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

[Rg548]

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.

I would have to agree.... That Meostar, especially at that price, will wipe the floor with anything else you are considering, has 30year warranty, and is built like a little tank.
My Meostar 10x42HD is easily the equal of Leica's Ultravid, and there is an article somewhere where the Meostar won best of the best against the big boys a few years ago.
And as I always say, if you buy reputable 2nd hand, and for some reason don't get along with it, just move it on for little, or no loss.
That Meostar 8x32 will blow your socks off optically.

 

[gcole]

I would have to agree.... That Meostar, especially at that price, will wipe the floor with anything else you are considering, has 30year warranty, and is built like a little tank.
My Meostar 10x42HD is easily the equal of Leica's Ultravid, and there is an article somewhere where the Meostar won best of the best against the big boys a few years ago.
And as I always say, if you buy reputable 2nd hand, and for some reason don't get along with it, just move it on for little, or no loss.
That Meostar 8x32 will blow your socks off optically.

I agree totally

 

[Sparroworks]

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!

You don't mention Swarovski binoculars ... optically the best and lightweight too. The 8x32 are perfect for birding.

 

[CharleyBird]

You don't mention Swarovski binoculars ... optically the best and lightweight too. The 8x32 are perfect for birding.

Opinions may differ 😉

 

[Paultricounty]

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.😁

Hi Dennis,

I think It’s partly the holidays, things are a little slow. A lot of people are broke after paying the electric bill and filling up the gas tanks and with all the spending for gifts. That meopta is definitely nice glass and it’s on my checklist not too far into the year. I do think the prices are very close to what I’m seeing brand new with the holiday sales. That could be another reason these things are not selling.

Living in New York doesn’t make you loaded , it makes you broke 😫.

I just picked up two pretty swifts and these ugly ( 11°) monsters.

Happy new year.

Paul,

 

[[email protected]]

Hi Dennis,

I think It’s partly the holidays, things are a little slow. A lot of people are broke after paying the electric bill and filling up the gas tanks and with all the spending for gifts. That meopta is definitely nice glass and it’s on my checklist not too far into the year. I do think the prices are very close to what I’m seeing brand new with the holiday sales. That could be another reason these things are not selling.

Living in New York doesn’t make you loaded , it makes you broke 😫.

I just picked up two pretty swifts and these ugly ( 11°) monsters.

Happy new year.

Paul,

You're probably right. I haven't seen any sales near my prices around here, but maybe things are cheaper in your neck of the woods. The Swift's look nice. eBay?

 

[Paultricounty]

You're probably right. I haven't seen any sales near my prices around here, but maybe things are cheaper in your neck of the woods. The Swift's look nice. eBay?

No, private sales on the Swifts. At your current asking prices, there are no sales close that that. Those are great deals , somebody should be all over them before they regret it. I might have to start breaking into my change containers (daughters college fund). 🤔😲

Paul

 

[sope0018]

Of the conquest and the Retrovid, which is more enjoyable to use? Which one do you use more? Which view do you like more? If you could only keep one, which one would you keep?

 

[Paultricounty]

Of the conquest and the Retrovid, which is more enjoyable to use? Which one do you use more? Which view do you like more? If you could only keep one, which one would you keep?

Hmmm, I enjoy using the retro more, the conquest is just another modern day rubber roof. The image is much nicer in the Leica, imo.

If I had to pick one and those were the only two choices, I would pick the conquest. It’s a better all around tool.

 

[[email protected]]

Of the conquest and the Retrovid, which is more enjoyable to use? Which one do you use more? Which view do you like more? If you could only keep one, which one would you keep?

I enjoyed using the Conquest HD more than the Retrovid because I like the bigger AFOV. A bigger AFOV always gives the binocular more wow factor. If I could keep only one, it would be the Conquest HD. I think it is better for all around use, being waterproof and sealed, and for a full time birding binocular I prefer the extra reach of an 8x.

 

[sope0018]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! I think I will probably stick to the conquest HD because of its more rugged qualities for field use, and my fondness for them when I owned them briefly. What I'm discovering in thinking more about this comparison is that I'd really like a Zeiss Conquest HD in 7x30-something. How cool would that be? A locking diopter would be cool as well.

The only 7x binocular I've ever looked through is my Dad's old 7x35 Tasco binoculars that are many decades old at this point, but the wide true field and depth of field are unlike anything else I've looked through, and by themselves provide a wow factor that is different from simply a wide and sharp field of view that you get with most of today's premium bins. I do wish there were more premium 7x binoculars available today to choose from, particularly in the $1000-2000 range.

 

[Scott98]

The only 7x binocular I've ever looked through is my Dad's old 7x35 Tasco binoculars that are many decades old at this point, but the wide true field and depth of field are unlike anything else I've looked through, and by themselves provide a wow factor that is different from simply a wide and sharp field of view that you get with most of today's premium bins. I do wish there were more premium 7x binoculars available today to choose from, particularly in the $1000-2000 range.

I felt the same way and ended up with a new 7x42 Nikon EDG which is wonderful and cost me about $1400+ shipping from Japan. Bigger and heavier than the 32mm range though. I'd love a 7x35 and have been tempted to add the Leica as well, I think it's only 20 or 21 ounces which is nice for a 35mm binocular.

I've heard from a couple friends that love the 7x35's, if they appeal to you it might be worth a try regardless of the feedback here. It sounds like the design works pretty well. Compared to 8x32's the exit pupil will be larger and that usually delivers viewing comfort for me.

 

[chill6x6]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! I think I will probably stick to the conquest HD because of its more rugged qualities for field use, and my fondness for them when I owned them briefly. What I'm discovering in thinking more about this comparison is that I'd really like a Zeiss Conquest HD in 7x30-something. How cool would that be? A locking diopter would be cool as well.

The only 7x binocular I've ever looked through is my Dad's old 7x35 Tasco binoculars that are many decades old at this point, but the wide true field and depth of field are unlike anything else I've looked through, and by themselves provide a wow factor that is different from simply a wide and sharp field of view that you get with most of today's premium bins. I do wish there were more premium 7x binoculars available today to choose from, particularly in the $1000-2000 range.

Once you get your Conquest HD you might then consider getting a Retrovid 7X35. You only live once. Part of the appeal is it's a classic body with modern components. It really doesn't take a back seat optically either. An amazing thing. I really enjoy using it, don't get me wrong. But I can work around its caveats since I have other binoculars to pick from.

 

[Scott98]

What we need is a classic 7x35 porro made to high standards. From what I can tell, the only ones available today are in the mass-produced, low-cost niche. Which is OK....Nikon does make a nice E2 10x35 but no 7x35

 

[sope0018]

You know, since I already know what I'm getting with the conquest (it's great) and I'm still quite curious about the Retrovid, I think I'll just pick up a pair and see for myself if I prefer them. I have notes on initial impressions with the conquest if I need to "compare" them to make a final call, but until I've handled the Retrovid I'll always wonder. Thanks to another forum member, Canip, who filled me in on their experiences with this binocular and other unsealed binoculars like it. My worries about the lack of armor and waterproof sealing are probably over emphasized and this bino would probably fit my use case just fine. I'll report back on findings later on.

 

[Andy Gan]

If you favor overall optical performance, I would probably go for the Kowa, Conquest, or Meostar.

Maybe You can remember Cons and Pros of Genesis 8x33 and Conquest HD 8x32 and say about their comparison???
At this time i choosing between them((