Noctivid 10x42 Olive Green Edition (1 Viewer)

[jan van daalen]

Jan,
And I do not care as long as Leitz/Leica signs for its top quality, and as far as I have seen it did for binoculars either assembled in Germany or in Portugal.
Gijs van Ginkel

Hi Gijs,

In my opinion we should separate the issue of quality from the issue Made in.
Why do you think mfrs does us want to believe it is Made in Germany while it is made somewhere else?
Why Made in Germany while in reality it isn't.
That's the only thing I mean.
I don't think the customer wants to be fooled. I know I don't.
Just my 2c.

Jan

 

[St. Elmo]

Let's face it, "Made in Germany" means something because that meaning was earned over and over again. Until "Made in Portugal" does some of the same earning, "Made in Germany" is going to come out on top.

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Hi Jan,
I will take you on an imagenary tour and that could be a reality.
-1- The Leica directorate and design team gathers in Wetzlar and discusses the successes of the Swarovski EL design. Question arises: should Leica also make a binocular with open bridge? After some discussion the decision is made to do so. The design department is asked to generate a possible sample.
And so slowly a design of a Noctivid body comes into being. Now the body has to be made and since there is no facility in Germany to produce such bodies, a company in Switzerland that is specialised in such matter is approached and makes a sample, that is approved by Leica. Since Leica does not have a facility for serial production of these bodies it is outsourced to that company in Switserland.
For the optical system in the body the lady in charge of optical systems, mrs. Sigrun Kammans is asked to generate an optical system, that fits into that body and fullfills the demands the directorate has in mind. At the meeting the Portugese Leica staff was also present and it offered to make the optical components, since they have enough possibilities to do so. That offer is accepted.
Another company was asked to make and deliver the body armor material. Optical lenses and prisms in crude form are bought from O Hara, a (non-German) company that makes excellent optical glas. In Wetzlar and in Portugal lenses and prisms were polished to the exact shapes and specifications. Now the discussion arises where to assemble the system into Noctivid binoculars: Portugal has plenty of possibilities and there is also some space for it in Wetzlar. Decided is to split it into to different streams: German and Portugese and the finishing touch and packing will take place in Wetzlar and sales will also be organised from there. Should we now take these binoculars as made in Germany?

Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Conndomat]

Hello Gijs,

it is like the Mercedes star that used to be shining like antlers on the bonnet, if it got lost during the night by a star collector, high prices were paid for a new star.
A Mercedes without a star is not a real Mercedes!
Some owners then came up with the idea of simply leaving out the star and then noticed with astonishment that the Mercedes also drives without a star and that without any restriction.
Conclusion, you can drive a Mercedes without a star, but a star driving without a Mercedes that somehow doesn't work!

Andreas

 

[thisdudeisgood]

Dude, I'm with you.
Made in Germany should mean Made in Germany. Period.

Jan

That's what the sales pitch said... Explicit.... Unambiguous... Made in Germany it said. Its not and its false advertising hence my irritation. Its made in Portugal. I started this post to warn other prospective purchasers. Yes.... Made in Germany should indeed mean exactly that.

I want my Noctivid to say 'made in Germany' on them, and I'm pissed off it does not, I do not want nasty surprises, after all those months of research and saving up the funds. Its bullshit false advertising.

 

[thisdudeisgood]

My 10x50 HD plus is also made in Portugal. I was told it started this year.

Did you assume it would be be made in Germany?

 

[thisdudeisgood]

Let's face it, "Made in Germany" means something because that meaning was earned over and over again. Until "Made in Portugal" does some of the same earning, "Made in Germany" is going to come out on top.

Agreed

 

[NDhunter]

That's what the sales pitch said... Explicit.... Unambiguous... Made in Germany it said. Its not and its false advertising hence my irritation. Its made in Portugal. I started this post to warn other prospective purchasers. Yes.... Made in Germany should indeed mean exactly that.

I want my Noctivid to say 'made in Germany' on them, and I'm pissed off it does not, I do not want nasty surprises, after all those months of research and saving up the funds. Its bullshit false advertising.

Dude:
You have said you enjoy your new Leica, and that is great, Leica makes very fine binoculars.
But your long rant about the made in Germany thing is over the top.
If I were you, I would return it to the seller, it seems you will never be pleased.
Jerry

 

[Robert Moore]

Did you assume it would be be made in Germany?

Yes. Just because all the other ones I had were and it was the first I seen made in Portugal. I traded my Swarovski 10x50 EL for the Leica so I didn’t buy it new. I got it from a birdforum member and he said they were only a month old and that the newer ones from 2021 are made in Portugal.

 

[Robert Moore]

As long as the quality is there I don’t care. They have been making the ultravid for a long time and should have all the bugs worked out by now. Never had any issues with any of the other ultravid I owned so it’s kinda weird the 10x50 has focusing issues. I guess it happens no matter where they are made every once in awhile.

