New binoculars from leica (4 Viewers)

[Rotherbirder]

Tobias,

I agree; Recently I've been comparing the Swaro 8x32 SV to the earlier EL WB version, and although the SV gives a nice "crisp" image, I find I prefer the more three-dimensional-appearing image of the older model. Somehow it's an easier, more pleasant and relaxed view for me. I think that's one of the things I liked best about my old Zeiss 7x42 BGAT - an easy, relaxed view.

John

Agree John; I can't 'get on' with the 8x32 SV either optically or ergonomically. The old EL is still my birding 'optic of choice'. Still interested in looking at the NVs though, if only to see what the excitement is about! Its interesting that the Leica section of both the scope and binocular forums can go for weeks if not months without a posting then ... along comes Noctivid! Leica and their users seem to go about things in such a quietly satisfied, unassuming way and everyone else makes a fuss and bother when something interesting happens! Not a criticism of anyone in any way, just an observation.

 

[Hermann]

Its interesting that the Leica section of both the scope and binocular forums can go for weeks if not months without a posting then ... along comes Noctivid! Leica and their users seem to go about things in such a quietly satisfied, unassuming way and everyone else makes a fuss and bother when something interesting happens!

That's hardly surprising, since Leica didn't really change a lot in their binoculars since the introduction of the Trinovid BA in the early 1990s. All the Ultravid models that followed were based on that first Trinovid BA, with only minor modifications as far as the optics were concerned. Different coatings, different glass types, and that was it.

Note that this is not necessarily a bad thing as it shows how good the original Trinovid BA really was, but such (relatively) minor changes don't usually create much of of a stirr. Not even here.

The Nocitvid is seemingly a totally new binocular, and as such it will have some properties neither the Trinovid BA/BN nor the Ultravid in its various incarnations have. In effect the change is on the same scale as the introduction of the Swarovisions and the Zeiss SF were - and they also created a lot of interest.

How good the Noctivid really is and how reliable it is remains to be seen though.

Hermann

 

[dipped]

The 10x have arrived at Minsmere and so of course I got to have a play with them.

On a sample of one they appear to have sorted the focus out no sticktion, smooth equal tension in both directions, great.

Interesting eye-cup arrangement, twist them all the way out and then twist the other way for that very last uppermost position-seemed to be what was happening anyway (I need to check this next time). No problems for me with blackouts.

The weight for me was noticeable after a while as was the slightly awkward ergonomics. For my smallish hands I found to reach the focus wheel the side of my index finger was butting up against the strap lug. Shame the lugs aren't a bit higher out of the way.

The view through them is very peaceful, rich and contrasty - in fact quite addictive. You just want to look at things through these for the sake of it.

I hesitate to say much about depth of field for a number of reasons. I use 8x's, viewing was from indoors but there were no problems with finding best focus. I was aware of an out of focus effect that I got when using my Nikon fieldscope which had low spherical aberration which leads me to believe these may be well corrected for it. Maybe Kiimmo or Henry can comment more when/if they test them. (I'm not in a position to try and star test them).

I will look to trying the 8x's when these come in to the shop. For now I think Leica have produced an optic with some fantastic qualities which will be irresistible for some.

Funds permitting with a few ergonomic tweaks this is a binocular I would be happy to own. I get the impression Leica went all out with the optical quality and perhaps didn't pay so much attention to the ergonomics. (Yes please move the strap lugs higher).

 

[Ontario]

Just received my 8x42 Noctivids and been trying them out for the past hour. As always with Leica, they impress with a classy design and a feeling of quality. For my hands they handle beautifully and the balance makes them seem lighter than they are. They've got just enough heft to hold really steady and are a joy to use. Again its a very personal thing but they deliver a simply stunning view of birds, to my eyes the best I've experienced by a noticeable margin. A very easy view, with a level of sharpness,brightness, colour-richness and three-dimensionality which really hits you every time you put them to you eyes. There are three Yellow-browed Warblers on our Reserve (Woolston Eyes) at the moment and I'm looking forward to a dawn visit to give the NVs a thorough field test.
Cheers David

How did the field testing go? Please post your review.

