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Leica 8x20 Monovid Review (1 Viewer)

John A Roberts

Well-known member
Australia
Roger Vine has added to his recent reviews of the Leica Trinovid 7x35 and the Swarovski NL 8x42,
with the addition of the specialist Leica Monovid 8x20, see at: http://www.scopeviews.co.uk/Leica8x20Monovid.htm

To get an idea of it’s size, see an image from the review comparing the Monovid to the already compact 7x35 Trinovid

And further to Roger’s review, see a cutaway of the Monovid showing the optical construction
Although it’s not clear from the image, the optical construction is the same as that of the Ultravid binocular, with 6 lenses in 4 groups:
A) a 3 lens eyepiece with a doublet followed by a single eye lens (2 + 1), and

B) a 3 lens objective with a doublet followed by a single focusing lens (2 + 1)
And there is the optional close focus lens that attaches to the front

For comparison with the Ultravid binocular, see my post at:
https://www.birdforum.net/threads/leica-uv-8x20-versus-zeiss-victory-8x25.395429/page-3#post-4073993


John


p.s. And for completeness the Monovid specification sheet
 

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His review is spot on to me. I do very much like the Docter Optic 8x21 - a folding type monocular with excellent optics, that is easy to rest on your face/forehead and get good stability. However his comment on two eyes is definitely true - and why if I grab something small it's my B and L 7x26 v4s.
 
I have the Leica Monovid and agree with Roger Vine's review.
However one does get used to using this little gem of engineering.
I really like mine , and will be keeping it.
 
I agree with 42za. One “trick” I read about to help the shakes is to wrap the palm of your hand around the Monovid, instead of holding it with your fingers. You can then hold your hand against your eye socket. It doesn’t cure the shakes but does help.
 
For me the benefit of the Monovid is that I can carry it in my front jacket pocket when skiing. When the weather is bad and one has to be fast, it's great to have it so accessible. That's my main use. Otherwise, if I have more time & ease, indeed binoculars are easier to use.
 
I use mine more with the closeup lens attachment and looking
at small things like flowers and insects on nature walks.
I agree that binoculars are easier to use but
remain impressed with the very high quality.

edj
 
I agree with 42za. One “trick” I read about to help the shakes is to wrap the palm of your hand around the Monovid, instead of holding it with your fingers. You can then hold your hand against your eye socket. It doesn’t cure the shakes but does help.
On the infrequent occasions I use my Monovid, that's exactly how I hold it. It makes a big difference. Trying to hold it delicately between thumb and one finger doesn't work for me, the image is very unsteady. I do find the optical quality excellent.
 
A nifty device.... much like some of the 8x20 bins....or even some of those travel scopes etc.... But the thing is that while I like the 'idea'...when I get a product like one of those, I rarely use past the opening novelty. A few years ago I packed a small mono-scope when the wife and I traveled (pre-COVID) and I never even used that for she wasn't into birding as much as other things. And while I try to convince myself I can use a mono-vid or 8x20 bin as a car optic, I hate to invest this much $ to have it stay in the car during weather extremes etc.
 
A nifty device.... much like some of the 8x20 bins....or even some of those travel scopes etc.... But the thing is that while I like the 'idea'...when I get a product like one of those, I rarely use past the opening novelty. A few years ago I packed a small mono-scope when the wife and I traveled (pre-COVID) and I never even used that for she wasn't into birding as much as other things. And while I try to convince myself I can use a mono-vid or 8x20 bin as a car optic, I hate to invest this much $ to have it stay in the car during weather extremes etc.
I agree. I love my Monovid, but I think the default for most situations would be binoculars. The Monovid is for a special case—someone who wants to observe close up in the field with the closeup lens, or someone like me who is trying to save as much space or weight as possible. Even I’m reconsidering whether to get a pair of the small Ultravids (as spendy as they are).
 
I also concur Roger Vine's review. The optical quality of the Monovid is top notch and far superior to all other monoculars I have ever tested and the build quality is first class. And yes, holding the Monovid in your palm while pressing your hand to your eye-socket is the way to go. The limitation to one eye and the stiff focuser remain annoying, though.

But I have my black Monovid always with me - in opposite to my full-size binos and scopes. Stowed in the small leather pouch of a Zeiss 8x20 T* Mono it's sufficiently tiny to fit easily in any pocket. (For that reason I sold the original cylindrical poser case: it's way to bulky and ruins the intended purpose of the Monovid.)

Because it is always at hand the Monovid allows for observations otherwise impossible, btw. three migrant short-ear owls at the dutch coast some years ago. Of course, I would have been served better with my serious equipment but who cares when it is out of reach? Hence, for me the Monovid is an essential piece of kit.

By the way: the leather-like armour is in fact some synthetic rubber shrink tube and therefore fully water-resistant.
 
I thought long and hard about getting a Monovid. In the end I got a used Swarovski 8x20 BN. I wanted something that would fit in a pocket or on my belt to take when walking my dog, family hikes, backpacking and climbing in the mountains. In other words activities where I would like a binocular but wouldn't want to take a full size one. For this purpose the small Swarovski works perfectly and I have spent more time looking through it in the last year than I have though other binoculars in the last 10 years.

