Leica 7x42 Ultravid checks all the boxes (best binoculars) (1 Viewer)

[CharleyBird]

Which do you prefer and why?

Zeiss 7X42 FL

Its swings and roundabouts.
Depending on your hand size, the slightly smaller Leica may be preferred, also the Leica focuser is slightly lighter in use. Initially, this ease of use combined with the superb view that really snaps in, might sway you to immediately produce your credit card. No regrets.

It's only after comparing them side by side for a while that you may want the Zeiss.
It feels slightly bigger, the ribbed armour gives a more secure grip, and though both have excellent fitting rubber caps, the Zeiss remove more easily than the deeper Ultravid.
Optically the Zeiss appears a smidgeon 'better to me', but you only notice switching from one to the other. A tad brighter, a tad wider, a tad less CA, a tad more neutral. To my 60 year old eyes.

If you pushed me to a single adjective, the Leica has richness, the Zeiss has luminescence.

A number of far more experienced people have commented on 7x42 options if you search: chill6x6, Canip, Seldomperched come to mind.
If I remember right, Mr Link and Mr Merlitz would stay with the older Dialyt for its easy view and balance, despite it not being waterproof.
Whereas Mr Mennie preferred the Leica in his review. I wonder if he had the later Lotutec coated Zeiss.

 

[Paultricounty]

Paul, that's an excellent summary. If I were to buy another pair of muggle binoculars right now, the Leica 7x42 would be it. Nothing else.

However, if Leica were to make a 7x35 Ultravid (or Noctivid ...) things might be different, of course ...

Hermann

Thank you Hermann. Oh I’m totally on board for a 7x Noctivid or UV. I’d also be all over a water proof retro 7x35.

 

[Paultricounty]

That is exactly why these bins are not the perfect bins for me. I wonder, why is this UHVD 7x42 so popular and not the UHVD 8x42? Wouldn't that be a more average size? I am a 10x person and because of that I do not really like 7x. A 8x is the bottom line for me, so in that case I would vote for the 8x42 which also has great DOF.
I have the SLC 8x42 and appreciate almost everything on it: comfortable eyecups, compact, nice DOF and FOV. If it would have been a 7x42 I wouldn't have bought it. (I sent them to Austria and now the focuser is really nice, although I prefer them of the EL and NL, especially the last.)

That’s why I added the comment 7x can be debated. I’m not certain but I would think the 8x42 UV is more popular than the 7x for some of the reasons you mentioned. I really liked the 8x42UV, but after getting the Noctivids, it probably would very rarely get used. As far as the DOF , although 8x still has a nice DOF, it’s nowhere near the 7‘s image. And of course the 10’s are much different from the 7x and 8x with a shallow DOF. Another reason I opined about the 7xUV checking all the boxes (if your ok with 7x😉) is the 8x has a relativaly small FOV for and 8x by todays standard, so it wouldn’t check that box.

It’s an all around thing with the 7x42UV. There are other high end 7x bins, and some might have some feature or area where there superior to the Leica but fall short in some other area, but the Leica does everything well, IMHO.

Paul

 

[Paultricounty]

To my eyes, the UVs and the Retros are quite different. I agree in that the UVs are sharper and they always snap right into focus.

I think the snap in the UV is because the focuser is a little faster than the Retro. The UV’s snap and the Retros kind of dial in, nice but different.

I don't think they are brighter in daylight but they show much more detail after dark. I don't think the Retros are warmer than the UVs. The Retros have whiter whites than the Ultravids and seem brighter in daylight.

Im not seeing it that way, but we all have different eyes and have very subjective opinions , especially when it comes saturation and even brightness. My UV’s seem brighter to me. When I say retros are warmer, I’m thinking more to a kind of Nikon EDG , but not as red and still Leica. It could also be the brightness thats giving me that impression. I’d have to spend some real time side by side with them under different conditions to really mail it down. Both are soo nice.

