Husq2100 Posted December 12, 2010 Share #1 Posted December 12, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) hello all, im looking at 2nd hand Leica binoculars. Looking at mostly the Trinovid, 8x42 as these seem to be the most common. what are the differences betwween BA and BN? cheers, Serg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 12, 2010 Posted December 12, 2010 Hi Husq2100, Take a look here Leica Binocular ???. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
lars_bergquist Posted December 12, 2010 Share #2 Posted December 12, 2010 "B" stands for Brille, i.e. spectacles-compatible, "A" for armiert, rubber-protected. The designation "N" came in after 2000, meaning nah, near, i.e. close-focusing. The old man from the Squinting Age Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 12, 2010 Share #3 Posted December 12, 2010 Excellent binoculars. The type you need is largely determined by the use you plan to make of the binoculars. The stability of the viewing platform andyour hands isimportant. For instance fornautical purposes it is unwise to have stronger ones than 8x, as you will be waving them about. For wildlife observation from a hide10x or 12x are excellent. Don't underestimate the importance of being able to hold them steady. If you want to use themi n low light the "Dämmerungszahl" which is mainly related to the lens diameter is important. Larger front lens = brighter. For general use I would recommend 8x32. For Safari 10x42.For sailing 8x42. If 10x42 feels too heavy,use 10x32. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted December 12, 2010 Share #4 Posted December 12, 2010 I have a pair of 8x32 Trinovids and I would back Jaapv's comments about them being very good for general use. A few months ago I could have bought 8x42s at a good price and I tried them for a few days side by side with the 8x32s. In the end I stayed with the 8x32s because of weight and portability (they will fit in a decent pocket) but there was no doubt about the brighter view with the 8x42s which were very tempting indeed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuny Posted December 12, 2010 Share #5 Posted December 12, 2010 If portability is your major concern, and using them in low light is not a need, there are Trinovid and Ultravid 8x20 and 10x25 models. We've traveled with 10x25 models for about a dozen years and recommend them highly. The Ultravids are slightly better performing, cost significatly more, and are guaranteed waterproof. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrh68uk Posted December 12, 2010 Share #6 Posted December 12, 2010 Yesterday I stumbled upon a pair of 10x32 Trinovid BA. For a long time I've been thinking about getting a decent pair of bins that I can use comfortably with glasses (my current Nikons are compact and don't have enough eye relief for use with glasses) and, of course, I'd had Leica in mind but dismissed due to cost. So there they were, in the window, at £699, and I got chatting to the guy in the shop. They sell other brands (many around the £100 - 200 mark) and I asked to compare. The Leicas had clearly been well looked after (I have since found out that these were made between 1998 and 2001 when the BN series superseded them) and there was an instant "wow" when looking through. The ones I was given for comparison were OK - very good, in fact - but the Leicas were calling me I knocked them down to £650 and took them. Glad I went for them, as I won't need another pair as long as they last - which should be a long time - and they are superb. Their current nearest equivalent is, I think, the Ultravid HD 32 which is a bit more compact, has updated optics and costs around £1400 or so. I'm not sure how much better they are than mine nor whether I paid over the odds for used ones, but I have Leica bins which I'd thought I'd never have. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
integrale Posted December 12, 2010 Share #7 Posted December 12, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have a very nice pair of Ultravid 10 x 42 BL. I have used them for about 4 years (primarily for hunting), and they are superb. When purchasing these, I also considered Swarovski EL 10x42; it was a close call in respect of image quality, but in the end the retro look of the Leica got me - I thoroughly enjoy using them. I fully agree with Jaapv's excellent summing up above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 12, 2010 Share #8 Posted December 12, 2010 I have a pair of the 10 x 25 Trinovids. Great travel binos. When buying them, I tried about 10 different types all around this size range. The Leica, Swarkowski and Zeiss were a country mile ahead of the rest for clarity and 3D imaging. I chose the Leica, as I liked the format, the pop in/out spectacles eyepieces and sturdy folding mechanism. After 10 years and much use, they are as good as new. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scsambrook Posted December 12, 2010 Share #9 Posted December 12, 2010 If I had a 'pair' of binoculars, then I would have one for each hand . . . Very nice if they're Leica ones ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husq2100 Posted December 12, 2010 Author Share #10 Posted December 12, 2010 Thank you all very much for the helpful information. cheers, Serg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 13, 2010 Share #11 Posted December 13, 2010 The Trinovids are of course super binoculars, but note that the current Ultravids are even better - brighter, better contrast and considerably lighter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted December 13, 2010 Share #12 Posted December 13, 2010 Just for chat, I seem to have read somewhere that the Leica and Zeiss binoculars come indeed from the same factory (Portugal ?) ... I wonder if glass too is the same: personally I have a 8x20 Zeiss, 18 years old (still in warranty... 