In dilemma Noctivid 10x42 vs NL Pure 10x42 (2 Viewers)

[Steves13]

Dear Leica Enthusiasts,

I acknowledge that many of you are proud owners of Leica as well as other brand binoculars
After evaluating options from Vortex, Swarovski NL Pure, Zeiss Victory SF, and others,
I find myself in a significant dilemma regarding the best choice for my needs (general usage - hunting/birds and should be well built)

I kindly request you to share your experiences, especially if you have insights on both NV and NL Pure models. Your input will greatly assist me in making an informed decision.

 

[MiddleRiver]

Try them both and decide what works for you.
When you get to ‘the best’ it becomes very subjective. Some note CA some see flare and blue rings (all in very challenging conditions…). Some hate the shape, some the focuser location. Some are too flat-field, and others not wide-enough-field. We even quarrel over the tactile characteristics of the armor.

 

[[email protected]]

Don't get either. The NL has too much glare and the Noctivid has too much CA. If you want a binocular for general usage, get an SFL 8x40 or SLC 8x42. 8x is better than 10x for birding in most cases, and the SFL and SLC don't have the CA that the Noctivid does nor the glare that the NL does and they both have easier eye placement plus they are way less expensive and lighter and smaller to boot.

Both the NL 10x42 and Noctivid 10x42 are too heavy and bulky for a 42mm. You can get a SFL 8x40 all over for $1550 and there is a LNIB SLC 8x42 in the classifieds for $1650. The SLC is really like an "Old School" SFL, except a little heavier.

The SLC has no glare like the NL, it is smaller and lighter, has no RB, has much easier eye placement, has no goofy side load case, no goofy FP strap lugs, no goofy adjustable straps, you can get the rain guard off easier, the eye cups are more comfortable, the armor will last longer, it has a better 3D image, and it is 1/2 the price.

I really think the side load case on the NL is stupid! You bring the oculars of binocular up to your eyes straight up from a top load case and then put them back in the same way. It is just dumb to have to rotate the binoculars to put them back in the case.

The binoculars are better protected sitting with the objectives down and the oculars up IMO also. I don't know why Swarovski overengineers everything like the adjustable strap and the ridiculous FP strap attachments where you are never sure if you have them locked correctly. The rain guard on the NL is way too hard to take off also. Why do they do stuff like that?

 

[LucaPCP]

Don't get either. The NL has too much glare and the Noctivid has too much CA. If you want a binocular for general usage, get an SFL 8x40 or SLC 8x42. 8x is better than 10x for birding in most cases, and the SFL and SLC don't have the CA that the Noctivid does nor the glare that the NL does, and they are way less expensive. You can get SFL 8x40 all over for $1550 and there is a LNIB SLC 8x42 in the classifieds for $1650.

The Zeiss SFL is very nice indeed.

I also like a lot the Leica Ultravid; they are incredibly well built (the best built, in my opinion). You could get the 8x42 or the 7x42, I have both and I am very very happy with them. People tell me the Noctivid are better, but ... they are also heavier...

The Zeiss SFL is also very nice, as is the Zeiss SF. I would probably get the SFL out of the two because it has more practical objective caps in my opinion.

In the end it's very personal; the main reason I like the Leica is the construction quality, the way the objective and eyepiece caps work, etc...

 

[Richard D]

Try them all and see which you prefer. For me it would come down to the Noctivid or NL - I didn't get on with the SF, but that's me, other people love them.

 

[grackle314]

Dear Leica Enthusiasts,

I acknowledge that many of you are proud owners of Leica as well as other brand binoculars
After evaluating options from Vortex, Swarovski NL Pure, Zeiss Victory SF, and others,
I find myself in a significant dilemma regarding the best choice for my needs (general usage - hunting/birds and should be well built)

I kindly request you to share your experiences, especially if you have insights on both NV and NL Pure models. Your input will greatly assist me in making an informed decision.

Taking the thread title to mean your interest here is specifically the 10x42 Noctivid and NL Pure, my experiences with them are very favorable for either. The main differences for my usage are the way my eyes fit the binocular and the field of view. I use a binocular without glasses and also with a variety of glasses. I recommend trying them each taking time to get comfortable and best fit for your eyes and eyewear.