The colours of the UVs are more saturated. Depth is better in the Ultravids and also the view is more stable handheld. I like panning and glare control (no sickles) better in the Retros.

To me the UV’s are one of the best in panning behavior, very nice and comfortable. So for me there’s not much of a difference, but I do see what your talking about. I related that to the retro haveing more edge distortion.

I could add to this list. Did I mention CA?

....very subjective, I know.

I hear that 🙏🏼

 

[Paultricounty]

FWIW I owned the 8x42BL in the past and still have 8x42UVHD+. Neither has been a problem at all with specs (which I always wear). Of course everyone's specs and face are different....etc.

I got a real bug for one of those leather wrapped UV’s. But I want the HD at the very least, but would prefer HD+. Don’t care if it’s the black or silver line.

 

[Paultricounty]

Paul, agreed, here's my red spot, with friend, blue square
View attachment 1525386
View attachment 1525387
View attachment 1525388

Well which one do you like better and why ? 😀.

 

[temmie]

I have looked through the Ultravid 7x42 (non HD version), and as Charleybird mentioned, I prefer the Zeiss (brighter, wider), but while those differences are rather small, the main difference for me is the close focus distance.

Leica stubbornly refuse to make any Ultravid focus closer than 3m (while the FL has 1.5m), and the 3m minimum is simply not enough when a butterfly decides to land at your feet and you frantically try to get it into focus. Same goes for other insects and even hummers when at a busy feeder.

 

[Bentley03]

Of all the binoculars I own and have tried over the years, like others who have said there are no perfect binoculars, I feel the 7x42 Ultravid plus checks all the boxes for the perfect binoculars.

What say you?

Paul

Paul, I think you know I'm on the same page as you, the only difference being that I'm a glasses wearer. As I've said on here several times before, my 7x42 UVHD+ is my guilty pleasure, no other binocular gives me more joy, the combination of size, weight, mechanical and optical attributes are, to me, as close to 'my' perfection as I've ever tried, and giggletastic fun to use.

They are without doubt my absolute favourites, of all the binoculars I own, but then again, the UV line in general is my favourite from any manufacturer. My 'go to' 8x32's are Ultravids, my 'carry everywhere' pocket bino is an 8x20 Ultravid and my other favourite 'big easy' bino is my recently acquired 8x50 UVHD+.

Now, if I could only keep one of my Ultravids, it would actually be my 8x32's, because it's the one I 'need' and use most.

So, what do I say? I say I'm a huge fan and I agree with you 100%! 🍻

James

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

We have investigated a number of 7x42 binoculars among others the Leica Ultravid HD-plus 7x42 and the Zeiss Victory FL 7x42 see the WEB-site of House of Outdoor.
My personal conclusion is that the Zeiss Victory FL (Abbe-Koenig prisms) beats the Leica Ultravid HD-plus (Schmidt-Pechan prisms) on a number of properties :

• Shorter close focus
• Larger FOV
• slightly faster focussing speed
• approx. 5% higher light transmission over a wide spectral range
• approx. 10% lower price
• easier removable/exchangeable eye piece rubbers (screw mount versus stiff baionet mount)
• slightly (5g) lower weight

Gijs van Ginkel

 

[MiddleRiver]

Paul, I think you know I'm on the same page as you, the only difference being that I'm a glasses wearer. As I've said on here several times before, my 7x42 UVHD+ is my guilty pleasure, no other binocular gives me more joy, the combination of size, weight, mechanical and optical attributes are, to me, as close to 'my' perfection as I've ever tried, and giggletastic fun to use.

They are without doubt my absolute favourites, of all the binoculars I own, but then again, the UV line in general is my favourite from any manufacturer. My 'go to' 8x32's are Ultravids, my 'carry everywhere' pocket bino is an 8x20 Ultravid and my other favourite 'big easy' bino is my recently acquired 8x50 UVHD+.

Now, if I could only keep one of my Ultravids, it would actually be my 8x32's, because it's the one I 'need' and use most.

