Leica Ultravid 8x20 dissection (The beauty) (2 Viewers)

[Thotmosis]

Today i gave my beloved Leica UV 8x20 BL to a very good friend for his 60th birthday. I told him to pass by and gave him some binoculars to try. In the end after trying them for a half hour he opted for the Habicht 8x30 GA IF because he liked the view trough it and the fact that it’s bullet proof and not so big. Then i said if you like small i also have two pocket binoculars and gave him my two Leica’s UV (8x20 and 10x25) to try. He was stunned by the optical quality and decided to take the smallest of the two. He is very happy with them.

 

[Rg548]

Today i gave my beloved Leica UV 8x20 BL to a very good friend for his 60th birthday. I told him to pass by and gave him some binoculars to try. In the end after trying them for a half hour he opted for the Habicht 8x30 GA IF because he liked the view trough it and the fact that it’s bullet proof and not so big. Then i said if you like small i also have two pocket binoculars and gave him my two Leica’s UV (8x20 and 10x25) to try. He was stunned by the optical quality and decided to take the smallest of the two. He is very happy with them.

Blimey😲

 

[PatR]

Clifton Cameras (UK) have a 10-20% discount on selected Leica binoculars (ends today sorry, just seen it) which takes the Ultravid 8x20 down from £629 to £503.20.........which is a very nice discount.

I have long wondered what is so special about them, not helped in part by the excellent photo's by @durobird, so a pair has been ordered to see how they compare to my Curio's. Will post once tested.

Luckily my beloved happens to have a hair appointment on the delivery day so fingers crossed that they arrive whilst she is under anaesthetic the hair dryer hood.

 

[mwhogue]

Pat,

Clifton Cameras (UK) have a 10-20% discount on selected Leica binoculars (ends today sorry, just seen it) which takes the Ultravid 8x20 down from £629 to £503.20.........which is a very nice discount.

A stunning discount.

I have long wondered what is so special about them, not helped in part by the excellent photo's by @durobird, so a pair has been ordered to see how they compare to my Curio's. Will post once tested.

"...so a pair has been ordered..." -- brilliant strategic use of the passive voice.

Luckily my beloved happens to have a hair appointment on the delivery day so fingers crossed that they arrive whilst she is under anaesthetic the hair dryer hood.

Might I suggest that the salon be called by someone to add a mani pedi, a massage and a facial to her appointment so as to expand the safe harbor for delivery?

Looking forward to you comparison.

Mike

 

[Rg548]

Clifton Cameras (UK) have a 10-20% discount on selected Leica binoculars (ends today sorry, just seen it) which takes the Ultravid 8x20 down from £629 to £503.20.........which is a very nice discount.

I have long wondered what is so special about them, not helped in part by the excellent photo's by @durobird, so a pair has been ordered to see how they compare to my Curio's. Will post once tested.

Luckily my beloved happens to have a hair appointment on the delivery day so fingers crossed that they arrive whilst she is under anaesthetic the hair dryer hood.

Funnily enough I have been out this afternoon with my mate who bought my old 8x42 Conquests, so got to play with them again.

I only had my Ultra 8x20's with me. On a sunny afternoon, there was obviously not much difference in brightness, but what I did notice was that the image was 'better'.... higher quality, sharp to the edge, and nicer colours with the Ultra.
Sure, the 8x20's are much more fiddly to use, but what quality!!! They feel better built to be fair, as do my BN's.

I still think optically they are a bit under the Curio, but as an all round package, those Ultra's are hard to beat in my opinion.
I'm glad I went back to them, having sold some a while back.

Let us know about a comparison and your thoughts against the Curio, it'll be an interesting reasd for sure.

 

[PatR]

Funnily enough I have been out this afternoon with my mate who bought my old 8x42 Conquests, so got to play with them again.

I only had my Ultra 8x20's with me. On a sunny afternoon, there was obviously not much difference in brightness, but what I did notice was that the image was 'better'.... higher quality, sharp to the edge, and nicer colours with the Ultra.
Sure, the 8x20's are much more fiddly to use, but what quality!!! They feel better built to be fair, as do my BN's.

