ArchStanton
Well-known member
It might be worth buying a
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Choosing 8x32 vs 7x42 vs 8x25 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Blastermaster
- Start date
The least satisfying binoculars I've tried in the past few years were the Leica 8x32 Ultravid and 7x35 Trinovid. Both were stunningly beautiful to look at. Not so much to look through. I documented my experience with them here and why I returned them very quickly. I don't recall too many of the details other than eye placement issues and an off-putting color cast on one pair.
Paultricounty
Well-known member
I was surprised at this, both of these seem to be extremely liked by the majority of people who tried or own them. I can certainly understand some eye position issues with UV because of short eye releif especially for eyeglass wearers. The off putting color cast I don’t get, they’re both very similar, unless the Trinovid was the older original version. I tried to find your post where you documented your experience, but couldn’t find it. If you could repost that would appreciated.
Thank you
Paul
MiddleRiver
Well-known member
I think it's just proof positive that different-strokes-for-different-folks. I find the 7x Retros lacking in some areas, but bad to look through? Huh? What parallel universe am i from?
That's not a slam on CSG - just different eye-balls I guess <shrug>.
That's not a slam on CSG - just different eye-balls I guess <shrug>.
Paultricounty
Well-known member
Absolutely no slam on CSG. Today it seems to me it’s hard to find any binoculars even at $400-$500 oe even lower price range that are bad to look through .
What we’re the areas in the retros that were lacking for you?
Paul
MiddleRiver
Well-known member
Nothingburger, just my way of saying they are not perfect. I suppose if they were 100% waterproof and had the Zeiss phat phast phocuser, they'd be 99.9% perfect.
I'm still waiting for a 7x or '32 Noc :-(
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Have them make me one while you're at it.
Blastermaster
Member
Love the new-to-me 8x32 conquests. Seem ideal, fairly compact, rubber armour, waterproof, great view and easier to use than the 7x21 Curio (I got instead of the 8x20 Ultravid) or the 8x25 victory. And second hand is a great bonus as I won’t have to be so uber careful with them.
3 compact sizes to choose from and I will take the 8x32 Conquest and 7x21 Curio on the trip, the 8x25 is for hikes or in the car or general outdoor activities.
BTW I tried the 7x35 Leica trinovid in Harrods and I thought the view was excellent, bright and easy to use to my untrained eye, as well as compact. But the non-waterproofing is a deal breaker for me, I’d like the rubber armour aswell. The salesperson didn’t seem particularly keen on them for some reason and wanted to promote the 8x42 Noctovid which was brilliant (Slightly better than the 7x42 Ultravid but not by much) There is also a Leica Store near Selfridges.
3 compact sizes to choose from and I will take the 8x32 Conquest and 7x21 Curio on the trip, the 8x25 is for hikes or in the car or general outdoor activities.
BTW I tried the 7x35 Leica trinovid in Harrods and I thought the view was excellent, bright and easy to use to my untrained eye, as well as compact. But the non-waterproofing is a deal breaker for me, I’d like the rubber armour aswell. The salesperson didn’t seem particularly keen on them for some reason and wanted to promote the 8x42 Noctovid which was brilliant (Slightly better than the 7x42 Ultravid but not by much) There is also a Leica Store near Selfridges.
Good news.
Those Conquests punch well above their weight.
You won't get 'better' for your money if you were buying new... the price you paid is an unbelievable purchase.
I had 8x42 Conquests and should never really have bothered with the upgrade path.... but I think the 8x32's are even better.
I wanted the extra light gathering initially, but now I'm with 8x32 Trinovids, the difference is really not as much as i thought with dawn and dusk.
In my experience, if you want low light bins, then get some proper low light ones.
If someone wants to borrow your conquests on your boat trip.... just chuck 'em at them... if they can't catch... it really doesnt matter.🤣
There is a youtube video, posted on here several times, on a Conquest destruction attempt.
Elkhornsun
Well-known member
Being on a "boat" does not necessarily translate to lots of movement and a problem with higher magnification binoculars. I have been on the ocean in a 12 meter boat which is vastly different than even the smallest passenger ships in terms of roll on heavy seas. There is a reason why 7x50 are the most popular for marine binoculars but for land use most people go with 8x40 ones that are smaller and lighter and provide a bit more image magnification.
I too have tried the Leica binos and disliked them when compared to any other binocular which I have done at bird festivals and with groups of birders. I never bothered to analyze why I prefer ones from Swarovski, Pentax, Nikon, Vortex, and Steiner, that I have owned and used.
I too have tried the Leica binos and disliked them when compared to any other binocular which I have done at bird festivals and with groups of birders. I never bothered to analyze why I prefer ones from Swarovski, Pentax, Nikon, Vortex, and Steiner, that I have owned and used.
edwincjones
Well-known member
Blastermaster,
It all comes down to personal preference and what works for you.
I suggest you go to an optic shop that has a good supply of binoculars and see what appeals to you.