 

[Robert Moore]

View attachment IMG_5145.MOV

 

[Robert Moore]

You can see the focusing lens shift and when I have them mounted on a tripod looking at a star the star will jump from side to side when changing focus direction.

 

[Conndomat]

That's what the sales pitch said... Explicit.... Unambiguous... Made in Germany it said.

You have 14 days to return the binocular!
I would also say that you should give it back, the "Made in Germany" seems too stuck in your head.

Andreas

 

[Robert Moore]

They also make that clunking noise you hear and you can feel it inside the binocular when focusing

 

[Robert Moore]

If you like the Noctivid I say keep it. Anything happens to it it will be covered under warranty.

 

[jan van daalen]

Hi Jan,
I will take you on an imagenary tour and that could be a reality.
-1- The Leica directorate and design team gathers in Wetzlar and discusses the successes of the Swarovski EL design. Question arises: should Leica also make a binocular with open bridge? After some discussion the decision is made to do so. The design department is asked to generate a possible sample.
And so slowly a design of a Noctivid body comes into being. Now the body has to be made and since there is no facility in Germany to produce such bodies, a company in Switzerland that is specialised in such matter is approached and makes a sample, that is approved by Leica. Since Leica does not have a facility for serial production of these bodies it is outsourced to that company in Switserland.
For the optical system in the body the lady in charge of optical systems, mrs. Sigrun Kammans is asked to generate an optical system, that fits into that body and fullfills the demands the directorate has in mind. At the meeting the Portugese Leica staff was also present and it offered to make the optical components, since they have enough possibilities to do so. That offer is accepted.
Another company was asked to make and deliver the body armor material. Optical lenses and prisms in crude form are bought from O Hara, a (non-German) company that makes excellent optical glas. In Wetzlar and in Portugal lenses and prisms were polished to the exact shapes and specifications. Now the discussion arises where to assemble the system into Noctivid binoculars: Portugal has plenty of possibilities and there is also some space for it in Wetzlar. Decided is to split it into to different streams: German and Portugese and the finishing touch and packing will take place in Wetzlar and sales will also be organised from there. Should we now take these binoculars as made in Germany?

Gijs van Ginkel

Gijs,

I do know the story you're telling me (again). I am well educated by a man who listens to the same name as yours, but.......
There is no production of optics by Leica in Wetzlar. Marketing and PR stunts like Made in Germany are BS and for complete different reasons compared to the reasons you mentioned.

We must split the discussion between where it is made and the quality.

Jan

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Jan,
So there is no problem when on the binoculars is mentioned Made In Portugal (I have no problem with it, but some in this forum do). After all quality and quality control of the instruments made in Portugal are of the same high quality as with the instruments that were in the past Made in Germany.
The only problem arises when on an instrument is mentioned Made in Germany, when in fact it is not made there.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Ontario]

Jan,
So there is no problem when on the binoculars is mentioned Made In Portugal (I have no problem with it, but some in this forum do). After all quality and quality control of the instruments made in Portugal are of the same high quality as with the instruments that were in the past Made in Germany.
The only problem arises when on an instrument is mentioned Made in Germany, when in fact it is not made there.
Gijs van Ginkel

With this new 🇺🇸 25% tariff on 🇩🇪 sport optics will Zeiss move the assembly to 🇭🇺 ? Is that even a viable financial option for Zeiss ? Didn’t they shutter their Hungary operation during recent restructuring. Or will the new Chancellor convince Biden to drop the tariff ? And where does this leave the 🇬🇧 what import tariffs on EU sport optics was the 🇬🇧 hit with following Brexit ? Zeiss is a proud German company no way the move their flagship production to 🇯🇵 unless it makes financial sense

 

[Mike F]

Yes. Just because all the other ones I had were and it was the first I seen made in Portugal. I traded my Swarovski 10x50 EL for the Leica so I didn’t buy it new. I got it from a birdforum member and he said they were only a month old and that the newer ones from 2021 are made in Portugal.

I believe that all UV's are made in Portugal. Leica's facility in Portugal is very modern and second to none, but people (understandably to an extent) still like to think that their Leica has been made in Germany. They probably please more customers by saying that their TOTL binoculars are made in Germany than they annoy, so they have always gone with that. Perhaps they have had a change of heart, or else the regulatons governing the stated country of manufacture have changed? Either way, UV's (and NV's) have always been made in Portugal AFAIK.

 

[Troubador]

With this new 🇺🇸 25% tariff on 🇩🇪 sport optics will Zeiss move the assembly to 🇭🇺 ? Is that even a viable financial option for Zeiss ? Didn’t they shutter their Hungary operation during recent restructuring?

No, the Hungary factory continues to supply components to Wetzlar for sports optics and also to Zeiss Vision (spectacle lenses).

Lee