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New Old Trinovids (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Paskman
- Start date
Hi Bill,
I did in fact briefly look at that, but did not mention it (I usually observe without glasses, so ER is normally not a main concern to me).
The Trinovid HD has a much more "voluminous" eyecup than the Retrovid, and the distance from the rim of the eyecup (fully screwed in) to the surface of the eyelens is roughly 3mm (measured on my personal sample), so "usable eye relief" is about 14mm (Leica's ER spec for the Trinovid HD reads 17mm).
The Retrovid has much slimmer eyecups, and the surface of the eyelens appears closer to the rim of the eyecup than on the Trinovid HD, from memory I would guess about 2mm. Leica claims 16mm eye relief on the Retrovid, which would make the usable eye relief of the two more or less equal.
I very briefly held the Retrovid before my eyes with my (relatively slim) glasses on, and I could just about see the entire field of view. Doing the same with my Trinovid HD, the result is not much different.
So my guess is if ER works for you on the Trinovid HD, it might also work on the Retrovid.
Canip
Chuck. The Leica Store in SF said they would have the 7x35 Retrovid in stock by the end of the month and they had the 8x40's and the 10x40's in stock if you wanted to try one of those. You could shoot them an email and see if they have any 7x35's. They are very nice people to deal with.
https://www.leicastoresf.com/
[email protected]
Hey Dennis,
Well I've actually been talking to them for the last couple of days... Sean is going to put my name on the next pair to come in so we will see!
Good! I am sure you will like them. Then we can get some more reviews on them.Hey Dennis,
Well I've actually been talking to them for the last couple of days... Sean is going to put my name on the next pair to come in so we will see!
PYRTLE
Old Berkshire Boy
An itch that you just have to scratch?
I'm confident you will find a place for them - I still regret passing on a pair from the 70s that were in great condition. Everything about them suited me.
Good luck.
tenex
reality-based
Nor at anyone who enjoys closer views of nature (butterflies etc), with a close focus of 4m/13ft for the 7x35 and a whopping 5.5m/18ft for the 8/10x40. (That could give even a birder pause, increased from 3m and 4m for the 2017 originals, which were already not impressive.) Nor at hunters, with only leather covering and not waterproof. Which leaves...?
Hi Tenex, I also agree with your added objections.
But from the specifications, "the best" for close observation among the three versions, it will be the 10x40. Since that's what will produce the greatest magnification of the observed nearby objects:
5.5/10x7 = 3.85m and 5.5/10x8 = 4.4m.
That is, the 7x35 should reach 3.85m to equal the 10x40 and the 8x40 should reach 4.4m.
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wdc
Well-known member
Thanks for looking into it! The 8x32 Trinovid HD ER works fine for me. I also like the close focus of the HD...
-Bill
Alexis Powell
Natural history enthusiast
When viewing butterflies, it is often the bin that allows the closest approach, not necessarily that which yields the highest magnification, which performs best. Butterflies often land on the ground or at angles on foliage that do not allow for viewing (line-of-sight) except at close range. For this reason, I find bins that focus to 5 feet to be vastly superior for butterflying than are bins that, for example, focus to 8 feet (a difference that most birders will not consider to be of much consequence). Focus below 3 feet can be nice for butterflying, but I find that the practical advantages are few. I hope the best butterflying+birding bins of the future will be ~8x, wide-field, with 4 foot close focus, and with variable-ratio focus.
--AP
I had also evaluated this situation. And in fact I wanted to clarify that all three sucks, as regards the close distance (unfortunately).
However, despite your grip, mine only wanted to be a clarification.
I am used to 1.3-1.8m (4-6ft) and would not like any 7-8-10x binoculars with 4-6m (13-20ft) of focus.
Sorry it took me so long to see this...my long work weekend!
I believe the Silverline is actually just a "plain" Ultravid. HOWEVER, I really can't tell ANY difference optically with the Silverline and the UVHD+ with side by side viewing.
Back to the 7X35 Retrovid....
From everything I've heard so far optically it's on par with most other recent Leica binoculars. From the pictures I've seen, I really like it's small stature. ALSO, Leica list its weight at 20.8 ounces. The new CL B is right at 17oz and the SV 8X32 is right at 20oz so 20.8oz for a 7X35 certainly gets my attention in a positive way. Of course I like it because it's a 7X35 too!
On the negative side from my POV... As Canip put it...and Tenex noted...It's probably not a binocular targeted at the birding community and that's by FAR the main reason I even have binoculars in the first place. A close focus of 13ft is pushing it put doable in most situations. My SLC 8X42 has a CF of about 10ft and I'll admit to viewing birds as close as it would focus several times. 7X will be a little forgiving in this regard but my UVHD+ 7X42 focuses to 8.75 ft. I can also tell I'm not going to be crazy about the focus wheel.
This AM I'm trying to imagine how the Retrovid would do at Magee Marsh? Would it compete with the UVHD+ 7X42 and the SV 8X32?
No telling what I'm gonna do really....
wdc
Well-known member
Chuck, I get the impression that the Retrovid won't be the BEST tool for the job, but it surely will work fine within its spec. However, if you miss a few birds due to close focus limitations, or the speed of the focuser doesn't get you there on time, then you might wish you had something else in hand. (which in your case will probably be in the trunk in the parking lot..) ;-)
Of course no matter what the result, the binoculars will look good! My guess is that an experienced birder such as yourself will be able to put them to use just fine, but they are not purpose built, the way other products are, to provide real world advantages specific to that activity.
I think they dropped the ball on close focus, as a mixed-use travel bin can do a great job in a crowded museum.
Maybe its more like the Morgan you see someone driving on a weekend. Enjoy it for what it is.
-Bill
Chuck (post #455),
I concur with Bill. As you have an UV HD+ 7x42 and an SV 8x32, I can assure you that you absolutely DON’T NEED a Retrovid, you have all the tools it takes (the same will be true for many birders).
And so do I.
So it will be interesting to see how many will nevertheless acquire a Retrovid .... the looks, handling, haptics are one thing, but the optics also impressed me quite a bit, more than I had anticipated. Still fighting with myself .... stay away from the Leica Stores!
I concur with Bill. As you have an UV HD+ 7x42 and an SV 8x32, I can assure you that you absolutely DON’T NEED a Retrovid, you have all the tools it takes (the same will be true for many birders).
And so do I.
So it will be interesting to see how many will nevertheless acquire a Retrovid .... the looks, handling, haptics are one thing, but the optics also impressed me quite a bit, more than I had anticipated. Still fighting with myself .... stay away from the Leica Stores!
wdc
Well-known member
I remember reading an interview with the musician Neil Young, talking about guitars, and he mentioned that some guitars that he purchased, reminded him of the places he had been at that time...
It could be a carved figurine, a guitar, ... a binocular.
Of the 2 times I've visited a Leica store in the last few years, I've ended up either directly, or indirectly, with 3 different pairs of binoculars. So, yes, your warning is to be heeded if one is on some sort of 'optics whole 30 diet'
-Bill
wdc
Well-known member
3 pairs - i.e. 6 binoculars?? That‘s a lot for 2 visits in the store.
His and hers!
(Not)
Bad vocabulary on my part. Stay away from the Leica store, especially if you’re on holiday.
-b