 

[Vespobuteo]

Noctivid in stock now at some UK dealers...hurry up..

 

[Iceberg slim]

Got a hot date in about an hr, with some "Hot German model" going to really compare the top echelon Bins, want to prove why i shouldn't buy the new Zeiss, own MK1 Swaros 10x42, so the new Field pros won't really need a comparison, but i will anyways.....

 

[Iceberg slim]

I fell to the charms of the Noctovids, they really do look brighter clearer, Sharper, with a distinct 3D image, and i was constantly checking against my Swarovisions, to my eyes and instant feel the Zeiss aren't in the same ball park, just my opinion, but they are an upgrade on Swarovski..

 

[Vespobuteo]

I fell to the charms of the Noctovids, they really do look brighter clearer, Sharper, with a distinct 3D image, and i was constantly checking against my Swarovisions, to my eyes and instant feel the Zeiss aren't in the same ball park, just my opinion, but they are an upgrade on Swarovski..

Any sign of double vision? And what ball park did you visit?
Hope you don't get those 3D-headaches in the morning...
B :-O

 

[CliveP]

I fell to the charms of the Noctovids, they really do look brighter clearer, Sharper, with a distinct 3D image, and i was constantly checking against my Swarovisions, to my eyes and instant feel the Zeiss aren't in the same ball park, just my opinion, but they are an upgrade on Swarovski..

Was it the liquor and drugs I wonder 8-P Iggy for a Nobel :t:

Haha, just kiddywidding.

Mind you, interesting thoughts on it. Picture folks sadly gazing forlornly upon their sub par Zeiss and possibly also the Swaro folks.

I guess I'm lucky not to own any of them in a way, ausserdem vieleicht das neues Wunderkind von Leica!?

 

[Iceberg slim]

Good work on 'Iggy' fine sir. These are just my immediate musings on the new Noctovids, always a sucker for the next shiny priddee looking precious..

 

[DavidBowman]

After nearly three weeks of constant birding with the Noctivid 8x42s I can give a few considered impressions. As an overall comment I'd say they deliver a truly beautiful image - wonderful brightness, contrast and sharpness, nice wide field of view (though not the widest available), huge depth of field and simply gorgeous colour rendition. Handling is fine for me, though it took a couple of days in the field to feel as comfortable with them as I did with my UV HD +. This is because they need to be held differently. With the HD + my hands were almost fully over-lapped. With the NVs I have my left hand further down the left-hand barrel and my right hand immediately below the the strap lugs. My hands are on the small side but with my right-hand fingers spread the focus wheel is perfectly placed. This gives a lovely, steady, balanced feel. In reality, after a couple of days it was instinctive and I don't even think about it. The slight weight increase isn't noticeable in the hand, due to the excellent balance. Around the neck they feel slightly heavier than their competitors but it feels marginal. I've been birding with users of HD+, SVs and SFs but not HTs. All have wanted to try the NVs and all have remarked on the exceptional image quality of the NVs. They are slightly brighter and more contrasty than the the SFs and noticeably more so than the SVs. They have a huge sweet spot, though aren't as flat and corrected in the outer 10% of the field as the SVs and SFs, which I like, as panning (which I do a lot of when doing migration counts) is without rolling globe. Comments by owners of HD+, SVs and SFs have usually started with something like "Wow. These are extremely bright and sharp". One SV owner said "If I'd tried these I'd never have bought the SVs". Another birder whose binos aren't any of the above but who tried them all said " Well if I ever win the lottery, its NVs for me". Another interesting comment was "Are you sure these are 8s - the birds just look bigger in the NVs". You can see this particularly if you move back and forth between SFs and NVs - sometimes small birds which seem a bit "lost" in the ultra-wide SF field of view just "pop out" with the NVs. All who tried them commented on the depth of field and the lack of need to be re-focussing as birds moved. Whereas it does take slightly longer to move from 6 feet to infinity compared to the other premium bins ( I reckon we're only talking a couple of tenths of a second longer) the NVs will, amazingly, focus from 10 yards to infinity with just one quarter of a turn of the focus wheel. So, to summarise,if you want the widest field of view, with a lovely easy view and weight is an issue, I reckon it's the SFs. If a sharp, absolutely flat field floats your boat, then it's the SVs. But, if you want simply the most beautiful image yet delivered by a binocular, then I reckon its got to be the NVs.
Cheers David

 

[PIER PAOLO]

If I only could find them........

