I am very fond of the Ultravids. The exception being the 12x50.
I find the balance a bit off and the shape does not help with that. Add the short eye relief on top of that and it is simply not working for me. First time I tried one out was before I had glasses and I was used to "long handheld optics".
It has been a while since I looked through one though, but memory is that it was the most awkward of the Leica UV:s.
I found the EL to be so much more generous in the eye box and the handling better but I have no recollection of difference in focuser etc since it has literally been years between the experiences.
There is a store some fifteen minutes from my workshop that has the EL and the UVHD+ in stock so I have been thinking of stopping by one day and just compare 12X binos, again.
Just for the fun of it, my Meopta 12x50HD is going nowhere.
Leica RANT - feel free to skip this part:
There has always been that something with Ultravids that I have had a hard time to shake. My dream bino back in the days was always the 7x42 UV. I went for the Zeiss FL8x32 for many years with no complaints. That was life before glasses. Also I was not paying attention to AFOV very much as I was so used to looking through narrow viewfinders as a photographer (including Leica M cameras).
Today, the 7x42 UVHD+ does feel a bit dated in regards to AFOV (as does the 8x32 FL) and I was never impressed with the focuser on the samples I tried. I bought a new 7x42 UVHD+ and had it serviced by Leica with a sticky focuser and it was returned to me after six weeks with a service certificate and was just as bad as when it was sent in.
I did later on order from another dealer and had a week with the SFL 8x40 and the 7x42 UVHD and there was no justification in keeping the Leica since the SFL did, for the most part, outperform the UVHD. And the focuser was still not that great on that UVHD. That was when I "gave up" on the 7x42 UV. I liked both but owning TWO expensive 7/8X binoculars when I actually use my Meopta 12x50 most seemed like a bad idea.
The view however, was always to my liking. Even if the SFL 8x40 would feel so much more immersive there is something the Ultravid view gave me during my two trials (different copies) with the 7x42 that I could not shake.
It all boiled down to me not accepting the price of the UVHD for the sum of all parts, ergonomics, focuser, close focus and AFOV given the price. Over time I would sometimes still pine for that UVHD look - which I honestly found a bit strange. I have for the most part been a more "clinical, sterile and sharp contrasty look" kind of guy when it comes to binos.
Some postings by members here kept resonating with me, sane people like Dries, Tenex and Conndomat have all had very good pragmatic and down to earth outlook on optics and I really respect that.
EDIT: that is not to say the rest of you are insane. I can't remember all the good advice and helpful insight and input from everyone.
Having two similar - yet different - binos usually makes ME indecisive, often thinking none of them are "right" for me, but together they do the job. The flaw with that way of thinking is that I personally often would miss the traits of the "other bino" when I am out with the stable mate. One of the problems is I actually like comparing.
I find that if I stick with one bino and_ just use it and don't compare it to other binos_ I usually only need a week or two to figure out if it is a keeper or not. Basically that is what happened when I boiled down my 7/8X range to "just" the SFL 8x40. It is arguably the "best" of all the 8x binos I have had and tried. It really is. Ergonomics are superb too, focuser is fast and precise.
BUT, my muscle memory is engrained with using x32 binos my whole life so it felt weirdly "bulky" despite being lighter and actually almost disappearing in use.
I figured I can't go through the whole 7x42 UV experience again but another binocular I particularly like is the Meopta 8x32 Meostar. I sold mine to a forum member over here in Sweden - with some regrets - but trying hard to not end up a bino hoarder.
So when I felt I missed that little side kick I was very excited to find new old stock of the B1.1 on sale.
Or so I thought. It turned out to be the older B1. With the previous diopter knob. Well, I can always send it back I thought but immediately when I picked it up I felt right at home. The binocular disappeared in hand and the view is immersive. Optically it is a little behind the best and outgunned by the SFL but man, does it feel great to use!
I decided to just use the Meostar for a few days, and not compare. I was so at home with it that I felt (again) that this is a keeper. Optics are great, perhaps not best in class - but the optics/handling is so comfortable. Also, with the uncertainty of the Meopta brand I see the purchase as an investment in binocular history.
Whatever happens to Meopta I am now the proud owner of two great binos from them, the 12x50, still my most used bino, and the 8x32 which I think is both cool, beautifully made and is a very well rounded performer. It has a rather slow focuser, but I have gotten used to it and the rest it does it does so well.
