Ultravid 8x32 eyecup & focus issues (1 Viewer)

tenex · Nov 26, 2015

I've just examined the HD and HD Plus models of the Ultravid 8x32, and encountered two issues.

1. Eyecups: These still only extend about 8mm with 2 click stops which seems barely adequate for me, and requires care to avoid blackouts; I can barely let them rest against my brow. (Larger models of HD+ and Trinovid have 4 stops, and my older Trinovid BN with similar eye relief extends 10mm.) Is this a common problem among people like me who don't wear eyeglasses, and why would Leica continue to get such a simple thing wrong? (This is not a complaint about eye relief, but the cups.)

2. Focus knob: Both examples I used make strange clicking sounds at some point in their focus travel (one worse than the other) which can be felt as well as heard, and persist even after a good deal of use. One hardly expects this on a $2k binocular; is there a solution?

PeterPS · Nov 26, 2015

I don't get it either and fully agree with you----every time I picked up an UV 8x32 HD I put it down immediately because of blackout problems. Interestingly the Conquest HD 8x32 had the same problem, but Zeiss fixed it promptly and a new pair of longer eyecups has been offered free of charge to those interested. I cannot understand why Leica does not follow their example.....

Tobias Mennle · Nov 26, 2015

tenex said:
I've just examined the HD and HD Plus models of the Ultravid 8x32, and encountered two issues.

1. Eyecups: These still only extend about 8mm with 2 click stops which seems barely adequate for me, and requires care to avoid blackouts; I can barely let them rest against my brow. (Larger models of HD+ and Trinovid have 4 stops, and my older Trinovid BN with similar eye relief extends 10mm.) Is this a common problem among people like me who don't wear eyeglasses, and why would Leica continue to get such a simple thing wrong? (This is not a complaint about eye relief, but the cups.)

2. Focus knob: Both examples I used make strange clicking sounds at some point in their focus travel (one worse than the other) which can be felt as well as heard, and persist even after a good deal of use. One hardly expects this on a $2k binocular; is there a solution?

Eric, soft clicking sound in my sample, too, but the focusing is very smooth - one of the best I had in roofs - and really pinpoint, I would not worry. I have wondered about the click stops and short eyecups, too, 4 click stops are advertised in the brochure. If I measure and compare with the 8x42 Ultravid, the cups are 1mm too short. I did start to unscrew them and fix them with gaffer tape to test for better eye relief, but of course that´s not a long term solution.

Pesto, I think manufacturers have their idea about the facial shape of the average user. As inexperienced users might use the eyecups without sensible adjustment, and just use them fully extended, it would be detrimental to
have long eyecups for everyone... but it has been a hassle for me too, often, and just a millimeter or so missing and me starting to unscrew eyecups.

Back to Ultravid, yes, I´d expect a fix, too.

Erick, what about ease of view compared to the Trinovid 8x42???

PeterPS · Nov 26, 2015

I think manufacturers have their idea about the facial shape of the average user. As inexperienced users might use the eyecups without sensible adjustment, and just use them fully extended, it would be detrimental to
have long eyecups for everyone... but it has been a hassle for me too, often, and just a millimeter or so missing and me starting to unscrew eyecups.

Hi Tobias:

I agree that the shape of your face matters: I have had (minor) blackout problems with the EL/SV and the SF too, but fixed the problem by placing fitted o-rings under the eyecups; but the blacking-out of the UV 8x32 HD is much more serious and not easily fixable.

I am not sure I understand your concern about longer eyecups for newcomers---I am pretty sure any person will sooner or later realize that the eyecups have several stops and will test each of them. Anyways, Leica should be able to provide longer eyecups to those who want them, and let's hope they will do so soon.

Best, Peter.

ceasar · Nov 26, 2015

tenex said:
I've just examined the HD and HD Plus models of the Ultravid 8x32, and encountered two issues.

1. Eyecups: These still only extend about 8mm with 2 click stops which seems barely adequate for me, and requires care to avoid blackouts; I can barely let them rest against my brow. (Larger models of HD+ and Trinovid have 4 stops, and my older Trinovid BN with similar eye relief extends 10mm.) Is this a common problem among people like me who don't wear eyeglasses, and why would Leica continue to get such a simple thing wrong? (This is not a complaint about eye relief, but the cups.)

2. Focus knob: Both examples I used make strange clicking sounds at some point in their focus travel (one worse than the other) which can be felt as well as heard, and persist even after a good deal of use. One hardly expects this on a $2k binocular; is there a solution?

There apparently is no HD+ in the 32mm series if Leica's American website is correct. Their 32mm binoculars only have HD. PDF information therein only shows it in the 42mm series and 50mm series. This is a 2015 website.

http://us.leica-camera.com/Sport-Optics/Leica-Birding/Binoculars/Leica-Ultravid-HD-Plus

Leica's PDF copy of the instruction sheet for the 32mm series says that the 8x32mm Ultravid HD eye cups have 13.3 mm ER and their eye cups are removable with twist and pull and they have 4 click stops.

Bob

Hermann · Nov 26, 2015

ceasar said:
There apparently is no HD+ in the 32mm series if Leica's American website is correct. Their 32mm binoculars only have HD. PDF information therein only shows it in the 42mm series and 50mm series. This is a 2015 website.

The website isn't correct. The 32mm HD Plus have been on the market for quite a while now.

Hermann

ceasar · Nov 26, 2015

Hermann said:
The website isn't correct. There 32mm HD Plus have been on the market for quite a while now.

Hermann

That doesn't surprise me. Too many binocular manufacturers are less than diligent in keeping their web sites up to date.

