Are my Leicas defective? (1 Viewer)

[andrewsheerin]

Hello all, I recently took my first foray into the world of "top tier" bins and got myself some 10x42 Trinovid HDs - and I have to say I am absolutely thrilled with them. For me and the amount of birding I do, they are worth every penny of the investment and a recent trip to Catalonia really showed me their strengths; I felt like I was living in a non-stop 4K HD nature doc. BUT... something I noticed quite early on, there's distinct veiling glare in both barrels: a milky pale crescent-shaped light-leak that can be really distracting and present even in low light conditions (this morning was overcast and dull and it was there almost all the time). Everything else about these binoculars is so stellar that I could live with this being the one downside however two odd things:

1. I don't feel my 15 year old Leupolds - that cost half the amount - ever suffered from this problem and in fact in a side-by-side test they barely exhibit it
2. I keep reading reviews about how Leica Trinovids especially have basically eliminated veiling glare. I also didn't notice anything using the shop display pair outside on the street on a very bright sunny day

Last thing: I CAN make it go away, if not disappear completely, by repositioning where the bins sit on my face. I tend to 'press' my binoculars against the bone of my brow to keep them steady; they make more contact with my face at the top than the bottom of the eye piece. If, however, I angle the bins downwards so that they press against the fleshy part of my eye socket, the glare can go entirely. However, this is a fiddly position to hold and it's very sensitive; a slight shift and glare returns. I can't imagine tracking a flying bird like this and keeping the view consistently glare free. Not to mention, with the bins angled slightly downwards, any bird in flight now requires extra neck-craning to reach. Additionally - and maybe I'm just a freak and holding binoculars wrong - this just feels unnatural, to have my eyes plugged right up against the eye cup, pressing on delicate flesh rather than bone; it's kind of icky.

Any thoughts/ advice/ opinions gratefully received. I love these binoculars but want to know if I should send them back or whether this is something I have to live with. Thanks in advance for reading.

 

[MiddleRiver]

I'd look in them and make sure nothing is a QC issue (shiny metal?), but that seems UNlikely.

Assuming you don't have a month or two to read all the optics conversations, I'll summarize the key takeaway:
Modern optics are unbelievably good. We can split hairs all day long and you can throw money at it in order to get 'perfect' optics - but you'll never achieve it. The one truth that us undeniable is that binos have quirks (ALL of them) and failings and a lot of it has to do with individual, needs, physiognomy, vision, hand size, age, shoe-size and politics So, if they don't work for you, you'll have to either live with it or try diff binos.

PS I know that doesn't answer your question... I once owned the HD's in 8x32 and 10x42, and never had any issues except I maybe wanted greater FOV and a little less CA. I would not have cared for either of those 'issues' had I not read reviews that pointed them out to me I have also not heard the Trinnies to be particularly susceptible to glare, but maybe others will chime in differently. I will say that I still think they are one of Leica's best built and most comfortable bins in use (I say that owning several others now, up through the food-chain to both Nocs).

 

[PYRTLE]

Modern optics are unbelievably good. We can split hairs all day long and you can throw money at it in order to get 'perfect' optics - but you'll never achieve it. The one truth that us undeniable is that binos have quirks (ALL of them) and failings and a lot of it has to do with individual, needs, physiognomy, vision, hand size, age, shoe-size and politics So, if they don't work for you, you'll have to either live with it or try diff binos.

Nothing much more to add aside from that one should always try at least another two other brands of binoculars in the same price range before deciding on the pair that suit you.

 

[A2GG]

I see minor veiling glare at times in my 8x32 Trinovid HD. It's usually a small crescent towards the bottom of the view.
Infrequently I notice a spot or dot of light indicating some internal reflection.
I think it controls glare well overall, but it's not perfect.
I used to own the 7x42 Uvid HD+ which I feel did a better job preventing the glare perhaps due to the larger EP.

I see more significant glare through my Swaro CL 8x30.