I still think optically they are a bit under the Curio, but as an all round package, those Ultra's are hard to beat in my opinion.
I'm glad I went back to them, having sold some a while back.

Let us know about a comparison and your thoughts against the Curio, it'll be an interesting reasd for sure.

I will report back.

I must admit that I truly love the Curio's, they are a wonderful little binocular and so far my knob hasn't fallen off and the body coating is still coating the body with no wear at all. Out this morning in the pouring rain watching 5 Cygnets in the mini-lake that has formed in front of our house and the Curio's were fantastic. Not sure how SW magiced so much optical excellence into something so small but I am grateful, and in awe, that they did.

It is sheer greed on my part as I don't really need another pair of pockets. But the rather eye-catching discount and the reports and reviews of so many, yourself included, convinced me to give them a go. I am looking forward to receiving them and putting them up against the Curio's and the oft maligned Terra 8x25's which continue to absorb all the punishment I can hand them.

Open mind, safe in the knowledge that should they not be wunderkids (for me) they will returned. But I must admit that they do look gorgeous in durobird's fantastic photo's.

 

[GreenRooky]

Clifton Cameras (UK) have a 10-20% discount on selected Leica binoculars (ends today sorry, just seen it) which takes the Ultravid 8x20 down from £629 to £503.20.........which is a very nice discount.

I have long wondered what is so special about them, not helped in part by the excellent photo's by @durobird, so a pair has been ordered to see how they compare to my Curio's. Will post once tested.

Luckily my beloved happens to have a hair appointment on the delivery day so fingers crossed that they arrive whilst she is under anaesthetic the hair dryer hood.

Great choice, I bought mine on a similar clifton January sale last year

 

[fazalmajid]

Which model did you try ?
Jerry

The 8x22.

 

[PatR]

Funnily enough I have been out this afternoon with my mate who bought my old 8x42 Conquests, so got to play with them again.

I only had my Ultra 8x20's with me. On a sunny afternoon, there was obviously not much difference in brightness, but what I did notice was that the image was 'better'.... higher quality, sharp to the edge, and nicer colours with the Ultra.
Sure, the 8x20's are much more fiddly to use, but what quality!!! They feel better built to be fair, as do my BN's.

I still think optically they are a bit under the Curio, but as an all round package, those Ultra's are hard to beat in my opinion.
I'm glad I went back to them, having sold some a while back.

Let us know about a comparison and your thoughts against the Curio, it'll be an interesting reasd for sure.

Well they arrived this morning just as the sun shone through the rain. A quick unpack and inspection showed a protrusion/split on the seam of the barrel armour. Oh dear.

I gave them a quick test but their eye relief made it almost impossible for me to get a clear FOV without a smidgen of blackout. It is probably my facial and eye socket structure but no matter how many positions I tried, eyecups in and out, they just didn't fit me. It wasn't the size/ergonomics or the tactile feel of them, I couldn't get comfortable and the either 'up or down' eyecup positions probably didn't help.

But everything anyone has said of them is true. Beautifully made (apart from the seam at the observation lens) and packaged as one would expect of a premium product. Optically very sharp in the centre with a small amount of softness at the extreme edges, beautiful colours and a lovely flat view.

But sadly they will be returned. I have only tested them for a short while because I want to return them in 'as received' condition but it was sufficient for me to make a decision. The combination of a possible defect in the armour and the eye relief means they are, sadly, not for me.

I know that it is a subjective and personal thing but my Curio's eclipsed the Ultravid's from a users (me) perspective. They are optically superior and much brighter to my eyes, have absolutely no blackouts and the FOV is much nicer due, I feel, to the 7x rather than 8x magnification.

The Leica case is a cracker mind.

 

[Rg548]

Well they arrived this morning just as the sun shone through the rain. A quick unpack and inspection showed a protrusion/split on the seam of the barrel armour. Oh dear.

I gave them a quick test but their eye relief made it almost impossible for me to get a clear FOV without a smidgen of blackout. It is probably my facial and eye socket structure but no matter how many positions I tried, eyecups in and out, they just didn't fit me. It wasn't the size/ergonomics or the tactile feel of them, I couldn't get comfortable and the either 'up or down' eyecup positions probably didn't help.