I think I made the right choice, I take my little bins everywhere I would have taken the Monovid, but get better performance. The current Leica UV 8x20 and the out of production Swarovski 8x20 are small enough to serve this purpose. My Swarovski is 7.6 ounces. The current Swaro and Zeiss pockets are too big and heavy.
 
When i was younger and more able, i used to be a climber. That was the only time i carried a mono. It was excellent for scoping out the route, and could be carried easily.
I can't really see a need for one apart from a few specialist uses.
 
In addition to the cutaway image from Leica in the original post, there is also an alternate view.
Until recently I had only seen low resolution copies, but I found one that clearly shows the optical details:
8x20 Monovid optics.jpg
It confirms the construction of the Monovid in terms of lenses and groups,
and shows that the optional close focus lens is a doublet.


John
 
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I agree with 42za. One “trick” I read about to help the shakes is to wrap the palm of your hand around the Monovid, instead of holding it with your fingers. You can then hold your hand against your eye socket. It doesn’t cure the shakes but does help.

I use this method as well and it really helps hold the Monovid steady. The focus function on mine is not overly stiff IMO but another trick is to hold the focus "bulge" stationary and rotate the barrel instead. Focusing this way does seem a bit easier. In addition to smaller and lighter, other advantages are no IP adjustment and no diopter adjustment necessary. An indispensable tool when seated at a bar to examine the labels on various offerings without distracting the barkeep from other duties.

Mike
 
I can't really see a need for one apart from a few specialist uses.

I have a lot of fun using the Monovid. When traveling, it really fits in every bag and if I know exactly I don't want to watch, I take the Monovid with me. And every now and then I think of another use :)

everything is possible
 

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Greetings!
I am a field scientist (Hydrogeologist) in the environmental consulting field.
I DO travel with my TeleVue Ranger for both night and (some) daytime use and I also use my cherished vintage 1926 Carl Zeiss Jena 8x30 Deltrintem binoculars whenever applicable; however...
My fieldwork frequently involves trekking through forested areas, uneven terrain, and some very WET environments.
I recently looked into waterproof, compact binoculars, but even they were too bulky and unsuitable for my needs in the field.
Example: Among other hydrogeological field activities, I often conduct wetland investigations and delineations. Considering the challenging environments and the amount of scientific field gear I have to carry into the field, I required something extremely small, lightweight, durable, fully waterproof, and of the highest optical quality, as I need to be able to identify plant species without having to swim across leech-infested waters!

Enter my recently acquired Leica 8x20 Monovid! This premium, yet super compact optical gem has managed to check all of my required boxes and has become my exclusive "go-to" field optic for daytime use, including my casual birding and nature observation along with (or in addition to) my formal fieldwork activities. Also, the Leica Monovid is extra useful as a field magnifier for making critical observations to identify certain plant species, soil characteristics, aquatic invertebrates, etc.

One-eye "momo" observing has not proven to be difficult for me and I can do anything with with the Leica Monovid that I do with my CZJ 8x30 Detrintem binos. Furthermore, even with the 10mm smaller objective, the Leica is just a bright, has a sharper image, has a very pleasing depth of field and overall field of view, and that ultra-vivid Leica color rendition far exceeds the CZJ Deltrintems (though to be fair, they are nearly 100 years old and with uncoated optics). I also experience no issues with steadiness while observing and the easily pocketable Leica Monovid, which now accompanies me everywhere I go!

Granted, a monocular may never outperform a premium, modern, binocular, but for me and my needs, I find that the Leica Monovid is an amazingly high quality and super handy optical performer for my professional and casual daytime use. And yes, it has already taken an unintended "dip" into a muddy wetland and yet it remains completely unaffected after a quick field rinse! At this point, I can no longer see myself carrying any binoculars into the field, unless I were to be at a stationary location for a lengthy observing session of some sort, and in that case I will likely break out and set up the TeleVue Ranger.

I will most definitely be keeping and regularly USING my Leica Monovid far into the foreseeable future!

Best Regards,
Bobby G.
Kalamazoo, MI, USA
 
At the risk of upsetting a few owners, I think the Monovid is a totally irrational proposition.
Leaving the cost aside (almost 70% of an 8x20 Ultravid!) its construction is unnecessarily complex and this results in disadvantages for the user.
Apart from compactness a monocular has the potential to perform one function better than any binocular and that is the ability to provide magnified views of objects at distances under 1 m, insects for instance.
The Monovid has adopted the internal focussing lens of the Ultravid and has a close focus of 1,8 m, worse than many contemporary binoculars and with two superfluous air/glass surfaces. To achieve a close focus of 25-30 cm you have to screw on another two air/glass surfaces!
Most Porro binoculars and a few roof prism binoculars achieve close focus by extending the eyepieces and many with individual focus (by definition a monocular has IF) can be waterproofed.
This would be a rare requirement for a monocular anyway and could be ruled out with the large objective extension of my two Zeiss monoculars, the 3x12 and 6x18. They achieve continuous focus from infinity down to 19 cm and 25 cm respectively at which the magnification increases to about 4x and 9x. The Leica's magnification with internal focussing would remain virtually unchanged.
Roger Vine ruled out Nikon for some reason, but a 5x15 HG would not only ameliorate his problem with the shakes but would focus down to 60 cm, have a 157 m FoV and be brighter with a larger exit pupil, all in a lighter and less expensive package.

