Leicas Duovid's

LittleBear · Dec 1, 2003

I know how important good glass is to alot of hunters and I realize most of you are going to tell me to go with Sworo's. But have any of you had any expereince with the Leica 10x-15x by 50's. Or Leicas in general? Thanks. Andy

AZBuckSnort · Dec 2, 2003

I haven't had the opportunity to handle the Leica Duovids yet so I can't make a comment about them; however, I own another Leica binocular and a couple of Swarovski binoculars and like them all. If I had to choose only one pair it would be a fairly easy choice to head out with the Leicas.

Jesse Gillard (Guest) · Dec 2, 2003

I use leupolds alot and they work really good in my opinion they work just as god as Leicas and swravski they just don't work as good in low lite conditions. But isn't that much of a difference in my opinion if i were you i would look into them they are just as good optics but at half the price.

dryflyelk · Dec 3, 2003

I haven't tried the duovids, but I own a pair of the 10x50 BA's. They are truely superb glass. I was set to buy the "best", and after recieving tons of opinions, I realized that "best" is subjective. If you go with Swaros, Zeiss, or Leica you won't be disappointed. I went with the Leicas for two reasons: I got them used on ebay for a great price, a lot less than comparable Swaros, and the guys at Bearbasin.com recommended them to me. The guy I talked with said that more guys that work there use Leica than anything else.
I have heard great things about the duovids and I am sure you would be happy with them. I have been tempted to sell my current pair to buy some.

Steve (Guest) · Dec 3, 2003

Good Morning,
I have a good friend who is a guide here in Northern Arizona, and one of his clients had the 10-15 x 50's, and he said they were really clear, and was very impressed by them. It takes a lot ot impress Timo too. I like the idea that you can have it at 10 power, and then zoom up to 15, etc.
I currently have the 15x56 SLC's, and need a smaller bino for getting around with. I was seriously thinking about getting a 10x42 SLC or Leica, but after hearing about this new bino, I am going to get a pair after I sell my 15x56 SLC's. I really like the idea of having two-binos-in-one. Maybe I should still get it (Duovid's), and keep the SLC's too.... Decisions! Decisions!
Going down to the gun show in Phoenix this weekend, and will stop at the Sportsmans Warehouse to take a look at a pair.
Thanks,
Steve

LittleBear · Dec 3, 2003

What is the warrantee like on the Leicas? Is it unconditional like on the swaro's? Like even if its your fault theyll fixem? For that kinda $ Id hope so. Thanks

LittleBear · Dec 3, 2003

Yea I like the idea of them being variable as well. And there not quite as big as the 15 by 56's so thats good for carrying them as neck glass. Some people say that it is hard to make good glass if you have to compromise to make the optics adjustable? Is this true. Andy

NUNYA (Guest) · Dec 4, 2003

I LOVE mine!!!!

Bullet (Guest) · Dec 4, 2003

Hi Little Bear,

I own a pair of Swarovski 8.5 x 42 EL's and they are great. Excellent glass, light weight magnesium frame and rubber armored and water proof.
I handled and looked through Zeiss, Lieca and Swarovski before I bought and chose the Swarovski EL's as the best for my application.
I recently went to an optics store with my neighbor to help him get a pair of optics.

The top 3 brands are all excellent and you are splitting hairs when making comparisons. Same when it comes to their price tags.

The Duovids were excellent as far as clarity and brightness. They are rugged as well. This is due to their design. They are not variable between 10 to 15 power. Its one setting or the other. I think this makes them robust. The only thing that I found unacceptable about them was the weight. They were a hell of alot heavier than any of the other fixed brands. I would not be able to carry them around my neck for very long.

On a side note let me mention a pair of binoculars that I found to be the best value of all time. The Pentax 8 x 43 DCF. this is a new model for this year. Cost approx. $500. Quality, comparable to the top 3. I kid you not. If I would have seen these before I bought my swaro's, I would have bought these instead. My buddy bought them and loves them.

Make sure you buy the 43mm Objective lens size. That is the best way to tell them apart from their old models which all had 42mm objective lenses and they just were not a clear as the new ones with the 43MM objectives. These also have a magnesium frame like the EL's, rubber armor, shock and water proof, and fully multi coated glass surfaces. They are truly a bargain for the money.
Find a optics store that carries all these brands and compare for your self.

Goodluck,
Bullet, out

1BigDeer · Dec 4, 2003

I don't own the Duovid, but I do own Leica 10 X 42 binos. To me the only comparable glasses are the Swaro EL's. They are in my pickup every day if they're not around my neck. I would expect the Duovid to be every bit as good. When I was seriously looking at top-end glass I asked sheep hunters what they used. It was almost 100% Lecia. If it is good enough for sheep hunters, it's good enough for me!

Dave

festus (Guest) · Dec 4, 2003

dude make your brother pay!!!! i mean it make him pay!!!! really pay!!! to all reading this thread lttle bears baby bear brother bet him that he couldn't shoot more that 3 animals with a long bow in a year(besides javo) the dude has bagged a bear, a coues and a lion! what a stud. now his brother has to buy him any glass he wants. once again if it was me i would go for the 10-15x50 leicas with the LIFETIME PASSPORT WARRANTY. 2 binos in one can't be beat, time to get rid of those cap't crunch binos you been wearing and buy the last pair you will ever need. (that is unless you want to get 2 swarovski 65 mm sts spotting scopes and have a machinest mount them in tandem like some lunatics.)

down with duo (Guest) · Dec 5, 2003

if you look closely at the specs, the duovid only has a little more field of view on 10X as the Swarovski 15x56's and at 15x they have a lot less than the Swaro's 15's. If you are going down to 10x there is absolutely no advantage unless you pick up field of view. You will be looking at the same amount of area but everything will be smaller.

