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Leica Duovid. Good or Gimmick ? (1 Viewer)

Andy Thatcher

Well-known member
OK I have to admit it is time for my old Zeiss Dekarems to go into semi retirement. Faithful servant though they have been technology has moved on a pace.

I have just started looking through a few options and I have noticed the LEICA DUOVID 8 + 12 x 42.

I know that there are Leica lovers and dismissers here and that is as it should be as bin choice is just such a personal matter however was wondering if this Duovid facility is just a gimmick ?
 
I have a pair of Leica 10x42 BN and I think they are the best bins I have used. But as always this is a personal thing and at the end of the day if someone else says another make suits them better I don't have a problem with that.

For me 10x mag is enough and I think I would find steadiness a problem above this (maybe a sign of advancing years). Also, I just wonder what compromises have been made to provide the dual magnification option in the duovid.

So I guess it sounds like a gimmick to me. I'll stick with my 10x42 and use my scope if I want to get in closer.

Robin
 
No matter the make on Binocular Zooms are not really practical in the Field. Go for Leica 8X42's for genaral use or 10X42's for Raptor watching.

Leica are the best of the bins regardless of what others will tell you. They are very practical & can be used in all weathers, they are discreet & can be worn anywhere with out tou getting funny looks.

No I don't work for Leica but I have filed trialled many binoculars & Leicas come out on top.


You just won't get a better pair of Bins than Leica's
CJ
 
The Leica Duovids sound like a good idea.... it seems as if the dual magnification system is quite simple for a company to implement, it was the fact that there is no need to change the dioptre setting when changing mags, that is the really clever part by Leica.
Those big 10-15 x50 Duovids look rather tasty! Lot of ££

Don't take anyone's word for what is the best binocular, ignore reviews (often written by a someone with a vested interest) and don't be swayed by someone who is earning big money for using them.... use your own eyes and hands to judge optical performance and 'feel-right' factor.... then you'll buy a pair of Swarovski EL's 3:)
Andy
 
It doesn't matter what make of binnies they are, my rule of thumb is that any mag greater than 10x and you won't be able to hold them steady especially for any lengh of time to follow a soaring bird or a bird floating on the water. They could be the best optics in the world but with shake you wont see a lot. I would stay clear of anything over 10x.

My preference is Nikon but that is just my eyes and my opinion. Leica binnies are excellent optically but as I have posted before, the slack in the focussing wheel is absolutely awful, but I haven't tried the new dual mag ones.


Colin
 
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Of course it is horses for courses, With Nikons & Swarovski It, for me was like looking through a couple of loo rolls.
I do like the close focusing on my Leicas for Butterflies & other insects.

CJ
 
i have a pair of Douvids 8-12x42, looked around for months before deciding on these. at first i though not a lot of difference but after using them now for months in all conditions i find them without doubt the best. i really wouldnt be without them now, raptor watching is mostly what i use them for & the 12x is great for detail but your arms do start to ache after a while but thats worth it i think.
dont rush, take your time & have a good look around. they are not the best of eye cups but every pair you try will be different so it is as they say "your money"

good luck with your search
 
I would have thought the 10/15x50 would be fantastic on a tripod as a low power binocular telescope. But I am not sure I could hold them steady without the tripod.
 
You don't get 'sumfink for nuffink' as they say. There must be a trade off to get two magnifications out of one binocular. People (optical engineers to give them their proper name) spend years designing a binocular for a particular magnification to make it perfect and then somebody slots another lens in (I guess thats how they do it) to give it a different magnification. Must be a (small?) loss in quality. Plus I don't really see the point. Above 10x isn't shaky hands supposed to give big probs? combined with the little matter of the weight of 1040g (over 2.25 pounds for our freinds in the US of A) and you would need arms like Arnold Schwarzawotsit to hold them steady.
I come down firmly in the Gimmick camp.
 
Well with a trip to the Gambia and 7 months to think about it I got the 8/12 x 42's.

Have to say that I am very happy !

Turns out not to be a gimmick but a very usable option.
 
Andy: Glad to hear you made a wise choice. I suspect I am not alone in wondering what they are like in the field. When do you use the 12x, or put another way, when do you find it an advantage?
 
As has been said for raptors they are a great asset.

That said so far, only had them 3 weeks, looking at warblers, Cisticolas and the never ending little sparrow type birds they have in the Gambia (female Bishops, Village Indigo Birds, various Weavers) in detail at closer range was is not something to be under estimated and definitely enabled me to be confident about ticking three new lifers.
 
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