My opinion-8x42s are the best all around, but 8x32s are almost as good and smaller and lighter,
compacts are more difficult to use, but that is me.
IS allows one to handhold higher mag, but are larger and heavier.
edj
It all comes down to personal preference and what works for you.
I suggest you go to an optic shop that has a good supply of binoculars and see what appeals to you.
My opinion-8x42s are the best all around, but 8x32s are almost as good and smaller and lighter,
compacts are more difficult to use, but that is me.
IS allows one to handhold higher mag, but are larger and heavier.
edj
Declan Joseph Deasy
Member
Question: is depth of view superior with 7x compared with 8x or 10x?
Yes. There is a direct relation between magnification and depth of field. This makes a lower powered binocular more comfortable when you use it a closer distance and when you frequently vary between short and long distance, because you don't need to refocus as much as with higher power.
My collection of binoculars has evolved over the years, I prefer 10x magnification but, in terms of everyday usability, my 2 favourites are Leica Ultravid 10x42 and Zeiss Victory 10x32 FL (both bought second hand) the Zeiss were a revelation, I was looking to replace a pair of Vortex Diamondback 8x32 (excellent glasses in their price range) tried loads of new glasses in the £300-£600 range, but the elderly Zeiss Victory just felt so "right" for me that I now use them more than any others in the family.
Hope that you can find a pair that will suit your trip and also become your daily choice.
Hope that you can find a pair that will suit your trip and also become your daily choice.
If you really want to do some birding....I think you will be disappointed with the mini bins you have .... they are nice for a quick view, in the boat, using as a pair when you are biking etc......
Want a nice light pair? Quality...try the Leica Retro 7x35. It fits the perfect sweet spot in the middle and quality, quality and more quality.
OMG .... tried those Retro 7x35's recently.... they are something else.... blown away!!
TheBlackGrouse
Well-known member
Speaking for myself, I'm an owner of a Swarovski Pocket 8x20. It's perfect when hiking, cycling or in a zoo because of size/weight but it's not ideal for longer viewing. Then you need a bigger bino. For an all-round nature lover probably the best choice is an 8x32. Personally I'm a huge Leica fan but in the past I returned the Ultravid 8x32 and bought the UV 10x42. Watching birds for hours was not easy with the small 8x32, on the other hand an allround nature lover is not doing that in general. And it's personal, there are many happy users of the UV 8x32. Try it out, if it works for you then it's fine.
The 10x42 does it all, it gives enough reach in all sorts of landscapes, from dense forest to open sea. Looking through it may take some effort though, the 8x42 is more user-friendly. The 42's are the best but you feel them always, when in a case on your belt, when in a chest-pack and especially when they hang around your neck. For a fanatic birder like me that's ok, but we carry tele-lenses, spotting scopes, tripods and are used to backpacks that are normally bought for mountaineering expeditions.
If you are going to spend that much money, i would go for the best Leica models: 8 or 10x42 Ultravid HD Plus or Noctivid (this is the Leica forum). You won't regret it, you'll never need other binoculars. For more than 15 years I'm using my Ultravid HD. It's great, maybe it will be updated but then it will be a Noctivid or Ultravid HD Plus, for that extra 2 percent of light transmission... yes that's birders' madness I guess.
Blastermaster
Member
So I ended up taking the 8x32 Zeiss Conquests and Curio 7x21. The larger Zeiss were much better on the boat, easier to use. Compared against the Captain’s Steiner 7x50 infinitely focused the picture was much nicer but of course you have to faff focusing. Lowlight the Steiner were better. I would have liked 8x42 or 7x42 for ease of use on a moving boat, especially a smaller boat, but the 32 are so compact, I carried them in my carry on bag and they really disappeared in the small bag.
They were popular with the other crew who didn’t have to risk dropping the captain’s binoculars. Not a man you wanted to make angry.
Later on I left the boat and stayed on a island in Colombia with some locals. We used the Zeiss from a clifftop vantage point to spy into others fishing boats and see what they had caught. This was very popular. One morning someone had managed to damage one of the eyecups, either by being rough or dropping it, not sure, but it now doesn’t twist out smoothly like it should, it feels as if something is a bit jammed. So I’m glad I took a second-hand pair and not a £1500 pair. Hopefully they eyecup can be replaced?
They did get splashed with saltwater alot which I washed off in the sink.
They were popular with the other crew who didn’t have to risk dropping the captain’s binoculars. Not a man you wanted to make angry.
Later on I left the boat and stayed on a island in Colombia with some locals. We used the Zeiss from a clifftop vantage point to spy into others fishing boats and see what they had caught. This was very popular. One morning someone had managed to damage one of the eyecups, either by being rough or dropping it, not sure, but it now doesn’t twist out smoothly like it should, it feels as if something is a bit jammed. So I’m glad I took a second-hand pair and not a £1500 pair. Hopefully they eyecup can be replaced?
They did get splashed with saltwater alot which I washed off in the sink.