LittleBear (Guest) · Dec 8, 2003

Yea its a toss up? And what kind a psyco would wanna use star binoculars to look for animals? He needs a beating. spotting scopes. HA

Alaskajim (Guest) · Dec 9, 2003

Pentax

Check out the Pentax bino's too. The Asians have figured out the phase-coating process and do it cheaper than the europeans. I bought 2 pair of Pentax DCF SP 12.5 x 50's and they are as good or better than any european model. Shockproof, waterproof and life time warranty. Half the price of the european models.

Ranger (Guest) · Dec 16, 2003

Try the Leica Ultravids. I promise you , you will not be dissapointed. Without offending anyone, compare them with all the others. They have to be the best optices on the market today. I have looked through and studied the optic qualities on hundreds of others and the only one that comes close are the Swavos EL's.

downwithduo (Guest) · Dec 19, 2003

The ultravid is a Swaorvski EL in a leica body, all the way down to the magnesium frame.

jthunt · Dec 21, 2003

The Swarovski EL are an awesome binocular I have the 10x42 BA Leica's and enjoyed the Swarovski's because of the weight. I ended up selling the Swarovskis because I prefered the glass in the Leica's better. I know its in the eye of the beholder and they are an excellent binocular. I am also in the market for a set of the duovids. After looking at a set of Swarovski 15x56s I must look through the duovids before making a decision. And for you guys trying to save a little money on buying inexpencive binoculars most of us have already gone down that path and spent tons of money on crappy binoculars that say they are as good as LEICA SWAROVSKI AND ZEISS there not.

Ranger (Guest) · Dec 29, 2003

Swav in a Leica body? They are similar but the optics are definitly different between the two. I sell them to people who know optics and they can definitly tell the differnce. Swav has a wonderful ad campain. Every hunting video has a guy holding a pair. You can't be a hunter without a pair. They are a wonderful pair of optics but the Ultravids do have them beat.

JAD29 (Guest) · Dec 30, 2003

Ranger
where do you sell the ultravids? i was thinking of buying a pair 8 x 42 br

Jad

Jad (Guest) · Dec 31, 2003

I sell them at Cabela's. People are just starting to ask about them and want to check them out. They can't keep them in stock. 8+42 are very good also.

Ranger (Guest) · Dec 31, 2003

Sorry Jad the last post came up as your name on the reply.

alaskajim (Guest) · Jan 3, 2004

I can teel you this.....

like my previous post said, I bought 2 pair of Pentax bino's for hunting. They are superior to Leica's and at least as good as Swaro's, both of which I have owned over the years. I used them very extensively this year, using them here in AK more in one season than most of you would use them in a lifetime. Tehy were being used virtually every day since end of July. I'm sold on them. If you don't mind buying something from the Asians, they are a great product. I would personally like an American or European model, but they just don't cut the mustard in the field. If you got the opportunity, compare them all.

Ranger (Guest) · Jan 7, 2004

Cabela's

JAD29 · Jan 7, 2004

>if you look closely at the
>specs, the duovid only has
>a little more field of
>view on 10X as the
>Swarovski 15x56's and at 15x
>they have a lot less
>than the Swaro's 15's.
>If you are going down
>to 10x there is absolutely
>no advantage unless you pick
>up field of view.
>You will be looking at
>the same amount of area
>but everything will be smaller.
>

I'm not sure where these specs came from, but they are wrong according to the lecia website 10-15x50 at 1000 yards 10x fov 295ft, 15x fov 230ft. Swarovski website 15x56 slc fov 1000 yards 231ft.

I did notice a cabelas catalog I have fov is listed incorrectly, maybe that is were the bad info came from.

I do agree fov is important, there are alot of rave reviews on the pentax sps, kahles, minox, brunton and other mid-high priced binos mostly japanese, but you hardly ever hear how the fov on the 8 powers is much much smaller then the lecia, swarovski, nikon models. normally 315ft vs 390ft. huge difference, like 40% more viewing area. The 10x fov diffences are not as extreme but still enought to be considered.

Anyone had a chance to compare the 10-15 duovid to the swarvoski slc 15 x56?

Thanks
Jad

Ps Thanks Ranger i have a buddy that works at cabelas checking on ultravids for me

halfslam · Feb 22, 2004

Yes i have a pair of the 10x15x50 Duovids and i can only say one thin they slam all other optics.i have compared them to sworski and zeiss side by side an they are awesome i love them.you can not possibly go wrong.

SoTX · Feb 23, 2004

Ranger
You are absolutly right. The glass is uneaqualed in the Ultravids. One look through the 10x42s and I had to have them. AWESOME.
Swarovski has marketed the hell out of their product and done a damn good job of it. But the Ultravids have them beat hands down when it comes to quality.

Steve (Guest) · Feb 23, 2004

I just got a pair of the 10x15x50 Duovid greens in the mail
this past Saturday, and they are pretty good. I sold
my 15x56 SLC's to a good friend for $1,100 with the
tripod mount also.
The tripod mount for the Duovid's is a little different,
as you strap it on top of the mount. Looks like you can
strap other binos as well.
The only thing I am questioning on the Leica's, is that
they didn't come with any "Objective Lens Covers". The
SLC's come with them. I was looking around the internet
looking for some lens covers, and seem to not find any, and
even went to the Leica.com site, and they didn't offer any.
Semper Fi.
Steve

Foreman4x4 (Guest) · Feb 23, 2004

Steve,

Here's a link where you should be able to find exactly what you're looking for http://www.eagleoptics.com/index.asp?dept=1&type=19&subtype=273&purch=1

Scroll through the pages because they have a couple different types of objective lens covers. The nice thing is, I believe their listed price includes shipping.