 

[Torview]

They are slightly brighter and more contrasty than the the SFs and noticeably more so than the SVs.

This is very interesting and I look forward to trying the NV.

When I recently bought the SV fieldpro I was struck by how much more contrast the SV showed over the SF, which looked washed out and rather low contrast in comparison, the SV substantially more dynamic than my UVHD+ to me.

Glad to read you`re enjoying your new optic so well.

 

[Iceberg slim]

After nearly three weeks of constant birding with the Noctivid 8x42s I can give a few considered impressions. As an overall comment I'd say they deliver a truly beautiful image - wonderful brightness, contrast and sharpness, nice wide field of view (though not the widest available), huge depth of field and simply gorgeous colour rendition. Handling is fine for me, though it took a couple of days in the field to feel as comfortable with them as I did with my UV HD +. This is because they need to be held differently. With the HD + my hands were almost fully over-lapped. With the NVs I have my left hand further down the left-hand barrel and my right hand immediately below the the strap lugs. My hands are on the small side but with my right-hand fingers spread the focus wheel is perfectly placed. This gives a lovely, steady, balanced feel. In reality, after a couple of days it was instinctive and I don't even think about it. The slight weight increase isn't noticeable in the hand, due to the excellent balance. Around the neck they feel slightly heavier than their competitors but it feels marginal. I've been birding with users of HD+, SVs and SFs but not HTs. All have wanted to try the NVs and all have remarked on the exceptional image quality of the NVs. They are slightly brighter and more contrasty than the the SFs and noticeably more so than the SVs. They have a huge sweet spot, though aren't as flat and corrected in the outer 10% of the field as the SVs and SFs, which I like, as panning (which I do a lot of when doing migration counts) is without rolling globe. Comments by owners of HD+, SVs and SFs have usually started with something like "Wow. These are extremely bright and sharp". One SV owner said "If I'd tried these I'd never have bought the SVs". Another birder whose binos aren't any of the above but who tried them all said " Well if I ever win the lottery, its NVs for me". Another interesting comment was "Are you sure these are 8s - the birds just look bigger in the NVs". You can see this particularly if you move back and forth between SFs and NVs - sometimes small birds which seem a bit "lost" in the ultra-wide SF field of view just "pop out" with the NVs. All who tried them commented on the depth of field and the lack of need to be re-focussing as birds moved. Whereas it does take slightly longer to move from 6 feet to infinity compared to the other premium bins ( I reckon we're only talking a couple of tenths of a second longer) the NVs will, amazingly, focus from 10 yards to infinity with just one quarter of a turn of the focus wheel. So, to summarise,if you want the widest field of view, with a lovely easy view and weight is an issue, I reckon it's the SFs. If a sharp, absolutely flat field floats your boat, then it's the SVs. But, if you want simply the most beautiful image yet delivered by a binocular, then I reckon its got to be the NVs.
Cheers David

I honestly couldn't agree more, my 10X42s now used them twice out in the field, and all could think was wow,wow, wow, the brightness and biting sharpness is unbelievable, and i had SVs for 4 years, reminded me of the first time i looked through my (Ex) ATX 85, everything just looks more defined, but the Clarity has to be seen to be believed, depth of field is astounding, definitely for me a great buy

 

[CliveP]