But everything anyone has said of them is true. Beautifully made (apart from the seam at the observation lens) and packaged as one would expect of a premium product. Optically very sharp in the centre with a small amount of softness at the extreme edges, beautiful colours and a lovely flat view.

But sadly they will be returned. I have only tested them for a short while because I want to return them in 'as received' condition but it was sufficient for me to make a decision. The combination of a possible defect in the armour and the eye relief means they are, sadly, not for me.

I know that it is a subjective and personal thing but my Curio's eclipsed the Ultravid's from a users (me) perspective. They are optically superior and much brighter to my eyes, have absolutely no blackouts and the FOV is much nicer due, I feel, to the 7x rather than 8x magnification.

The Leica case is a cracker mind.

I have to agree, the Curios are brighter and just a better image.
I only noticed on side by side comparison, as the Leicas are great on a stand alone session.
Shame about that armour, just as we've been saying generally how well Leicas are built.
I found the Ultras quite difficult to use initially, but I seem to have it cracked now..... but those Curios are easier.
If I was buying new.... i'd be tempted to get the Curios, it just happened that someone on here was selling some Ultras in mint condition at a very good price.
As they are pocket/ travel/ emergency binos, they are great....
But for specific viewing I'll always go to the BN's

 

[PatR]

I have to agree, the Curios are brighter and just a better image.
I only noticed on side by side comparison, as the Leicas are great on a stand alone session.
Shame about that armour, just as we've been saying generally how well Leicas are built.
I found the Ultras quite difficult to use initially, but I seem to have it cracked now..... but those Curios are easier.
If I was buying new.... i'd be tempted to get the Curios, it just happened that someone on here was selling some Ultras in mint condition at a very good price.
As they are pocket/ travel/ emergency binos, they are great....
But for specific viewing I'll always go to the BN's

Its a bummer. I must admit to suppressing a mild chuckle with the armour bit especially as SW are getting a bit of stick on the forum (and rightly so).

It just goes to show how our facial/eye structures affect our bino use and how personal it is. One mans meat and all that.

But they are a jewel-like pair of bino's and I am truly disappointed that they didn't 'fit' me. Interesting that yours took a bit of time to get used to. I couldn't, in all honesty, keep them for longer and keep testing as they should be returned in 'as new' condition.

Just goes to show how good the Curio's are.

 

[Trinovid]

I gave them a quick test but their eye relief made it almost impossible for me to get a clear FOV without a smidgen of blackout.

I think many of its use the 8x20 Ultravid with out index fingers to literally index the binocular at our brows, essentially spacers, which eliminates the blackouts.

I to find the Curio to be easier to use and brighter, but still prefer the Ultravid.

 

[Rg548]

I think many of its use the 8x20 Ultravid with out index fingers to literally index the binocular at our brows, essentially spacers, which eliminates the blackouts.

I to find the Curio to be easier to use and brighter, but still prefer the Ultravid.

Why do you prefer the Ultra ??

 

[mwhogue]

I think many of its use the 8x20 Ultravid with out index fingers to literally index the binocular at our brows, essentially spacers, which eliminates the blackouts.

I to find the Curio to be easier to use and brighter, but still prefer the Ultravid.

Why do you prefer the Ultra ??

I'm interested in Trinovid's input as well.

Based on my experience, assuming you get along with it in terms of the 2.5 EP, eye placement and ER, the UV Blackline is easier/better to use if the goal is EDC in your normal clothing. It's slightly smaller, lighter, a brilliant minimalist included strap, and the stiffer hinge tension allows carry with IPD maintained in and out of the pocket more reliably than with the Curio. These advantages are reduced with the rubber armored UV.

Mike

 

[Trinovid]

Why do you prefer the Ultra ??

Color rendition, in-hand feel, focuser. I actually retired my 8x20 Ultravid the day the Curio arrived in the mail, and surprised myself by switching back when doing some comparisons a couple weeks later.
I could easily stay with the Curio alone, but for reasons that would stymie many, I still like the Ultravid best.

 

[dorubird]

Ultravid eyes