Trinovid hype (1 Viewer)

[Gijs van Ginkel]

In addition to my previous post I report the data from our investigations of 7x35 Trinovids from different production years (the whole report can be found on the WEB-site of House of Outdoor).

• Trinovid 7x35B (1966) transmission values : 500nm=49%, 550 nm=57%
• Trinovid 7x35B (1982) transmission values: 500nm=81%, 550 nm=84,5%
• Trinovid 7x35B (1986) transmission values: 500nm=81%, 550 nm= 84.5%
• Retrovid 7x35B (2020) transmission values: 500nm=90%, 550 nm= 92%

Gijs van Ginkel

 

[quincy88]

In addition to my previous post I report the data from our investigations of 7x35 Trinovids from different production years (the whole report can be found on the WEB-site of House of Outdoor).

• Trinovid 7x35B (1966) transmission values : 500nm=49%, 550 nm=57%
• Trinovid 7x35B (1982) transmission values: 500nm=81%, 550 nm=84,5%
• Trinovid 7x35B (1986) transmission values: 500nm=81%, 550 nm= 84.5%
• Retrovid 7x35B (2020) transmission values: 500nm=90%, 550 nm= 92%

Gijs van Ginkel

A hard fought battle through the decades to get us into the 90%s today. Pretty interesting. Thanks, as always, for the helpful info!

 

[Thotmosis]

Thotmosis, post 19,
Your Leica Trinovid 7x35B is from around 1981 (Gary Hawkins list from 2007) and is in no way comparable with the 7x35 Retrovid from 2023 as far as transmission and image brilliance is concerned.
Gijs van Ginkel

Goodmorning Gijs, ofcourse the Retrovid 7x35 will perform better in almost all respect except e.g. FOV but to my old eyes this old 7x35B Trinovid is still very usable: sharpness, contrast and build quality are really outstanding for a 1981 binocular and as a matter of fact i like it so much that i will take it with me to Crete tomorrow as a wonderful light and not too bright piece of Leica heritage.

Jammas,
T.

 

[Thotmosis]

In addition to my previous post I report the data from our investigations of 7x35 Trinovids from different production years (the whole report can be found on the WEB-site of House of Outdoor).

• Trinovid 7x35B (1966) transmission values : 500nm=49%, 550 nm=57%
• Trinovid 7x35B (1982) transmission values: 500nm=81%, 550 nm=84,5%
• Trinovid 7x35B (1986) transmission values: 500nm=81%, 550 nm= 84.5%
• Retrovid 7x35B (2020) transmission values: 500nm=90%, 550 nm= 92%

Gijs van Ginkel

Thanks Gijs, not bad 84,5 %, you can travel the world with this specifications and see a lot of beautiful things!
And feel good about the fact that you looking through a historical masterpiece.

 

[Ignatius]

Thotmosis, post 19,
Your Leica Trinovid 7x35B is from around 1981 (Gary Hawkins list from 2007) and is in no way comparable with the 7x35 Retrovid from 2023 as far as transmission and image brilliance is concerned.
Gijs van Ginkel

What is this Gary Hawkins List from 2007? I seem to have come across this reference before. Presumably some sort of list for looking up Leica/Leitz serial numbers. But where can it be found? Or is it just for the initiated?
Also, I was under the impressiopn the 7x35 was discontinued in 1984, so which variant are the 1986 values from?

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Ignatius, post 25,
In 2007 Gary Hawkins published a booklet "Novelties. The story of the Leica Trinovid". It gives very useful information about production numbers and production years of the different Leica Trinovid binoculars in the passed years. I do not know if it is still available, I bought it from him at a meeting in Germany of the Binocular History Society some years ago.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Ignatius]

Thank you Mr. van Ginkel. It seems as though this little tome was self published, as I can find no trace whatsoever of it in any of the online (antiquarian) booksellers' sites I usually trawl for arcane goodies.
Lucky you to have garnered one.

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Ignatius, post 27,
No it was published for the occasion of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of binocular production of Leica and the number of booklets made seems to be limited.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Ignatius]

Thank you for elucidating. I think I will stick to Zeiss as Mr. Seeger's books, and the information they contain, are freely available for purchase (and I sincerely hope he produces a 3rd volume dealing with the post-war developments and models).

