Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Leica Ultravid hd 8x32

Have not been hampered by it yet. But I have been watching for it.

The Leica 8x32's are the best glass these eyes have ever looked through. Recon I'll risk the warranty issue until I get bit.

Ultravid HD PLUS for 1499 are a steal, those and the Zeiss SF,HT have Schott HD glass, no other binos have it. The SF is a birdwatcher binocular. The Ultravid has the best construction out of all of them.

He asked specifically about the Leica 8x32.

As to Zeiss, I had the 8x32 FL... on the USAF optics chart it showed poorer resolution with a smaller sweet spot in each barrel than the Leica. They also "feel" cheap by comparison.

Another downside of the Swarovski, other than their fragile ocular twist-ups, are the objective covers that are aggravating to use in the field.

You and Ringman need to write a book on optics. There is so much knowledge unavailable to the Campfire that you guys could save people thousands of dollars by listening to your vast experiences.

Bob, it's about the shape of your eye/cornea... you either see and experience it immediately or you don't. Every time I pick one up I feel like I'm on a rocking boat on the sea. It's pretty unsettling. The number of those that experience it is around 20% of viewers.

Personally, I find the whole flat-field obsession a bit of an unnecessary gimmick. The human eye doesn't see that way naturally. The Swarovski glass is superb, it just makes no sense to me to have such an exaggerated flat field. Leica has brought out its version of the same flat field glass, but the view is far more relaxed than the Swarovski reputedly.

I think the Swarovski open bridge design is great too, but they're definitely a bit bulkier than the Leica. But I'm a backpack-hunter, so that's important to me. To others, not so much.

Difference with me, I only talk about what I've owned and used. Ring man not so much. How about you?

Brad I bought them from Doug after looking through them at another store. Did not really know much about the whole flat field thing, but to me they had all that "eye pop"!
Obviously I have not had a problem with the rolling ball situation.

Like my Leicas, the eye cups have lots of adjustment so are comfy with or without eye glasses. These new ones have some kind of "field package" to attach the neck strap,and the objective lens covers are a newer design that i like better than what they previously used.

A pal and I stayed at the range until after dark last night watching for the deer that usually show at 500-600 yards. The bins hung in there until way past shooting light. I was pretty impressed with how they did for a 32mm.

Like I said I'Id have bought the Leicas if they fell into my hands first but that didn't happen this time.

Wrongman is an idiot.

Brad puts in a ridiculous amount of hours and miles in the field every season. He uses stuff, hard, and passes on what he sees and learns. I may not agree with what he says on certain points, but there's never a doubt that his info is solid.

I agree, you can trust Brad's assessment of stuff, even if I don't necessarily agree 100% of the time. He has no reason to make stuff up.

Nobody has ever questioned the build quality, or optical quality of Leica stuff. I used a Trinovid BA for 15 years. It's the rest of the package that is very suspect. I mean, seriously, they are the only alpha maker who has such a crappy warranty, while demanding premium prices for their products.

Guys, nice of you to say.

Like I said in my first post, the three top-tier 8x32's are a matter of grading diamonds. There's no "best" as all three have their strengths and weaknesses, which is why I've owned all three. For me, I prefer the way Leica makes their compromises, but rest assured, all three have design compromises, as does everything a human makes. It's really about which design emphasis you want, and compromises you're willing to live with.

I agree with JG that Leica's CS and Warranty is lacking. I've never needed to use it, but I've heard good and bad about their CS. A lot of it bad, though I've heard it's improving too. I will say, the few times I've dealt with people on the phone in NJ to order parts, I've found a typically rude NY/NJ type on the other end of the line. OTOH, when I've dealt with Swarovski in RI, the opposite has been the case.

As to the whole flat-field obsession, I really can't see the need for it for the way a hunter uses binoculars. Or I should say, the way I use a binocular. A birder/butterfly watcher on the other hand will use a binocular slightly differently, letting his eye wander all around the FOV looking at minute detail up close. I'm a birder, but not to the extreme of "real" birders.

The only two things I don't like about the Leica Ultravid are the ocular cover they come with (if you notice my picture I've replaced the POS that comes with the Ultravid for the much better one that came with the old BA/BN's). And I'd like them to have a bit greater eye relief... but, since everything is a compromise, if they had greater eye relief they'd be physically larger!

Compromises...

I'd disagree, I think having a full useable FOV is important to hunters. It allows you to have your peripheral vision while glassing. I don't know how you glass, but we glass is that we literally spend hours a day on the glass typically. I'll take any advantage I can get.

Again, I said the way I glass... not you.

For super-prolonged glassing, I much prefer an 8x42... again, compromises.

Amazing how passionate people are about optics. The main thing to keep in mind is peoples eyes are different. It is very difficult to make broad standing conclusions on anything related to vision or visual perception.

But that won't stop the campfire kvetching.

Is there an opinion which maker has the best bino for someone with glasses? I am considering a 12x50 but not sure which brand ( Swaro or Leica).

Old World I wear glasses and use a binocular both with and without them. Both the Swaro and the Leica are very user friendly with intermediate stops for the eye pieces.

They both work for people wearing eye glasses.

I have owned,and presently own both.

When considering high end optics, you should really try to compare them side by side in person.
Everyone’s eyes are different, and what looks best to someone else, might not be best for you.
To my eyes, the Leica Ultra-vid HDs are best. They are sharper and crisper, show more detail and realistic color then the Swaro HDs or top of the line Zeiss.
But that is what it looks like TO MY EYES, I personally know experienced hunters and optics experts who prefer the Swaros, and I have talked to respected authorities who rate Zeiss best.
The fact is, you can’t go wrong with any of the big three.

I got them all in that power. For my eye's Leica more power better choice for my eye's

I agree, Leica has always worked best for me.

The CS issue sucks, but I've bought a lot more expensive things with no warranty.

There is a 'fire member I personally know who has been trying to collect on his Passsport warranty with little success--unless he coughs up $300 to Leica.

Leica's warranty and CS stinks.

Casey