Is Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD-Plus still a good deal in 2023 ? (1 Viewer)

[tushar007]

Hello Birders,

I am new to birding.. really fascinated with these amazing creation and ways to see them.
Looking for a good quality binocular for this, for which I need your expert opinion. Is Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD-Plus still a good option in 2023 for bird watching or it is too old and should wait for some thing new in the market ?

Thanks

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

tushar007,
The Leica Ultravid 8x32HD-Plus is still a very good option for birdwatching and general obervations. It can compete with other other top quality 32 mm binoculars.
For some test data look at the binocular section of the WEB-site of House of Outdoor, where I have publsihed our test data of quite a few 32 mm binoculars.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[jafritten]

Hello Birders,

I am new to birding.. really fascinated with these amazing creation and ways to see them.
Looking for a good quality binocular for this, for which I need your expert opinion. Is Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD-Plus still a good option in 2023 for bird watching or it is too old and should wait for some thing new in the market ?

Thanks

I am sure they will be a good option in 2053. They are my favourite 8x32s.

 

[MiddleRiver]

Hello Birders,

I am new to birding.. really fascinated with these amazing creation and ways to see them.
Looking for a good quality binocular for this, for which I need your expert opinion. Is Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD-Plus still a good option in 2023 for bird watching or it is too old and should wait for some thing new in the market ?

Thanks

You will find that optics are a bottomless rabbit-hole... The UV's are very high-end glass but of course, this being an often optics-focused birding forum, you'll soon learn that you can make a career and spend a fortune searching for the ultimate optics. Wider field, eye-relief, transmission specs, sharpness, glare/reflections, ergonomics, warranty, 'deliciousness', field-flattness,... it's pretty much endless and there are as many opinions as there are users.

Leica makes superb glass, their warranties and service tend to be top-notch, they are build to last, and they are more than any birder will ever need. THe UVHD 8x32 are very compact which is nice. If possible, try diff binos and see which work best for you ;-)

Now ask me why i've owned over a half dozen (including several Leica) diff binos and keep reading reviews to figure out if I've found the right one! LOL

 

[tenex]

... and should wait for some thing new in the market ?

Welcome to Birdforum! If you mean from Leica, they move rather slowly, which most fans think is a good thing. (Some here have been waiting for a hypothetical 32mm Noctivid for nearly seven years...) More generally, something new is long since here: open-bridge construction, flat-field designs, and lately wider fields of view (which were actually more common 40 years ago, go figure). In fact the maker whose trademark became open-bridge has already abandoned it again. If you want to spend this kind of money and be satisfied for years to come, you need to try all these features first and find out what you prefer and why. (And don't forget simple ease of use, viewing comfort.) There's more difference than you would imagine.

 

[Canip]

Is Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD-Plus still a good option in 2023 for bird watching

My 2 ct:
Yes, it is! Still one of the best 8x32s available.
Only drawback: eye relief is at the limit for many spectacle wearers.

 

[LucaPCP]

They are ideal for traveling: very small, very light, fantastic quality (contrast, resistance to flare, all about them is superb).
Except that they have short eye relief for glass-wearers or for sunglasses.
If you are looking for something small that you can easily take with you when traveling, I think they are the best.

 

[Elpha8888]

If you're in the UK Ive spotted one for £999, seems a good price.

 

[John M Robinson]

You will find that optics are a bottomless rabbit-hole... The UV's are very high-end glass but of course, this being an often optics-focused birding forum, you'll soon learn that you can make a career and spend a fortune searching for the ultimate optics. Wider field, eye-relief, transmission specs, sharpness, glare/reflections, ergonomics, warranty, 'deliciousness', field-flattness,... it's pretty much endless and there are as many opinions as there are users.

Leica makes superb glass, their warranties and service tend to be top-notch, they are build to last, and they are more than any birder will ever need. THe UVHD 8x32 are very compact which is nice. If possible, try diff binos and see which work best for you ;-)

Now ask me why i've owned over a half dozen (including several Leica) diff binos and keep reading reviews to figure out if I've found the right one! LOL

This reply should be copied and posted as a sticky for all of us to read from time to time. So true!

 

[42za]

No , the Leica 8 x 32 UVHD+ is not too old.

 

[Akhil O]

Binoculars, unlike cell phones or cameras, are not a quickly changing industry. What was a great bin 10-15 years ago will still be a solid option today. Yes, price points change, and some coatings get better, but if you're inexperienced you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference in many top quality bins.

Rather than the model, first make sure you know the size and what you want it for. Why 8x32, and not 10x42 for example (my personal preference for balance between weight and light gathering and detail in view). Where are you likely to be birding? what distance are you looking at? Are you hiking a lot with them? Do you wear glasses/sunglasses? Do you have steady hands?

You can't go wrong with the leica, or with a swaro El/NL/slc, or with a Zeiss victory imo. Or even the Opticron Aurora that I just got. But one might speak to you a bit more, and one might save you a little cash.

Happy birding!

 

[Thotmosis]

Binoculars, unlike cell phones or cameras, are not a quickly changing industry. What was a great bin 10-15 years ago will still be a solid option today. Yes, price points change, and some coatings get better, but if you're inexperienced you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference in many top quality bins.

Very true, thats why i always advise also to try used binoculars from reputable sellers.

 

[Trinovid]

Is Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD-Plus still a good option...

