Leica Trinovid Classic (Retrovid) 7x35 or Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32... (1 Viewer)

[sope0018]

I'm considering buying another binocular to compliment my Leica Ultravid BR 8x20. The little Leicas are always with me wherever I go, and I love them. However, on days when I know I'm going out specifically to use my binoculars while hiking, birdwatching, etc. I think it would be nice to have a glass with a larger exit pupil for easy and quick eye placement and a larger field of view while still remaining relatively compact and light.

I previously owned a conquest hd 8x32 for a week or so while I was hunting for my first "great" binocular, and really enjoyed it. The eye relief (non glasses wearer), large FOV, immersive AFOV, sharp and contrasty image, basic yet perfect ergonomics, fast focuser, and overall feeling while using it makes it a near ideal binocular for me. The only reason I sent it back to B&H was because I told myself I could only keep one of the two binoculars I was considering, and ended up keeping the little Leica as a discrete pocket binocular I could take anywhere.

BUT! I have read a lot about the Retrovid, and am specifically interested in the 7x35 format, which seems very similar on paper to the conquest hd 8x32. They have similar dimensions and weight, are both mid-30-something objectives, 7-8x magnification, have the same wide field of view, similar eye relief around 16mm, and both seem very highly regarded by folks on this forum. Their differences come down to a larger exit pupil in the Retrovid (5mm vs. 4mm in the conquest), a larger AFOV in the conquest, true waterproofing and rubber armoring in the conquest vs. weatherproofing and retro style in the Leica, faster focus wheel in the conquest, more depth of field in the Retrovid, color rendition slightly different between the two (Zeiss vs. Leica), close focus is better in the conquest...

My question to the forum is this: does anyone own(or have you owned) both these binoculars and can you comment on which one you prefer and why and when you use them? Bonus points if you can add side-by-side pictures of both for comparison's sake. Thanks all!

 

[[email protected]]

I have had them both, and I preferred the Conquest HD 8x32 for many of the reasons you mentioned. A big one is the much bigger AFOV than the Trinovid making it much more immersive and the sharp, contrasty image. At the $1K price point, the Zeiss Conquest HD is hard to beat, having probably the sharpest on-axis resolution I have seen without moving up to the alpha's. Plus, you have already tried it, and you know you like it, so one major hurdle is already over. Another binocular you might consider is the Swarovski CL 8x30. It is a little smaller and more compact than the Conquest HD and IMO it has better contrast and being a Swarovski sharper edges. It does have a slightly smaller FOV at 7.6 degrees, but I think it has a slightly higher quality view due to the better contrast, but it is a little more expensive than the Zeiss. The Meopta Meostar B1 Plus 8x32 is also about the size and weight of the Conquest HD and has the same 8 degree FOV, and again I feel it has slightly better contrast than the Conquest HD. It is without a doubt a move up in optics from the Conquest HD. They retail for about $1100. The one problem with the Meostar's are the eye cups are too small for many people, so the eye cups go into your eyes too far, causing black-outs because the ER doesn't match the depth of your eye sockets. The solution is to pop a pair of bigger diameter Leica UV 10x42 eye cups on top of the Meostar eye cups which fit perfectly, and you now have perfectly fitting larger eye cups with no black-outs. I believe somebody has a new pair of Meopta Meostar's B1 Plus 8x32 binoculars on sale in the classifieds which include the Leica UV 10x42 eye cups for $750 which is a deal.

https://www.birdforum.net/threads/meopta-meostar-b1-plus-8x32-binoculars-499782-with-leica-uv-eye-cups-usa.434100/

Review: Meopta 8x32 Meostar B1 vs. Nikon 8x30 EII

Meopta MeoStar B1 8x32 Binocular Review | Ireland's Wildlife

Keen birder and Ireland's Wildlife contributor Colin Barton puts the Meopta MeoStar 8x32 through its paces, and is suitably impressed. Pros: Great image quality — can rival the best optics on the market today. Very sharp and crisp, with great low light performance and a good wide field of view.…

irelandswildlife.com

Birding Products: Meopta Meostar B1 32 Series 8x32 Binoculars: Our Review

I have to admit that I’ve always had a bias against small binoculars. I’m a lifelong hawkwatcher, and in the past, everywhere I traveled, I always took full-sized binoculars—preferably 10x with at least 40mm or 42mm objective lenses to let in more light. And it didn’t matter to me how big and heavy

www.allaboutbirds.org

Review of Meopta B1 MeoStar 8x32

At the 2015 British Birdfair I spent some time trying out spotting scopes from some of the big names and along the way came across the S2 scope from Meopta, a company that has been swimming around the periphery of my perceptions for some years. I will be conducting a review of the S2 and will...