 

[Trinovid]

...to my old eyes this old 7x35B Trinovid is still very usable: sharpness, contrast and build quality are really outstanding for a 1981 binocular and as a matter of fact i like it so much that i will take it with me to Crete tomorrow as a wonderful light and not too bright piece of Leica heritage.

Alongside my Ultravids, the Leitz 7x35B is an incredible binocular still. It may suffer in direct comparative usage, but the in hand feel, balance, size and overall performance make it still worthy as a binocular to seek out. No hype necessary.

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Ignatius, post 29,
I suppose you also have Hans Seegers book from 1989 "Feldstecher. Ferngläaser im Wandel der Zeit". Very useful source of information.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Ignatius]

GvG, post 31: erm, no. So far I only know and have "Zeiss-Feldstecher - Handferngläser von 1894-1919" and the 2nd volume "Zeiss Handferngläser 1919-1946". But I shall now check out this other book. Thanks for the heads-up.
PS. You wouldn't happen to know where to find information on Hensoldt serial numbers/production dates?

 

[Thotmosis]

Alongside my Ultravids, the Leitz 7x35B is and incredible binocular still. It may suffer in direct comparative usage, but the in hand feel, balance, size and overall performance make it still worthy as a binocular to seek out. No hype necessary.

Yes it still is an incredible binocular. Also dr. Van Ginkel prefers the original over the new one if im not mistaken, so it seems transmission and image brilliance are not the most important values in a binocular…

“Personally I prefer the original Leitz-Leica Trinovid of the most recent production of 1982-1986 over the new Leica
Retrovid from 2019-2020 because of the slightly larger field of view.”

https://www.houseofoutdoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Leica-kijker-test-dd-29-febr-2020.pdf

 

[henry link]

I was there in the pre-phase correction days of the 1980s when Leitz, Zeiss and Bausch & Lomb roofs were all the rage with birders. I tried to join the party and bought Leitz 8x40 and 7x35 Trinovids and Zeiss 7x42 and 10x40 Dialyts in 1985 and 86. All were serious disappointments, optically inferior to even the most inexpensive Porro binoculars I had at the time.

Only in 1988, when the problem of phase interference had been essentially solved by Zeiss, were we consumers finally allowed to know that there had been a serious problem with roof prisms all along. In my experience back in those days very few folks looked at expensive roof prism binoculars carefully enough to notice that the Emperor had no clothes. I'm amazed to find that even now the legend apparently still lives on at a time when virtually every binocular that isn't a toy is optically superior to the old Leitz Trinovids.

 

[Thotmosis]

“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die”

Babe Ruth

 

[henry link]

“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die”

Babe Ruth

Guess I should have used the word "myth" instead of "legend".

 

[Alaska4me]

Guess I should have used the word "myth" instead of "legend".

Too late...

 

[NDhunter]

Henry, I am wondering what porros you were using in your comparisons above. I find it disturbing
that you enjoy putting down the enjoyment that some have had with the Leica's.
The key word is "kill joy".
Jerry

 

[Thotmosis]

Henry, I am wondering what porros you were using in your comparisons above. I find it disturbing
that you enjoy putting down the enjoyment that some have had with the Leica's.
The key word is "kill joy".
Jerry

I honestly also don’t understand what kind of evil forces are at work here, the ongoing negativism on this forum lately is a sign of time and make me wonder what is going on here? In the end The LIght will conquer darkness.

 

[Trinovid]

I'm amazed to find that even now the legend apparently still lives on at a time when virtually every binocular that isn't a toy is optically superior to the old Leitz Trinovids.

I'm amazed that you're suggesting that everyone who still finds enjoyment from the older Leitz models is nothing more than admirers of the emperor's new clothes. I can't even see them, much less find them worthy of envy.

Another story that has recently come to pass has to do with a friend's mom who has never been into binoculars and just today I let her look through most of my collection. Quite surprised that her two favorites (based on ease of viewing mostly) were an HD+ Ultravid and an old Leitz model.