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Trinovid pre-HD 8x42 vs Ultravid BR 8x42 vs Ultravid HD 7x42 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter benjaminH
- Start date
LucaPCP likes the Leica 7x42 UVHD also. It is not what you think.
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The mistake of buying an Ultravid HD+ 7x42
I made a terrible mistake buying a pair of Leica Ultravid HD+ 7x42. Before, I was happy with my Pocket Victory 8x25, or Ultravid 8x32 HD+... yes, they required each the proper technique, aligning them just so and holding them against by brows so, but they really delivered beautiful images...
www.birdforum.net
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Before you rush out and get the 7x42 (which I suppose is the sensible choice), it might be worth trying another 7x magnification binocular to see how well you get along with it. Some folks really like 7x, others think it's not quite enough. I personally have normally been fine with 7x when I have used it, have had no trouble identifying birds and so on; but my preference is normally for the image to be a little bigger. Maybe less so if the birds are quite close to you (mine are normally some distance away), but I use 7x the least because all too often it leaves me wanting a little more.
Boogieshrew
Well-known member
But there will also be the 10x available for when 7 isn't enough.
As a pair 7x and 10x - what a combo!
If you want to save some money, buy the Leica Trinovid BN 7x42 instead of the UVHD 7x42. The optics are practically the same with the same FOV and I think the BN has better build quality and better handling than the UVHD 7x42, and you can get a good BN 7x42 for around $700 to $800.
This forum is amazing ! I thank you all for your precise et personalized responses : it's great to be able to benefit from all your years of experience. I think all I have to do now is make a choice that will allow me to form my own experience/opinion...
So I decided to buy and test the Ultravid HD 7x42 since I get it at a price that I believe is reasonable (700 euros / 750 dollars). This configuration really intrigues me and I have to test it !!! And if it doesn't suit me, I suppose I could resell it without losing too much money in the process. I also think of my children who I am introducing to ornithology, I think that having them observe through a 7x42 will be great for them.
Thanks again,
Benjamin
So I decided to buy and test the Ultravid HD 7x42 since I get it at a price that I believe is reasonable (700 euros / 750 dollars). This configuration really intrigues me and I have to test it !!! And if it doesn't suit me, I suppose I could resell it without losing too much money in the process. I also think of my children who I am introducing to ornithology, I think that having them observe through a 7x42 will be great for them.
Thanks again,
Benjamin
Good choice and that is an incredible price on a UVHD 7x42. That binocular will give you a very comfortable, easy view that is hard to match.
Alaska4me
Well-known member
That right there made my day
Hope they show up soon and though mine were a great deal I'd have rather found the ones you just bought!
So are you close to Paris or far out in the countryside?
Far out in the countryside !
I received my Ultravid 7x42 HD yesterday morning... In very good condition, almost new ! I'm very, very happy.
I used them for 3 hours in total (forest and open field), and quickly compared them with my Trinovid 10x42 HD (my best friend until today) and the Nikon Monarch M7 8x32.
I had the pleasure of observing a couple of Common swift in flight, 1 Common buzzard in flight too, 1 Eurasian chaffinch, 1 Eurasian blackcap, 1 Melodious warbler, a few Swallows, 1 European greenfinch, 1 Cirl bunting, 1 Western yellow wagtail, 2 European goldfinch... and some other.
First sensations, in brief :
7x42 and 10x42 : Winning combo ?
I thank you again because without you I would probably not have these little wonders in my hands
SO : THANK YOU EVERYONE !!!
Benjamin
I used them for 3 hours in total (forest and open field), and quickly compared them with my Trinovid 10x42 HD (my best friend until today) and the Nikon Monarch M7 8x32.
I had the pleasure of observing a couple of Common swift in flight, 1 Common buzzard in flight too, 1 Eurasian chaffinch, 1 Eurasian blackcap, 1 Melodious warbler, a few Swallows, 1 European greenfinch, 1 Cirl bunting, 1 Western yellow wagtail, 2 European goldfinch... and some other.
First sensations, in brief :
- first (non-technical point, but perhaps the most important for me) : the pleasure of observing is truly sensational, very unique, whatever the situation and distance from the subject
- the sharpness gives a beautifully defined image ; the details of the plumages and the landscape are so clear !!!
- the FOV and DOV allow us to follow the bird very "integrated" into its environment while allowing secure identification : a more "ethological" perception ?
- Indeed the magnification (source of stress for me before yesterday morning) is really pleasant and seems largely sufficient in most situations
- I add that compared with the nikon M7 8x32, the magnification ot the UV 7x42 HD seems at least equal...sometimes superior !?!? Due to the image sharpness and brightness ? Or due to my craze ?
- Handling is really easy and pleasant, even if for me the focuser is better on my Trinovid HD (more "creamier" and softer, less sticky)
- My first observations confirm that the Trinovid HD 10x42... are excellent binoculars too
7x42 and 10x42 : Winning combo ?
