Guys

Considering new binos for a safari and the 8x42 ultravid BR has my attention. Can you recommend them or somethign better?

Do not think you could do any better... Unless you want to go with something lighter..

Mike

Don't overlook the Leica compacts.

In the weight department, less is more on long days.

I use the older model Leica trinovid in 10x42. Not sure how old you are, but the 8x42 is likely to have an exit pupil larger than your own pupil can dilate to (divide 42 by 8 and read the answer in mm). The ten power is on the edge for late morning and afternoon heat shimmer, but it works for me in getting a good look not only at game, but at birds and smaller animals and is easy to carry under my off shoulder armpit.

All said, if you want 8x, go with the Leica ultravid 8x32. If you can use the extra magnification, go for the 10x42 which probably isn't that much heavier than the 8x42 you are considering.

Regards

You can't go wrong with leica.

I use the 10x50 ultravid and would not trade them.

for what it's worth, I took both 10x40 Zeiss and 8x20 Swarovski's (their "pocket" model)...I found that I used the 8x20's almost all the time, truthfully used 10x40's only one day for comparision. Since all of my hunting was daylight, no real need for high "twilight factor", the 8 oz Swaro's were great.

I have the 8x32 Trinovids. I prefer this smaller, lighter bino rather than 10x's. But I also really prefer the 8x20 compact Liecas for any use when tracking or walking is involved.

JPK

i am now thinking the 7x42 ultravid
wide FOV
6mm exit pupil practically elimiates any eyestrain
bright
26+ oz
is 7x enough?

I used the 8x42 Ultravids. They worked great. They're light enough that I don't think you'll notice the weight.

On my last trip to RSA/Zimbabwe, I was lucky enough to sit in on several PH's talking about this year's hunting/clients.

One gripe kind of hit home with me. They said too many clients when getting ready to shoot, seeing their PH examining the prospective animal failed to get their rifle on the sticks but picked up their binoculars to examine the animal. One PH said he had a client lose opportunities at two 40" buffalo by glassing rather than shooting. In frustration he finally told the guy to find his own buffalo, since he was a better judge of what a trophy was then the PH!

Thinking back at my hunts I only used my binoculars for game viewing, never on the stalk relying on the expertise of the PH and tracker as to which one to shoot and when.

All these PH's had quality optics, mostly Leica's.

I've been fortunate enough to be using the Leitz Trinovid 7 x 42's for over 30 years and they are still a glass to be respected. I would add that they are "steadier" than the 10X's when huffing and puffing along the trail.

i fully agree with hacksawtom. part of what you pay a PH to do is judge trophy quality. if you think you are a better judge than he, get the bigger magnification glasses and go for it. i also find that most of the glassing i do now is just general wildlife viewing. i use Zeiss 8x30 most of the time but occassionally i will take my Zeiss 10x40 if i think the terrain will allow for longer distance viewing. when you PH says "shoot the bastard" you don't want to have binos in your hands instead of a rifle!!

quote:

Thinking back at my hunts I only used my binoculars for game viewing, never on the stalk relying on the expertise of the PH and tracker as to which one to shoot and when.

This is true. As is the rest of your post.

That why I like the 3x32's for the truck and the 8x20's for the walking and stalking. Anything you see, that you shouldn't be looking through your scope at, is easily seen with the 8x20's.

JPK

The first year I went to Zimbabwe I used 8x30 Swarovski's. They did fine. Next year I took 10x40 Swarovski's. They did better. The next 6 times I took 10x50 Swarovski's. They did best of all. I should admit that I derive almost as much pleasure bird watching as I do hunting. The PH I hunt with uses Leica's and I don't know how many times he has asked to use my 10x50's to check an animal. The only time I use the glasses to look at the animal I'm about to shoot is if I can't really see him well and it's easier to find him in the glasses than the scope. I really prefer the Swarovski's to the Leitz or Zeiss glasses. I don't reccomend the 10's as they are quite heavy ,but don't really bother me. I would prefer the 8.5x42EL's except my inter-pupil distance is quite narrow and the EL's don't come close enough together to use. To me the EL's are the perfect hunting glasses. Second choice would be Kahles. They are quite reasonably priced also.

I used the Leica compact 10x25 and they were perfect. I recommend wearing a shirt or jacket with a chest pocket and put the bino strap around your neck and drop the binos in the pocket. You can carry them all day comfortably and a small 8 or 10x is all you'll need.

I took a pair of 10x25 Ultravids and a pair of 10x42 Geovids to Namibia last year.

My PH, Mike Kibble grabbed the Geovids instantly and used them for the entire hunt.......I didn't have to lug them around and relied on the Compacts.