Absolutely so. The 8x32 geometry was my first binocular, with the second iteration being the HD+. Now I've had three, all from different eras, starting with an older Leitz, which is still a good binocular, then the BN series, still very good, and now also the HD+, which is an excellent binocular. I liked it so much that I got the 10x32 and 7x42 HD+ models as well.

 

[brocknroller]

Hello Birders,

I am new to birding.. really fascinated with these amazing creation and ways to see them.
Looking for a good quality binocular for this, for which I need your expert opinion. Is Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD-Plus still a good option in 2023 for bird watching or it is too old and should wait for some thing new in the market ?

Thanks

Hello Birders,

I am new to birding.. really fascinated with these amazing creation and ways to see them.
Looking for a good quality binocular for this, for which I need your expert opinion. Is Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD-Plus still a good option in 2023 for bird watching or it is too old and should wait for some thing new in the market ?

Thanks

Old? Why Leica has only been making the 8x32 BA/BN/UV since 1990! The body has slimmed down but the price has bloated to $2,199. New coatings, of course. HD glass. More "sparkle," but basically the same industrial strength binoculars as the BA.

Sports optics makers are always trying to lure birders into buying the "latest and greatest" at ever increasing costs with new gimmicks like inverted fousers, inverted prisms, wider FOV, etc. But the Leica 8x32 has been the darling of birders for over three decades, so they must be doing something right. At least those who don't wear glasses or don't have ape-sized hands.

If you're new to birding, I suggest you buy something much less expensive but still good quality. My $200 MIJ Cabela 8x32 Guide is about the same size and weight as the 8x32 UV (but with an "open hinge" so I can wrap my fingers around the barrels), and the views are superb. Not quite up to my $1200 8x32 EDG but not too far behind it either. It took buying and selling many binnoculars over many years for me to appreciate the sublte differences in optical and mechanical features that separate the "alphas" from the betas and gammas.

I'm not sure where you are from, or if you go birding in the rain, but if not, and you don't need longer ER than the 8x32 UV, consider the Nikon 8x30 E2 (serial #81 or 82xxxx, which have the latest glass and coatings). It doesn't give up much besides WP to a $2k alpha, and it only costs $600. And you get a nice 3-D view to boot.

If you prefer roofs, there are plenty good ones to choose from in the mid-price range that others can recommend. If you stick with the hobby and later decide on "movin' on up to the East Side," the UVs will still be there waiting for you.

Brock

 

[A2GG]

Sports optics makers are always trying to lure birders into buying the "latest and greatest" at ever increasing costs with new gimmicks like inverted fousers, inverted prisms, wider FOV, etc. But the Leica 8x32 has been the darling of birders for over three decades, so they must be doing something right. At least those who don't wear glasses or don't have ape-sized hands.

For eye glass wearers and perhaps ape sized hand people as well the Trinovid HD 8x32 is a good option. I continue to be impressed with the view. IMO it’s super close to Uvid Plus quality. I’m surprised at its crystalline view which I think is from Leica’s recent updated coatings. IMO colors are more natural and a bit less warm (yellow).
I’m finding the image more impressive than Nikon HG 8x30 with a little better transparency, less warm (yellow) and a little sharper (a big surprise there). Of course the Nikon has a much wider fov which is certainly useful. However I’ve been getting by fine with the Trinovid’s relatively narrow fov. I don’t feel at a significant disadvantage when birding with the Trinovid.

Also the build quality is great and focuser is super smooth ... zee best.
The rubber armor has a cheaper feel to it than Ultravid though.

 

[NDhunter]

You might as well get the older Leica BA/BN 8x32, it would be similar in most ways. The original offers a very
nice view. The new UV will have updated coatings but that is about all.
Jerry

 

[Trinovid]

You might as well get the older Leica BA/BN 8x32, it would be similar in most ways. The original offers a very
nice view. The new UV will have updated coatings but that is about all.

I pretty much agree with this, but it’s important to note that the updated coatings being noticeably greater contrast and color saturation.
I’ve got both the BN and HD+ and while i could easily be satisfied with the older binocular, the image quality, slightly lighter and more compact Ultravid wins in all ways other than emotional appeal and pricing.

 

[Thotmosis]

You might as well get the older Leica BA/BN 8x32, it would be similar in most ways. The original offers a very
nice view. The new UV will have updated coatings but that is about all.
Jerry

I agree but i only compared my Leica BN 7x42 with my 7x42 UVHD (non plus) though, other formats and/or plus versions as well as sample variations can give a different outcome. In my specific situation: very similar view and i like the ergonomic of the older BN model slightly better. The newer model is definitely lighter though. Be aware that if you buy a used BA/BN it can have defects that is maybe not covered by warranty and can cost you money to get it fixed. Im still awaiting news from Portugal about a 8x42 BN that i bought used but still under warranty.

 

[tenex]

In my specific situation: very similar view and i like the ergonomic of the older BN model slightly better. The newer model is definitely lighter though.

I agree -- and even consider the extra 2-3oz weight an advantage (unlike the 42mm "brick"). BN 10x32 is more stable for me than HD+, though perhaps less of an issue at 8x.

 

[John M Robinson]

I agree -- and even consider the extra 2-3oz weight an advantage (unlike the 42mm "brick"). BN 10x32 is more stable for me than HD+, though perhaps less of an issue at 8x.

Yep, I quite like the 32 size BA-BN, but much prefer the 42 size Ultravid over the 42 size BN “Brick”.