Do you ignore Leica ? (2 Viewers)

[Hermann]

Hermann

Where is that internationally-famous German sense of fun? o

A little lightness brightens our day :king:

Maybe, but I do find it interesting that you, as one of the main proponents of the Zeiss HT and the Zeiss SF, chose a thread in the Leica forum for "some fun".

Hermann

 

[oetzi]

Or perhaps Leica is more like a German beer. Germany passed a law 500 years ago that allows only specific ingredients in beer making, and that law still stands on the books.
<B>

Unfortunately, thats no longer true.
Artificial sweeteners, sugar, artficial dye, Polyvinylpyrrolidone, Benzoic acid, Calcium chloride, Diatomaceous earth and much more is allowed and used. Only a few small brewers offer beer brewed under the "Reinheitsgebot".

On this subject:
http://www.besser-bier-brauen.de/kolumnen/so-siehts-aus/das-reinheitsgebot-die-reine-wahrheit/
http://www.christian-jog.de/2010/11/19/reinheitsgebot-mythos-und-wahrheit

 

[oetzi]

I'm not a huge Leica fan, but even I take offense at the comparison of a top-notch optic to drab commercial lagers like Heineken or shitty piss beer like Coors light! :smoke:

If Leica were a beer, it would be a Belgian trippel trappiste or something like that: steeped in tradition and superior craftmanship, and meant to be enjoyed by real connaisseurs!

Or something like this

 

[oetzi]

I think he realizes any discussion about which beer is best is superfluous to Germans since they already know they make the best beer and the best optics (if you make that "Germanic" and include Austria).

B

B.B. "Beer Belly" Brock

The people of the "Ostmark" once joined us joyfully. A fact they try to forget about ever since.

 

[HighNorth]

Or something like this

Faust? What an interesting name for a beer! :smoke: At least that beer will not cost you your soul, unlike the latest alpha binoculars!

 

[Rathaus]

Following days of research in my state I discovered that there was one/1...yes, one proper Leica binocular sitting lonely by itself in stock on a shelf in my home city of nearly three million people. It was a Trinovid 10x42. This store called itself, amongst other things, a 'boutique Leica dealership'. It also had a couple of 20 or 25mm leicas and that was it.


What's going on here? Is this slightly odd? Am I missing something?

 

[NDhunter]

Following days of research in my state I discovered that there was one/1...yes, one proper Leica binocular sitting lonely by itself in stock on a shelf in my home city of nearly three million people. It was a Trinovid 10x42. This store called itself, amongst other things, a 'boutique Leica dealership'. It also had a couple of 20 or 25mm leicas and that was it.


What's going on here? Is this slightly odd? Am I missing something?

That is interesting, was this a camera store, and what other binoculars
did they stock ?

Otherwise, there must be some other sports optics sellers, that sell
all brands, in your large city.

Jerry

 

[Rathaus]

That is interesting, was this a camera store, and what other binoculars
did they stock ?

Otherwise, there must be some other sports optics sellers, that sell
all brands, in your large city.

Jerry

A camera store, albeit with a special enclosed wood and glass section for the leica binos...of which there was one full size Leica. They had some leather camera cases etc. they also stocked cannon is and Nikon. Shelf stock is negligable in this part of the world. If you go to their website they list every Leica etc....but it's all via order.

There was one store which had a fujinon fmtr on the shelf at a great price. I snapped it up. No other shelf stock of that either.

It might be our relative isolation in OZ, and I guess it's an eBay and Amazon world these days. Optics though...it's really something I want to try before I buy...I can do a collimating and dust check etc.

 

[gulf1263]

Do you ignore Leica?

Getting back to the original question, the answer may be that it's customers are ignoring Leica's brick and mortar dealers.
Yes they produce great glass but their many retailers simply do not stock much of a selection because of the high cost.
Showrooming is affecting many retailers, since Amazon et al do not have to charge tax, pay staff to help customers and pay brick and mortar overhead they sell at a much reduced price and take sales away.
I have been in a store and watched someone learning everything there is to know about a glass from the staff, then they leave and when I next see them they tell me they ordered online and then expect the brick and mortar dealer to provide after sales service!
So for a merchant it simply doesn't make sense to carry items they won't sell or have to support items they did not sell.
Art

 

[brocknroller]

Unless, of course, it was a Leica boutique shop, in which case, it would stock at least one full-sized Leica roof. The Australian dealer probably had two, but they sold the 8x42 Trinny BN back in 2000.