I have also used the old 12X50 Trinovids for long range 'roo shooting.........they can't be beat, except by a pair of 12X50 Ultravids or the Duovids.

These birdwatchers think the Leica Ultravid is the best binocular in the world.

http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/binocular_advisor.html

http://www.birdwatching.com/optics/leica_ultravid.html

On my first trip I took 8x30 Swarovski's.
They worked great.

On my second trip I took Leica 8x42 Geovids [with the built in rangefinder].

On my 3rd trip I tool Lieca 8x20's.

I wear my bino's ALL the time while hunting.

I found the 8x42's a little bit and heavy.

The 8x20's gave me all the "bino" that I needed for normal hunting.

The bigger glass would be better for a leopard blind, but usually you will be looking through tht scope so as to limit any movement changing from one to the other.

Based on my 3 trips to Zim I thing the 8x20's are just about perfect.

PS until the last Safari I was not a fan of the small compact binos, however I have used them a lot since and with the exception of early and late in the day find their size and weight ideal for use even in rough country for elk and black bear.

We had Leica, Swarovski and Zeiss binoculars on our hunt this year.

And without a doubt, everyone seems to think the Leicas are clearer.

quote:

Originally posted by zimbabwe:
The first year I went to Zimbabwe I used 8x30 Swarovski's. They did fine. Next year I took 10x40 Swarovski's. They did better. The next 6 times I took 10x50 Swarovski's. They did best of all. I should admit that I derive almost as much pleasure bird watching as I do hunting. The PH I hunt with uses Leica's and I don't know how many times he has asked to use my 10x50's to check an animal. The only time I use the glasses to look at the animal I'm about to shoot is if I can't really see him well and it's easier to find him in the glasses than the scope. I really prefer the Swarovski's to the Leitz or Zeiss glasses. I don't reccomend the 10's as they are quite heavy ,but don't really bother me. I would prefer the 8.5x42EL's except my inter-pupil distance is quite narrow and the EL's don't come close enough together to use. To me the EL's are the perfect hunting glasses. Second choice would be Kahles. They are quite reasonably priced also.

My experience is the same as Zimbabwe's. I used 8x30 Swaro's, then bought 10x50 Swaro's. We used the 10x50's for bird watching and long range animal study. I carried the 8's and used them sparingly relying on the PH and trackers.

Leica Ultravids 8x32....best of the lot I think, good tradeoff between magnification, weight and exit pupil (light transmission) qualities. jorge

i cant understand why some one would choose the 8x32 over the 10x32...im happy to be enlightened as to why !!!!
go for the 10x32 s
Daniel

Better FOV, more steady picture because of less magnification and perhaps most importantly, greater light transmission given the larger exit pupil size of the 8X. jorge

As with JPK, I also use Trinnovids in 8x30 but if the 8x30 ULTRAVIDS came out in the light weight leather covering I would probably be tempted to up grade.

I just used a pair of Leica 10x42 Ultravids on a 21-day safari. They are great glasses. My wife used a pair of 8x32 Swarovski's and they also worked great.

For my money, I would pick either the 8x32 or 10x42 Leica Ultravids. If I was just looking for glasses for use in Africa, then I would go with the 8x32, but if I wanted to also use the same glasses in the mountains, then I would get the 10x42's

no 7x42 fans here????

quote:

Originally posted by PATRIOT76:
no 7x42 fans here????

They are great for forest hunting but the 8x30 are just fine in Africa.
For my Lion hunt I wanted the best light gathering bino's for any use on twilight. I found the small 8x30 gathered more light than my 10x40 Zeiss Classics.
The 10x40 and 7x40 have a far better field of view for spotting game but in most of Africa you use them to watch a particular animal or glass clearings where the 8x30 are fine.

In the good news/bad news binocular department is word on the Leica website that last month they released an upgraded version of the Ultravid models that have objectives greater than 32 (8x32, 10x32, 10x42 etc.). Known as Ultravid HD, these are superior to the already superb original Ultravids in having better glass and a coating that sheds water. The bad news is that they are more expensive and are so new that you are unlikely to get a deal or to be able to find high condition used ones.

Regards

Hi guys:

Another vote for the Leica lighter Trinovid
8 X 32 BN...great glass and probably a pound lighter than my Swaro. It's the perfect size and weight.

Regards... Jim P.

M 98

I prefer 8x over 10x because when I am stalking a lot of the time I am using the binos with one hand.

I can hold the 8x steadier that 10x

Why not 7x42??? I have set of Swarovski Habigt in 7x42.
They are a great glass.
Too big to stalk with, I like them when night hunting in a blind for pigs, leopard, lion etc.