John
 
On reflection I think the Monovid may have more deficiencies than originally supposed. With the close focus attachment Leica specify 25-30 cm and I suspect this might be the total range.
It may not seem much but is a natural difference of 0,67 dioptres or a focus travel for the Monovid of 43 dioptres (0,67x8^2).
The focus travel from 1,8 m (the normal close focus) to infinity is 36 dioptres and if one adds a few for focus overtravel beyond infinity both values are of similar magnitude.
This would suggest that for intermediate distances between 30 cm and 1,8 m the Monovid is unusable!
Perhaps an owner could confirm this?

John
 
Thanks for sharing your insights, @ Tringa45! I am, indeed, curious to hear what "real" binocular users and birders think of the use of a monocular in the field, especially the Leica 8x20 Monovid that I chose for my applications!

On reflection I think the Monovid may have more deficiencies than originally supposed. With the close focus attachment Leica specify 25-30 cm and I suspect this might be the total range.
It may not seem much but is a natural difference of 0,67 dioptres or a focus travel for the Monovid of 43 dioptres (0,67x8^2).
The focus travel from 1,8 m (the normal close focus) to infinity is 36 dioptres and if one adds a few for focus overtravel beyond infinity both values are of similar magnitude.
This would suggest that for intermediate distances between 30 cm and 1,8 m the Monovid is unusable!
Perhaps an owner could confirm this?

John

You are correct about the limited close focus / magnifier capabilities using the threaded objective attachment lens. However, for my field application purposes, the Monovid, when looking through it "backwards" acts as a field "loupe" for examining soil particle grain size/composition and for viewing magnified views of small vascular plant structures (flower parts and other critical identification features). I do carry a vintage Carl Zeiss Jena loupe that I have had for many years (that I picked up for field geology use), but in a pinch the Leica Monovid works great as a magnifier loupe and that means there is one less thing I have to worry about carrying, accessing, loosing when conducting fieldwork. For me, that holds great value.

At the risk of upsetting a few owners, I think the Monovid is a totally irrational proposition.
Leaving the cost aside (almost 70% of an 8x20 Ultravid!) its construction is unnecessarily complex and this results in disadvantages for the user.
Apart from compactness a monocular has the potential to perform one function better than any binocular and that is the ability to provide magnified views of objects at distances under 1 m, insects for instance.
The Monovid has adopted the internal focussing lens of the Ultravid and has a close focus of 1,8 m, worse than many contemporary binoculars and with two superfluous air/glass surfaces. To achieve a close focus of 25-30 cm you have to screw on another two air/glass surfaces!
Most Porro binoculars and a few roof prism binoculars achieve close focus by extending the eyepieces and many with individual focus (by definition a monocular has IF) can be waterproofed.
This would be a rare requirement for a monocular anyway and could be ruled out with the large objective extension of my two Zeiss monoculars, the 3x12 and 6x18. They achieve continuous focus from infinity down to 19 cm and 25 cm respectively at which the magnification increases to about 4x and 9x. The Leica's magnification with internal focussing would remain virtually unchanged.
Roger Vine ruled out Nikon for some reason, but a 5x15 HG would not only ameliorate his problem with the shakes but would focus down to 60 cm, have a 157 m FoV and be brighter with a larger exit pupil, all in a lighter and less expensive package.

John

Of course, I can't argue that a monocular, ANY monocular, even one with superb optics as the Leica Monovid, likely cannot compete with even the most compact of binoculars given that humans just see much better using two eyes! That is how our eyes and brains work. But for me and my applications, I am perfectly comfortable using the "mono" view and the Leica sure does seem to perform well in my experience. I did try a few compact 8x20/25 binoculars, but the size, weight, ease of field use, and superb optics of the Leica works great for me and my field activities. Even for casual birding / nature observation when I am in the field, I have experienced no limitations with the Monovid where I said to myself, "Boy, I sure wish I had a pair of binoculars". Perhaps, I am just well-accustomed to "mono" viewing having been an amateur astronomer for 30+ years, so much so, that daytime mono viewing with the Monovid and/or my TeleVue Ranger are 2nd nature to me.

I know this is a birding community and I have not put the Monovid through the paces of attempting to target and follow a bird in active flight. I can't even say that I would be proficient at that activity with any pair of binos. Yet, thus far, target acquisition with the Monovid has presented no problems for me, even in wooded areas where shadows and overwhelming shades of green dominate the field. I have found that the Leica optics color rendition and super sharp / high contrast optics have enabled me to distinguish between similar plant species at a distance that I would have had to otherwise taken extra time to examine up close and personal.

Super optics, size, weight, ease of access and use, ruggedness, water/weather proof qualities of the Leica Monovid have made me a "Team Mono" member!
 

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