After nearly three weeks of constant birding with the Noctivid 8x42s I can give a few considered impressions. As an overall comment I'd say they deliver a truly beautiful image - wonderful brightness, contrast and sharpness, nice wide field of view (though not the widest available), huge depth of field and simply gorgeous colour rendition. Handling is fine for me, though it took a couple of days in the field to feel as comfortable with them as I did with my UV HD +. This is because they need to be held differently. With the HD + my hands were almost fully over-lapped. With the NVs I have my left hand further down the left-hand barrel and my right hand immediately below the the strap lugs. My hands are on the small side but with my right-hand fingers spread the focus wheel is perfectly placed. This gives a lovely, steady, balanced feel. In reality, after a couple of days it was instinctive and I don't even think about it. The slight weight increase isn't noticeable in the hand, due to the excellent balance. Around the neck they feel slightly heavier than their competitors but it feels marginal. I've been birding with users of HD+, SVs and SFs but not HTs. All have wanted to try the NVs and all have remarked on the exceptional image quality of the NVs. They are slightly brighter and more contrasty than the the SFs and noticeably more so than the SVs. They have a huge sweet spot, though aren't as flat and corrected in the outer 10% of the field as the SVs and SFs, which I like, as panning (which I do a lot of when doing migration counts) is without rolling globe. Comments by owners of HD+, SVs and SFs have usually started with something like "Wow. These are extremely bright and sharp". One SV owner said "If I'd tried these I'd never have bought the SVs". Another birder whose binos aren't any of the above but who tried them all said " Well if I ever win the lottery, its NVs for me". Another interesting comment was "Are you sure these are 8s - the birds just look bigger in the NVs". You can see this particularly if you move back and forth between SFs and NVs - sometimes small birds which seem a bit "lost" in the ultra-wide SF field of view just "pop out" with the NVs. All who tried them commented on the depth of field and the lack of need to be re-focussing as birds moved. Whereas it does take slightly longer to move from 6 feet to infinity compared to the other premium bins ( I reckon we're only talking a couple of tenths of a second longer) the NVs will, amazingly, focus from 10 yards to infinity with just one quarter of a turn of the focus wheel. So, to summarise,if you want the widest field of view, with a lovely easy view and weight is an issue, I reckon it's the SFs. If a sharp, absolutely flat field floats your boat, then it's the SVs. But, if you want simply the most beautiful image yet delivered by a binocular, then I reckon its got to be the NVs.
Cheers David

Even my little Pentax 8x20 DCF ED is looking brilliant with this autumn's colours and mild weather. The fact that I swopped a couple of the ocular lenses over yesterday seemed to help it a lot so I'm heading out early this morning to see how well it goes and it's looking good but then last time I tried it it was very glare prone so if I've solved that in some way then that would be fantastic. Still great value for £20 on the bay. It's definitely a superb garden viewing little bin whatever happens today.

It's good to read that this Leica is pleasing people. Perhaps one day I will meet one and perhaps see how it fairs against my Hawke 8x43 Sapphire which frankly impresses me quite a lot so I would be curious to see if I would see much or any of an improvement over it and what that improvement/s would be. I don't often carry the large Hawke and it's lighter than the Leica but it's just my priorities these days are smaller bins so maybe hoping there might be a good Leica Nocovid pocket at some stage if the technology is miniaturisable.

I do intend to take my Hawke out soon though as there is a Peregrine located about 2 miles from my house and I need to get a good look at it again before Dec start of hunting season and it gets blasted by some local pigeon owning hunters apparently, which wouldn't be hard as when I last saw it it was over my head squawking at me so I assume these great hunters just point upwards and blast it? When I last saw it it was also stooping and dive dombing a Kestrel. Brilliant!

 

[CliveP]

I honestly couldn't agree more, my 10X42s now used them twice out in the field, and all could think was wow,wow, wow, the brightness and biting sharpness is unbelievable, and i had SVs for 4 years, reminded me of the first time i looked through my (Ex) ATX 85, everything just looks more defined, but the Clarity has to be seen to be believed, depth of field is astounding, definitely for me a great buy

There's also a Mallard practicing midwifery in Majorca but only on a Monday in May, maybe, or something like that 8-P

 

[GLOBETROTTER]

