Used Leica 8x32 BN or New Vortex Viper 8x32 HD (1 Viewer)

[menji]

Hey everyone.
Would love to get your feedback on these two binoculars.
I have the opportunity to pick either of them up for about the same price.

It is a couple hour drive for me to do so, so thought I would ask for your thoughts.

Using them for birding.

One concern for me is warranty as I have curious small children that love to look through binoculars.

Thanks!

 

[caruh]

Not exactly answering your question, but I have Leica 8X32 BN and Viper 8X32 non HD as well as Zeiss 8X32 FL. Viper is my car bin, Zeiss my hard core birding bin, and Leica the first one I grab on my way out the door.......... just wonderful.

 

[BirderMJ]

That is the easiest question in the world. Same price - if a good price - get the Leica. The Vipe is fine but the Leica is a legend and will keep more of its value. Bad or good, the binocular market has its own caste system. Optically the BNs are extraordinary. Any new advances with HD, super coating, etc. represents fractions of percents of improvement.

 

[ceasar]

On your question about the warranties: Vortex has one of the very best in the industry. It also covers subsequent owners. Leica's may not cover subsequent owners of the binoculars beyond the original purchaser but the Leica BN's you are talking about are legendary for their toughness and durability.

Never the less, try them both if you can; spend a little time with them and then pick the one you like best.

One other thing: If you will be wearing glasses when you use them you might prefer the one with the longest eye relief.

Bob

 

[Kevin Conville]

Clearly used Leicas won't have a warranty, but now I'm curious.
How does a warranty protect you from damage small children might create?

Regarding the bins, the 8x32 Trinovids are my all-time favorite birding bin but I readily concede they're not for everyone. Eye relief is on the short side for eye glass wearers and some say it's optics lack bells and whistles common in 2013. Neither affects me.

My one and only experience with Vortex was a few years back. My 6.5 x 32 Furys failed catastrophically the day after I received them. Apparently the focus/diopter mechanism was made out of cheese, and more likely a Stilton than a Parmesano Regiano.

 

[menji]

Clearly used Leicas won't have a warranty, but now I'm curious.
How does a warranty protect you from damage small children might create?

Drops, scratches, trying to fit any number of small objects into the shiny holes, etc.

 

[Kevin Conville]

I get the impression you might be confusing a high-end credit card warranty with a manufacturers warranty. The issues you cite have nothing to do with defects of workmanship or materials.
I suppose the maker's warranty might come into play if they leak water after being in the doughboy pool :eek!:

You might consider getting an inexpensive pair of bins.

 

[menji]

I get the impression you might be confusing a high-end credit card warranty with a manufacturers warranty.

Vortex warranty from their site:
Our warranty is about you, not us. It's about taking care of you after the sale. We will repair or replace your Vortex product in the event it becomes damaged or defective—at no charge to you. It doesn't matter how it happened, whose fault it was, or where you purchased it.
Unlimited, unconditional lifetime warranty
Fully transferable
No warranty card to fill out.
No receipt needed to hang on to.
If you ever have a problem, no matter the cost, we promise to take care of you. The VIP warranty does not cover loss, theft or deliberate damage to the product...that's it.

Thanks!

 

[Kevin Conville]

I stand corrected and am at a loss to argue against it. Sounds like the Vortex is your bin.

Cheers!

 

[silverback69]

Drops, scratches, trying to fit any number of small objects into the shiny holes, etc.

If I were you I wouldn't spend the kind of money you are thinking if the little rascals are going to treat them like that. And why would u let them?

 

[coolhand68]

There is something about the view you get through the Leica BN that is almost difficult to put into words. Magnificent is one word that comes to mind. I would buy the Leica.

 

[menji]

If I were you I wouldn't spend the kind of money you are thinking if the little rascals are going to treat them like that. And why would u let them?

I got the boys some small Bushnells to use, but with small kids, there is always the possibility of something happening. Thanks for your thoughts! Think I am going to go with the Vortex at this stage of life.

 

[edwincjones]

if taken care of, high quality optics will remain high quality-almost forever
mid level optics may be good, but will remain midlevel quality

edj

 

[timtagel]

Yes, get the Leica - they retain value and are widely respected. What's more, they are superb bins - great build, optics, handling. Can't go wrong. A classic!

 

[Dennis Mau]

I would try them both first to see which one you like. Even though the Leica is a classic alpha the newer coatings are beginning to leave the older classics behind. I compared a Swaro 8x30 CL to Leica 8x32 BN and even though the Leica had a bigger FOV the little Swaro had better contrast and snap because of newer,better coatings. I sold the BN and kept the Swaro. The Vortex may have better coatings than the older Leica. It is kind of like an older Corvette(Leica BN) trying to run with a brand new Camaro(Vortex).

 

[Steinadler]

Vortex will undoubtedly have better customer service. And I'll bet the better view also. After all the BN is a twenty year old design. That being said the BN is my favorite binocular and I take it every time I can. It's just awesome overall. That's hard to explain unless you use it every day. I have much newer alphas and the BN is the #1 choice for me.

 

[Omid]

It is kind of like an older Corvette(Leica BN) trying to run with a brand new Camaro(Vortex).

Well said, so go get the Leica and don't think back. The old Leica trinovid is the real "Leica". It is a classic and you'll love it. I had a 8x32 Trinovid for a while myself.

 

[etudiant]

Well said, so go get the Leica and don't think back. The old Leica trinovid is the real "Leica". It is a classic and you'll love it. I had a 8x32 Trinovid for a while myself.

:t:

 

[ronh]

There are more technologically advanced binoculars nowadays, but I would hate to be without a Leica Trinovid. That design just gets me.
Ron

 

[menji]

Thought I would give an update to what I decided.

After spending a weekend birding with a Leica 10x42 binocular, I felt that the investment into as good a set as I could afford was going to be well worth it.

The BNs ended up being BAs and they were more worn than I was comfortable getting.

Looked at the Vortex 8x42 Razor HD, Nikon Monarch 7 8x42, Leica 10x42 BN, Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42, Leica Ultravid 8x32 HD, Swaro CL , Swaro 8x32 EL Swarovision and some other brands.

In the end I got the Zeiss Conquest HD in 8x32 and could not be happier. The Swaro 8x32 EL was amazing, but not what I wanted to spend. Out of all the others, the Zeiss felt great in my hand, easy to use with glasses, was sharp, minimal to no CA (I'm very sensitive to CA) and had a great warranty.

For a bonus, the first bird I saw with them was a Sharp Shinned Hawk eating a pigeon right outside my studio!

Thanks for all the comments and other threads on the forum. They helped guide my decision a lot.