Rathaus
Well-known member
I haven't used the Noctivid with gloves or in very cold weather so I'm not sure. I can't see how such heavy ridges would be required regardless. Others with direct glove experience may be able to chime in.
Rathaus
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Owners: How Are Your Leica Noctivids Serving You?! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter dwever
- Start date
I haven't used the Noctivid with gloves or in very cold weather so I'm not sure. I can't see how such heavy ridges would be required regardless. Others with direct glove experience may be able to chime in.
Rathaus
Iceberg slim
Fly by night
Read my post in the other Noctivid thread
I'm one of those unsophisticated boobs who simply says "Just look through the bleeping things, and decide if you like what you see."
Hi Gijs,
Without a doubt this post belongs on a boring Waterproof Technology thread that covers the empirical methods, sampling requirements, and proper statistical procedures needed to reach valid conclusions about product quality. Sorry to bite your head off here,but based on previous so-called "tests" of Leica binoculars, Allbinos is simply not qualified to do such work in a meaningful way, and I would certainly hate to see Leica's reputation again be placed at the mercy of this perhaps well-meaning, but definitely amateur outfit. I'd be happy to pontificate at greater length elsewhere, but the good news is that there are qualified, independent companies that could do the work to professional standards, — although it would be very costly and require Leica's cooperation in several ways.
Regards,
Ed
I'm glad you said that.
From my own reading of their reviews, I have always felt that they were a bit "off" but I am not knowledgeable enough to be able to figure out why.
james holdsworth
Consulting Biologist
Put two binos in water - both leak - apparently due to dried out seals. Tells me something meaningful, even if methods are not ''controlled.''
PeterPS
Well-Known Member
I guess that Ed does not like the size of the tested sample: 3 or 4 Leica binos (both UV and GV, as well as the new NV). However those binos have been randomly selected (thus a small-sized sample but a randomized one), and all of them leaked, so I agree with James: that raises some questions about the waterproofing claim. Either the testers were very unlucky or many Leica binos leak.
Rathaus
Well-known member
I’ve taken the objective covers off both Noctivids. I removed them from the 8x a while back. I’ve found the handling of these bins improves notably once these covers are removed. I’ve taken them off, put them back on, back off etc to check...I’m not sure if it’s due to the high dangling rubber mass or how they dangle but there is a far far bigger difference here than when removing the objective covers from eg: the Swarovision. It came as a very pleasant surprise. To me, the Noctivid feels noticeably lighter and more manoeuvrable without covers. Looks far nicer too.
I’d highly recommend owners of these bins to try them sans objective covers and see what you think.
Something the media photos of the Noctivid do not show (Photoshop?) are the four very slightly yet smoothly indented sections at the objective end of the body which normally hide under the objective ring mount. I’ll try to capture them in a photo. At first glance I thought they were smudges...but they are small shallow indentations - part of the design. I had to angle the bins and camera in the light to make these indentations stand out like this,,,they’re very unobtrusive otherwise.
I’d highly recommend owners of these bins to try them sans objective covers and see what you think.
Something the media photos of the Noctivid do not show (Photoshop?) are the four very slightly yet smoothly indented sections at the objective end of the body which normally hide under the objective ring mount. I’ll try to capture them in a photo. At first glance I thought they were smudges...but they are small shallow indentations - part of the design. I had to angle the bins and camera in the light to make these indentations stand out like this,,,they’re very unobtrusive otherwise.
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Rathaus
Well-known member
If any Noctivid owner sees any mysterious small silvery streaks or smudges on their objective lens, it’ll likely be from the deeply recessed objective covers touching it. Don’t panic...the first time i saw the smudging I thought the silver streak was in fact a horrendous scratch - which resulted in a sphincter puckering moment. All was good however.
Edit: I’ve attached a photo of such a lens smudge - the small one at four o’clock. This is the smallest and most inconsequential of such smudges I’ve had and it’ll be the last as I’ve ditched the objective covers. What my terrible photography can’t pick up is the scratch like swipe mark leading to the small smudge.
