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When a Leica Ultravid HD+ Replacement? (1 Viewer)

Dialyt

The Definitive Binocular
Any ideas?

The Ultravid is getting a bit old and lacking in innovation. The old Trinovid BA/BN lasted about a decade. The Ultravid has gone on longer than that. I want to see something new from Leica.

I have the Ultravid 8x32 BR and like it very much, but I want a 10x42 binocular. I don't like the Leica Ultravid model as it has those thumb horns which I hate.
 
I wouldn't hold my breath. Sports optics are definitely on the back burner at Leica with the success they've been having in digital cameras.
 
The Ultravid HD Plus was just released in 2014, but a redesign might be interesting if they preserve the compactness, slightly improved transmission, increase ER by 2mm in the 8x42, preserve the industrial design, stay w/single hinge, preserve color balance, improve edge sharpness and FOV as long they don't sacrifice to get it with flat images and rolling ball. Having said all of that, I'm perfectly happy with the UV HD Plus line as is, and at age 56, I only expect to update my glass with a new generation of binoculars one more time and only if the next generation gets significantly better.

The current design is hardly lacking. The 8x42 HD Plus has compared favorably to other alpha bins, even winning at least one shootout against the latest redesigns by Zeiss in the somewhat recent HT and most recent new design in the SF, and the EL was Swarovski's redesign a little further back still, and the Leica has done superbly well. http://www.greatestbinoculars.com/allpages/reviews/shootouts/shootoutpremier8x42s/8x42shootout.html

But different people like different things.

I wouldn't hold my breath. Sports optics are definitely on the back burner at Leica with the success they've been having in digital cameras.

Good point;but it doesn't necessarily follow if your F-150 is wildly successful that it hinders or discourages you from updating your sedan segment. The advance of Leica's cameras may not necessarily mean the Sports Optics focus is diminished as they are a different division. But, I believe the parent company did bail Leica's Sports Optics out from insolvency not too many years back, not sure of the history there.

I'm one of those weirdos who was very happy when they only updated the glass in the Ultravids and kept the classic design.

Agreed.
 
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I'm one of those weirdos who was very happy when they only updated the glass in the Ultravids
and kept the classic design.
 
If they got rid of the thumb horns on the 42 and 50 line, I would be happy. Those features are unbearable for me. I used to own an 8x42 Ultravid BR and switched to the 8x32 as a result. The horns were precisely where I wanted my thumbs to be - right on top of the horns.
 
If they got rid of the thumb horns on the 42 and 50 line, I would be happy. Those features are unbearable for me. I used to own an 8x42 Ultravid BR and switched to the 8x32 as a result. The horns were precisely where I wanted my thumbs to be - right on top of the horns.

I can totally understand that. If the ridges aren't in the right spot for you then it must be a bit frustrating and uncomfortable. On the Trinovid (previous version before the new HD) I always wished the ridges were positioned just a tiny bit further up.
But on my new Ultravid they are in a good position for my hands and grip , so it feels nice and comfortable.
 
Honestly, I've been shopping for a new 8X42 and I still find the Ultravids compelling. If fact, I'm leaning more toward the Ultravid HD Plus than to any of the other designs. Zeiss HT is second. I haven't been convinced that sharpness to the edge of the FOV is all that important and therefore haven't been quite as enthusiastic about the Zeiss SF or the Swaro EL.

Something that would be interesting to me is a 44 mm objective to get an even larger exit pupil or to get an 8.5X magnification with an exit pupil of over 5 mm.
 
Honestly, I've been shopping for a new 8X42 and I still find the Ultravids compelling. If fact, I'm leaning more toward the Ultravid HD Plus than to any of the other designs. Zeiss HT is second. I haven't been convinced that sharpness to the edge of the FOV is all that important and therefore haven't been quite as enthusiastic about the Zeiss SF or the Swaro EL.

Something that would be interesting to me is a 44 mm objective to get an even larger exit pupil or to get an 8.5X magnification with an exit pupil of over 5 mm.



Did you look into the Maven 9x45?

http://mavenbuilt.com/optics/

Bob
 
I see the design as proven rather than old, and there may not be innovation but the upgrade to Schott HT glass in the HD+ has thoroughly improved on the HD imo, not once in the six months since getting my 7x42UVHD+ have I regretted the choice. It fulfils every task I`v asked of it and always feels like the right choice whatever the weather or light conditions.

Seriously thinking of getting a Leica apo televid 82 now, and that`ll be it for me for the next 20 years I reckon, if I live that long !
 
Honestly, I glanced at their website once, but wasn't convinced that I could depend on the optical quality equalling that of the three alpha brands. Do you think they're just as good as Leica, Zeiss, and Swarovski?

I haven't tried one but there have been a lot of words written (mostly good) about them here and I have been tempted to get one. There has been quite a bit of discussion about Mavens on the Binocular Forum. Check this link on the B2 9x45.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=300491

There is more here:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=311367

I don't know if they equal the top alpha's (some owners say they approach that goal) and there aren't many choices in binoculars with 5mm or more exit pupils that are 8 power or more and are still small enough to use as an every day binocular.

9x45 looks like a good compromise. These also have AK prisms.

Bob
 
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I would not think it would be coming that soon, but I did notice that the MSRP on the Ultravids has DROPPED by $200 -$300 on some models. That makes me lean a little more to the "maybe something new is in the pipeline" school of thought. I wish I had a contact o:D there. They are usually pretty tight-lipped though. The last persistent rumor I hoped might lead somewhere was about the Perger Prism design maybe being made into a new "alpha" :

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=267944


The rep I talked to around that time however had no knowledge of it. Then Lee (Troubador) stated he had got wind it was scrapped for then anyway (Post #45 in the above linked thread)...
 
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So what would people like to see in the next Leica dream Binocular?

My own preferences:

NO intrusive thumbs horns/rests such as are found on the current Ultravid HD+ 42 and 50 series - this IS a deal breaker. I want to choose where to put my thumbs if I've spent over £1500 on a pair of binoculars. Passive thumb indents are OK-ish but I'd rather no thumb features at all.

Top optical performance obviously.

No novelty strap fitting gadgets such as can be found on the current Swarovski EL. Strap design novelties, if they are good, should be found built into the strap itself, not forced on the binocular body itself. I want to choose my own strap and want options not proprietary systems. This is a deal breaker and puts me right off the current Swarovski models.

Build quality is more important to me than striving to be lightweight. The Trinovid BA/BN were fine by me in terms of weight.

Proper rain guard made of intelligently selected rubber compound, not like the Ultravid rain guard, which, although it looks good, is impractical in terms of material selection. The Trinovid BA/BN rainguard was perfect.

Pop-up eyecups which have a range of positions and are removable for cleaning.

Tethered objective caps are good. I like the Ultravid caps.

No novelty cases, just a nice quality nappa leather or cordura case is fine.

Maybe offer a choice of rubber armour colour - black and a true military green, not the garish Ultravid BR green which I didn't like.

Continue the combi focus/diopter knob.

Open bridge is all the rage now, with Zeiss joining Swarovski, but I'd rather see a bit of originality by perhaps staying with the more traditional design, even taking some design cues from the original rubber armoured Leitz Trinovids.

What would you like to see in the next Leica dream binoculars?
 
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