If Leica has become the Rodney Dangerfield of alphas and it doesn't get the respect it deserves, I think Leica has itself to blame for that by not offering customer service and warranty service on par with its competitors.

<B>

 

[F88]

Loving my new Trinovids and I don't mind Rodney Dangerfield either.

 

[opticspecialist]

Leica does some great things, but there have been some issues. from a dealer stand point, a lot of the European companies seem to think there is some travel and leisure market that wants neon colored optics, or silver optics, or some other strange color/strange configuration is required. I wish they would quit trying to win this imaginary market and focus on making products readily available and focus on the real markets that are using the optics they produce.

 

[jan van daalen]

Leica does some great things, but there have been some issues. from a dealer stand point, a lot of the European companies seem to think there is some travel and leisure market that wants neon colored optics, or silver optics, or some other strange color/strange configuration is required. I wish they would quit trying to win this imaginary market and focus on making products readily available and focus on the real markets that are using the optics they produce.

Well, as I've understood, these items are the best sellers in their biggest market. Far East!!

Jan

 

[brocknroller]

Loving my new Trinovids and I don't mind Rodney Dangerfield either.

You might not mind Rodney Dangerfield, but he couldn't get no respect, no respect at all, I tell ya...

Now that he's dead, perhaps he'll finally get the respect he deserves. Probably a hot crowd where he is now. :smoke:

Dangerfileld on Leno (not suitable for younger audiences).

<B>

 

[Torview]

Had a chance to put the HD+ side by side with my HD this week, for me the plus showed very slightly more shadow detail, but with a cooler colour balance, prefer my HD here, got to try a SF again, better than previous examples I've tried, very impressed.

 

[ceasar]

Had a chance to put the HD+ side by side with my HD this week, for me the plus showed very slightly more shadow detail, but with a cooler colour balance, prefer my HD here, got to try a SF again, better than previous examples I've tried, very impressed.

My guess is you are getting used to the SF. Try it more often.

Bob

 

[SivaL]

Had a chance to put the HD+ side by side with my HD this week, for me the plus showed very slightly more shadow detail, but with a cooler colour balance, prefer my HD here, got to try a SF again, better than previous examples I've tried, very impressed.

Is the HD+ an exact replica of HD with only internal changes to lenses? Reading up on the SV and SF I keep going back to the Leica for its compactness and good looks. A week with my neighbors old Ultravid 10x32 has left a great impression on me. What a beautiful instrument? I spent more time looking at it than through it. It's something that you can't seem to put down. The diopter adjuster extends the surface area of the focuser and both my index fingers rest comfortably on it. It was just so easy to use with my only niggle being the eyecups extend a tad short. I need to check if the eyecups on the 42's can extend further.

 

[Torview]

Hi Sub, They are identical externally with the same brilliant focus/diopter system. The eye Relief doesnt work for everybody on the UV's I'm afraid. When I first tried the plus I had no UV for comparison, the improvement is a bit more transmission but for me at the cost of that lovely Leica richness

 

[SivaL]

Thanks Torview. The UV is amazing to handle. I compared the 10x32 UV with the 8x30 EII for a few days and the Leica matched the EII for clarity and resolution. The Leica won me over in compactness, handling and ease of view. And the red dot, like a cherry on a sundae! It speaks to my vanity

 

[CloseFocus]

Leica does some great things, but there have been some issues. from a dealer stand point, a lot of the European companies seem to think there is some travel and leisure market that wants neon colored optics, or silver optics, or some other strange color/strange configuration is required. I wish they would quit trying to win this imaginary market and focus on making products readily available and focus on the real markets that are using the optics they produce.

I bought Silverlines so I could find them in the dark when I use them in conjunction with my telescopes, and because the leather stays cool to the touch in summer. There's nothing inherently wrong with different color binoculars. Even people with the tackiest tastes in style can appreciate good optics.