Well, for no good reason other than curiosity, I ordered a pair of 7x35 Retrovids and 7x42 Ultravids (1 Viewer)

[CSG]

I have so little need for either but I wanted to try both of these 7x models. Having the excellent Zeiss 8x42 Victory HTs, it's hard to imagine keeping the 7x42s but the Retro 7x35s are just so cool looking but with modern optics, I suspect if they work for me ergonomically, I'll keep them. I'm a general use guy, not a serious birder. Depending on the 7x42s, they could replace my Victory HTs (but probably not ).

 

[quincy88]

I have so little need for either but I wanted to try both of these 7x models. Having the excellent Zeiss 8x42 Victory HTs, it's hard to imagine keeping the 7x42s but the Retro 7x35s are just so cool looking but with modern optics, I suspect if they work for me ergonomically, I'll keep them. I'm a general use guy, not a serious birder. Depending on the 7x42s, they could replace my Victory HTs (but probably not ).

Your title says "7x40." looks like just a typo.
Excited to read your comparisons.

 

[CSG]

Your title says "7x40." looks like just a typo.
Excited to read your comparisons.

Thanks, fixed. I want to compare each of these to the two I own most closely in line (8x32 Conquest HD and 8x42 Victory HT). The shorter focus distance of the Zeiss aren't of much interest to me but the ergonomics are.

 

[CSG]

Got them today, returned them today. Both had lovely optics but the eyecups on the 7x35 Retrovids are too small for me and as nice as the optics were on the 7x42 UV+, not nearly enough eye relief for me to not get excessive blackouts and kidney beaning with the eyecups at full extension. Don't wear glasses but have deep set eyes, I guess.

One other thing, while the 7x35s balanced fine for me, the 7x42s didn't. I had more trouble holding them steady than either my 8x32 Conquest HDs and, more notably, My Victory HT 8x42s. Just another ergo difference thing but worth noting I think. Frankly, I was surprised buy that.

 

[yarrellii]

... the eyecups on the 7x35 Retrovids are too small for me

I too found the eyecups terribly narrow. That was the deal-breaker for me. I tried to use some add-on wider eyecups, and while the situation improved, they didn't work that well and just got lost. Such a pity, because I simply adored the view, the contrast, the size, the shape, the weight. Mind-blowing, really. Such a pity. I'm surprised that, since they had to rework the eyecups (the original were simply fold-down rubber) they couldn't come up with a better solution. In my case (and it seems in yours too) they simply lost a customer.

EDIT:
Every time I remember about the incredibly narrow Retrovid 7x35 eyecups I get a bit mad/sad. This time I got curious and recovered a picture of the diameter of both ocular lens and eyecup I took for a thread here (comparing the Retrovid 7x35 and the Swarovski EL 8x32) and have just compared it to the eyecups of a "pocket" (albeit on the bigger side of "pocket") contemporary pair, the Zeiss Terra 8x25. And surprise, surprise... (Terra 8x25, top, Leica Retrovid 7x35, bottom).



It turns out that both the 8x25 and the 7x35 have the same eyecup diameter, a meager 33 mm. Of course, you could understand it in the case of the compact, and it's probably not such a bad value in that format, but a 35 mm with the same eyecups as a 25 mm is probably something to be concerned in my opinion. The ocular lens itself is a bit wider, the Terra 8x25 has a 18 mm lens while the Retrovid 7x35 has a 21 mm, but what really kills it for me is the 33 mm outer rubber cup (compared to, say, the 39 mm of an EL 8x32 or the 38 mm or an Opticron Traveler ED 8x32.

 

[NDhunter]

I recently purchased the Trinovid 7x35, I do not wear glasses, and I find the eyecups are very comfortable for me. I really like
the quality of the view and the fine fit and finish. A high quality optic is a treat.
Every binocular is different and it does take some experience to enjoy that.
I just found it important to leave a positive review about the classic model.

Jerry

 

[CSG]

Nothing negative I wrote save for their ergonomics didn't work for me. The optics are amazingly good just like the Ultravid 7x42. Ergonomics are an individual thing and my experience is a good 50+ years with optics.

 

[yarrellii]

Yes, same with me, as I said in my post yesterday "I simply adored the view, the contrast, the size, the shape, the weight. Mind-blowing, really". I even didn't find the focusing as bad as others have for biding purposes. Sorry if it might have sound like a "negative review".