I thank you again because without you I would probably not have these little wonders in my hands
SO : THANK YOU EVERYONE !!!
Benjamin
Boogieshrew
Well-known member
Brilliant.I received my Ultravid 7x42 HD yesterday morning... In very good condition, almost new ! I'm very, very happy.
I used them for 3 hours in total (forest and open field), and quickly compared them with my Trinovid 10x42 HD (my best friend until today) and the Nikon Monarch M7 8x32.
I had the pleasure of observing a couple of Common swift in flight, 1 Common buzzard in flight too, 1 Eurasian chaffinch, 1 Eurasian blackcap, 1 Melodious warbler, a few Swallows, 1 European greenfinch, 1 Cirl bunting, 1 Western yellow wagtail, 2 European goldfinch... and some other.
First sensations, in brief :
- first (non-technical point, but perhaps the most important for me) : the pleasure of observing is truly sensational, very unique, whatever the situation and distance from the subject
- the sharpness gives a beautifully defined image ; the details of the plumages and the landscape are so clear !!!
- the FOV and DOV allow us to follow the bird very "integrated" into its environment while allowing secure identification : a more "ethological" perception ?
- Indeed the magnification (source of stress for me before yesterday morning) is really pleasant and seems largely sufficient in most situations
- I add that compared with the nikon M7 8x32, the magnification ot the UV 7x42 HD seems at least equal...sometimes superior !?!? Due to the image sharpness and brightness ? Or due to my craze ?
- Handling is really easy and pleasant, even if for me the focuser is better on my Trinovid HD (more "creamier" and softer, less sticky)
- My first observations confirm that the Trinovid HD 10x42... are excellent binoculars too
7x42 and 10x42 : Winning combo ?
I thank you again because without you I would probably not have these little wonders in my hands
SO : THANK YOU EVERYONE !!!
Benjamin
I thought you'd like them! Really glad you do and I reckon you'll enjoy them for a long time. I have a collection of 7x and Leica is my favourite.
Hello everyone !
I continue my comparison between the Trinovid HD 10x42 and my new UVHD 7x42... (It's really nice to do !). I would ask you a question based on my observations :
I noticed that under certain light conditions my Trinovid HD 10x42 shows some stray reflections (like a "small whitish crescent" on an edge of the image ; not a lot but it's there) while the UVHD 7x42 never have one (from my short experience).
Here is my question :
In your opinion/experience, does this difference come from the difference in quality (of the glasses) between Trinovid HD and ultravid HD ? Or basically from the difference in optical configuration (10x42 vs 7x42) ?
In other words, does UVHD 10x42 have these reflections or not (and therefore does better than the Trinoi HD on this aspect) ?
Benjamin
I continue my comparison between the Trinovid HD 10x42 and my new UVHD 7x42... (It's really nice to do !). I would ask you a question based on my observations :
I noticed that under certain light conditions my Trinovid HD 10x42 shows some stray reflections (like a "small whitish crescent" on an edge of the image ; not a lot but it's there) while the UVHD 7x42 never have one (from my short experience).
Here is my question :
In your opinion/experience, does this difference come from the difference in quality (of the glasses) between Trinovid HD and ultravid HD ? Or basically from the difference in optical configuration (10x42 vs 7x42) ?
In other words, does UVHD 10x42 have these reflections or not (and therefore does better than the Trinoi HD on this aspect) ?
Benjamin
A2GG
Beth
I’ve read here in the forum that you may see less glare in a bino with a bigger exit pupil because it doesn’t reach your eye as much. Uvid 7x42 with its 6mm EP is a great binocular for glare control. My current 8x32 Trinovid HD has relatively good glare control but I recall not as good as the 7x42 Uvid.
The 7x42 Trinovid BN, 7x42 UVHD BR, 7x42 UVHD and the 7x42 UVHD+ are all about optically equal because Leica never made many changes to the optics over the years. The BN has the best build quality of the four and is the least expensive, so if you want to save some money, buy the 7x42 Trinovid BN. From Allbinos.
www.allbinos.com
"Two things happened in 2007: the production of Trinovids ceased and the Ultravids HD were launched on the market. Once again the new pairs of binoculars differed from the old ones in their casing (which weight was reduced for the second time); apart from that the field of view increased slightly, and the producer added AquaDura hydrophobic coatings along with improved antireflection coatings.
Year 2014 saw another Leica launch, this time of the Ultravid HD-Plus series. Still, if you compare these devices to the Ultravid HD binoculars, you find out all the numbers remained the same. The producer just boasted of using glass of new type produced by the Schott company, with a better transmission.
