Leica BA (1 Viewer)

dries1 · Nov 16, 2018

I have come to like the older Leica Trinovids and while I have a 8X42BA in for service, I procured this BA on which the armor was covered with a white substance. The optics are crystal clear with no imperfections and the focus is smooth, it was like opening a time capsule. At a price much less than many new offerings. I am using the 10X50 format often these days.

Andy W.

Gaz Shilton · Nov 16, 2018

dries1 said:
I have come to like the older Leica Trinovids and while I have a 8X42BA in for service, I procured this BA on which the armor was covered with a white substance. The optics are crystal clear with no imperfections and the focus is smooth, it was like opening a time capsule. At a price much less than many new offerings. I am using the 10X50 format often these days.

Andy W.

Very nice binoculars. I dipped on a pair of mint 8x50BN's the other week. Went for £400 on eBay. Gutted. But I have some 10x42BN's and 8x32BA's to keep me occupied 😁
Love the older trinovids.

dries1 · Nov 16, 2018

The 10X50s are really nice, the focus movement is smoother than the ultravid BR and the contrast to my eyes perfect.
With respect to the BN 8X50 What do you mean gutted, (major overhaul?).

By the way there is a nice BN 8X50 there now.

Andy W.

F88 · Nov 16, 2018

Nice binos Andy.
Gutted is a way of saying really disappointed.

dries1 · Nov 16, 2018

Gutted is a way of saying really disappointed.

Thanks F88.

Gaz, sorry about the 8X50 BNs.

Andy W.

F88 · Nov 16, 2018

dries1 said:
Gutted is a way of saying really disappointed.

Thanks F88.

Gaz, sorry about the 8X50 BNs.

Andy W.

I've always liked the looks of the BA/N.
The Trinovid 2012-15 is the only one I've ever played with and I really enjoy using my 8x42, there's just something about it from the handling to the easy view that really appeals to me.

dries1 · Nov 17, 2018

Trinovid

F88,

You mean these 8X42s, the one on the left, the right one is the 10X42. They are a very nice package, not too many around - a few 10X here and there, but the 8X42 are tough to find. The construction and ergonomics were well thought out. Viewing is a pleasure with these.

Andy W.

F88 · Nov 17, 2018

dries1 said:
F88,

You mean these 8X42s, the one on the left, the right one is the 10X42. They are a very nice package, not too many around - a few 10X here and there, but the 8X42 are tough to find. The construction and ergonomics were well thought out. Viewing is a pleasure with these.

Andy W.

Yep, that's the gem right there... I mean on the left.
Love mine although I had intended to sell them after getting the HD+ 7x42 but they aren't going anywhere at this point.

Kevin Conville · Nov 17, 2018

dries1 said:
I procured this BA on which the armor was covered with a white substance.

Meguires Vinyl/Rubber Cleaner Conditioner works a treat for taking that white film off rubber bits on optics. I cleaned up a Minox 15x56 for my brother and it looks new. Took the scuz off my Nikon ED82 as well.

A soft toothbrush and a micro fiber cloth along with a small amount of Meguires and in a few minutes... like new.

Nice find Andy!

I bought a mint 12x50BN last March from a fellow BF member and really love the bin.

Attached is the first full size real binocular I bought, back in 1991, a 10x42 BA. And my current 8x32BNs, that will never be sold.

F88 · Nov 17, 2018

Kevin Conville said:
Meguires Vinyl/Rubber Cleaner Conditioner works a treat for taking that white film off rubber bits on optics. I cleaned up a Minox 15x56 for my brother and it looks new. Took the scuz off my Nikon ED82 as well.

A soft toothbrush and a micro fiber cloth along with a small amount of Meguires and in a few minutes... like new.

Nice find Andy!

I bought a mint 12x50BN last March from a fellow BF member and really love the bin.

Attached is the first full size real binocular I bought, back in 1991, a 10x42 BA. And my current 8x32BNs, that will never be sold.

Such great looking binos. In my eyes that particular form of Trinovid is iconic.

I was pondering the white rubber haze and here we have what we call metho or methylated spirits. It's 95% ethanol with the rest being water and a bittering agent to stop people drinking it, the UK have a similar make up in theirs except they also dye it purple.
There's actually no methanol in our metho or in the UK and NZ also as far as I know.
It's magic stuff with a heap of uses but it seems in the US the standards and ingredients are very different to our mix so I couldn't recommend it.
I've restored rubber with it before, it also makes an excellent alcohol stove burner fuel and in most petrol engines works much better as an injector cleaner than any fuel additive in the auto shops but that's another story.
Anyway, whatever's in the stuff you used looks good on those binos Kev, that is assuming you used it on the ones in the pics.

Mike F · Nov 17, 2018

F88 said:
Yep, that's the gem right there... I mean on the left.
Love mine although I had intended to sell them after getting the HD+ 7x42 but they aren't going anywhere at this point.

I was going to ask you for an update! Nice to hear that you're also still enjoying the 8x42 Trinovid (2012-15) as well as the 7x42 UVHD+. Now you need to get yourself a 10x42 Noctivid and we'll both have the best 7x 8x 10x combo available! 8-P (only my humble and biased opinion of course!)

F88 · Nov 17, 2018

Hi Mike.
The 7x42 is quite special but I'm enjoying the Trinovid more than ever.
Funny you say that as the place I got the good deal on the HD+ had a good deal on a 10x42 Noctivid but I'm broke and should probably thin out my collection more than add to it.
Silly enough I own more than a reasonable amount of binoculars, for me, but no 10x. 8x is the max mag I have.

dries1 · Nov 17, 2018

Kevin,

Thanks for the tip for the armor, and nice glass - love the green 10X42 BA. I have a BA 8X42 getting serviced and when I first viewed through them, I realized what I was missing, it provided a very relaxed view and the FOV appeared more open than the Ultravid 8X42. The BA/BN still provide some great views when compared to todays offerings IMHO.
The 12X50 BA/BN has I believe more eye relief than the Ultravid 12X50 HD (according to stat sheets on allbinos) and there is a 12X BA on the Bay now along with a 8X50 BN. I think for me the 10X50 is the perfect configuration for both day and night use, of course I could get more from the 12X50 at night for astro, and that owl last night letting everyone know he is in the neighborhood. I consider my self lucky to find a glass like the 10X50 BA in new/mint condition, not many of these gems left.

Andy W.

Kevin Conville · Nov 17, 2018

F88 said:
Anyway, whatever's in the stuff you used looks good on those binos Kev, that is assuming you used it on the ones in the pics.

Never accumulated the white stuff on my Trinovids so I never had to clean them that way. Just soap and water under a faucet now and then.

F88 · Nov 17, 2018

Kevin Conville said:
Never accumulated the white stuff on my Trinovids so I never had to clean them that way. Just soap and water under a faucet now and then.

Good to know.

Pinewood · Nov 17, 2018

Hello,

I have an 8x32BN, in orange red; a 7x42BA; a 12x50BA. I found that the Zeiss 8x32FL, suited me more as did the ClassiC 7x42 Dialyt. The blues were better and the eye relief better on the 8x32 Zeiss, while the old Zeiss 7x42 had a wider, easier viewing field. However, on a monopod the 12x50BA is terrific for astronomy and for the seashore and open marshland. Your milage may vary.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Leica BA (1 Viewer)

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