30 years...) : by far my most frequent usage is in mountains: lightness and pocketability are the main factor in such environment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husq2100 Posted December 15, 2010 Author Share #13 Posted December 15, 2010 Is there anywhere other than Ebay to find good prices on new or second hand items? how much should I be paying for 10x42 BN? how much for second hand/good condition 8x32 BA? thanks for all the help cheers, Serg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 16, 2010 Share #14 Posted December 16, 2010 Is there anywhere other than Ebay to find good prices on new or second hand items? how much should I be paying for 10x42 BN? how much for second hand/good condition 8x32 BA? thanks for all the help cheers, Serg Binoculars are one of those things I would not buy off eBay, without a very firm refund agreement. If they have been dropped at any point the alignment could be off and I am not sure if that is repairable. I suspect the best you could do is to find a pair of ex-demo binoculars, for which I am guessing you would have to pay around 75-80% of new price. I bought a pair of Steiner Night Hunter 8 x 56 binoculars at a local executor's sale. I asked the auctioneer at the viewing if I left my wallet with him, he would allow me to take them outside to have a good look through them, which he did. They looked like they had never been used but the case/bag was missing. I got them for £85. This was about 10 years ago and they cost around £500 new then. They are very good but not something you would want to be carrying around much - heavvvvvvy. I would love to find a pair of ex-naval coastal observation binoculars to have in my French house which sits at the edge of a 1000 foot high escarpment. A friend found a set a couple of years ago. Japanese WW2 vintage 40 x 160 in polished aluminium and brass, with a wood and brass tripod. Sadly the optics have deteriorated and really need to be replaced - it is always a foggy day through them Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 16, 2010 Share #15 Posted December 16, 2010 I seem to remember that Leica binoculars have an unlimited guaranty. Certainly the one or two times I had to send them in I did not have to pay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted December 16, 2010 Share #16 Posted December 16, 2010 Is there anywhere other than Ebay to find good prices on new or second hand items? how much should I be paying for 10x42 BN? how much for second hand/good condition 8x32 BA? thanks for all the help cheers, Serg Some Leica dealers (such as Red Dot Cameras in London) sell used Leica Binoculars - have a look through camera dealer's web sites and you should get a feel for what is available and prices. I think that new Leca binoculars have a 30 year warranty for the original purchaser but I don't think that this is of a passport type (so it doesn't transfer). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 16, 2010 Share #17 Posted December 16, 2010 Well. that seems a bit difficult - it is unreasonable to expect the owner to keep proof of purchase for 30 years - and there is no obligation to register them. Leica guaranties are normally transferable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 16, 2010 Share #18 Posted December 16, 2010 I would also assume the guarantee would not cover impact damage but only manufacturing defects and material deterioration (seals etc). On my 10 x 25 Trinovids, the coating on the eyepiece lenses has started to wear slightly - would that be covered or would that be simply "normal usage wear and tear"? Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husq2100 Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share #19 Posted December 17, 2010 Thanks again, here is some Im watching on ebay now: *Brand New* Leica Trinovid BN (10x42) Binocular Olive - eBay (item 310221774585 end time Dec-17-10 10:13:18 PST) how much would have these normally retailed for? im guess they are the real thing and not some cheap copy. cheers, Serg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted December 17, 2010 Share #20 Posted December 17, 2010 Thanks again, here is some Im watching on ebay now: *Brand New* Leica Trinovid BN (10x42) Binocular Olive - eBay (item 310221774585 end time Dec-17-10 10:13:18 PST) how much would have these normally retailed for? im guess they are the real thing and not some cheap copy. cheers, Serg This seller looks to be selling pretty high end stuff, albeit at somewhat optimistic prices but I think you would be quite safe in assuming it is the genuine article. I think I am correct in saying that the Trinovid 10 x 42 is an obsolete model and that only the Ultravid and rangefinding Geovid models are current in this size. From memory, this model was last sold new in the UK at around £1,000 to £1,100 but Leica prices have moved fairly sharply upwards recently, so I don't think the price is unfair if no bargain. I feel if you are prepared to wait, you might do better than this. Alternatively try an offer on this. Most shops in Hong Kong are never insulted if you bargain and I don't imagine stuff is exactly flying off the shelves at the moment. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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