Do you know if their eye cup's ER dimensions and the number of click stops in them have changed from when they were HD only?

Bob

Tobias Mennle · Nov 26, 2015

pesto said:
Hi Tobias:

I agree that the shape of your face matters: I have had (minor) blackout problems with the EL/SV and the SF too, but fixed the problem by placing fitted o-rings under the eyecups; but the blacking-out of the UV 8x32 HD is much more serious and not easily fixable.

I am not sure I understand your concern about longer eyecups for newcomers---I am pretty sure any person will sooner or later realize that the eyecups have several stops and will test each of them. Anyways, Leica should be able to provide longer eyecups to those who want them, and let's hope they will do so soon.

Best, Peter.

Peter, I too find the 8x32 Ultravid difficult with blackouts. I prefer the 8x42, really much easier on my eyes. The baffling is extreme in the 8x32, and the miniaturization probably did not help either. The huge Swarovision 8x32 offers a very easy view, but flares a lot... it´s all a trade off. I have not seen a sharper, contrastier 8x32 roof prism image than in the Ultravid, but...

CloseFocus · Nov 27, 2015

Tobias Mennle said:
Peter, I too find the 8x32 Ultravid difficult with blackouts. I prefer the 8x42, really much easier on my eyes. The baffling is extreme in the 8x32, and the miniaturization probably did not help either. The huge Swarovision 8x32 offers a very easy view, but flares a lot... it´s all a trade off. I have not seen a sharper, contrastier 8x32 roof prism image than in the Ultravid, but...

I put off buying my 10x32 Ultravids because of black out issues I noticed while testing the binoculars in store. There was a short learning curve required to get used to the narrower exit pupil and and more critical interpupillary setting, but the issue was not nearly as major as I made it out to be. The eyecups on my 8x42 Trinovids were too far out for me - after long use I would experience irritation when pressing them to my eyes, but that may have been me just compensating for the weight of the Trinnies. Whatever the reason, I find my Ultravids are much more comfortable to use.

tenex · Nov 27, 2015

pesto said:
...Anyways, Leica should be able to provide longer eyecups to those who want them, and let's hope they will do so soon.

The fact is I've had this eyecup problem with every Ultravid I ever examined including the 10x42, which is part of how I wound up with the Trinovid 42 instead. It's possible to start pulling the eyecups off and gain a couple of extra mm that way, but then I worry they'll rub against something and pop right off.

For the 8x models, I wonder whether one could buy replacement eyecups for the 10x model and use them instead. Leica seems to accommodate the extra length with the eyecup in order to use the same body casting, so that might work really well. Unfortunately I think I still prefer 10x myself. I wanted to try the 8x32 to see whether the different eyepiece or larger pupil would make it less fiddly to use, but somehow it doesn't.

tenex · Nov 27, 2015

Tobias Mennle said:
Eric, soft clicking sound in my sample, too, but the focusing is very smooth - one of the best I had in roofs - and really pinpoint, I would not worry. I have wondered about the click stops and short eyecups, too, 4 click stops are advertised in the brochure. If I measure and compare with the 8x42 Ultravid, the cups are 1mm too short. I did start to unscrew them and fix them with gaffer tape to test for better eye relief, but of course that´s not a long term solution.
...Eric, what about ease of view compared to the Trinovid 8x42???

I agree the focusing works beautifully anyway, but the clicking is disconcerting. (No clicking in my Trinovid 10x42.) I also see your point about not wanting the eyecups too deep for the average user, but think that really only applies to the old style (like my BN) without intermediate click stops, which I think people would quickly figure out.

Every model now seems to have four detents (five really, if you go all the way to the position where the cups could be pulled off) except for the 32mm, which somehow still has only two. That's curious.

Not sure what you mean by "ease of view"... I find my Trinovid 42 very pleasant by comparison, no struggling to find an eye position that works. Regarding a subtler sense of "ease", the 8x32 is also effortless to view once I do get it positioned properly, compared to my old 10x32 BN which does feel as though there's a bit of effort involved -- but very slight. I've used that glass all day on long trips without any fatigue.

tenex · Nov 27, 2015

ceasar said:
There apparently is no HD+ in the 32mm series if Leica's American website is correct. Their 32mm binoculars only have HD. PDF information therein only shows it in the 42mm series and 50mm series...
Leica's PDF copy of the instruction sheet for the 32mm series says that the 8x32mm Ultravid HD eye cups have 13.3 mm ER and their eye cups are removable with twist and pull and they have 4 click stops.

ceasar said:
Do you know if their eye cup's ER dimensions and the number of click stops in them have changed from when they were HD only?Bob

The 32mm were the last models to get the Plus treatment, and one could have wondered whether they would, but it happened sometime this year. (I've heard some debate here as to whether HT prisms matter much in that size etc.)

I just compared the 8x32 HD and HD+ very carefully. The rubber on the end of the eyecup is slightly different, a bit thicker in diameter on the HD+, which seems welcome. But otherwise they seem identical, with just two detents and no further travel before the cups start to pull off. One wonders why Leica got that wrong in their own PDF.

Ultravid 8x32 eyecup & focus issues (1 Viewer)

More options

tenex

reality-based

PeterPS

Well-Known Member

Tobias Mennle

Well-known member

PeterPS

Well-Known Member

ceasar

Well-known member

Hermann

Well-known member

ceasar

Well-known member

Tobias Mennle

Well-known member

CloseFocus

Well-known member

tenex

reality-based

tenex

reality-based

tenex

reality-based

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread