New Televid 82 mm (1 Viewer)

Swissboy said:

Looks like the Leica people still have to do some explaining. They may certainly need to coordinate better between what the scientists say and what is finally printed after the text has been fitted into the format of the brochure. Also, I assume all those definitions in their brochure date from before announcing the new Ultravids and Televids. So, that text may not be meant for our upcoming new toys.

Click to expand...

A few more excerpts...

"Fluoride lenses With the help of new fluoride (FL) glass, in Leica HD and APO
models the color fidelity and contrast of images is further improved. Optical
FL lenses are to a large part made up of calcium fluoride, a mineral with a
crystalline structure. Unlike conventional optical lenses, this creates a very
low level of dispersion (light scattering) and corrects aberration (imaging errors) significantly better. So as a result, the viewing experience is more natural and impressive than it has ever been before."

"High-Definition optics (HD)/Apochromatic color aberration correction (APO) The optics on the new Ultravid and Televid HD models stand apart from conventional optics by way of their increased image resolution performance. The contrast on these models is greater, color aberrations are reduced, the image looks sharper, details are more clearly recognizable, and the color reproduction of the image is extremely natural. This is made possible by optimizing the existing optical systems with the help of new FL lenses.
Here, FL denotes a special type of lens made from calcium fluorite – a crystalline mineral with an extremely low refractive index and very low dispersion (see “color aberration”). Furthermore, these optical glasses offer an impressively high degree of transmission – from UV right into the IR segment of light. By combining FL types of glass with “normal” optical glasses and glasses with anomalous partial dispersion to form achromatic optical systems, chromatic aberration and other imaging errors can be significantly reduced. This performance is only further improved by apochromatic aberration correction (APO), as used in the APO models. They are also
made up of a combination of FL and “normal” optical glasses as well as glasses with anomalous partial dispersion, but are considerably more elaborate, since in their special optical construction they are optimized for three lengths of light waves (primary and secondary spectrum) instead of two (only primary spectrum) – as in achromats. The more compact this kind of optical system has to become, the more complicated its development is. Especially for long focal lengths and high magnifications, this kind of elaborate
APO construction is worthwhile, because in ensures a totally impressive viewing experience."

"LEICA APO-TELEVID 82
Top-of-the-range spotting scope delivering professional standards for all users. An in - nov ative 4-part fluoride lens objective for maximum color fidelity and richness of contrast. Optically neutral front lens glass to
protect the APO optic, and Leica AquaDuraTM coating. Par ticularly short close focus distance of 3.9 meters. Rubber-protected magnesium housing, waterproofed up to 5 meters. Comes with the new variable wideangle
eyepiece 25 – 50 x WW ASPH."

John Traynor said:

A few more excerpts...

"Fluoride lenses With the help of new fluoride (FL) glass, in Leica HD and APO
models ...
"LEICA APO-TELEVID 82...
.....25 – 50 x WW ASPH."

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Ok, that means my guess about the text being outdated was wrong. Thanks, both to you and to Leica!

Now, if we could only get the marketing blurb sorted out.

Leica APO

Sorry to intercede, but does anybody know at this stage whether the lenses for these new scopes would be likely to fit the APO77 and 62.

barontan2418 said:

Sorry to intercede, but does anybody know at this stage whether the lenses for these new scopes would be likely to fit the APO77 and 62.

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No, the new scopes are not the same eyepiece mount so the current eyepieces will not fit the new scopes and the new eyepieces will not fit the current line.

gr8fuldoug

gr8fuldoug said:

No, the new scopes are not the same eyepiece mount so the current eyepieces will not fit the new scopes and the new eyepieces will not fit the current line.

gr8fuldoug

Click to expand...

Doug,

Is there, by any chance, a possibility to adapt astronomical eyepieces on the new Televids? Eg. for those power-hungry users.
Thanks!

Ilkka

iporali said:

Doug,

Is there, by any chance, a possibility to adapt astronomical eyepieces on the new Televids? Eg. for those power-hungry users.
Thanks!

