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Ultravid focus wheel issue ! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter niallo
- Start date
scampo said:
That's certainly what I've been told - I think that the choice is no longer with In Focus on this matter.
As for the service that Leica provide - had a problem with my Duovids and so returned them to Leica. They decided to replace rather than repair them (so shiny new bins for me) - they may not be the fastest but I've no complaints.
scampo said:
I certainly will be - they are always great to see and you often get other nice stuff at the same site. I only moved to Norfolk a couple of years ago and the main reason was so that I could get out birding more.
I was out birding with my father at the weekend and I had the oportunity to try out my fathers trinovid 8x42bn. I had mentioned the slight play in the wheel to him previously so he handed his over and i was surprised to find that the trinovids had exactly the same amount of play.
So it seems the "flaw" is a leica trait then. Anybody else noticed this?
I can't tell you how my father was gob smacked! Come to think of it I have not heard from him since.
So it seems the "flaw" is a leica trait then. Anybody else noticed this?
I can't tell you how my father was gob smacked! Come to think of it I have not heard from him since.
Marvin Collins
marvin
I got my 10x42 Ultravids from Eagle Optics in March. At the time I noticed a small amount of "play" but ignored it due to the great optics and feel. Yesterday I took my old B&L Elites out for a day and I'm ready to send the Leicas back for review. I can live with a small amount of play (somebody said a millimeter, which seems about right) but this focus wheel is sticky (notchy?). Its not that it is hard to go from one range to another, it just doesn't slide smoothly. The B&N focus wheel feels like its immersed in warm butter. Anybody actually send their bins back to Leica for this problem?
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Marvin Collins
marvin
Focus Wheel follow-up
Just tried a friend's Trinovids. He swears by Leica and convinced me to order the Ultravids to begin with. His focussing wheel is just as stiff as mine. So, the optics are great, and the overall feel of the Ultravids is excellent. I prefer the smoother feel of the focusing wheel of the B&L Elites although I like the somewhat longer focusing distance (a little over one complete turn near to far) of the Ultravids. Sigh - the quest for perfection continues. I'm using the Elites for butterflies (closer focussing) and the Leicas for birds and I'm pretty much satisfied.
Just tried a friend's Trinovids. He swears by Leica and convinced me to order the Ultravids to begin with. His focussing wheel is just as stiff as mine. So, the optics are great, and the overall feel of the Ultravids is excellent. I prefer the smoother feel of the focusing wheel of the B&L Elites although I like the somewhat longer focusing distance (a little over one complete turn near to far) of the Ultravids. Sigh - the quest for perfection continues. I'm using the Elites for butterflies (closer focussing) and the Leicas for birds and I'm pretty much satisfied.
pruitthall
Member
Focus Wheel Issue et al
Whereas I'm not nearly as technical as about 95% of the forum, I do notice things as much. And on the focus wheel issue: I have two Leicas: Trinovid 10x50s and Ultravid 8x42s. Both have 'stiffer' focus wheels than Swaro EL and Nikon HG (Venturer) focus wheels I've used on my friends bins. I'll even agree with one poster who stated it felt in the order of 1 mm or so; I think that's fairly accurate. That said, I have NEVER observed this affecting my focus one bit; not even a 1mm bit. When I have the glass to my face and am focusing (fast or slow, near or far) what my finger inputs, I see, it's as simply as that. I've never had a problem with fine focusing, creep, an inability to lock into focus a bird, NOTHING. Guess what I'm saying is I DO think it must be a Leica 'thing' with having stiff focus wheels. Sure hasn't affected my birding, nor my appreciation of the Ultra's superb optics and unbelievable light weight.
Two other points. One, I simply haven't seen in any post/review as an item of note, but I notice it. Having been used to the Trinovids, I certainly applaud Leica for the Ultras fantastic weight reduction program; these are seriously light bins. But they're also seriously SMALL bins, too. I'm an average sized male (5'6", 150 pounds; maybe even smaller-than-average) and I swear, these bins are SMALL in my hands; almost to the point of being TOO small. Maybe I'm just used to my hulking 10x50 Trinovids, but when holding the Ultras, even with the new thumb rests on the bottom, I do notice my thumbs bumping into each other a lot; might be something to try out on a pair if you're ever considering the Ultras. Certainly not a biggie, but a point nonetheless.
My other point is Leica service. My first pair of Ultras (serial # in the 1555xxx range) actually had a loose armor coating; felt as if it wasn't 'glued' down properly to the magnesium casing, around the thumb rest position on the left barrel. It wasn't a noticeable bubble, but I felt it 'could' become one and at the price of these bins, I thought I'd call Leica. It didn't take Leica US 10 seconds to say, 'Send 'em back' and in 10 days, I had a perfect pair of new ones (without the loose armor). I can't say enough about how well they treated me, in this day and age of lack-of-customer service, Leica US clearly took care of one of their own.