So, what do I say? I say I'm a huge fan and I agree with you 100%! 🍻

James

So you enjoy 8x32UV's while wearing glasses? I'm curious because I've typically read that's a no-go.

 

[Paultricounty]

We have investigated a number of 7x42 binoculars among others the Leica Ultravid HD-plus 7x42 and the Zeiss Victory FL 7x42 see the WEB-site of House of Outdoor.
My personal conclusion is that the Zeiss Victory FL (Abbe-Koenig prisms) beats the Leica Ultravid HD-plus (Schmidt-Pechan prisms) on a number of properties :

• Shorter close focus
• Larger FOV
• slightly faster focussing speed
• approx. 5% higher light transmission over a wide spectral range
• approx. 10% lower price
• easier removable/exchangeable eye piece rubbers (screw mount versus stiff baionet mount)
• slightly (5g) lower weight

Gijs van Ginkel

If I may be devils advocate, in a nice way just for a moment. Of course I’m not anywhere near your level of expertise on the topic so I humbly just offer an opinion.

I only respond because when we say something beats something, we try to offer rational points, which your are always rational 🙏🏼, so I’ll try to do the same. The OP came about when someone said to me that they thought the 7x42UV checks more boxes than any other binoculars. Similar to something I said a while back about the Nikon EDG, where I felt it does everything well, but no one feature better than other so called alphas. I got to thinking does the UV go above that.

So when comparing to the Zeiss FL the objective points made here are fact, and of course the subjective ones are a matter of opinion. So it all depends on what’s the score we’re going to give every time we check a box, to come up with the highest score.

Hers my thoughts in response to the bullet points.

• Shorter close focus

True +

• Larger FOV

True +

• slightly faster focussing speed

Not necessarily a plus and very subjective, especially because the Ultravid is not slow. Some might say the FL maybe a little to fast. Like me I’m not crazy about the conquest focuser, to fast.

• approx. 5% higher light transmission over a wide spectral range

True +

• approx. 10% lower price

Im not up on the prices when both were available. If I’m not mistaken when FL was avaible UV didn’t have the plus model. ??

• easier removable/exchangeable eye piece rubbers (screw mount versus stiff baionet mount)
• slightly (5g) lower weight
  

5g , ok we’ll give the Zeiss the check here, but it could be the other way around if it was humid out that day.

Now let’s check a few things for the Leica, that’s not on the list. I’ll throw the subjective as well.

• Leica made out of titanium, overall build fit and finish.
• Leica balance better in the hands.
• Leica softer edge fall off.
• Leica more color saturation , easier on the eyes over long bright afternoons (Leica magic 😂).
• Leica perfect balance of focus speed and travel.
• Leica bling (if your into that 😄) plus I wanted to try to ad one more point, check box.

Paul

 

[temmie]

I really loved the Leica when using it, no question about it. The build quality of the Zeiss is something that has been debated a long time ago (on this forum), and the test of time has proven that it's actually build very, very well and the fiberglass-inforced body, which was abandoned because there were critics calling it 'plastic' has proven to be a very good material to build a binocular, so I feel Zeiss should re-introduce binoculars with this material.

I feel most of the differences are very personal (with the close focus for me the only real deal breaker), and I can fully understand why some (especially those with other Leicas and who are very happy with the ergonomics) prefer the Leica.

What is possibly just a bit better in the Leica (besides personal preferences like ergonomics, balance, color,...) is the focusing in cold weather. Leicas have a 'dry' focus (but are they still completely dry? I read something about using a tiny bit of lubricant in the focuser these days) and I once read that's a design choice to make sure they are still usable in e.g. very cold (polar) circumstances.

 

[Hermann]

The build quality of the Zeiss is something that has been debated a long time ago (on this forum), and the test of time has proven that it's actually build very, very well and the fiberglass-inforced body, which was abandoned because there were critics calling it 'plastic' has proven to be a very good material to build a binocular ...