Ilkka

Click to expand...

It is a dedicated Leica thread, not a 1.25" thread as Pentax offers. i am sorry

gr8fuldoug said:

It is a dedicated Leica thread, not a 1.25" thread as Pentax offers. i am sorry

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Sorry, Doug, for not being precise - I meant an add-on adapter like Swarovski and Zeiss offer. Leica has had an adapter to mount the Televid eyepieces on astro scopes, but not for 1.25" eyepieces to be mounted on the Televids. I have understood that the earlier Leica bayonet was too narrow for such adapters.

Ilkka

Much as I admire the technical knowledge & understanding exhibited in the latter part this thread, particular by Henry Link & Leif, I can't help feeling that, until someone actually looks through one of these damn things, the discussion is a bit too academic and too far divorced from the 'real world' of birding. No offence meant, but wouldn't it be better to wait until next spring before passing judgement or indulging overmuch in speculation? At the very least some of us might then have saved enough cash to buy one of the things!
John

Hi all,

Well Ilkka called me out so I will respond. Unfortunately, for all of those clamoring for more info I have to say that I really can't offer any sound information regarding the new scope because quite frankly it is still a fair way off, and I've yet to see a working prototype even.

Like the rest of you I eagerly await my first crack at this exciting new product as well, but I know little more about it than the specs reveal. I'm also in the same boat as John and believe that all of the print in the world can't compare to seeing the completed product. Although, I will amend this a bit regarding the "until someone actually looks through one of these..." There are three parts to any optical system the optics themselves, our eye, and then (unfortunately) the brain. The latter is a powerful component which can assimilate or even influence what we BELIEVE we see or don't.

A wise man once said, "the camera doesn't lie..." and I for one am even more looking forward to slapping a camera behind that new 25x - 50x wide angle eyepiece to see what the subsequent images will look like!

I think most of what I can answer intelligently though has been answered by others. None-the-less I'll recap:

Q: Will the new eyepieces be interchangeable with current Televids and vice versa?

A: No. The new zoom requires wider lens elements and therefore the bayonet entrance on the new scope models has a wider diameter.

Q: Will there be astronomical eyepiece adapters?

A: At present the only accessory I'm aware of in the works is a new digital camera adapter, but as I said we are still a long way off. New accesosories will certainly be considered after we get the scopes to the marketplace though and as always Leica is receptive to ideas.

Sorry, I can't be more responsive to some of your more technical questions, but I'm far more birder than engineer. ;p I'm certain as release date gets closer many of these more difficult questions will be answered but in the interim I'm in the same "wait and see" mode as the rest of you.

Sincerely,

Jeff Bouton
Leica Sport Optics, USA

John Cantelo said:

Much as I admire the technical knowledge & understanding exhibited in the latter part this thread, particular by Henry Link & Leif, I can't help feeling that, until someone actually looks through one of these damn things, the discussion is a bit too academic and too far divorced from the 'real world' of birding. No offence meant, but wouldn't it be better to wait until next spring before passing judgement or indulging overmuch in speculation? At the very least some of us might then have saved enough cash to buy one of the things!
John

Click to expand...

I agree with most of your post, except that I claim no real understanding.

The Televid HD models are expected to be available for delivery from July 2008

The Televid APO models are expected to be available for delivery from April 2008.

Wow amazing

Looks great

Thanks for your info

henry link said:

After scrutinizing the quotes a few times I'm still not sure whether Leica is using an element made of CaF2 or an equivalent glass type containing fluoride. Certainly, "a special type of lens made from calcium fluorite (sic) - a crystalline mineral with an extremely low refractive index and very low dispersion" sounds like CaF2, but then in the very next sentence the writer seems to be refering to it as an optical glass.

The translation might be bad or the writer might be confused or both.

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Hello Henry!
No, it is not a translation problem.
You'll find the same kind of physical rubbish in the german and the french version of their advertisements.
I have contacted Leica about these mistakes but never got a reply.