Why am I writing about it? On our website, you can find tests of all 10x42 models, from the Trinovid BN to the Ultravid HD-Plus. It is easy to check what the customers gained throughout all these years. Firstly, the results show unanimously that, within the margin of measurement error, the HD-Plus model is practically the same as the HD model. Maybe the transmission level varies a bit but even if you compare the measurements taken with a spectrophotometer the differences remain very slight; it is really difficult to say whether they are an effect of measurement errors, natural differences between two specimens or the actual influence of Schott HT glass. If the spectrophotometer doesn’t show any distinct difference, it won’t be visible to the naked eye either.
So we have a situation where the Ultravid HD doesn’t differ markedly from the Ultravid BR and the Ultravid BR is an almost identical copy of the Trinovid but closed in a lighter casing. It seems that for almost 25 years, Leica haven’t introduced any innovative optical solutions to its key series of binoculars. Of course, the weight reduction and hydrophobic coatings are appreciated, along with a slight transmission increase or a tad wider field of view. Still, such a reputable company should have done better, especially if you take into account the length of the period of time we are talking about. As a result of such stagnation, Leica devices started to compete with each other: you can still buy a second-hand specimen of Trinovids in mint condition for half the price of the new Ultravids HD-Plus.
That tactics of Leica are especially strange because generally you can’t deny the company an innovative approach in optics, particularly when it comes to binoculars. After all, they pioneered in the rangefinder optics, making such revolutionary moves as launching Perger-Porro prisms instruments on the market. Why the line-up of ordinary binoculars has seen so few ground-breaking changes we don’t know."
Leica Ultravid HD-Plus 10x42 - binoculars review - AllBinos.com
The best binocular tests on the net. The comprehensive database of binoculars with their parameters and users opinions. Interesting articles and comparisons.
"Two things happened in 2007: the production of Trinovids ceased and the Ultravids HD were launched on the market. Once again the new pairs of binoculars differed from the old ones in their casing (which weight was reduced for the second time); apart from that the field of view increased slightly, and the producer added AquaDura hydrophobic coatings along with improved antireflection coatings.
Year 2014 saw another Leica launch, this time of the Ultravid HD-Plus series. Still, if you compare these devices to the Ultravid HD binoculars, you find out all the numbers remained the same. The producer just boasted of using glass of new type produced by the Schott company, with a better transmission.
Why am I writing about it? On our website, you can find tests of all 10x42 models, from the Trinovid BN to the Ultravid HD-Plus. It is easy to check what the customers gained throughout all these years. Firstly, the results show unanimously that, within the margin of measurement error, the HD-Plus model is practically the same as the HD model. Maybe the transmission level varies a bit but even if you compare the measurements taken with a spectrophotometer the differences remain very slight; it is really difficult to say whether they are an effect of measurement errors, natural differences between two specimens or the actual influence of Schott HT glass. If the spectrophotometer doesn’t show any distinct difference, it won’t be visible to the naked eye either.
So we have a situation where the Ultravid HD doesn’t differ markedly from the Ultravid BR and the Ultravid BR is an almost identical copy of the Trinovid but closed in a lighter casing. It seems that for almost 25 years, Leica haven’t introduced any innovative optical solutions to its key series of binoculars. Of course, the weight reduction and hydrophobic coatings are appreciated, along with a slight transmission increase or a tad wider field of view. Still, such a reputable company should have done better, especially if you take into account the length of the period of time we are talking about. As a result of such stagnation, Leica devices started to compete with each other: you can still buy a second-hand specimen of Trinovids in mint condition for half the price of the new Ultravids HD-Plus.
That tactics of Leica are especially strange because generally you can’t deny the company an innovative approach in optics, particularly when it comes to binoculars. After all, they pioneered in the rangefinder optics, making such revolutionary moves as launching Perger-Porro prisms instruments on the market. Why the line-up of ordinary binoculars has seen so few ground-breaking changes we don’t know."
tenex
reality-based
I have always been curious how similar the design of the new "Trinovid HD" is to the BA/BN/UV line dating back to 1990, which always had excellent glare suppression in any format. Has anyone done a careful comparison of other properties that might suggest a simplified eyepiece, or does it just have less baffling? Cost must have been spared somewhere.
No, the Trinovid BN has the same excellent glare suppression as the more modern Leicas so it must have similar baffling and the eyepieces haven't been changed significantly because the FOV is similar on all the Leica's from the BN to the UVHD+.
Even the coatings haven't been changed outside of adding AquaDura for rain protection because the BN and UVHD+ have identical transmission. Leica said they upgraded to Schott glass on the UVHD+ but it made no difference between the BN and UVHD+ in transmission.
If you account for inflation, the BN was priced about the same as the newer Leica's.
IMO, the build quality of the BN and BA is superior to the newer Leica's like the UVHD.
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coolhand68
Well-known member
The Ultravid HD 7x42 would have been my choice. Great deal at that price.
