Leica Ultravid 8X42BR.

[musicman1971]

i have read up about these the cheapest supplier i can find in the uk is binoculars uk. however it takes 3 weeks from placing the order to them landing on your door.

[maximus otter]

...the cheapest supplier i can find in the uk is binoculars uk...

I did some serious Googling when I bought mine ~2 years ago, and the best deal then was from Sherwoods Photo in Warks.

http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/leica...oculars_fs.htm

sorry guys i think they are over rated....

I have before me the review of the 8 x 42 Ultravid in Bird Watching of November 2003:

Design & build rating: 9.5 out of 10

Optical rating: 9.5 out of 10

Mechanical rating: 9.5 out of 10

I'll settle for that...

maximus otter

[manxteddy]

7x42 Trinovid
Been using mine for 14 years.
Truly excellent performance.
You have to pay for quality with binoculars.
Graham

[nice one]

i have used them side by side with ace avian and they pi$$ al over them you dont have to pay big money for quality unless your a snob .....

[Marky610]

I was reading some reports on the Avian bino's and although they said they were optically very good they said that the poor field of view spoilt them.

[maximus otter]

i have used them side by side with ace avian and they pi$$ al over them you dont have to pay big money for quality unless your a snob .....

Yep, Trabants are just as good as Mercedes, and only a snob would think otherwise.

That's why people like Bill Oddie - who depend professionally on their kit, and can use whatever they want - all choose Ace Avians.

Oh wait! Bill chooses Leica!



maximus otter

[nice one]

ace avians ARE BETTER leicas are ok for looking at bird tables 30 feet away

[Rapid. 17]

i have used them side by side with ace avian and they pi$$ al over them you dont have to pay big money for quality unless your a snob .....

I too have a pair of Ace Avian F 8 x 42. I have compared them to pair of expensive similar spec Leica's (Trinovid BN iirc) and a pair of Swarovski EL 8.5 x 42 and there was nothing in it in repect of optical quality. The Ace Avian F 8 X 42 is a top quality bargain. I compared them with the Swarovski's in a retailers and the guy in the shop had a look at the Avians and agreed they were top quality for a very reasonable price.

Geoff.

[nice one]

its true aceavians take some beating i have a pair of nikon 700 new and the ace avians are opticaly just the same .......

[Nemesis]

Aha! A thread about binoculars - excellent. I use binoculars professionally and also for leisure pursuits and received a pair of 8x32 Leica Trinovids for my 50th birthday. I also have a pair of the little travel-sized Ultravids, 8x20 or thereabouts. I've used Opticrons for around 20 years at work and now have several pairs, the 8x30 Verano being my overall favourites. Recently, after a trip to an Essex Wildlife reserve, I added a pair of Swift 8x42 Horizons to my collection, having donated a few old pairs to their appeal.

So, where's this heading? Well, the Leicas are undeniably fine optics, although rather heavy for their size. The Trinovids have a nice-smelling leather strap and case. They also have a focussing wheel that feels as if it's been fashioned out of an old bleach bottle top, really unpleasant to use unless you're wearing gloves. The Veranos have excellent optics as well as a very smooth focussing wheel which lacks the stiffness of the Leicas and the "lost motion" of the rather quirky Swifts.

The big eye-opener was the Hawke range. Whilst at Hanningfield, I tried almost every pair of binoculars in the display case and I have to say that these Chinese Hawkes are excellent optics and astonishing value for money. The same goes for their scopes: I use Bausch & Lomb and Leupold but it's hard to fault these Hawkes. Again, value for money is amazing. Take a look at these things before you cough up for costly German or Austrian glass.

Finally to Bill Oddie. If you were watching closely during the last Springwatch series, you'll have noted that the famous Leicas were not in evidence. Bill kept his binox hidden under his arm for the most part but they looked like Swarovskis to me!