I actually opened it last night of course! Thankfully the Noctivid 10X42 was in there and in good shape!
The first thing I did was put them on my digital scale, 29.5 ounces naked and about 32 ounces ready to go with the Rick Young UL Harness snaps in place.
The plan this am was to take both the new Noctivid 10X42s and the SV 10X42s birding along with the EGD 8X42s I have become so fond of. It was not to be that way. When I arrived at White Spring Dyke this AM at 8:30 I had mistakenly pick up the new SLC 8X42. DRAT! However, at the 8:30AM hour and 14 degrees F, I strapped on the new Noctivids and put on my backpack with a Leopold scope and LW tripod and away I went. These binoculars would not come off until I got home at 4:30pm except for a picture.
The first time I put them to my eye and the first bird I viewed was a pileated woodpecker! What a magnificent bird! Focusing with North Face gloves on took some getting used to. Comparing the binoculars I have used lately focusing ease WITH GLOVES goes like this: Zeiss Conquest HD 10X42>EDG II 8X42>SV 8.5X42>Noctivid. IMO the focus knob just needs to be a little wider. There's room for the knob to come toward the ocular which would be fine. The second thing that I noticed was the HUGE FOV for a 10X binocular. It's listed as 376 feet at 1000 yards. I can name more than a few 8X binoculars with that amount or less! To add to the FOV advantage, the Noctivid seems to point naturally and on target. That's one thing I have found the Zeiss FLs do VERY well...my EDG II takes a little bit of "hunting" sometimes.
Mechanically, the Notivid is typical Leica. The eyecups have what I believe is five stops. Some might say there are four. With eyeglasses, I stopped at the first click "up" and it was just perfect. The diopter adjustment adjusts as only a Leica binocular can, precise and perfect. Objective covers are such that they will probably never be lost. I installed the clips to the Rick Young Ultralight harness without any issues. I had no issues with the neck strap eyelet OR the distance between the two objective barrels.
My White Springs Dyke trip turned out to be shorter than I had expected. Temperature had risen to 20 degrees but the wind coming off the Tennessee River was cutting to the bone. 31 birds later I walked out to the truck. The Noctivid had performed as expected.
Next was to drive the short distance to Arrowhead Landing. First birds I saw here were five meadowlarks. Beautiful yellow and black. Other notable birds were both golden and ruby crowned kinglet, yellow-rumped warbler, brown creeper, and hermit thrush. This was my first time birding here and I spent quite a bit of time walking and glassing. I got some good birds here. I'll admit, in most cases I would have rather had my 7X FL here but the 10X42 Noctivid did a great job considering the 10X and sometimes close quarters. It's still cold and never broke 26 degrees so again I'm quitting before I normally would. 36 birds later...to the truck I go.
Last was a drive to the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge visitors center. The main goal of this trip is to see all the sandhill cranes which I'm sure numbered in the 1000's and the hope of catching a glimpse of a whooping crane which I DID! I think three were spotted but I only saw one.
At the end of the day of course I'll give the Noctivid high marks as you would expect. I didn't compare it to anything, as I had left the 10X42 SV at home. I will say the FOV is breathtaking for a 10X binocular. Field flatteners be damned but this sucker is pretty dang flat to the edge of the FOV. The focus adjustment is smooth as silk with exactly the amount of friction I like which is slightly more than the HT/SF/Conquest HD. I would like the focus adjustment more if I would easily put two fingers on it as with a Trinovid/Ultravid HD +. It would be great if a little wider. Other than that, I really like it so far!
So....below is a picture of the Noctivid and the EDG II and I got someone to take a picture of me and the Rick Young UL harness and the Noctivid so you can see how the binocular hangs and it size.
Will be glad to answer any questions you may have concerning anything discussed today!
The first thing I did was put them on my digital scale, 29.5 ounces naked and about 32 ounces ready to go with the Rick Young UL Harness snaps in place.
The plan this am was to take both the new Noctivid 10X42s and the SV 10X42s birding along with the EGD 8X42s I have become so fond of. It was not to be that way. When I arrived at White Spring Dyke this AM at 8:30 I had mistakenly pick up the new SLC 8X42. DRAT! However, at the 8:30AM hour and 14 degrees F, I strapped on the new Noctivids and put on my backpack with a Leopold scope and LW tripod and away I went. These binoculars would not come off until I got home at 4:30pm except for a picture.
The first time I put them to my eye and the first bird I viewed was a pileated woodpecker! What a magnificent bird! Focusing with North Face gloves on took some getting used to. Comparing the binoculars I have used lately focusing ease WITH GLOVES goes like this: Zeiss Conquest HD 10X42>EDG II 8X42>SV 8.5X42>Noctivid. IMO the focus knob just needs to be a little wider. There's room for the knob to come toward the ocular which would be fine. The second thing that I noticed was the HUGE FOV for a 10X binocular. It's listed as 376 feet at 1000 yards. I can name more than a few 8X binoculars with that amount or less! To add to the FOV advantage, the Noctivid seems to point naturally and on target. That's one thing I have found the Zeiss FLs do VERY well...my EDG II takes a little bit of "hunting" sometimes.
Mechanically, the Notivid is typical Leica. The eyecups have what I believe is five stops. Some might say there are four. With eyeglasses, I stopped at the first click "up" and it was just perfect. The diopter adjustment adjusts as only a Leica binocular can, precise and perfect. Objective covers are such that they will probably never be lost. I installed the clips to the Rick Young Ultralight harness without any issues. I had no issues with the neck strap eyelet OR the distance between the two objective barrels.
My White Springs Dyke trip turned out to be shorter than I had expected. Temperature had risen to 20 degrees but the wind coming off the Tennessee River was cutting to the bone. 31 birds later I walked out to the truck. The Noctivid had performed as expected.
Next was to drive the short distance to Arrowhead Landing. First birds I saw here were five meadowlarks. Beautiful yellow and black. Other notable birds were both golden and ruby crowned kinglet, yellow-rumped warbler, brown creeper, and hermit thrush. This was my first time birding here and I spent quite a bit of time walking and glassing. I got some good birds here. I'll admit, in most cases I would have rather had my 7X FL here but the 10X42 Noctivid did a great job considering the 10X and sometimes close quarters. It's still cold and never broke 26 degrees so again I'm quitting before I normally would. 36 birds later...to the truck I go.
Last was a drive to the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge visitors center. The main goal of this trip is to see all the sandhill cranes which I'm sure numbered in the 1000's and the hope of catching a glimpse of a whooping crane which I DID! I think three were spotted but I only saw one.
At the end of the day of course I'll give the Noctivid high marks as you would expect. I didn't compare it to anything, as I had left the 10X42 SV at home. I will say the FOV is breathtaking for a 10X binocular. Field flatteners be damned but this sucker is pretty dang flat to the edge of the FOV. The focus adjustment is smooth as silk with exactly the amount of friction I like which is slightly more than the HT/SF/Conquest HD. I would like the focus adjustment more if I would easily put two fingers on it as with a Trinovid/Ultravid HD +. It would be great if a little wider. Other than that, I really like it so far!
So....below is a picture of the Noctivid and the EDG II and I got someone to take a picture of me and the Rick Young UL harness and the Noctivid so you can see how the binocular hangs and it size.
Will be glad to answer any questions you may have concerning anything discussed today!