 

[MiddleRiver]

And some even edit their post in duplicate, 1 for each barrel ... ( Just kindly joking, buddy, ahaha ) 🤚
View attachment 1544158

i deleted you, lol
truth is, somethings need to be said twice, or thrice, or...

 

[Rg548]

Don't discount the Ultravids, if you want a superb all rounder, probably one of the best built binos out there.
The CA you hear about with them.... well maybe for some, but it's certainly not enough to put me off.... not really noticeable.

No issues with the armour, no issues with the straps, nor the lens covers.

None of this new fangled overcomplicated crap, they just work, and have slowly evolved into a first class product.
I could happily live the rest of my days with an Ultravid.
I've got an 18yr old BN.... and that still blows my socks off.

 

[hopster]

In terms of the most important aspects of image quality in the central sweet spot, as well as build quality, the Noctivid is difficult to beat. They both have very good focusers.

In the NV 10x, lateral CA is considered to be a bit higher than in the 8x. You should probably check this for yourself and if you do be careful to explore eye position very carefully to find the best image. You also might find it easier to look at the edge of the FOV without blackouts in the NL if this is important to you.

 

[Steve222]

Surely the most important factor is...Does the binocular work for you?
No good having Rolls Royce optics if the view is uncomfortable and eye placement very finicky.
There may be too much eye relief if you don't observe with glasses.

So your best advice is from the people who say try before you buy.
I realize that you might be in a position where you cannot try before you buy.
If this is so, you would have to spend more time finding out every little scrap of information and user experience that you can.
DO NOT rush into it!

 

[Elkhornsun]

Buy them both from B&H Photo Video and you have 30 days or longer to return them for full credit. I did that with Vortex 12x50 HD and UHD binoculars and the UHD sell for twice as much. The UHD were not noticeably better in terms of image quality and so I returned them to B&H.

 

[Paultricounty]

MiddleRiver summed it up as good as can be without deviating from the two of your choices. These are two of the best binoculars on the planet, both are phenomenal. Both have extraordinary image and build quality, the best of the best if you will. It will come down to which one feels better in your hand. Don’t listen to anything Denco Dennis says , he only points out the good things about binoculars he’s selling, or will be selling.

 

[hopster]

I have seen Denco Dennis wax lyrical about the Noctivid being the best 8x42 roof prism available, and also describe it as terribly deficient because of the amount of CA it produces. So I agree with Paul on this.

In other words, if you do choose to factor in advice make sure it's from people with a consistent perspective.

 

[tenex]

NV vs NL 10x42... the price difference seems modest enough not to matter.
Width of view, sharpness near the edge, and chromatic aberration (CA) -- all better in NL
Focuser: most agree better located on NL
Handling: open bridge vs closed -- most people have a strong preference
Eye comfort/placement -- there seem to be more complaints about NL
Resistance to glare in bright light -- better on NV
Outer coatings -- Leica's shed water and clean more easily, Swaro's don't anymore
Subtle character of view: differences in contrast, colors etc -- which do you prefer?

Which factors matter more to you? At this level of quality advice is not the point anymore, it's just individual preference.

 

[Gabor1973]

I'm going to buy a pair of NL Pure (12x) but I am not sure its magnification. I had HGs. Now I have Ultravid and SLC. I have tried recently 10x42 NL and 10x42 Noctivid at the same time and I was absolutely astonished by the NL. It was a magic to my eyes! The best glass I’ve ever tried. My only problem is the magnification and the stability problem. I would choose one (12X) with a forehead rest but I am afraid a little a bit of the 12X. Any advice? Thank you. / Mainly I am interested in smaller birds.

 

[Gabor1973]

NV vs NL 10x42... the price difference seems modest enough not to matter.
Width of view, sharpness near the edge, and chromatic aberration (CA) -- all better in NL
Focuser: most agree better located on NL
Handling: open bridge vs closed -- most people have a strong preference
Eye comfort/placement -- there seem to be more complaints about NL
Resistance to glare in bright light -- better on NV
Outer coatings -- Leica's shed water and clean more easily, Swaro's don't anymore
Subtle character of view: differences in contrast, colors etc -- which do you prefer?

