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Trinovid HD flare/blackout (1 Viewer)

After a lot of deliberation I decided to replace my battered old Opticron DBA 8x42 with something more up-market. I tested the following on 2 separate occasions in 2 separate stores:
Trinovid HD 8x42
Noctivid 8x42
8.5x42 EL Field Pro
Conquest 8x42
8x42 SF
My main criteria were image quality, brightness, close focus.

In the end I opted for the Trinovids. My dream bins over the years have always been Swaro ELs but I can't get on with the new harness. I was surprised to find that the SF provided an equally good view, with a significantly wider field, but those eye cups felt cheap. I just didn't like the Noctivids - didn't feel nice, too heavy, something not quite right. The Conquests were very nice but eye cups even worse than the SFs. (Sadly for the 2nd store their demo pair had one eyecup completely stuck, which didn't help to make a good impression).

So that left the Trinnies. The lightest and most compact of the 5, with image quality and brightness only marginally less good than those costing over twice as much. Pretty much a no-brainer.

My only reservation was the silly case/strap arrangement, but an email to Leica Mayfair produced the offer of swapping this for a cordura case post-purchase, so that sealed the deal.

I was thus very disappointed when I got home with my lovely new bins and took them out into the garden to enjoy some twilight viewing, to find a very disturbing amount of flare in both fields. This could be ameliorated to an extent by changing eye position, but that instead produced varying amounts of blackout. I just couldn't find an eye position that gave a clear view. Sadly this problem has persisted, though it varies under different lighting conditions, being worst at twilight. I didn't see it at all when I tried them out.

Interestingly, reading the thread by Nixterdemus (Trinovid HD 10X42 First View) I note a similar sounding problem with blackouts. Possibly due to an issue with ER? Any other ideas?

I've spoken to the store where I bought them who are going to give me a different pair to try. Failing that I may have to exchange them for a different model altogether, though will obviously then have to reconsider the various disadvantages above. Perhaps a nice used pair of EL SVs will come up...

Dom
 
After a lot of deliberation I decided to replace my battered old Opticron DBA 8x42 with something more up-market. I tested the following on 2 separate occasions in 2 separate stores:
Trinovid HD 8x42
Noctivid 8x42
8.5x42 EL Field Pro
Conquest 8x42
8x42 SF
My main criteria were image quality, brightness, close focus.

In the end I opted for the Trinovids. My dream bins over the years have always been Swaro ELs but I can't get on with the new harness. I was surprised to find that the SF provided an equally good view, with a significantly wider field, but those eye cups felt cheap. I just didn't like the Noctivids - didn't feel nice, too heavy, something not quite right. The Conquests were very nice but eye cups even worse than the SFs. (Sadly for the 2nd store their demo pair had one eyecup completely stuck, which didn't help to make a good impression).

So that left the Trinnies. The lightest and most compact of the 5, with image quality and brightness only marginally less good than those costing over twice as much. Pretty much a no-brainer.

My only reservation was the silly case/strap arrangement, but an email to Leica Mayfair produced the offer of swapping this for a cordura case post-purchase, so that sealed the deal.

I was thus very disappointed when I got home with my lovely new bins and took them out into the garden to enjoy some twilight viewing, to find a very disturbing amount of flare in both fields. This could be ameliorated to an extent by changing eye position, but that instead produced varying amounts of blackout. I just couldn't find an eye position that gave a clear view. Sadly this problem has persisted, though it varies under different lighting conditions, being worst at twilight. I didn't see it at all when I tried them out.

Interestingly, reading the thread by Nixterdemus (Trinovid HD 10X42 First View) I note a similar sounding problem with blackouts. Possibly due to an issue with ER? Any other ideas?

I've spoken to the store where I bought them who are going to give me a different pair to try. Failing that I may have to exchange them for a different model altogether, though will obviously then have to reconsider the various disadvantages above. Perhaps a nice used pair of EL SVs will come up...

Dom

ER. When I was younger, I had a difficult time finding Andromeda under a less than totally black sky. Today I just throw the binos up to my eyes and there it is. For most people, the eye relief problem is solved the same way ... experience. And after you gain that experience, you'll probably wonder why it was ever a problem in the first place. :cat:

Be happy; look for birds.

Bill
 
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Curious what you didn't like about the Swarovski EL Field Pro harness?
I tend to take my bins on and off frequently when walking, sometimes they're in my bag, sometimes share them with my wife and kids. Or if I'm in the car and want to grab them quickly and throw them round my neck (the bins, that is). Also it's an aesthetic thing - when spending that much money it has to be just right.
 