After nearly three weeks of constant birding with the Noctivid 8x42s I can give a few considered impressions. As an overall comment I'd say they deliver a truly beautiful image - wonderful brightness, contrast and sharpness, nice wide field of view (though not the widest available), huge depth of field and simply gorgeous colour rendition. Handling is fine for me, though it took a couple of days in the field to feel as comfortable with them as I did with my UV HD +. This is because they need to be held differently. With the HD + my hands were almost fully over-lapped. With the NVs I have my left hand further down the left-hand barrel and my right hand immediately below the the strap lugs. My hands are on the small side but with my right-hand fingers spread the focus wheel is perfectly placed. This gives a lovely, steady, balanced feel. In reality, after a couple of days it was instinctive and I don't even think about it. The slight weight increase isn't noticeable in the hand, due to the excellent balance. Around the neck they feel slightly heavier than their competitors but it feels marginal. I've been birding with users of HD+, SVs and SFs but not HTs. All have wanted to try the NVs and all have remarked on the exceptional image quality of the NVs. They are slightly brighter and more contrasty than the the SFs and noticeably more so than the SVs. They have a huge sweet spot, though aren't as flat and corrected in the outer 10% of the field as the SVs and SFs, which I like, as panning (which I do a lot of when doing migration counts) is without rolling globe. Comments by owners of HD+, SVs and SFs have usually started with something like "Wow. These are extremely bright and sharp". One SV owner said "If I'd tried these I'd never have bought the SVs". Another birder whose binos aren't any of the above but who tried them all said " Well if I ever win the lottery, its NVs for me". Another interesting comment was "Are you sure these are 8s - the birds just look bigger in the NVs". You can see this particularly if you move back and forth between SFs and NVs - sometimes small birds which seem a bit "lost" in the ultra-wide SF field of view just "pop out" with the NVs. All who tried them commented on the depth of field and the lack of need to be re-focussing as birds moved. Whereas it does take slightly longer to move from 6 feet to infinity compared to the other premium bins ( I reckon we're only talking a couple of tenths of a second longer) the NVs will, amazingly, focus from 10 yards to infinity with just one quarter of a turn of the focus wheel. So, to summarise,if you want the widest field of view, with a lovely easy view and weight is an issue, I reckon it's the SFs. If a sharp, absolutely flat field floats your boat, then it's the SVs. But, if you want simply the most beautiful image yet delivered by a binocular, then I reckon its got to be the NVs.
Cheers David

Hi David.

What about the color on NV ?

Looks very saturated like on HD Models or is more accurate with hight contrast ?

 

[DavidBowman]

Hi David.

What about the color on NV ?

Looks very saturated like on HD Models or is more accurate with hight contrast ?

The colour is very true to life - more so than any other binocular I've tried. Leica talk about the NVs being "closer to the point of absolute colour neutrality than any binocular yet built" and I think that's a fair claim.

Cheers David

 

[GLOBETROTTER]

The colour is very true to life - more so than any other binocular I've tried. Leica talk about the NVs being "closer to the point of absolute colour neutrality than any binocular yet built" and I think that's a fair claim.

Cheers David

But they dint call it APO Noctivid

 

[arran]

Short review noctivid 8x42

This afternoon , under sunny conditions I had the occasion to test these in a parkland environment
Personally I have the Zeiss SF in use for 1 1/2 year now and my wife owns the swaro el latest version
In the past I had the Leica ultravid HD
I was attracted to the specs given and discussed on the birdforum so I was quite curious
General impression:very decent bin and lies good in the hand , very stylish!
In the hand : heavier than the other alpha bins was not detected and not considered as a con;the focus drive was smooth but not as smooth as the SF
Focus drive position is a real con : too much positioned towards the eyes and the drive was also too narrow to my feeling,perhaps a question of getting used to?
Optics: very confortable view , with good depth of field , but not the big difference I expected compared to other alphas
Sharpness impression:I was a bit disappointed here , perhaps due present CA , which is more present than with SF and SV,overall contrast impression is very good
Short focus : very smooth and easy to use
FOV : you see the difference with a zeiss SF directly, a pity they couldn't put the value a bit higher here
Conclusion:
Not my first choice of alpha bin for sure, but overall a decent product.
Service after sales still not at level as should, but they "are working on it"
Ps, about 2 weeks ago , we could test a new Nikon Monarch HG.
And to be honest , disregarding price, this has given me a better feeling!
Better FOV, lighter,very pleasant to glass wearers, and same amount of CA