I also like them when bear hunting over bait.

7x42 SLCnew is what i am getting.... liked it better than the leica

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:
As with JPK, I also use Trinnovids in 8x30 but if the 8x30 ULTRAVIDS came out in the light weight leather covering I would probably be tempted to up grade.

Up graded anyway.

Been trying to find Leica 8x30 Trinovids for my buddy's wife, but they've been discontinued in favor of the Ultravid 8x32's, with a hefty price increase. I've used 8x42 Trinovids on two hunts. Last hunt, my PH was using Duovids. He liked them for judging trophies at long range.

The Leica 8x42 Trinovids are a bit on the heavy side at 31.6 oz. if you use the neck strap, but a harness is really handy and I don't even notice them. The 8x42 Trinovids have also been discontinued for the pricer Ultravid, but they're still out there at a decent discount.

I'm a big Leica fan and I don't think you will find a "better" bino out there. I have had a Swaro 7x42, Leica 10x42 and have used the Leica Duovid 8-12 for many years. My hunting party uses 2 Trinovid 10-42s, my Duovids, and one 10-42 Ultravid. These binos are used pretty hard and are still doing their job, as they should!

All of us use a "bino buddy" or similar harness for carry, not the factory strap. The weight isn't an issue for us. On horseback my binos have met my saddle horn on many of occasion and take it in stride.

Mind you this is high desert hunting and not an African DG hunt. We feel the 10x is a good choice for the hunting we do. The Geovid 10x rangefinder bino is to be looked into, and lusted after a guest hunter used one this year.

I really like the "full size" binos instead of the compact models. My eyes need all the brightness and resolution I can get. YMMV.

Leica makes VERY good stuff. Handle and look through the various models and choose the one that seems the best for you!

John

Patriot 76 - I have used larger binocs in past hunts but during an Aug/Sept hunt/tour of Namibia I was very well served by Leica 10x25 Trinovids and never felt at a disadvantage. However, I will probably upgrade to a larger pair for future hunts (10x30 or 10/40) (just for more capability).

I recommend them. There is nothing better.

quote:

I used the 8x42 Ultravids. They worked great. They're light enough that I don't think you'll notice the weight.

Since writing the above in 2007, I have returned from a DG hunt in Zimbabwe. After the first day I left my binoculars in the truck and relied on my PH to tell me what was a good trophy. When he pointed out a good one I looked at it with the riflescope.

The difference between DG in Zim and plains game in RSA is that you walk--a lot. I noticed the weight.

I also noticed that the PH used 8x32. I may get some.

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
Been trying to find Leica 8x30 Trinovids for my buddy's wife, but they've been discontinued in favor of the Ultravid 8x32's, with a hefty price increase. I've used 8x42 Trinovids on two hunts. Last hunt, my PH was using Duovids. He liked them for judging trophies at long range.

The Leica 8x42 Trinovids are a bit on the heavy side at 31.6 oz. if you use the neck strap, but a harness is really handy and I don't even notice them. The 8x42 Trinovids have also been discontinued for the pricer Ultravid, but they're still out there at a decent discount.

Try the used market. There are some dealers who always have a couple of great condition high end used binos, spotting scopes, etc on hand from trade ins. CameraLand in NY comes to mind, but there are others. Ussually attractive prices, sometimes really great deals.

JPK

I too am a convert to binocs in the 8 X 20 or 10 X 25 range for Africa hunting. Strap over the neck, into the vest or shirt pocket and they are always handy and most importantly out of the way when it comes to show time. While looking for my "compacts" I checked out Leica, Swaro, Zeiss and Nikon. Had a chance to look at all four together and spent a lot of time comparing them in daylight as well as lower light conditions. I was surprised at the results and chose the Nikon 8 X 20 Premier LX. They were the clearest and easiest to manipulate of the four and the price tag of just over $400.00 sealed the deal. Price was not the overall factor as I already own a pair of 8 X 32 Leica Trinovids and a 8.5 X 42 Swaro EL's (#1 in todays binos). They simply were the best of the lot. Two trips to Namibia, and a lot of use bowhunting deer in the Midwest have made these Nikons' my go to bino for most "hunting" scenarios. My other two pair still receive lots of attention, for extended glassing, Western hunts, sightseeing and the like. But for the upcoming trip to Mozambique it's the 8 X 20 Nikons that will be flying solo for this one. This glass is not available in very many places and I don't know why. Sportmans Warehouse in Albuquerque always seem to have a pair in 8X and 10 X in stock. You really have to see them for yourself to appreciate.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member