Marketing people reign ....

It is in my opinion not a worthwhile enterprise to speculate much about this as their is no clear-cut information, and we are not likely to get any.

A while back I was puzzled by the term "superachromatic" that Zeiss uses all the time to boast their objectives.
I contacted them and, after much quizzing, the reluctantly admitted that it is a "marketing term" that I would not find in any dictionary of applied physics.

Discussing brochure texts is like being caught in a dense fog, fighting a shadow hovering in mid-air.

Happy punching,
Tom

Swissboy said:

Also, I assume all those definitions in their brochure date from before announcing the new Ultravids and Televids. So, that text may not be meant for our upcoming new toys.

Click to expand...

Have a look at the Leica website.
You'll find the fogged up texts next to the pictures of the new HD Ultravids.

Marketing people never seem to talk to scientists.

Tom

gr8fuldoug said:

No, the new scopes are not the same eyepiece mount so the current eyepieces will not fit the new scopes and the new eyepieces will not fit the current line.

gr8fuldoug

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Honi soit qui mal y pense ....

New reference standard?

im really happy with my Nikon 60mm ED fieldscope (30x eye piece), but this time of the year you really could use a bit larger aperture, and the ED82 is a bit too heavy for me. Additionally the nikon 20-60x zoom never worked with glasses for me.

The question is, will the new APO Leica 82mm scope make a difference big enough?
The price will, im sure... =(, and it probably will be 3-4 times more expensive than what I payed for my Nikon...
I guess the HD model will be some kind of "budget" version?

Is there really a need of BOTH APO and fluorite/HD-glass or whatever leica use?

The naming of the leica HD model is pretty interesting...as Swarovski also has a HD model..., is it a way to put Swarovski down, to second place...making HD second after their superior APO in the leica line up..??

=)

Göran,

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "a difference big enough"? In terms of optical performance or in terms of weight or something else?

As far as optics, assuming that Leica gets the design right (which is very likely) the new Apo-Televid 82 should be just as good as the Nikon ED 82 A and the Zeiss 85mm Diascope, marginally better than the Swaro ATS 80 HD and somewhat below the Kowa 883. As far as weight, when you take the combined weight of the body and the zoom eyepiece (as you will have to do, since you are unlikely to carry just the scope), the Leica comes to 1740g, very nearly the same as the Swaro and only 130g less than the Kowa. The Nikon and Zeiss are also in this same weight range with their zooms. As you said, the Nikon zoom does not work well with glasses, but there are pretty credible rumors of a new Nikon zoom coming in a couple of months, though no weight or other specifications are known yet. So, among these four scopes I don't think weight can be used as a meaningful deciding factor.

As far as using the HD-nomenclature for a scope below the Apo, I think your guess may very well be correct. Only once we see the actual scopes will we know if the HD-Leica is as free of CA as the HD Swaro and the Apo as free as the Kowa 883, which is rather remarkable in this respect.

Kimmo

Are there any release date yet for the Leica 82?

HI CleySpy has the following info : TELEVID 82 HD and 65 HD ........July'08
APO-TELEVID 82 and 65 .......April '08, which is gleaned from Leica press release, so thats when they're due in the UK.

Maybe the Leica US site has details for release there.

Nev

I have heard that the new 'Leica Televid' 82 and 65 scope won't accept the current range of eye-piece's, just wondering if anyone else has information to verify this?

Cheers Dougie

Some interesting blurb from the latest issue of Birdwatching magazine which contained an advertisement feature about the scopes :-

What is so potentially interesting is a new viewing experience they can deliver whereby the scope extends your vision to your birding subject and then allows you a wide aspect. It is a bit like spotting a room in a distant building and then being able to see around that room, as if you were there, from one fixed scope position. This will be a very new type of viewing experience, almost feeling as though you are amongst birds as you view them from afar.

Is it talking about something similar to a fisheye effect but with amazing clarity, ideas anyone?
Jaff