My current favourites (1 Viewer)

[Rg548]

As long as it is not Neon Green I’m happy

Leica Trinovid 8 x 40 ‘LIFE edition’, neon Green | Leica Camera Online Store UK

Leica Trinovid 8 x 40 ‘LIFE edition’, neon Green at Leica Camera Online Store UK! Official store ✓ Full product catalogue ✓ Tracked and insured shipping ✓ Customer support ✓

store.leica-camera.com

🤢🤮

 

[Maljunulo]

In medicine, there is a color know as “NG Tube Green” which any nurse should recognize.

 

[Patudo]

In addition, the BN's are an optics classic design. A widely regarded beautiful binocular.
The Pures will never hit that status.... The EL's might.... but not those pures.

I don't know about that, although no doubt it is hard to make a modern day classic (the 8.5x42 SV is one, though, for me anyway). With the NLs we have finally regained, indeed slightly exceeded the old FOV standards (130m for a 10x and 150m for 8x) and, unlike the porros of yore, sharp across the entirety of that FOV and available to all, not just those that don't require glasses. The shape reminds me much of the old Dialyt, one of the greatest classics, with a couple of tweaks (focus position etc) that reflect some 30 years worth of ergonomic improvements. I wouldn't be surprised if in 20 years time the 10x42 in particular is regarded as one of the great binoculars of its era.

 

[Elpha8888]

The NLs while not everyone's cup of tea are surely groundbreaking.
The EL to NL was a big jump in optical and design terms, binocular advancements seemed to have plateaued, limits have been reached perhaps
Pushing the FOV alone would have been extremely difficult for the designers and the way the prisms have been moved and integrated into the new sculpted body was innovative, they also for me at least become an ergonomic dream.
They are very comfortable unlike the ELs where I had no chance of gripping the barrels in a comfortable position.
They have a fair weight but honestly for me very little negatives.
Its a feeling that some people base their opinions after only ever viewing binoculars in a shop environment, optics of this calibre need to be at home and used for a period of time before any evaluation is made.

 

[Maljunulo]

Its a feeling that some people base their opinions after only ever viewing binoculars in a shop environment, optics of this calibre need to be at home and used for a period of time before any evaluation is made.

I found this to be true of my SF 8X32.

The more I used them, the more I saw that I had missed with my EL 10X42. Field of view and color contrast were the two biggest ones that I remember.

All in all, a “cleaner” and “crisper” image, which it took me a while to discover.

 

[Bentley03]

I've picked up and looked through numerous BA/BN's over the past few years and have decided I really do NEED (😉) to join the BA/BN Trinnie Club.

I have a pair of 8x42 BN's incoming. Excited! 😁

 

[Rg548]

I've picked up and looked through numerous BA/BN's over the past few years and have decided I really do NEED (😉) to join the BA/BN Trinnie Club.

I have a pair of 8x42 BN's incoming. Excited! 😁

Fantastic.... there is just something about the way these old Leicas are built.... they dropped a bit of magic in there somehow.
Hard to quantify.
Let us know what you think.

 

[Rg548]

I've picked up and looked through numerous BA/BN's over the past few years and have decided I really do NEED (😉) to join the BA/BN Trinnie Club.

I have a pair of 8x42 BN's incoming. Excited! 😁

Just make sure they are clean, or serviced.
I looked through an old pair that had been heavily used, and never serviced.
They were not good, and put me off the BN dream.
I then chanced on some new ones, and the difference was huge.... I bought them

 

[Trinovid]

I've picked up and looked through numerous BA/BN's over the past few years and have decided I really do NEED (😉) to join the BA/BN Trinnie Club.

I have a pair of 8x42 BN's incoming. Excited! 😁

Leica made a great decision when they brought back the Retrovids and if they'd do much better even I think if they'd give us and updated BN+ series. Just love what these things feel like and rather than selling my BN when the HD+ showed up, it's the newer one that's up for sale. The newest Ultravid is absolutely better in many cases over the BN, but all balanced out it's the BN that I love to use.

I hope you're one of those guys who starts a thread with lots of pictures and reading when you get a chance to thoroughly try out your new 8x42.