For most people, the eye relief problem is solved the same way ... experience. And after you gain that experience, you'll probably wonder why it was ever a problem in the first place.

Thanks, that may be the case. But I never experienced this issue with my trusty old DBAs and this was meant to be an upgrade. I didn't expect to have to put in any work! I'll see what the replacement pair is like, though I'm not optimistic
 
Opticron's binocular designations can be confusing.

If your old 8x42 Opticron DBA was the double hinged VHD; it has very long 22mm eye relief which you were used to. Your new 8x42 Trinovid HD has 17mm eye relief and you may be having trouble getting used to it.

http://www.opticronusa.com/Pages/dba_vhd.html

If you owned the earlier Opticron DBA Mg 8x42 BGA; it had 18mm ER which is close to the 17mm ER that the Leica Trinovid HD has.

https://www.allbinos.com/429-Opticron_Oasis_8x42_DBA-binoculars_specifications.html


Bob
 
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Thanks, that may be the case. But I never experienced this issue with my trusty old DBAs and this was meant to be an upgrade. I didn't expect to have to put in any work! I'll see what the replacement pair is like, though I'm not optimistic

That's because the ER on your old binocular had an eye relief that was just right for you. As I remember, riding a bicycle was fun. However, to enjoy that fun you must pedal--work. Most people don't consider it work, just part of the activity. Those not wishing to participate will spend a great deal of time getting up close and personal with grass, gravel, clods, tree roots, asphalt and the like.

And, since you are new and not use to my often sick honour (see, I even spelled it right), I will say WELCOME and that I was just having a bit of fun. I understand your comments; things that some people would never notice could drive others to distraction. I think that's between Ipswich and Cambridge:cat:

Bill
 
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OK, so it is the choice between a model that experiences flare and/or blackouts during view, against a model of which the eyecups feel cheap and against a model of which the harnas is not aesthatic.

Tough choice.
I can only say one thing: Try before you buy.

Jan
 
If you owned the earlier Opticron DBA Mg 8x42 BGA; it had 18mm ER which is close to the 17mm ER that the Leica Trinovid HD has.

In fact they're even older than that - the original pre-Oasis model - but I guess ER is the same. You wouldn't think 1mm would make that much difference but I'm now pretty sure ER/eyecup design is the issue.
 
I will say WELCOME and that I was just having a bit of fun. I understand your comments; things that some people would never notice could drive others to distraction.

Thanks Bill, that's much appreciated. Perhaps I'm lazy, or perhaps I just want my bins to work without fuss like my old friends the DBAs did. If they weren't falling apart I'd probably just go back to them. As it is I fear I may have to spend even more...

Dom
 
OK, so it is the choice between a model that experiences flare and/or blackouts during view, against a model of which the eyecups feel cheap and against a model of which the harnas is not aesthatic.

Tough choice.
I can only say one thing: Try before you buy.


Thanks Jan. I take your point, though if I have to spend 2.5x more I'd prefer not to have any quibbles. I think I might end up going for the SFs and having to live with the dodgy eyecups. I definitely couldn't cope with the Field Pro harness - more than just aesthetics.

You're quite right about the testing - I thought I'd done that sufficiently but obviously not!

Dom
 
Thanks Jan. I take your point, though if I have to spend 2.5x more I'd prefer not to have any quibbles. I think I might end up going for the SFs and having to live with the dodgy eyecups. I definitely couldn't cope with the Field Pro harness - more than just aesthetics.

You're quite right about the testing - I thought I'd done that sufficiently but obviously not!

Dom

Hi Dom,

FWIW, yes the cups look flimsy but even in the FL they used the same material and there were AFAIK never any structural problems.
Succes;)
Jan
 
Thanks Jan. I take your point, though if I have to spend 2.5x more I'd prefer not to have any quibbles. I think I might end up going for the SFs and having to live with the dodgy eyecups. I definitely couldn't cope with the Field Pro harness - more than just aesthetics.

You're quite right about the testing - I thought I'd done that sufficiently but obviously not!

Dom

Just remember, as you lessening your quibbles you're also lessening your ... quid. Sorry, I couldn't resist.:cat:

Bill
 
Hi Dom,

FWIW, yes the cups look flimsy but even in the FL they used the same material and there were AFAIK never any structural problems.
Succes;)
Jan

Oh, Janny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling .... Oops, wrong country.

How many collimators do you have around your shop (or know of in the area)? AND, could you send me a number of high-res photos ... at your leisure? :cat:

Bill
 
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