 

[GrampaTom]

Hello all, I recently took my first foray into the world of "top tier" bins and got myself some 10x42 Trinovid HDs - and I have to say I am absolutely thrilled with them. For me and the amount of birding I do, they are worth every penny of the investment and a recent trip to Catalonia really showed me their strengths; I felt like I was living in a non-stop 4K HD nature doc. BUT... something I noticed quite early on, there's distinct veiling glare in both barrels: a milky pale crescent-shaped light-leak that can be really distracting and present even in low light conditions (this morning was overcast and dull and it was there almost all the time). Everything else about these binoculars is so stellar that I could live with this being the one downside however two odd things:

1. I don't feel my 15 year old Leupolds - that cost half the amount - ever suffered from this problem and in fact in a side-by-side test they barely exhibit it
2. I keep reading reviews about how Leica Trinovids especially have basically eliminated veiling glare. I also didn't notice anything using the shop display pair outside on the street on a very bright sunny day

Last thing: I CAN make it go away, if not disappear completely, by repositioning where the bins sit on my face. I tend to 'press' my binoculars against the bone of my brow to keep them steady; they make more contact with my face at the top than the bottom of the eye piece. If, however, I angle the bins downwards so that they press against the fleshy part of my eye socket, the glare can go entirely. However, this is a fiddly position to hold and it's very sensitive; a slight shift and glare returns. I can't imagine tracking a flying bird like this and keeping the view consistently glare free. Not to mention, with the bins angled slightly downwards, any bird in flight now requires extra neck-craning to reach. Additionally - and maybe I'm just a freak and holding binoculars wrong - this just feels unnatural, to have my eyes plugged right up against the eye cup, pressing on delicate flesh rather than bone; it's kind of icky.

Any thoughts/ advice/ opinions gratefully received. I love these binoculars but want to know if I should send them back or whether this is something I have to live with. Thanks in advance for reading.

Ah! I know this story well... Funny revelation. Experiencing a bit of glare in specific places with my new NLs last winter, I wondered what was going on. Walking down the street in town one day I noticed my reflection in store windows. I walk like the old man I am, neck bent forward, 15 pound melon leaning as the result. My first thought was aha, thats why my neck is sore. Second? Like you my habit of several decades is to mount the bino to my face by first touching the top of the ocular to the junction of my eyeglass frame/eyebrow. I realized because of this forward learning face, that technique then puts the ocular lens at an angle to my eyeglasses. There is indeed a gap between the bottom of the eyepiece and my cheek. Straightening my neck, my head goes straight, oculars and eyeglass go parallel, cheek gap gone, glare gone. Scheesch.

 

[andrewsheerin]

Ah! I know this story well... Funny revelation. Experiencing a bit of glare in specific places with my new NLs last winter, I wondered what was going on. Walking down the street in town one day I noticed my reflection in store windows. I walk like the old man I am, neck bent forward, 15 pound melon leaning as the result. My first thought was aha, thats why my neck is sore. Second? Like you my habit of several decades is to mount the bino to my face by first touching the top of the ocular to the junction of my eyeglass frame/eyebrow. I realized because of this forward learning face, that technique then puts the ocular lens at an angle to my eyeglasses. There is indeed a gap between the bottom of the eyepiece and my cheek. Straightening my neck, my head goes straight, oculars and eyeglass go parallel, cheek gap gone, glare gone. Scheesch.

Yikes, I think you might have nailed it... I just tried correcting my posture and the glare goes. Time to do some yoga. Thank you for making me feel my age and what a lovely reminder that user error is almost always the problem

 

[William Lewis]

Good news then! I ran a pair of exactly the same binocular as my only serious pair - very very nice ain't they? I didn't have any problems with glare with them at all - I rarely do with most bins to be honest.

Excellent build quality to them too - mine dropped onto a concrete slab from height once and only suffered a slight unrounding of one of the tubes by the objective - no optical or mechanical damage at all.

They only had 2 problems with them but as you haven't got any problems with them I think it's prudent not to tell you what they were. That kind of talk can only lead to empty wallets and cupboards full of various lesser used optics.