 

[Bentley03]

Just make sure they are clean, or serviced.
I looked through an old pair that had been heavily used, and never serviced.
They were not good, and put me off the BN dream.
I then chanced on some new ones, and the difference was huge.... I bought them

I chatted with the seller (admittedly after purchasing, rather than before) and feel reasonably confident I've bagged some gooduns. If not, they'll be returned or sent for service (probably the latter, I don't feel I overpaid 😉).

 

[Bentley03]

Fantastic.... there is just something about the way these old Leicas are built.... they dropped a bit of magic in there somehow.
Hard to quantify.
Let us know what you think.

I've been hugely impressed every time I've picked up and looked through a pair of BA/BN's. I bought, and returned, some 'not quite as good as advertised' 8x50 BN's a while back, but have been scanning for a good pair of 8x ever since. Part of my motivation for this is that whilst I really love the 8x42 and 10x42 Ultravids, they're just too marginal for me, in terms of eye relief. The BA's and BN's, however, in 8x42 format, have a fraction more and I find them extremely comfortable. They should arrive tomorrow, but I probably won't get a chance to check them out properly until Wednesday.

 

[Bentley03]

Leica made a great decision when they brought back the Retrovids and if they'd do much better even I think if they'd give us and updated BN+ series. Just love what these things feel like and rather than selling my BN when the HD+ showed up, it's the newer one that's up for sale. The newest Ultravid is absolutely better in many cases over the BN, but all balanced out it's the BN that I love to use.

Interesting. As I said in my post above, for me I've rejected the 8x42 Ultravid due to a fraction too little eye relief. Time will tell if I become as big a fan of them as you and Rg548, but I'm fairly confident I'm going to hugely enjoy them. 🙂

 

[Bentley03]

I chatted with the seller (admittedly after purchasing, rather than before) and feel reasonably confident I've bagged some gooduns. If not, they'll be returned or sent for service (probably the latter, I don't feel I overpaid 😉).

They arrived yesterday and turned out to be a little more tired than I'd anticipated, so they've gone straight to London so that they can initiate a service and cosmetic freshen up. Glass is in perfect unmarked condition.

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Trinovid, post 69,
It is clear that the Leica 7x35 has drawn a lot of attention, but other Retrovids like 8x40 and 10x40 did not. I will not be surprised if Leica decides to stop production of the Retrovids soon, because of the lack of sales. After all the investments done must be payed and if they do not it is the end of the game.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Rg548]

They arrived yesterday and turned out to be a little more tired than I'd anticipated, so they've gone straight to London so that they can initiate a service and cosmetic freshen up. Glass is in perfect unmarked condition.

Great news about the glass.
You wait til they come back. My first 8x32 BN's had gone through the Leica service. They were superb!!

Are Leica charging you for this, or is it under the BN's 30yr gaurantee

 

[Trinovid]

Trinovid, post 69,
It is clear that the Leica 7x35 has drawn a lot of attention, but other Retrovids like 8x40 and 10x40 did not. I will not be surprised if Leica decides to stop production of the Retrovids soon, because of the lack of sales.

My expectations are driven by various realities; my dreams have no such restraints.

Maybe I should make that my signature so that people can realize I understand the differences.

 

[Dennis Mau]

My current favorites are the NL 8x32, NL 10x42 and my bike and car binocular, the Nikon Monarch HG 10x42.

 

[dries1]

When can we expect the NL 10x42 in the classifieds. I know barely used, open box 3 grand.

 

[Trinovid]

When can we expect the NL 10x42 in the classifieds. I know barely used, open box 3 grand.

Thanks for the heads up! I got it and it’s on its way to me now!!

 

[John M Robinson]

Hello RG548,

I have an 8x32 BN in red. Just as Tenex wrote, I like the 8x32FL a bit more. If I wanted more field of view I would have kept my 8x32 Nikon EII, but I certainly favoured the Leica over the Nikon 8x32SE.

View attachment 1487991

I wonder if my BN would fetch more than US$1000 or €1000.

Stay safe,
Arthur

Our eyes a different. I bought new 8x32 BNs and Nikon SEs to compare. I loved everything about the BNs, that Leica view, their feel in the hands, the sturdy build quality, only problem I got kidney beans with them. I had to hold them just so to get the full picture.

On the other hand, the 8x32 SEs fit my eyes like a glove, we’re a little brighter, sharper edges, but very similar to the BN otherwise. I ended up reluctantly selling the BNs and own the SEs to this day. This was back around 2009.