Overall, I'm extremely pleased with my Ultras; the focus wheel issue is a NON issue with me, but that may be just a comfort level with using Leica wheels for some time. The optics continue to blow me away. Bins are so subjective in how each individual perceives an image. I totally agree with all of the forum members who instruct us to 'use what works for you'... I can't add anything to that except that the 'wow' factor that I had the first day I hoisted Leica glass to my eyes. I still can remember that day! I tested Nikons, Swaros and Zeiss on the same day at my local camera shop and when I put the Leicas to my eyes, it was surreal to me. I guess that drives a lot of us too, never forgetting that first glass that moved you into the 'serious' stage of optics; I know I'll never forget mine. So, yes, I may be a Leica-phile, hardcore, but I think we never forget our first love
Whereas I'm not nearly as technical as about 95% of the forum, I do notice things as much. And on the focus wheel issue: I have two Leicas: Trinovid 10x50s and Ultravid 8x42s. Both have 'stiffer' focus wheels than Swaro EL and Nikon HG (Venturer) focus wheels I've used on my friends bins. I'll even agree with one poster who stated it felt in the order of 1 mm or so; I think that's fairly accurate. That said, I have NEVER observed this affecting my focus one bit; not even a 1mm bit. When I have the glass to my face and am focusing (fast or slow, near or far) what my finger inputs, I see, it's as simply as that. I've never had a problem with fine focusing, creep, an inability to lock into focus a bird, NOTHING. Guess what I'm saying is I DO think it must be a Leica 'thing' with having stiff focus wheels. Sure hasn't affected my birding, nor my appreciation of the Ultra's superb optics and unbelievable light weight.
Two other points. One, I simply haven't seen in any post/review as an item of note, but I notice it. Having been used to the Trinovids, I certainly applaud Leica for the Ultras fantastic weight reduction program; these are seriously light bins. But they're also seriously SMALL bins, too. I'm an average sized male (5'6", 150 pounds; maybe even smaller-than-average) and I swear, these bins are SMALL in my hands; almost to the point of being TOO small. Maybe I'm just used to my hulking 10x50 Trinovids, but when holding the Ultras, even with the new thumb rests on the bottom, I do notice my thumbs bumping into each other a lot; might be something to try out on a pair if you're ever considering the Ultras. Certainly not a biggie, but a point nonetheless.
My other point is Leica service. My first pair of Ultras (serial # in the 1555xxx range) actually had a loose armor coating; felt as if it wasn't 'glued' down properly to the magnesium casing, around the thumb rest position on the left barrel. It wasn't a noticeable bubble, but I felt it 'could' become one and at the price of these bins, I thought I'd call Leica. It didn't take Leica US 10 seconds to say, 'Send 'em back' and in 10 days, I had a perfect pair of new ones (without the loose armor). I can't say enough about how well they treated me, in this day and age of lack-of-customer service, Leica US clearly took care of one of their own.
Overall, I'm extremely pleased with my Ultras; the focus wheel issue is a NON issue with me, but that may be just a comfort level with using Leica wheels for some time. The optics continue to blow me away. Bins are so subjective in how each individual perceives an image. I totally agree with all of the forum members who instruct us to 'use what works for you'... I can't add anything to that except that the 'wow' factor that I had the first day I hoisted Leica glass to my eyes. I still can remember that day! I tested Nikons, Swaros and Zeiss on the same day at my local camera shop and when I put the Leicas to my eyes, it was surreal to me. I guess that drives a lot of us too, never forgetting that first glass that moved you into the 'serious' stage of optics; I know I'll never forget mine. So, yes, I may be a Leica-phile, hardcore, but I think we never forget our first love
Curtis Croulet
Well-known member
I've also posted comments about the Ultravid in (where else?) the "Zeiss Victory FL" thread. I'm not really clear what you're saying about the focus. When I tried an 8x42 Ultravid in a shop just a few days ago, I found that the focus required a millinewton of extra force just to get the focus wheel turning. Once rolling, it was easy and reasonably smooth, but the smidgen of friction to be overcome just to get the wheel turning was a nuisance. I suppose one could get used to it, but I thought the focus was unworthy of binoculars that expensive. I'm about your size, and I have small hands, and I found the Ultravid to be a good fit for my hands. My current binoculars are Eagle Optics Ranger Platinum Class 8x42, and the Ultravid felt very similar in my hands -- which is good. The Ultravid is heavier than the EORPC.
pruitthall said:
I have also a Trinovid 10x50 BN and have try many Ultravids. There was never a play. The focus wheel is big enough to let 2 fingers work together with perfect controll. I always felt Leica Focus is the optimum. Swaro is too slow, Nikon HG too fast and Zeiss copied Leica.
Curtis Croulet
Well-known member
The Ultravid I tried had a tiny, tiny bit of play, but I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't first read about it here. I could not fault the Ultravid on this issue. Really, I may yet buy the Ultravid, but I want to see the new Zeiss Victory FL first.
Curtis Croulet
Well-known member
It's interesting seeing my own comment from almost a year ago. My memory has made the "play" into a big deal, and I wouldn't know that I ever felt differently if my own words hadn't been thrown back at me. BTW, I wound up buying the Zeiss FL. I do wonder how I'd feel about the Leica's focus now.
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