Will

 

[Patudo]

I have no experience with either your Trinovid HDs, or Leupolds of any stripe (but since when did that ever stop folks from commenting, hah!). But my thoughts when reading your original post were that you have had 15 years of trial and error to learn how to hold your Leopolds just right, how to place them perfectly to your face/eyes, to find the perfect setup in terms of eyecup spacing and binocular width (IPD) - all these little things that put together make a tremendous difference in what a binocular is like to look through. I do think most modern binoculars seem to have a really open and accessible view compared to some from previous generations, but even so, getting the best from a binocular, and especially figuring out how to maximize its strengths and minimize its weaknesses in a wide variety of different conditions, is not always an instant process.

I would imagine if you compare your sample with the shop display pair in similar conditions, you'll soon find out whether there are differences between them. Beyond that, there are definitely differences between makes and models in areas such as performance against glare, and your Leupold may indeed be superior in that respect (but inferior in others). But as to whether you should stick with them or move them on, ultimately only you can judge.

 

[andrewsheerin]

I have no experience with either your Trinovid HDs, or Leupolds of any stripe (but since when did that ever stop folks from commenting, hah!). But my thoughts when reading your original post were that you have had 15 years of trial and error to learn how to hold your Leopolds just right, how to place them perfectly to your face/eyes, to find the perfect setup in terms of eyecup spacing and binocular width (IPD) - all these little things that put together make a tremendous difference in what a binocular is like to look through. I do think most modern binoculars seem to have a really open and accessible view compared to some from previous generations, but even so, getting the best from a binocular, and especially figuring out how to maximize its strengths and minimize its weaknesses in a wide variety of different conditions, is not always an instant process.

I would imagine if you compare your sample with the shop display pair in similar conditions, you'll soon find out whether there are differences between them. Beyond that, there are definitely differences between makes and models in areas such as performance against glare, and your Leupold may indeed be superior in that respect (but inferior in others). But as to whether you should stick with them or move them on, ultimately only you can judge.

This is a very fair point, I've logged 1000s of hours on my Leupolds in so many different conditions that yes they are probably an extension of me and I know instinctively how to use them to maximise their effect. I guess there will be a relearning period.

 

[Paultricounty]

I'd look in them and make sure nothing is a QC issue (shiny metal?), but that seems UNlikely.

Assuming you don't have a month or two to read all the optics conversations, I'll summarize the key takeaway:
Modern optics are unbelievably good. We can split hairs all day long and you can throw money at it in order to get 'perfect' optics - but you'll never achieve it. The one truth that us undeniable is that binos have quirks (ALL of them) and failings and a lot of it has to do with individual, needs, physiognomy, vision, hand size, age, shoe-size and politics So, if they don't work for you, you'll have to either live with it or try diff binos.

PS I know that doesn't answer your question... I once owned the HD's in 8x32 and 10x42, and never had any issues except I maybe wanted greater FOV and a little less CA. I would not have cared for either of those 'issues' had I not read reviews that pointed them out to me I have also not heard the Trinnies to be particularly susceptible to glare, but maybe others will chime in differently. I will say that I still think they are one of Leica's best built and most comfortable bins in use (I say that owning several others now, up through the food-chain to both Nocs).

You didn’t answer his question , maybe you don’t see through the candle smoke. 😆✌🏼. The problem here is that the Trini HD is on Denco’s glare monster list 😝.

All kidding aside , I agree here, I didn’t see what you’re describing specifically in that model, but it does sound like haze more than glare which has more to do with the lighting conditions. I also got rid of mine , specifically because of the CA. I’d go try another one and determine if it’s an issue with the optics (doubtful) or just the conditions with that specific optic.

Paul

 

[dries1]

"I’d go try another one and determine if it’s an issue with the optics (doubtful) or just the conditions with that specific optic".

This and just to add, + clarify, have you used the Trinovids elsewhere prior to the trip to Catalonia? if so and with no problems?, then it is likely the atmospheric conditions you encountered in that area.

 

[Elpha8888]

Trinovids hd were wonderful but by god they had high levels of CA, its a beautiful binocular and in some ways better than the ultravid I had. Focus was smooth, colours were deep and punchy.

 

[jafritten]

present even in low light conditions

If I remember correctly, your binoculars have three distinct "satellite" pupils (I don't know the correct term) around their exit pupils. When in low light, your eyes' pupils widen and take in the light from the satellites, which may cause the glare. Have you experienced glare in brighter light conditions, too?