-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Are Duovids any good? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Kiwimac
- Start date
John A Roberts
Well-known member
My 2 ct, for what it‘s worth (I wrote that already some time ago):
I consider the Duovid a collector’s item nowadays. It still impresses with its excellent workmanship and mechanical precision; optically, it lags behind today‘s top binoculars (FOV; short eye relief; no ED glass = CA prominent).
Talster
Well-known member
I've owned mine since 2003 (I have the 10-15x50 model) and I absolutely love mine. It's like having two pairs of binoculars in one, and with the 15x magnification you are approaching scope territory. I can remember debating between the Duovid and another pair of Leica binoculars (I forget the model now) which were around £200-£300 cheaper than the Duovid, but I decided that I would only be purchasing a pair of binoculars of that quality once in my life, and also I knew that I would at some point be glad of the 15x magnification, and I have been proven correct on many occasions.
They are heavy beasties, but they are built like a tank. The rubber on mine is still like it was on day 1, and when the rubber does show any grease, sweat off hands a quick wipe of the rubber with a soft microfibre cloth that has been placed in some warms soapy water and wrung out, removes them and brings the rubber back to like new.
The optical quality on either 10 or 15x is very impressive and identical in clarity and brightness and just overall image quality between the two magnifications. If they are at a good price I would get them. I can remember looking a few years back and they were around £2300 over here in the UK. I think I paid around £1100-£1200 for mine back in 2003.
I had a pair 8+12x for a few years as my only pair of bins.
I used them at 8x in close habitats, and 12x in open habitats. They were fine.
I mainly bought them for ferry surveys, which i was doing regularly at the time, as scopes weren't permitted on the bridge. They gave me a distinct advantage at 12x for smaller seabirds (petrels mainly). Conversely I think my cetacean finds dropped during my duovid years!
I sold them once the ferry surveys ceased.
They were heavy with a fairly poor fov, and I think the image quality is a bit behind nowadays.
But definitely well made, and the 12x did get me more detail from time to time.
I used them at 8x in close habitats, and 12x in open habitats. They were fine.
I mainly bought them for ferry surveys, which i was doing regularly at the time, as scopes weren't permitted on the bridge. They gave me a distinct advantage at 12x for smaller seabirds (petrels mainly). Conversely I think my cetacean finds dropped during my duovid years!
I sold them once the ferry surveys ceased.
They were heavy with a fairly poor fov, and I think the image quality is a bit behind nowadays.
But definitely well made, and the 12x did get me more detail from time to time.
CharleyBird
Well-known member
The specification for the 10/15x includes:
Weight 1250g; which is hardly ideal for walking far. But these magnifications are most useful when walking some miles around lakes or along seashores.
Close focus 3.8m; now then, I'm not one of those who needs a modern close focus of 2m, it's rarely I find a bird other than Robin, Gull, or Pigeon almost underfoot. Yet 3.8m minimum focus is really no close focus.
A few years back an opportunity arose to buy a heavily discounted duovid when a dealer was selling off all their Leica stock. At that time I'd not tried a pair but the idea of dual magnifications was seductive. They were brutally honest on the phone when I asked about duovids (and other Leica's).
I recall their comments on the duovid's optics being similar to Canip's input above, and also their opinion of the haptics was less than tempting.
I got two pairs of 10x32 uv+. No regrets.
Weight 1250g; which is hardly ideal for walking far. But these magnifications are most useful when walking some miles around lakes or along seashores.
Close focus 3.8m; now then, I'm not one of those who needs a modern close focus of 2m, it's rarely I find a bird other than Robin, Gull, or Pigeon almost underfoot. Yet 3.8m minimum focus is really no close focus.
A few years back an opportunity arose to buy a heavily discounted duovid when a dealer was selling off all their Leica stock. At that time I'd not tried a pair but the idea of dual magnifications was seductive. They were brutally honest on the phone when I asked about duovids (and other Leica's).
I recall their comments on the duovid's optics being similar to Canip's input above, and also their opinion of the haptics was less than tempting.
I got two pairs of 10x32 uv+. No regrets.
I bought my duovids used for, I think, £1300, sold them for £900. Purely with a money/thinking head on, I'd get the Noctivids based on those retail prices. (Actually I'd get a used Noctivid!)
How rare are hen‘s teeth? I have never seen any … 🧐
Thotmosis
Well-known member
Still using my Duovid 8-12 regularly at 12x magnification with great joy and pleasure. Yes, its a bit heavy and not the latest and greatest and I wouldn’t buy it new. But its compact and the only 12x i have. In my opinion a good option if you can find one in good condition for around 1000-1200 euro. I bought mine about three years ago for 1200 euro in mintt condition. No regrets whatsoever.
Thotmosis
Well-known member
I have the UV (not plus) and FL (pre LotuTec) in 8x32 and both are nice glass.
For me the Leica gives a little bit more contrast in direct comparison, the Zeiss has the better focus but i could live with either of them. Would keep the Leica though if i only good keep one.
For me the Leica gives a little bit more contrast in direct comparison, the Zeiss has the better focus but i could live with either of them. Would keep the Leica though if i only good keep one.