www.birdforum.net

 

[gcole]

I'm considering buying another binocular to compliment my Leica Ultravid BR 8x20. The little Leicas are always with me wherever I go, and I love them. However, on days when I know I'm going out specifically to use my binoculars while hiking, birdwatching, etc. I think it would be nice to have a glass with a larger exit pupil for easy and quick eye placement and a larger field of view while still remaining relatively compact and light.

I previously owned a conquest hd 8x32 for a week or so while I was hunting for my first "great" binocular, and really enjoyed it. The eye relief (non glasses wearer), large FOV, immersive AFOV, sharp and contrasty image, basic yet perfect ergonomics, fast focuser, and overall feeling while using it makes it a near ideal binocular for me. The only reason I sent it back to B&H was because I told myself I could only keep one of the two binoculars I was considering, and ended up keeping the little Leica as a discrete pocket binocular I could take anywhere.

BUT! I have read a lot about the Retrovid, and am specifically interested in the 7x35 format, which seems very similar on paper to the conquest hd 8x32. They have similar dimensions and weight, are both mid-30-something objectives, 7-8x magnification, have the same wide field of view, similar eye relief around 16mm, and both seem very highly regarded by folks on this forum. Their differences come down to a larger exit pupil in the Retrovid (5mm vs. 4mm in the conquest), a larger AFOV in the conquest, true waterproofing and rubber armoring in the conquest vs. weatherproofing and retro style in the Leica, faster focus wheel in the conquest, more depth of field in the Retrovid, color rendition slightly different between the two (Zeiss vs. Leica), close focus is better in the conquest...

My question to the forum is this: does anyone own(or have you owned) both these binoculars and can you comment on which one you prefer and why and when you use them? Bonus points if you can add side-by-side pictures of both for comparison's sake. Thanks all!

I would buy the Meostar B1.1 Plus 8x32 Dennis has for sale if not already sold. You will not find a better price. We have purchased from Dennis and you can trust him. I have not handled either Binocular you have mentioned but I have handled the Meostar he is selling, its an Alpha quality x32mm binocular and if the eye cups do not work for you these will be easy to resell with not much loss if any.

 

[pbjosh]

Most of the major options in the $1000 price range and roughly 8x30/32 format have already been mentioned: Conquest HD, Swaro CL, Meostar, Retrovid. I would add to that the Nikon Monarch HG and the Kowa Genesis. They're all great bins and all have their advantages/disadvantages. I would suggest trying out as many of them as you can.

If you favor overall optical performance, I would probably go for the Kowa, Conquest, or Meostar. But if you want quite a bit smaller and 95% of the performance of those options, the Nikon Monarch HG and the Swaro CL really shine.

Another couple thoughts: First, the 8x42 Monarch HG is closer in size/weight to the 32mm class Genesis, Conquest and Meostar than to other 8x42 bins, and it will really shine in terms of exit pupil and low light performance. Second, the Zeiss SFL is a little more expensive but gets you basically alpha level optics in really compact sizes. They can be thought of as upgraded versions of the Nikon Monarch HG. Perhaps worth looking at, they can be found used or on offer for close to or around your $1000 price point with some hunting, though the new price is higher than that.

 

[gcole]

I agree, but buying the Meopta Dennis has for sale is the best deal price wise considering these are still new and will come with a as New warranty.

 

[gweller]

I think you a trying to compare Apples and Pears here. The Retrovid, despite Dennis' comments is a fantastic binocular, but it is not waterproof, rubber armored and it's close focus it's a bit lacking. I know people here who use it day in day out but I prefer to treat mine with a bit of respect and only use it when the weather and conditions permit. It's a great supplement to other binoculars but I don't think I would personally use it as my only full size bin.

