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Leica duovids (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter birdles
- Start date
Kevin Conville
yardbirder
I've only handled and looked through them at a shop. Though I find the idea of dual magnification binoculars interesting, the Duovids (at 37 oz.) are too much hardware for me to tote around.
Nick Elliston
Well-known member
Ditto
Gaz Shilton
Well-known member
Have owned a pair of Duovids for about 4 years now.
Don't notice the weight.
To me, they feel robust and indestructable and well built.
They are great at 8x and just as good at 12x.
Can walk all day with them around my neck no problems.
You can get away without taking a scope out and about all the time. Just put them to 12x and focus in.
Don't notice the weight.
To me, they feel robust and indestructable and well built.
They are great at 8x and just as good at 12x.
Can walk all day with them around my neck no problems.
You can get away without taking a scope out and about all the time. Just put them to 12x and focus in.
Birdbrain
"Birders do it in the Field"
Leica Duovids
I also have had my Duovids for 4 years .
They are a bit heavy at the start but not now, great at 8x wide FOV then zoom right in at 12x.
Plus when you go from 8 to 12 you don't have to refocus, you can also get 10x with a bit of fiddling.
Also with the weight of them they don't bounce around while walking.
I have tried many bins since and nothing comes close to them.
I highly recommend them, bit pricey at £1500 but i payed £850 back then, (Leica price increase) ? :t:
I also have had my Duovids for 4 years .
They are a bit heavy at the start but not now, great at 8x wide FOV then zoom right in at 12x.
Plus when you go from 8 to 12 you don't have to refocus, you can also get 10x with a bit of fiddling.
Also with the weight of them they don't bounce around while walking.
I have tried many bins since and nothing comes close to them.
I highly recommend them, bit pricey at £1500 but i payed £850 back then, (Leica price increase) ? :t:
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edwincjones
Well-known member
My Duovid 10+15x50 arrived today, and clearly the neck strap is inadequate to protect my now sore neck.
What neck straps or support do others use?
edj
What neck straps or support do others use?
edj
Kevin Purcell
Well-known member
I suspect these bins were made for a harness (or an ubermench's neck).
edwincjones
Well-known member
At 44 oz, I am not sure that any neck strap will be confortable.
On another thread, the Mad Dog harness is suggested. Leica also makes one.
edj
On another thread, the Mad Dog harness is suggested. Leica also makes one.
edj
Steve Dudley
aka The Toadsnatcher
I've used an extra-wide neoprene strap by Minox on my Duos with no problems since I got them when they first came out.
henry link
Well-known member
I use binoculars of about the same weight. The only thing I've found that really works well with such heavy binoculars is the Bino Manager in this link:
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/stearns-mad-dog-gear-pro-series-bino-manager.aspx?a=277126
With the pouch removed it becomes a straightforward harness with several design details that make it work well with heavy binoculars. The shoulder straps are a combination of neoprene and non-elastic webbing, much better than straight elastic for handling heavy weight. There is a wide yoke in the back that keeps the shoulder straps off the neck. Elastic straps wrap around the torso, but there are no "armpit" straps, so the binocular hangs just like it would on a neck strap. I tried every neck strap (neoprene, air cell, etc) and several harnesses. The neck straps all put too much weight on the neck and none of the other harnesses could handle the weight.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/stearns-mad-dog-gear-pro-series-bino-manager.aspx?a=277126
With the pouch removed it becomes a straightforward harness with several design details that make it work well with heavy binoculars. The shoulder straps are a combination of neoprene and non-elastic webbing, much better than straight elastic for handling heavy weight. There is a wide yoke in the back that keeps the shoulder straps off the neck. Elastic straps wrap around the torso, but there are no "armpit" straps, so the binocular hangs just like it would on a neck strap. I tried every neck strap (neoprene, air cell, etc) and several harnesses. The neck straps all put too much weight on the neck and none of the other harnesses could handle the weight.
edwincjones
Well-known member
what about the Leica harnness?
edj
edj
henry link
Well-known member
If you mean this one:
http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/site.pl?page=leicabinoharness
It looks like the same generic harness that Zeiss, Swarovski, Nikon and others use. The only difference is the logo on the piece of leather. It works fine for light bins, but the elastic is too stretchy for a 44 oz. load. To keep the binoculars from hanging below your waist the thing has to be cinched up so tight that the "armpit" straps interfere with lifting the binocular to your eyes. Try it. You'll see what I mean.
http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/site.pl?page=leicabinoharness
It looks like the same generic harness that Zeiss, Swarovski, Nikon and others use. The only difference is the logo on the piece of leather. It works fine for light bins, but the elastic is too stretchy for a 44 oz. load. To keep the binoculars from hanging below your waist the thing has to be cinched up so tight that the "armpit" straps interfere with lifting the binocular to your eyes. Try it. You'll see what I mean.
edwincjones
Well-known member
Durability?
