -25C hence no lubrication !!! How many people will be birdwatching at -25C ??? Ridiculous!!!

Probablly not a lot, but there are a few I guess just ask some of our Canadian and Scandinavian friends on here.

Them aside I remember the winter of 1996 when it was so cold here in Scotland, a friend of mines bins did freeze up,although not Leica's I might add.
I think the day temperatures were around -7, getting to -20+ by the evenings.
Brrrrr was that a cold one,birding was excellent though !

[brocknroller]

Originally Posted by Stewart J.

Have owned the Nikon 8 x 42 HGL's for almost 2 years, also own Ultravid 10 x 42's. Nikons are superb optically and focusing is in a league of their own but really have a fragile build quality issue which needs addressing. The Lecias are still looking new and of far better quality (focus problems aside). Shame really but I wouldn't buy Nikons again or recomend them, they are really looking shabby, we also have the Nikon 8 x 32's HG's and rubber coating is of far superior quality.

Take note anyone from Nikon.

Stewart

Stewart,

I owned a 10x42 HG L for a month. I also tried my friend's 10x42 LX for a month, and I own a 8x32 HG (second of two samples). What you say about the rubber armoring is true. I had to be very careful not to mark up the top of the HG Ls. Although the texture is pleasing to the hand and the chocolate brown color pleasing to the eye, the soft texture made it very vulnerable to marking and collecting dust. By comparison, the HG's armoring is more robust.

Can't say if that also applies for what's under the armoring. The light weight gives the feeling that the HG Ls are not as strong, but according to Nikon the magnesium frame is as strong as the HG's alumium body.

The rubber eyecups on the HG wear too fast, IMO. The HG L seems to use the same rubber covering on the eyecups even though the twist-up cups have click stops (not that helpful to me since the position where the view was most comfortable -- slightly below the all the way out position -- did not have a "stop").

I suppose the fast wearng soft covering is the trade-off for comfort. I had the 820 Audubon and found the hard, oversized eyecups very uncomfortable, though they would probably take years to wear.

But most disturbing about the H G L was the difference in the optics. Having used only one HG L sample and five HG samples, it's possible that my disappointment with the HG L's optics were due to sample variations, but given the changeover to lead-free glass and different coatings (the reflections are different colors than the HG model), I think the "variations" have more to do with the lead-free glass and the coatings designed to compensate for lower refractive index of lead-free glass.

Comparing the HG L and HG side by side, I found the contrast, color rendition, and color depth of the HG was superior. The HG L was brighter, but that increase in brightness came at the expense of contrast and color bias.

Dark reds had an orange hue with the HG L whereas the dark red looked true to life with the HGs. Looking at details (veins) on leaves in bright sunlight, I could see greater detail even with my 8x32 HG than I could with the 10x42 HG L due to better contrast and color depth (gradations in color tints/shades). With the HG L, the leaves looked "overexposed" (to borrow a term from photography), which washed out detail.

IMO, the HG L was a step backward optically and also with the armoring. The bottom pebbly textured armoring on the HG Ls also gave a stickier, better grip. Since it seems softer than the HG armoring, I would guess that the bottom armoring too would wear more quickly than the HG's, but since I only had them for a month, I can't say.

However, the lighter weight of the HG L was greatly appreciated and made handling much more comfortable.

Ultimately, I found the barrel distortion in the optics of the full sized HG/HG Ls excessive, which is why I didn't keep them. In $100 Minolta 7x35 Activa WP FP, I could forgive barrel distortion, but this degree of field distortion is NOT acceptable at the HG/HG L price point, IMO. However, most people apparently adjust to the distortion after awhile, but I couldn't.

The 8x32 HG has some barrel distortion, but not excessive, IMO. At least one former BF 8x32 HG owner found it excessive. The contrast, color depth, and color rendition is good as I've seen in any binocular. My only complaints with the 8x32 HG are chromatic aberration in high contrast situations (common to all roofs with non-ED glass) and the fact that I had to buy two samples to find one with a precise focuser to keep my focus accommodation problems under control (my first sample's focuser was too loose).

I also tried a second 10x42 HG briefly, but returned it because the optics on one side was not coated properly, resulting in loss of contrast and brightness. I was surprised to find that two out of five randomly selected HG samples had quality control problems. I wasn't expecting that at this price point.

[hinnark]

Originally Posted by brocknroller

But most disturbing about the H G L was the difference in the optics. Having used only one HG L sample and five HG samples, it's possible that my disappointment with the HG L's optics were due to sample variations, but given the changeover to lead-free glass and different coatings (the reflections are different colors than the HG model), I think the "variations" have more to do with the lead-free glass and the coatings designed to compensate for lower refractive index of lead-free glass.

Brock,

according an older brochure of Nikon the former HG series were made of eco-glass without lead and arsenic. But I got also the impression that the optics of both series aren´t identical.

Steve

[Tvc15_2000]

Leica Ultravid 10x42 price increased $100 since November in New York City.
Nov 2006 $1795 January 2007 $1895
A 5.571% price increase.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

[Chris Moore]

Originally Posted by hinnark

Brock,

according an older brochure of Nikon the former HG series were made of eco-glass without lead and arsenic. But I got also the impression that the optics of both series aren´t identical.

Steve

Is it me or should not this be on the Nikon site. Whats this got to do with the heading Leica price increase?