Leica Noctivid 8x42 - Olive Green

It’s true to say that when you purchase a premium class binocular you will be paying partly towards the privilege of ownership of that brand. This is very much the case with the kudos that is bestowed on the little red dot of Leica throughout their optics range. I suppose the question is, “How much is this branding worth compared to the quality of the product?”

This is a fair question to ask of all of the brands as the end result should give you a strong indication as to the overall value you place on your hard-earned purchase. Given that competition between the alpha classes of Swarovski, Zeiss and Leica is so strong, the initial release prices have dropped drastically in the Swarovski EL range but also, albeit to a lesser degree, within the Noctivid line. The price drop may have increased their value for money, but are there other advantages in buying a Noctivid 8x42 that are either unique to it or better than its rivals?

There is no question that the Noctivids are built with anything but the best of materials exhibiting a feel of solidity and robustness that is top drawer. Personally, I like the armour on these models very much. It’s somehow reassuringly tough while smart looking and inspires you with confidence that it won’t require replacing after a few years of moderate or perhaps hard use. They are also available in an olive-green option which is a nice sympathetic nod to its use in natural environments.

The diopter is equally tough and easy to set with confidence that it will not be accidentally moved. In use it feels a little more solid than the Swarovski EL (although constructed in the same way) and Zeiss SF and still operates as part of the central focusing knob unlike the newer Swaro NL Pure which use an independent adjuster. It exudes quality which is mirrored in what could be described as the best eyepieces in the business.

Although they are a little stiff when new and may take a little more force to move, the up side is that they are superbly well supported at each setting and do not accidentally recess back to a lower position when you press against them. Further to this, these eyepieces have an additional solid locking function, which when fully extended out, recess slightly inwards as it then locks off at that fixed excursion point. I have not experienced any other eye pieces within binocular designs which have this superbly fixed function.

This may be particularly helpful when digiscoping as you press against the attached device when focusing even if only lightly. At getting to this stage in your shot, the last thing you want is a retracting eyepiece or wobble. Also, if you want just that little bit more eye relief, you can release the lock and gain perhaps another millimeter or two if this suits your use preference for regular viewing.

Another thing I have to point out is that the feel of the eyepiece against your eye socket is again probably the best in the industry if not equalled by Swarovski EL and NL models. The Leica is comfortably thick but smoothly tapered into an excellent organic fit whereas the Swarovski’s are thinner feeling and perhaps less intrusive as well as being much easier to adjust. It may seem inconsequential, but when you consider how much Zeiss have struggled (or perhaps budgeted not) to produce an equivalent optimal eye cup, it shows Leica’s attention to intentional high-quality componentry that others have not prioritized in the same way.

What about the optical experience itself? If you purchase these binoculars, you are in for a treat for several reasons.

accessories which complete the package. The excellent objective lens covers fit firmly in place as do the ocular covers. The carry case is sufficiently functional although not quite as rugged as the EL counterpart or as reinforced by the ‘layered’ shape of the Zeiss SF case. The neck strap is also of good quality.
What about the optical quality? This is where these binoculars come into their own. Images are luscious, stimulating, vibrant and significantly so. These binoculars are very special, not just because they produce such a rich image but because their light transmission is so high and consistent across the wavelength spectrum. Slightly higher in fact than their 10x bigger brother model if only by another 2 to 3 percent. Given that the objectives are the same size at 42mm, these 8x produce a 5.25mm exit pupil sending more light through to the viewer than the 4.2mm of the 10x. So, they are also brighter than the tens which will manifest itself on lower light conditions.

If you are trying to spot the barn owl at dusk, and critically you want to continue to watch its quartering around its habitat for as long as possible, these 8x are the binoculars for you. You will also be able to follow for longer more easily than with the tens as the field of view is 135m at 1000m rather than just 112. I’m sure the barn owl benefits from covering as much ground as possible with its acute hearing, and you too will enjoy covering more ground with this advantageous scanner.

Although the 8x are as heavy as the 10x, the tens get the feather in the cap for not being any heavier, but, the 8x are brighter in low-light, have better light transmission and significantly wider field of view which for my money makes it a better binocular. This is compounded by better image stability which is arguably more rewarding in lower light situations from sunrise to dusk.

The image is razor sharp at the centre and although the it’s not quite as sharp at the edges, this may not really enter into the equation if you are scanning and moving your binoculars aiming for fast moving targets where your sight will most likely be more focused on the middle of the image anyway. If you are a hunter and/or use a tripod it may mildly affect what movement you see or not but my feeling is that movement at the edge will give the target away which you can then easily pinpoint. You could say they are sufficiently sharp, but could be sharper.

The Noctivid image also renders a wonderful depth in the terrain. You feel like this instrument has been design to dissect the contours of the landscape and thanks to its wide field of view, makes for a super involving and engaging view that draws you into the hills. If you are doing anything that resembles surveying landscape for pleasure or you want to plan the next stage of a route as you continue a hike in the mountains, this binocular will give you more of a sense of the undulations you will encounter. It’s just such as shame that it’s 860g (excluding strap etc.) but having said this, the Swarovski NL Pure 8x42 is only 20g lighter and heading in the right direction.

Are there any plans for a more compact x32 version? Maybe not as it may encroach too much on the incredibly popular Trinovid range which represents superb value for money. A lightweight Noctivid? Well, I guess the clue is in the name. Smaller objectives are not suitable for nocturnal observations in low light or hunting which is where this binocular’s primary market lies although it is also a premium birding and nature observation optic. Likely this is why these also handle stray light so exceptionally well. We can but dream…

Leica’s design choices contain a lot of personality within their minimalistic look and you feel this personality when putting them to use. There is nothing gimmicky here. Every design choice is for a user benefit of practical real-world value. Leica have struck what feels like an intentional balance between their strong identity, performance and compromises in permitting some colour fringing yet with outstandingly dynamic results.