Strongly seconded. Those critics were utter fools.

... so I feel Zeiss should re-introduce binoculars with this material.

Also strongly seconded.

Hermann

 

[limonabe]

Talking about the 7x42FL - I think it's a shame that Zeiss has scaled back on its offerings that have AK prisms and I would love to own one.

It seems to me that any company could make a product line featuring porros or AK prisms and then run with the tagline "our binoculars have higher transmission than our competitors' products could ever possibly have." or "Our product has 5% transmission gain over almost everything else on the market, and that's just baked into the way we build them."

"Compare our 97% transmission to our competitors' 89% transmission" is a marketer's dream, no?

I would think that'd be reason enough for top brands to maintain at least a product line using designs with total internal reflection... except that then the porro product line would be cheaper and brighter than the premium product line using SP prisms, and the company would undercut their own sales.

I only used Habichts before I got into the UVHDs, and I could see immediately that the 7x42UV wasn't as transmissive as the Swaros. It took me a while to adjust. But, as is the topic of this thread- I did eventually realize that the 7x42UV has a lot of endearing qualities and although I use several binos regularly, I only use one when I'm being serious- and that's the 7x42UV.

But where is my Leica/Swaro/Zeiss 7x42 with AK or porro prisms(?) is my only lament. I feel like I'm a Zeiss FL man at heart, but Zeiss just doesn't care to pull me in.

 

[Scott98]

FWIW.....I prefer the 7x42 EDG to Zeiss or Leica and it's half the price, and a brand new run just hit the stores in Japan. It's easily my favorite 42mm binocular and the value is unreal at $1400 US

 

[Thotmosis]

What say you?

Paul

I say… that for me 7x is the magnification to go and Leica does a really great job, i have 3 Leica/Leitz in 7x and a Zeiss FL as well. Just a quick snapshot. I was in Sweden for two weeks and took the green Trinovid BN with me and just loved the relaxed view and Leica colors through them. They are all very good but there is something special going on with the BN…maybe the eyecups in combination with the colors or some strange magic that make me like them just a tiny bit more than the others.

 

[Trinovid]

Leica made out of titanium…

The hinge pin is titanium and the main body made of magnesium.

One of my favorite threads here right now!

 

[henry link]

Talking about the 7x42FL - I think it's a shame that Zeiss has scaled back on its offerings that have AK prisms and I would love to own one.
...I feel like I'm a Zeiss FL man at heart, but Zeiss just doesn't care to pull me in.

I agree. All the FLs really needed were new eyepiece designs with lower off-axis aberrations. Zeiss should have left the superior prism and objective designs alone. Instead, in the SFs they gave us all new designs from stem to stern, inferior to the FLs in every way except for off-axis corrections. If the new design team had stuck with the FL objective designs and AK prisms the current Zeiss flagship binoculars would certainly be better than they are and probably better than anything else. It is a shame.

 

[Paultricounty]

Strongly seconded. Those critics were utter fools.

Hmmm, I resemble that remark. Are we all fools who prefer a binocular made out of magnesium alloy than reinforced fiberglass? 😠😡.

Also strongly seconded.

Well if you didn’t , you’d be a fool right😝.

Hermann

 

[Paultricounty]

I say… that for me 7x is the magnification to go and Leica does a really great job, i have 3 Leica/Leitz in 7x and a Zeiss FL as well. Just a quick snapshot. I was in Sweden for two weeks and took the green Trinovid BN with me and just loved the relaxed view and Leica colors through them. They are all very good but there is something special going on with the BN…maybe the eyecups in combination with the colors or some strange magic that make me like them just a tiny bit more than the others.

View attachment 1525539

Relaxed, I really like that description. I was using the word calm, as some others have. I think you bring out a real good point, its not always about the latest and greatest or how much money invested, it’s what Is most pleasing. I really like Swarovski, and Zeiss but of all the things I own and have tried the Noctivids and that 7x42UV stand out as the ones I want to grab every time.