I have a 30-year-old Swarovski Habicht 7x42 GA and I like it outside of the narrow 6.5 degree FOV, so I thought I would buy a Leica UVHD+ 7x42 to replace it because it has a wider 8.0 degree FOV. I was sure the Leica would be better in just about every way, but boy was I wrong. Everybody likes the Leica, and it is a beautifully made binocular, and I was so sure it would be superior I was going to sell the Habicht 7x42, but then I thought I should wait till I received the Leica and compare them.
To make a long story short, I returned the Leica and kept the old Habicht! I kept comparing them back and forth and every time I went back to the Habicht I liked the view better even though it is tunnel like in comparison to the Leica. That narrow 6.5 degree FOV of the Habicht is just magical. I guess I am beginning to see where Dorubird is coming from in his love for the Habicht 7x42. The Habicht is just clearer, more transparent, sharper, has better contrast, handles glare better, has a more stereoscopic view and is brighter than the Leica. It is shocking, really.
The Habicht has a defined, sharp field stop that makes viewing a pleasure once you are used to it, whereas, the Leica is soft on the edges and you notice it. The Habicht 7x42 is like looking through an amazingly clear porthole that sometimes appears to not have any glass between you and the object you are looking at. On-axis the Habicht is sharper than the Leica and you can see it when you try to read print. The Habicht 7x42 GA has amazing center field resolution for a 7x. All the Habicht's are superb but the Habicht 7x42 GA is really special and if you haven't experienced one you should try one.
To make a long story short, I returned the Leica and kept the old Habicht! I kept comparing them back and forth and every time I went back to the Habicht I liked the view better even though it is tunnel like in comparison to the Leica. That narrow 6.5 degree FOV of the Habicht is just magical. I guess I am beginning to see where Dorubird is coming from in his love for the Habicht 7x42. The Habicht is just clearer, more transparent, sharper, has better contrast, handles glare better, has a more stereoscopic view and is brighter than the Leica. It is shocking, really.
The Habicht has a defined, sharp field stop that makes viewing a pleasure once you are used to it, whereas, the Leica is soft on the edges and you notice it. The Habicht 7x42 is like looking through an amazingly clear porthole that sometimes appears to not have any glass between you and the object you are looking at. On-axis the Habicht is sharper than the Leica and you can see it when you try to read print. The Habicht 7x42 GA has amazing center field resolution for a 7x. All the Habicht's are superb but the Habicht 7x42 GA is really special and if you haven't experienced one you should try one.
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