- Hey Man, what happened to the Leica rant?
Oh, yes, in the tail end of my mid life crisis with various binoculars I was so happy being reunited with the Meopta 8x32 that I started looking at trying out a used 7x42 UVHD, as I was still having memories of the great viewing experience. Totally ignoring my past evaluation from a year ago.
Also I thought that perhaps I could find a decent focuser on one unit some day. I had, after all, tried the 8x32 UVHD+ which had a very good focuser - but not the view I was after, with glasses.
Much to my surprise there was a 20% SALE on the 7x42 UVHD+ at a reputable online retailer (with a physical store).
I could not resist. If nothing else, I needed to bury the idea or make sure my missing the 7x42 was just wishful thinking. I felt bad ordering it since I had returned the previous Leica from the very same place and I was thinking it might very well be the same unit I will be getting again and if so, the focuser was very grainy.
But, to this day, about a month or so ago (whos counting days anyway) it arrived and proved to be the very first Leica 7x42 UVHD+ I have ever held that has GREAT focuser. Not perfect, but actually very, very good! Granted I have "only" tried four other 7x42 UVHD in hand but all the rest had pretty lousy focusers. I do get it now, that Ultravids can have very good focusers... ...I had just not had one for myself.
Well, what about the rest? I decided to just use the Leica for a week, and nothing else. It has not all been smooth sailing as I had some kidney beaning at first and adjusting the eye cups I felt the view was a bit narrow and adjusting back and forth I had trouble finding the sweet spot for me. Which has been true for most of the UV range for me anyway.
But, the 7x42 - even with all the slight inconveniences - has been so rewarding in use and after the first week and half I had worked out the ergonomics to my advantage - which was very difficult going back and forth from the SFL, since they are VERY different in that regard! The view really resonates with me and feels very calm and I do prefer the panning of the 7x42 over the SFL 8x40. For birds in flight the 7x42 is not the best for me, but for general use both the Meopta 8x32 and the 7x42 UVHD gives me some satisfaction in use - other than optical properties - that the SFL does not quite do as well for me.
I did let it sink in for a few weeks and continued to cycle the bins on a three to four day basis, use them every day and I ended up selling both my Zeiss binos the last couple of weeks.
The VP8x25 was my bird feeder bino, the Meopta does that just as well (though the Zeiss optics are a little crisper) and I like the Meopta view better, it is simply more than good enough. I feel I can use the Meopta for just about anything and I am not as concerned with having the ultimate sharpest bino. I was, but handling won me over in the end. As for the SFL I was a little on the fence. I still think it is just about the best bang for the buck solid performer at or around the Alpha range and for a majority of people (me included) as good a bino as you would ever need. Period.
The birder who bought it from me was very excited and is looking forward to this years outings - and rightly so!
But every time I cycled back to the Leica I cared less and less about the shortcomings and simply enjoyed using it. I don't even think it is awkward in hand as I did before. And those times I was thinking " I could probably have spotted that with the SFL" I could shrug it off, with "so what, I have the 12x50 Meopta for the long range".
I don't know if it is perseverance, plain stupidity or passion. I love optics.
Just can't stand owning too much premium glass that seldom get used. I probably could If I had as much time out birding/ in nature as some of you do. If I still travelled as much as I used to do I would probably have kept the SFL 8x40 as it is a great performer under all conditions. Arguably more versatile as well.
But, I haven't been as happy as I have been with the Leica 7x42 UVHD+ since back in the days when I had the Zeiss 8x32 FL, and not wearing glasses, and not comparing tints.
This is not even a love letter to Leica, if the focuser had been as mediocre as the other 7x42 UVHD I had tried, I would probably have buried my quest for good, none of the other current Leica offerings appeal to me.
It actually took removing that single drawback out of "all the drawbacks" to keep the 7x42 growing on me.
I have nursed a persistent cold since Tuesday and inbetween the bouts of mild fever I have been cycling the Meopta and the Leica. Won't make the mistake of letting the Meopta go again, it will serve nicely as a traveling bin as well.
When the fog lifts I will head up the mountain knoll (sounds more impressive than "hill" which is more true to the matter) and air the Swarovski BTX. It has not been out for a month and a half and I always look forward to using it. Leica will be side kick in the new holster/sling bag I got for it.