Which factors matter more to you? At this level of quality advice is not the point anymore, it's just individual preference.

Focuser is placed in a better position and it is much more smoother and more precise.
Handling is excellent and practical.
CA is better in NL.
NL could cause you nausea because of its huge field of wiev (roilling ball) mainly at panning a lot.
Eyecomfort and sweet spot is the best I have ever tried. Magic! 10/10 With NL Pure you are in the scene!
NL has more glare than Noctivid. Depth of field is (I don't know how to say it in English) "narrower" in NL.
Contrast and colors is better FOR ME in NL.
NV is sticky and too soft for me. Focuser is playing too much. It's a shame in this class! HG and Meopta was the best in this field for me. I have tried two NV so far and both of them were sticky and has a poor focuser. I don't want to using talkum powder in this class.
I've heard that some people regularly clean their binos under running water. I definitely DO NOT.

I srongly recommend you trying NV and NL alternately at the same time and believe in your own eyes! Please, please, do not believe in what I said.

 

[Gabor1973]

NV vs NL 10x42... the price difference seems modest enough not to matter.
Width of view, sharpness near the edge, and chromatic aberration (CA) -- all better in NL
Focuser: most agree better located on NL
Handling: open bridge vs closed -- most people have a strong preference
Eye comfort/placement -- there seem to be more complaints about NL
Resistance to glare in bright light -- better on NV
Outer coatings -- Leica's shed water and clean more easily, Swaro's don't anymore
Subtle character of view: differences in contrast, colors etc -- which do you prefer?

Which factors matter more to you? At this level of quality advice is not the point anymore, it's just individual preference.

Maybe you can use it with a translator. I wrote it a couple of months ago. Comparison. NL, EL, NV. Hosszúhetény madarai | Az optikai mámor, amíg az élmény friss. | Facebook

Hosszúhetény madarai | **Az optikai mámor, amíg az élmény friss.** | Facebook

**Az optikai mámor, amíg az élmény friss.** Egy órácskányi 10x42-es **Leica Noctivid, Swarovski EL és Swarovski Pure EL** tesztelésének konklúziója a móri Kalappal vadászüzlet jóvoltából. Sajnos...

www.facebook.com

 

[crinklystarfish]

I'm going to buy a pair of NL Pure (12x) but I am not sure its magnification... I was absolutely astonished by the NL. It was a magic to my eyes! The best glass I’ve ever tried. My only problem is the magnification and the stability problem. I would choose one (12X) with a forehead rest but I am afraid a little a bit of the 12X. Any advice?

This may hopefully help:

NL 12x42 Optimisation

I've been using an NL 12x42 on an almost-daily basis for about two-and-a-half years now. It's my main optic and it sees use in all habitats. For context, I'm very much of the view that when birding a bin should be quick and easy to deploy and then equally quick and easy to return to a state of...

www.birdforum.net

 

[Scott98]

The OP says he has "evaluated" the various binos - I assume that means checking them out in person at a store somewhere? If that's true, then you could probably tell us which one is better. If not, I would suggest trying them in person outdoors to help decide.

For me the ergonomics, the viewing comfort, are most important in distinguishing these high-end binoculars. After pouring over specs for weeks I was suprised to find that some of the most expensive binos were a total fail for me because they were uncomfortable to hold or focus. Many of the very wide-field binos have big problems with blackouts, or the eyecups don't come to correct height for my eyes.

 

[Elpha8888]

I'm going to buy a pair of NL Pure (12x) but I am not sure its magnification. I had HGs. Now I have Ultravid and SLC. I have tried recently 10x42 NL and 10x42 Noctivid at the same time and I was absolutely astonished by the NL. It was a magic to my eyes! The best glass I’ve ever tried. My only problem is the magnification and the stability problem. I would choose one (12X) with a forehead rest but I am afraid a little a bit of the 12X. Any advice? Thank you. / Mainly I am interested in smaller birds.

The 12x Pure is simply marvelous, especially for astro. The shake is ok, you have options. When the view is this good a little shake is fine.