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New Leica September 4 2017 (1 Viewer)

Regarding the eye relief, has anybody watched the promo video? They look like push up/down eyecups which are very closely profiled to the ocular glass - https://en.leica-camera.com/Sport-Optics/Leica-Birding/Binoculars/Leica-Trinovid2/Trinovid-Videos pause it at 26 seconds and you will see what I mean.
Out of my price range, but the 7x35BL is severely tempting - sadly I've just blown the last of my binocular budget on a pair of 8x32's. Good on Leica for bringing out a pair in this configuration. 150m fov and 550 grams, sounds like the ideal rainforest bin.
If the optics have been updated I think this could be popular, a lot of my birding mates who are now in their 50's have said that they are almost certainly going to get a pair for nostalgia's sake, relive the heydays of the 1980's on the Scillies.

Oops, just seen they are click-stop, ignore my comment about the eyecup design - its a nice update though!
 
So is the Ultravid BL, and considering it is a special-order-only model nowadays, I don't think Leica can count on a surge in sales for the new ones.

Perhaps not, but Leica might be trying to target some new customer groups. A cheaper bin than the top-of-the line series, but still the quality and look of a true Leica. A bit like the Leica Q perhaps.

And as noted above by Dwatsonbirder, I'm sure old customers might be pretty tempted by the design and nostalgia as well.
 
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150m fov and 550 grams, sounds like the ideal rainforest bin.
For one of those rainless rainforests, perhaps?

Don’t misunderstand me: I applaud more choice in non-waterproof binoculars. There are costs to waterproofing that we don’t all want to bear every time we buy, use, and carry a binocular.
 
For one of those rainless rainforests, perhaps?

I used a non-waterproof Nikon EDii in the forests of Central America and Thailand for a total of 3 months, it never let me down. Conversely, a friend of mine had his brand-new waterproof Leica UV leak after 3 days in Ecuador.

I suspect a bin that is sealed and has internal focusing shouldn't present too many issues, and having personally spent a fair chunk of time in the tropics, I can see the value of something with such a wide field of view and relatively low weight in that environment. I wonder if Leica would send me a loaner pair to try out in Uganda next week...
 
Between Leica's sketchy waterproofing performance in a couple of notorious tests, and the fact that these bins are not even claimed to be weather sealed, but rather "splashproof," I can't see the allure of taking them to the tropics.

I think you're on the money with the retro appeal. Really too bad good weather sealing isn't part of the package, especially at the price.
 
I'm not sure if the original Leitz Trinovid versions were water proof and as I recall they cost upwards of $900.00 back when they were competing with only Zeiss. Considering inflation over the years what Leica is asking for the new versions, which have phase coatings, modern eye cups, and up to date coatings, the difference in their prices is remarkably small.

I used an original Leitz 7x42 Trinovid BN as my sole binocular for nearly 5 years but I never used it in the rain. I got it at 50% off after the Leica Trinovid BA's came out.

After that I got a Leica 7x42 Trinovid BN for a real good price from Cabelas ($700.00 if my memory is correct) after the Leica Ultravids came out and I used it for several years but I never used it in the rain either and it has a reputation of being bomb proof!

Bob
 
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Although I'm intrigued with the size and optical stats of the 7x35's, the "splash-proof" credentials are hard to swallow at this price point and frankly, the rest of this new Trinovid line does nothing for me. Also, how odd is it that they're now marketing two lines, with two completely different designs, under the Trinovid namesake, with the only difference in description being the Trinovid or Trinovid HD? One would think that Leica would call it the "Classic Trinovid" or something else to distinguish it from Trinovid HD, which itself hasn't been around long.

Imagine if Leica would have forgone this classic Trinovid line with all the variations and just introduced a 7x35 based on the current Trinovid HD with full weather proofing. Now that would have gotten me to stand up and take notice!
 
Reading all the comments about the revival of the Trinovid Classic I become more and more surprised. The original Leica Trinovid design was/is one of the most beautiful designs in the history of 200 years of binocular history (before 1823 there are hardly useful/handy binoculars produced). The Trinovid 10x40 was one of my first top-class binoculars I could buy and I have used it for many years under all kind of circumstances and it never collected any dust or water inside, so nothing to fear I would think.
Moreover, we are confronted with environmental problems on an unprecented scale, so Leica deserves credit for using its technology and materials as efficiently as possible. I am looking forward to test the new Leica classic Trinovids.
Gijs van Ginkel
 
I've used the old Trinovid 7x35 for more than 15 years in the field (including Africa and South-America) and never ever had any problems too. Will I gonna buy a new one? Sure. My old Trinovid got stolen and I miss iit ever since. Thank you Leica for bringing it back.
 
https://static.leica-camera.com/var...andscape_Teaser_960x640_06_teaser-480x320.png
https://static.leica-camera.com/var...andscape_Teaser_960x640_05_teaser-480x320.png

That silver jobbie certainly is a sexayy thang ....... :loveme:

Should be good for the two eyes crowd (four eyes not so much) :-C
But I would hope for that price that they come with HT + FL glass ..... otherwise stylish retro trinkets? Light weight to be applauded though :t:
Lack of certified waterproofing though ...... hmmmm - not so much ... :eek!:




Chosun :gh:
 
Moreover, we are confronted with environmental problems on an unprecented scale, so Leica deserves credit for using its technology and materials as efficiently as possible. I am looking forward to test the new Leica classic Trinovids.
Gijs van Ginkel

While I agree with your sentiment we really have no way of knowing, AFAIK, which binoculars end up having the lowest carbon footprint. Certainly neither weight of finished product nor decade of original design is going to tell us.
 
Cool binoculars, but $1500+ for something not waterproof/purged is something I'd certainly avoid. Leica seems hellbent to rest on its (much deserved) laurels, but I'm not too excited by these. If the price was more reasonable, in the $750-1000 range, the 7x35 would hold a lot of interest.

Just my opinion...
 
They look like they have 3 piece construction: Eyepieces that fit into the prism housing; the prism housing and an objective tube assembly that screws into the prism housing. I wonder if they use the same size prisms for all three binoculars? That would save money and explain the ordinary FOVs that the 8x40 and 10x40 have.

Bob
 
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I wonder if they use the same size prisms for all three binoculars?

If I remember correctly the original Trinovids used the same body and prism assembly for all models. The Uppendahl prism has an advantage that there are only two air-to-glass surfaces in the three-prism assembly, though there is one mirrored surface, and the entrance face is also an internal reflective surface. Objective focal length for the original 8x40 and 10x40 was 120 mm; the 7x42 was 135 mm (or so Leitz once told me).

John
 
I really like that Leica has revived the original Trinovid. It was no small feat to redesign this binocular
with the original Uppendahl prism system.

Leica knows the market well, with 3 armor types and sizes, this is a very light and compact binocular.
This is a boutique binocular, that is why it is so special.

This is not a binocular for everybody, and I like that.

Jerry
 
Cool binoculars, but $1500+ for something not waterproof/purged is something I'd certainly avoid. Leica seems hellbent to rest on its (much deserved) laurels, but I'm not too excited by these. If the price was more reasonable, in the $750-1000 range, the 7x35 would hold a lot of interest.

Just my opinion...

$1500 is a lot, but one can't always predict the US price by converting the EU price. If I remember correctly, the 8x42 and 10x42 Trinovid HD's were announced in Europe for 1050-1100 Euros. But when they were finally released in the US, the prices were $949 and $999 respectively. For some reason, we seem to get better prices here in the US. ;) I've got my fingers crossed that the US prices will be closer to $1,000 - $1,200.
 
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