Edit: I’ve attached a photo of such a lens smudge - the small one at four o’clock. This is the smallest and most inconsequential of such smudges I’ve had and it’ll be the last as I’ve ditched the objective covers. What my terrible photography can’t pick up is the scratch like swipe mark leading to the small smudge.
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Hi Ratty
Are these small depressions caused by corresponding 'humps' on the inner diameter of the objective cover retaining rings?
Lee
Mike F
Well-known member
You beat me to it, Lee....
Ratty, they will most probably disappear in time. I removed the objective covers / rings as soon as I got mine. I noticed the marks but thought that they were just from the rings and would disappear. They have!
Mike F
Well-known member
Rathaus
Well-known member
Lee and Mike,
Well, you chaps are spot on. I’ve attached a photo of the humps on the inner rings. I had assumed that they snugly slid onto the corresponding indentations, but what you both say appears true because I just inspected the 8x (objective caps removed a while back) and the indentations underneath have all but gone and the top ones have receded. This was more of a bizarre little mystery than anything else. Solved. It doesn’t really bother me if they don’t plump back out fully....perhaps a unit of Botox would assist.
Rathaus
Well, you chaps are spot on. I’ve attached a photo of the humps on the inner rings. I had assumed that they snugly slid onto the corresponding indentations, but what you both say appears true because I just inspected the 8x (objective caps removed a while back) and the indentations underneath have all but gone and the top ones have receded. This was more of a bizarre little mystery than anything else. Solved. It doesn’t really bother me if they don’t plump back out fully....perhaps a unit of Botox would assist.
Rathaus
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Ratty
The extent of the inability of rubber to return to a previous shape and size following a period of being compressed is called compression set. I would guess the the covers retaining rings do not exert sufficient compression to achieve this because they would be difficult to fit or remove if they did. So my expectation is that these depressions will gradually disappear.
Lee
Mike F
Well-known member
Hadn't heard of compression set, Lee. I learn something every time I come here! Even though I took my covers off as soon as I purchased mine (I agree with Ratty that it does improve handling and, although less important, looks considerably), the fact is that the bins come with the covers fitted and so would inevitably have been on long enough to leave permanent marks if that was going to happen. There's no trace of the marks on mine now. It's not a big issue either way of course. The more important question is, when are you going to join Ratty and myself in owning a Noctivid? 8-P
Mike
I have tried Noctivids and they are fine binos but Zeiss SF's field of view and vastly different handling (weight balance and the way your 1st finger falls naturally on the focus wheel as you grip the optical tube with your other fingers) means that I am very happy with my SFs thank you. Troubadoris is a Leica girl but she prefers 32mm these days but my brother in law has bought an Nvid to go with his Leica camera, does that get me off the hook? My one wish at the moment is that Zeiss would get their fingers out and launch a 32mm SF but I guess they have been working hard on the Gavia and Harpia scopes.
Lee
Mike F
Well-known member
Glad you're happy with your SF's, Lee. I have to confess that I've never tried them. If I was still in the U.K. I'd take a road trip to see you and try them out, but as I'm in Finland 🇫🇮 you're safe! 😉. However, given the experience of other bins that I have, such as it is, I would have to confess to being a sucker for the 'Leica view'. In an ideal world where money is no object I would have an 8x and 10x (and 7x if available) 42 from all of the leading manufacturers. Comparing and contrasting is great fun and an end in itself, but given that I feel the need to be reasonably sane when it comes to bino purchases I think I'll stick to my favourite - Leica!
Traoubadoris would heartily agree with you Mike. Anyhows if you ever do find yourself back in the UK and have some time available, I would be delighted to meet you someplace along with SF 8x and 10x and maybe one or two others for you to try out. In the meantime enjoy your Leicas.
Lee