If I were you I would compare the Conquest to the Swar 8x30 CL, the Kowa 8x33 Genesis, and maybe the Nikon Monarch HL. The Zeiss SFL 8x40 looks also nice but of course at a higher cost.

 

[Paultricounty]

I agree, but buying the Meopta Dennis has for sale is the best deal price wise considering these are still new and will come with a as New warranty.

Conquest, nice optics, rubber armored & built tough, fast focuser, water proof, excellent observing tool, boring.
7x35 Retrovid , not water proof, not rubber or built as tough (leatherette), slow focuser , not as good as an observing tool, just gorgeous, delicious image quality with a wonderful Leica eye candy when looking through it and looking at it.

If you want a tool , buy the Conquest, Meopta, MHG or a dozen other upper mid tier binoculars, if you want rich elegance with with a tactile richness and wonderful Leica image feel, go retros. If you don’t buy it now, you’ll buy it later 🤪

Happy New Year

Paul

 

[fazalmajid]

Watch out for the poor close-focus distance of 4m on the Retrovids. I’ve missed opportunities on my 10x40 Retrovids (MFD 5.5m) due to that.

Another model to consider is the upcoming Zeiss SFL 8x30.

 

[pbjosh]

If you want a tool , buy the Conquest, Meopta, MHG or a dozen other upper mid tier binoculars, if you want rich elegance with with a tactile richness and wonderful Leica image feel, go retros. If you don’t buy it now, you’ll buy it later 🤪

This is a really good assessment, but personally I find that I only end up using the binoculars that are the best tools. Fortunately they also tend to have excellent optical properties. I very much admire the Retrovids but am not in the least tempted to own them.

 

[[email protected]]

I would buy the Meostar B1.1 Plus 8x32 Dennis has for sale if not already sold. You will not find a better price. We have purchased from Dennis and you can trust him. I have not handled either Binocular you have mentioned but I have handled the Meostar he is selling, its an Alpha quality x32mm binocular and if the eye cups do not work for you these will be easy to resell with not much loss if any.

The Meopta Meostar B1 8x32 comes with the larger diameter Leica UV 10x42 eye cups already installed over the Meopta eye cups. All you have to do is pop them off, and you're back to the OEM Meopta eye cups, which are smaller. So you have a choice of two different size eye cups, really. I have also included the original Meopta rain guard and aftermarket rain guard that fits the bigger Leica UV eye cups. So you are covered for both sets of eye cups.

 

[gcole]

The Meopta Meostar B1 8x32 comes with the larger diameter Leica UV 10x42 eye cups already installed over the Meopta eye cups. All you have to do is pop them off, and you're back to the OEM Meopta eye cups, which are smaller. So you have a choice of two different size eye cups, really. I have also included the original Meopta rain guard and aftermarket rain guard that fits the bigger Leica UV eye cups. So you are covered for both sets of eye cups.

Dennis has all the bases covered, he even includes different eye cups as well as a rain guard. If these were the 10x32 B1.1, I would have bought them. Come on people, is it so hard to admit that the price of these Meopta Meostar’s beats all the rest. We own the equivalent 8x32 B1.1 and they are that good.

 

[chill6x6]

I'd pick the Conquest HD 8X32. Really it's an excellent birding binocular. It's armored. It's waterproof. Fast focus adjustment. Close focus if that matters to you. It's less expensive. It's good enough that you'd never need another binocular. As much as I like the the Trinovid 7X35, I'd pick the Conquest HD.

I started to muddy the water a little but.....

 

[Rg548]

I would rate the Meostar and the Swaro CL's above the Conquest and Kowa.
Just my opinion.
I was very impressed with the CL image quality.
Having said that Conquests are all the binocular you ever need, and they are built to take some grief if required.

 

[[email protected]]

I would rate the Meostar and the Swaro CL's above the Conquest and Kowa.
Just my opinion.
I was very impressed with the CL image quality.
Having said that Conquests are all the binocular you ever need, and they are built to take some grief if required.