When I bought them last year and used them for a while I found they came close to be the perfect binocular for me, so much so that I preferred the view through the 7x35 Retrovid to my EL SV 8x32 (that was my choice after having tried many nice 8x32: UVHD, FL, CL, etc.) which is saying a lot of positive things about a model. However, I found the eyecups too narrow for my facial features (luckily/unfortunately we are all different!), yesterday, when measuring the eyecups of the 8x25 Zeiss Terra I was surprised to discover why. Needless to say, I find the eyecups of the 8x25 Terra very narrow and uncomfortable, but in this case it's kind of understandable/forgiveable, since a pocket binocular is something of an "emergency plan" when out doing something else and not actively birding for several hours (at least, that's my take).

So, really impressive binoculars in almost every sense, but eyecups the size of an 8x25 pocket unit.

 

[NDhunter]

The eyecups may be a bit smaller than others, but so is the binocular. The size matches the slender body of the binocular.
I suppose any wider and it would look odd, maybe out of proportion. I wonder if others have measured the eyecups of the
8x40 and 10x40 could offer a size comparison. They may have a larger eyecup to match the 40mm size of the barrels.
With binoculars of this kind, they are special, and their design tries to match the original Leitz as much as they can.
Jerry

 

[yarrellii]

Jerry, yes, you made a good point there. Maybe it's all due to the inherent design keys of the Retrovid (well, the original Trinovid). It's true that the barrels (and the whole body) are really slender. I remember my surprise when I put its objective tube (lens end) against the 8x32 EL: the 8x32 Swarovski were wider than the 7x35 Leica (I guess this is due to the armour). Well, then maybe that slender and lovely design which I adored was also the reason they didn't work for me or CSG, which is really a pity. I wonder about the eyecup diameter in the original Trinovid (the 7x35, I mean).

 

[Renze de Vries]

I wonder about the eyecup diameter in the original Trinovid (the 7x35, I mean).

A meager 33 mm

 

[yarrellii]

A meager 33 mm

Thanks, Renze, that was spoed!
So it seems that they just replicated what already existed. However, I wonder if the fact that the original where fold-down instead of twist-up made them feel a bit wider, since many times the old-style rubber cups have thinner edges...

 

[Renze de Vries]

The best solution I found most to my liking - without destroying the beautiful design - was to apply the 18mm replacement eye cups, issued by Leitz/Leica in the later stages of Trinovid production. These are softer rubber than the earlier originals and so last considerable longer but important for what is on discussion here is that they permit halfway rolling off. See pictures. The diameter now is 38 mm. BTW the 18 mm eye cups are intended for the 7x42. Lastly, don't ask me if they're still available...

 

[ZDHart]

The best solution I found most to my liking - without destroying the beautiful design - was to apply the 18mm replacement eye cups, issued by Leitz/Leica in the later stages of Trinovid production. These are softer rubber than the earlier originals and so last considerable longer but important for what is on discussion here is that they permit halfway rolling off. See pictures. The diameter now is 38 mm. BTW the 18 mm eye cups are intended for the 7x42. Lastly, don't ask me if they're still available...

Beautiful solution, Renze! Thanks for sharing that. They look like "right at home" on the 7x35s.

 

[lmans66]

The best solution I found most to my liking - without destroying the beautiful design - was to apply the 18mm replacement eye cups, issued by Leitz/Leica in the later stages of Trinovid production. These are softer rubber than the earlier originals and so last considerable longer but important for what is on discussion here is that they permit halfway rolling off. See pictures. The diameter now is 38 mm. BTW the 18 mm eye cups are intended for the 7x42. Lastly, don't ask me if they're still available...