These appear to be well built-are they solid enough for me to carry around in my truck all the time and withstand the vibration on the switch mechanism?
I do not want to shake them to pieces, but would like them handy when I am driving.
edj
These appear to be well built-are they solid enough for me to carry around in my truck all the time and withstand the vibration on the switch mechanism?
I do not want to shake them to pieces, but would like them handy when I am driving.
edj
ticl2184
Well-known member
Owned a pair for about a year.
Optics are excellent, mainly used them for astronomy. Out of all the binoculars I've ever had, and I've had a few, I have never seen views of Jupiter and Saturn like them, tack sharp !
Build quality was awesome, really felt like a top of the range pair of bins which would last a life time.
Only thing which annoyed me was the weight and the slightly reduced fov compared to fixed magnification bins.
Would like to get another pair but am not prepared to put up with the weight.
At the moment Leica seems to be adding HD lenses to their range so if they do the same with the duovids plus change the housing from aluminium to magnesium, or do something else about the weight, I'll be looking to get hold of a pair.
Tim
Optics are excellent, mainly used them for astronomy. Out of all the binoculars I've ever had, and I've had a few, I have never seen views of Jupiter and Saturn like them, tack sharp !
Build quality was awesome, really felt like a top of the range pair of bins which would last a life time.
Only thing which annoyed me was the weight and the slightly reduced fov compared to fixed magnification bins.
Would like to get another pair but am not prepared to put up with the weight.
At the moment Leica seems to be adding HD lenses to their range so if they do the same with the duovids plus change the housing from aluminium to magnesium, or do something else about the weight, I'll be looking to get hold of a pair.
Tim
edwincjones
Well-known member
If they go from Al to Mg, and add HD glass,
what would the price be then?
I will keep what I have.
edj
what would the price be then?
I will keep what I have.
edj
edwincjones
Well-known member
Wednesday night I was walking around my pasture with the 10+15s-at 10x I could see a "bird" on a low tree limb, at 15x I could ID.
edj
Birdbrain
"Birders do it in the Field"
Great Stuff EdJ
As i have said before i have tried many bins since buying the Duovid and nothing get close to them !
Before buying them i used to always take the Scope out with me !
But not any more, woods are great with these bins as you have more than enough power !
And when i go to a marsh or to the coast i take the Giant Killer (ED50)
What else do you need !!!
Im glad you like them ! i dont see many birders in this country with them ?
But they all that i talk to want to have a look through them, and all say how good they are...
As i have said before i have tried many bins since buying the Duovid and nothing get close to them !
Before buying them i used to always take the Scope out with me !
But not any more, woods are great with these bins as you have more than enough power !
And when i go to a marsh or to the coast i take the Giant Killer (ED50)
What else do you need !!!
Im glad you like them ! i dont see many birders in this country with them ?
But they all that i talk to want to have a look through them, and all say how good they are...
edwincjones
Well-known member
Steve,
I can understand the concern.
I come from the amateur astronomy side of binocular use.
The zoom eyepieces have a bad reputation due to many low quality eps
and the few good are expensive.
Zoom binoculars have an even worse rep,
and the Duovids are about the most expensive binoculars available.
But I do not regret the purchase-at all!
edj
I can understand the concern.
I come from the amateur astronomy side of binocular use.
The zoom eyepieces have a bad reputation due to many low quality eps
and the few good are expensive.
Zoom binoculars have an even worse rep,
and the Duovids are about the most expensive binoculars available.
But I do not regret the purchase-at all!
edj
Kevin Purcell
Well-known member
Though there is a difference between a bin (or telescope) that uses a zoom lens and one that switches between two (or more) fixed powers. There are a different set of trade offs in the latter design which usually better AFOV than the straight zoom design.
The designs can be fiddley/clever and are still a bit of a compromise. See the recent thread on Leupold Switch Power bins (the only other switchable power bins). That thread points to the patent the describes their optomechanical design. One reason they're not common as a manufacturer must license the patent from the inventor (not Leupold, curiously, but an independent Japanese optical designer) though when the patent expires we may see more of these bins. I suspect Leica have their own method (that I presume is also patented).
I haven't looked up the numbers for the Duovids. Can someone post the FOV for each of the maginifcations for these bins?
What year were the Duovids introduced?
The designs can be fiddley/clever and are still a bit of a compromise. See the recent thread on Leupold Switch Power bins (the only other switchable power bins). That thread points to the patent the describes their optomechanical design. One reason they're not common as a manufacturer must license the patent from the inventor (not Leupold, curiously, but an independent Japanese optical designer) though when the patent expires we may see more of these bins. I suspect Leica have their own method (that I presume is also patented).
I haven't looked up the numbers for the Duovids. Can someone post the FOV for each of the maginifcations for these bins?
What year were the Duovids introduced?