It is the contrast that elevates the CL and Meostar above the Conquest HD IMO. As you move up in price in binoculars, the contrast seems to get better and better. I think it is because they have better coatings. When you are using an alpha, and then you try a Conquest HD, you notice there is something missing. It is just that pop and wow that an alpha has. I am not saying that the Conquest HD is a bad binocular, but there is a difference. The Meostar and CL are a notch above the Conquest HD in contrast, and they are very close to alpha's. The Meostar and CL are a good way to experience the alpha view without spending the big money. I find personally, when I am used to using a Zeiss SF, Swarovski NL or Noctivid it is hard to go back to even a $1000 mid-tier binocular like the Conquest HD. The only advantage an NL 8x32 has over the Meopta Meostar B1 Plus is the larger FOV and the sharper edges as far as the optics go. I guess my point is an alpha will spoil you, so if you can't afford one don't look through one, or you won't quite be content with the Conquest HD, but you might be with the Meostar or CL. Everybody is different though, and you may not notice enough difference between a $1000 binocular and a $2500 to make it worthwhile to pay the difference, but when you will notice the difference is when you are used to using an NL, SF or Noctivid, and then you try a Conquest HD.

 

[Paultricounty]

This is a really good assessment, but personally I find that I only end up using the binoculars that are the best tools. Fortunately they also tend to have excellent optical properties. I very much admire the Retrovids but am not in the least tempted to own them.

It is the contrast that elevates the CL and Meostar above the Conquest HD IMO. As you move up in price in binoculars, the contrast seems to get better and better. I think it is because they have better coatings. When you are using an alpha, and then you try a Conquest HD, you notice there is something missing. It is just that pop and wow that an alpha has. I am not saying that the Conquest HD is a bad binocular, but there is a difference. The Meostar and CL are a notch above the Conquest HD in contrast, and they are very close to alpha's. The Meostar and CL are a good way to experience the alpha view without spending the big money. I find personally, when I am used to using a Zeiss SF, Swarovski NL or Noctivid it is hard to go back to even a $1000 mid-tier binocular like the Conquest HD. The only advantage an NL 8x32 has over the Meopta Meostar B1 Plus is the larger FOV and the sharper edges as far as the optics go. I guess my point is an alpha will spoil you, so if you can't afford one don't look through one, or you won't quite be content with the Conquest HD, but you might be with the Meostar or CL. Everybody is different though, and you may not notice enough difference between a $1000 binocular and a $2500 to make it worthwhile to pay the difference, but when you will notice the difference is when you are used to using an NL, SF or Noctivid, and then you try a Conquest HD.

Are your selling a CL as well 😜.

 

[Paultricounty]

I'd pick the Conquest HD 8X32. Really it's an excellent birding binocular. It's armored. It's waterproof. Fast focus adjustment. Close focus if that matters to you. It's less expensive. It's good enough that you'd never need another binocular. As much as I like the the Trinovid 7X35, I'd pick the Conquest HD.

I started to muddy the water a little but.....

Yes, I’d pick the conquest as well, if I wanted a tool. If I wanted something beautiful like jewelry with something special in the image I’d pick the retro. I want the tool and the jewelry.

 

[[email protected]]

Are your selling a CL as well 😜.

No, I just wanted to keep my post honest and not sound like a sales pitch.

 

[Paultricounty]

No, I just wanted to keep my post honest and not sound like a sales pitch.

Lol 😂. I’m never sure if it’s a sales pitch or not with you. You’re a good sales person.
Happy new year to you and your family.

Paul

 

[[email protected]]

Lol 😂. I’m never sure if it’s a sales pitch or not with you. You’re a good sales person.
Happy new year to you and your family.

Paul

I don't know, that Meopta and that Vortex aren't exactly jumping off the shelf. Surprising too because the price is fantastic and they are great binoculars. Maybe everybody spent all their money for Christmas. Could I interest you in one? I know you are loaded since you live in NY.😁

 

[has530]

I don't know, that Meopta and that Vortex aren't exactly jumping off the shelf. Surprising too because the price is fantastic and they are great binoculars. Maybe everybody spent all their money for Christmas. Could I interest you in one? I know you are loaded since you live in NY.😁

I would be all over that meostar at that price if I didn't already own one in 8x32!