Curio 7x21 v Uvid 8x20 personal review (3 Viewers)

[iseegeorgesstar]

Sorry to resurrect the thread. But are there any more comments on the close focus distance between the curio versus ultravid?

I'm eye'ing my next pocket binocular purchase. All the continued high praise (brightness, depth of field) of the curio really makes them standout but I know from experience I prefer pocket bins with good/better close focus distance.

I've so far used two pocket bins with an alleged 2m close focus distance. One had slightly better close focus distance than the other though on paper they were supposedly the same. And so the better close focus one had more utility for me even though the optics weren't as good.

Regarding the present comparison, as indicated in the earlier comments the close focus distance (according to B&H) of the ultravid's are 5.9ft/1.8m versus 8.2ft/2.5m on the curio's. So in practice there will be difference yet it seems like there's sample to sample variation? Such as the curio's maybe coming to focus closer than expected?

I guess it boils down to how you want to use and for what objects.

 

[Trinovid]

…I prefer pocket bins with good/better close focus distance.

Sitting in the car just now I’m able to focus on the passenger side mirror, right at 5’ with the Ultravid.
I’ll compare with the Curio later today when I get back to where it is. For various reasons, it’s the Ultravid that is almost always with me.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Sitting in the car just now I’m able to focus on the passenger side mirror, right at 5’ with the Ultravid.
I’ll compare with the Curio later today when I get back to where it is. For various reasons, it’s the Ultravid that is almost always with me.

Thank you for the feedback. Personally speaking, I have the lovely vixen artes monocular so if I really needed to zoom in on something I could. But that said, bino-vision always wins.

And as far as this curio vs ultravid comparison goes. I feel like if I'm spending premium pocket bins money then it should be for the curio but I know from practical experience that sometimes that few inches in close focus makes the difference.

I guess reiterating the ending of my last comment, I have to decide how I want to use it.

 

[Elkhornsun]

The Pentax Papilio II binos in 6.5x21 and 8.5x21 have a close focus distance of 1.6 feet or 0.5 meter. I have the 6.5x ones and the close focus distance is that close. I have a pair for that reason alone.

They are the only 20mm binos I have held onto as the light loss is significant. A 25mm objective provides 56% more light transmission than a 20mm one.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

The Pentax Papilio II binos in 6.5x21 and 8.5x21 have a close focus distance of 1.6 feet or 0.5 meter. I have the 6.5x ones and the close focus distance is that close. I have a pair for that reason alone.

They are the only 20mm binos I have held onto as the light loss is significant. A 25mm objective provides 56% more light transmission than a 20mm one.

Those are definitely on my radar. I never jumped on them because they don't seem super pocketable/lithe? They'd be worth getting as a hobby instrument. But I'm thinking more about all-arounder compact instrument -- put in your pocket and forget you have it, until you see something worthy to zoom in on and then are happy you have a compact bino with you.

Judging from the pictures others have posted elsewhere. It looks like the trinovid are slimmest of all, even moreso than the ultravids.

Edit: Apparently the close focus on the trinovids is 9.8ft/3m and they're not sealed, so guess they're out and back to the ultravids.

 

[dorubird]

Sorry to resurrect the thread. But are there any more comments on the close focus distance between the curio versus ultravid?

I'm eye'ing my next pocket binocular purchase. All the continued high praise (brightness, depth of field) of the curio really makes them standout but I know from experience I prefer pocket bins with good/better close focus distance.

I've so far used two pocket bins with an alleged 2m close focus distance. One had slightly better close focus distance than the other though on paper they were supposedly the same. And so the better close focus one had more utility for me even though the optics weren't as good.

Regarding the present comparison, as indicated in the earlier comments the close focus distance (according to B&H) of the ultravid's are 5.9ft/1.8m versus 8.2ft/2.5m on the curio's. So in practice there will be difference yet it seems like there's sample to sample variation? Such as the curio's maybe coming to focus closer than expected?

I guess it boils down to how you want to use and for what objects.

Utravid has 1.8m close focus in the specifications, but in reality it is almost 1.7m. I don't know about Swarovski Curio, but I don't think it can focus even at 2m because it has 2.5m in specification.

 

[grackle314]

Sorry to resurrect the thread. But are there any more comments on the close focus distance between the curio versus ultravid?

Don't overlook the Leica Monovid 8x20 if close focus distance is important. Close focus ~ 1.8 m, but additionally one may focus on objects at 25-30 cm when using the close-up lens.

My Leica Ultravid 8x20 has close focus of 1.8 m distance from my eye to object. This is the same distance as Leica advertise. My Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 has close focus also of 1.8 m. I have not measured the close focus of the Swarovski Curio 7x21.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Utravid has 1.8m close focus in the specifications, but in reality it is almost 1.7m. I don't know about Swarovski Curio, but I don't think it can focus even at 2m because it has 2.5m in specification.

View attachment 1528170

Yeah, my intuition is that even if I get lucky and a get good close-focus sample of curio that .5m is still a sizeable difference. Also I suspect that the curio would be different in optical presentation if it had a different close focus. So as always, the real tools have their "trade offs" or use cases.

Don't overlook the Leica Monovid 8x20 if close focus distance is important. Close focus ~ 1.8 m, but additionally one may focus on objects at 25-30 cm when using the close-up lens.

My Leica Ultravid 8x20 has close focus of 1.8 m distance from my eye to object. This is the same distance as Leica advertise. My Zeiss Victory Pocket 8x25 has close focus also of 1.8 m. I have not measured the close focus of the Swarovski Curio 7x21.

Thank you for the thought. I'm definitely satisfied in monocular department. The venerable vixen artes is like a mini portable apo grade monocular in your pocket. Good close focus too.

The Zeiss Pocket really does seem like an engineering marvel.

 

[PW42]

My UV 8x20 is about 1.65m and my Curio about 2.10m.