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Which of the older Trinovids are best ? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter NDhunter
- Start date
Pinewood
New York correspondent
Hello,
First of all, avoid the Leitz BA Trinovids, which did not have phase coating. As the Leica BN glasses are later than the Leica BA glasses, they are a better choice unless you need their focussing range, as they probably have better coating. The BN binoculars were made to focus closer, so the BA glasses go farther past infinity.
I could not get along with the 10x50BN, as it was hard to hold steady. The Leica 8x50BA struck me as just too heavy and I did not need the wider aperture for my bird watching. The Leica BA 7x42 is outclassed by the Zeiss ClassiC 7x42. Having written the above, I get along very well with the Leica 12x50 BA, on a monopod, for astronomy and shore viewing, even if it does not have dielectric mirrors.
My best experience was with the 8x32BN.
Stay safe,
Arthur
First of all, avoid the Leitz BA Trinovids, which did not have phase coating. As the Leica BN glasses are later than the Leica BA glasses, they are a better choice unless you need their focussing range, as they probably have better coating. The BN binoculars were made to focus closer, so the BA glasses go farther past infinity.
I could not get along with the 10x50BN, as it was hard to hold steady. The Leica 8x50BA struck me as just too heavy and I did not need the wider aperture for my bird watching. The Leica BA 7x42 is outclassed by the Zeiss ClassiC 7x42. Having written the above, I get along very well with the Leica 12x50 BA, on a monopod, for astronomy and shore viewing, even if it does not have dielectric mirrors.
My best experience was with the 8x32BN.
Stay safe,
Arthur
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casscade
Well-known member
10x50’s are probably my favorites, large fov, even by today’s standards. The 7x42 had that incredible view, maybe even the best, as did the 8x50, what killed both for me was the small apparent fov. So 10x50 for me. Also a side note, I loved all the trinovids optically, only size and/or fov swayed me.
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The Leica Trinovid BAs introduced in 1990 did have phase coatings. That is stated among features of the BAs in copies of pages from a Leica brochure posted by 'casscade' in the following two threads (with different cropping of the copies in the threads):
Leica Lens Coatings post #1
<Leica Lens Coatings>
Trinovid BAs still a 'sweet spot' among Leica binoculars? post #40
<Trinovid BAs still a 'sweet spot' among Leica binoculars?>
Feature 'D' in the brochure's list states that "we use phase correction coatings on our roof prisms."
The 1990 Leica Trinovid BAs (originally called Leica Ultras) were replaced by the BN series around 2000, see e.g.:
LEITZ BINOCULARS, 1907-1996. COMPILED BY PETER ABRAHAMS
<http://home.europa.com/~telscope/leitzbin.txt>
Roof-Prism Leica Binoculars
<Roof-Prism Leica Binoculars - Leica Wiki (English)>
The main advertised improvement of the BN series was its reduced near-focus range (hence the 'BN' designation). It remains unclear to me whether the lens coatings were also improved or essentially the same as those on the replaced BAs.
Larry
Pinewood
New York correspondent
tenex
reality-based
Best, how? It was an excellent range overall, though the larger models were rather heavy. Some had common limitations of their format (e.g. 8x50, narrow FOV), but no real flaws I'm aware of. Some formats like 10x32 aren't as popular, but I've used my BN for two decades and still love it.
I guess I need to borrow some of the newer models to see what I am missing!
Over the last 50 years, I have owned or shared, or given as wedding/graduation gifts, several Leitz Trinovids from the 1970-1985 period.
I thoroughly enjoy the size, weight, smooth action and feel of the 8x32, 8x40, and 10x40 models, both B's and BA's, all Uppendahls, and it would be hard for me to give up on these superb binoculars.
Some of these still show up on eBay in like-new condition for around $500, but it sounds like the coatings and near focus are now improved enough to make a difference.
Are there any others following this thread who have actually made direct usage comparisons?
Thanks.
Over the last 50 years, I have owned or shared, or given as wedding/graduation gifts, several Leitz Trinovids from the 1970-1985 period.
I thoroughly enjoy the size, weight, smooth action and feel of the 8x32, 8x40, and 10x40 models, both B's and BA's, all Uppendahls, and it would be hard for me to give up on these superb binoculars.
Some of these still show up on eBay in like-new condition for around $500, but it sounds like the coatings and near focus are now improved enough to make a difference.
Are there any others following this thread who have actually made direct usage comparisons?
Thanks.
Yes. We have a Trinovid 10x40 and an 8x32 dating back to the early 1980s, both with Uppendahl prisms - and without phase coatings. It's the phase coatings that make the difference, ANY roof prism without phase coatings is, well, a museum piece. The Trinovid BA (we've got two 8x32s in the family, both made in 1993) are VERY much better optically than the old Trinovids.
Hermann
Thanks for your observations Pinewood. It'd be interesting to hear from those who have a goodly amount of experience with both binoculars how the 10x42 BA/BN compares to the 10x40 P model Dialyt.
tenex
reality-based
Did the very last of the older (Uppendahl, pre-Ultra) Trinovids have phase coatings, and is the relevant serial number known? Coatings came onto the market in 1988, and as LarryO mentioned the model change didn't occur until 1990.