Where did you get those at, or who did you contact? Thanks, jim

 

[Renze de Vries]

Where did you get those at, or who did you contact? Thanks, jim

Jim,
There was a time when expert sellers like Terry Small and Eric Wood (UK) listed Leitz Trinovids on eBay. They really knew their stuff, had good contacts in the repair business and so were able to offer superbly renovated Trinovids. At that time aftermarket eye cups were still available. That is, until Leica decided to sit tight on their replacement eye cups, keep them for their own repairs and stopped selling them to third parties trying to make a profit out of a hobby. I think this was quite understandable as Leica could not keep spare parts on stock forever and so had to be economical with them.
In the following years on and off Leitz Trinovid eye cups showed up on eBay, offered by German retailers cleaning out their warehouse shelves. Where did they go? To me!
This was the glorious past Jim, I'm sorry. My guess is that Leica is out of stock, the best chances in my opinion to come across a pair of 18mm Leitz Trinovid eye cups is to make friends with amateur sellers, the last of the braves. Good luck!
Renze

 

[lmans66]

Jim,
There was a time when expert sellers like Terry Small and Eric Wood (UK) listed Leitz Trinovids on eBay. They really knew their stuff, had good contacts in the repair business and so were able to offer superbly renovated Trinovids. At that time aftermarket eye cups were still available. That is, until Leica decided to sit tight on their replacement eye cups, keep them for their own repairs and stopped selling them to third parties trying to make a profit out of a hobby. I think this was quite understandable as Leica could not keep spare parts on stock forever and so had to be economical with them.
In the following years on and off Leitz Trinovid eye cups showed up on eBay, offered by German retailers cleaning out their warehouse shelves. Where did they go? To me!
This was the glorious past Jim, I'm sorry. My guess is that Leica is out of stock, the best chances in my opinion to come across a pair of 18mm Leitz Trinovid eye cups is to make friends with amateur sellers, the last of the braves. Good luck!
Renze

Renze....do you think taking a 33mm o-ring and sliding it over the existing twist-up eye cup would work? Essentially you are doing the same thing by adding diameter by a few mm. O-rings are pretty specific in size and the tightness of the ring slipping over the eye cup should force it to stay in place. Thoughts?

I did go ahead and ordered a 7x35 today as I feel if I can get the eye cup issue worked out, or....it just is okay on it's own....this binocular will be a good one to have to lightly either travel with or use as a light weight casual bin with my wife. I do like the retro feel of it. If not, I can always sell it and recoup most of my dollars and then get the Ultravid 8x32. jim

 

[Renze de Vries]

Renze....do you think taking a 33mm o-ring and sliding it over the existing twist-up eye cup would work? Essentially you are doing the same thing by adding diameter by a few mm. O-rings are pretty specific in size and the tightness of the ring slipping over the eye cup should force it to stay in place. Thoughts?

I did go ahead and ordered a 7x35 today as I feel if I can get the eye cup issue worked out, or....it just is okay on it's own....this binocular will be a good one to have to lightly either travel with or use as a light weight casual bin with my wife. I do like the retro feel of it. If not, I can always sell it and recoup most of my dollars and then get the Ultravid 8x32. jim

I'm pretty sure we will find a solution. I'm experimenting (again). What is your ideal diameter?

Renze

 

[lmans66]

I'm pretty sure we will find a solution. I'm experimenting (again). What is your ideal diameter?

Renze

Not sure if there is an 'ideal'...as the combination of diameter of the eyepiece plus the eye-relief and perhaps the exit pupil all come into play. It is funny but I have issues with the Meostar models with blackout etc, since the eyepiece is so small (35mm), but I don't seem to have issues with the 7x35 even though the diameter of the eyepiece is only 33mm. But the exit pupil is more in the 7x35, so that might have something to do with it....?

 

[Renze de Vries]

Not sure if there is an 'ideal'...as the combination of diameter of the eyepiece plus the eye-relief and perhaps the exit pupil all come into play. It is funny but I have issues with the Meostar models with blackout etc, since the eyepiece is so small (35mm), but I don't seem to have issues with the 7x35 even though the diameter of the eyepiece is only 33mm. But the exit pupil is more in the 7x35, so that might have something to do with it....?

Oh yes, eye cup adaptation is not only a matter of width but also of height. I have experimented rather unseccesfully because, as has been remarked here already, the design of the Leitz Trinovids is so fine that altering a detail easily distorts it. In my experience, and taste, adding anything to the outside of the eye cup - making it wider - usually is a disappointment. My advice is work on the inside of the eye cup, making it more flared (the original design of the Trinovids, especially the 7x42, has this subtle bit of flare already, with excellent results). See picture: 36 mm. See if you can bring in something conical shaped, so the slope of the flared eye cup will be gradual.
Lots of luck,
Renze