Leica Trinovid BN Binoculars: 8x32, 8x42, 8x50

Leica Trinovid binoculars have been around for a long time, and birders have always been associated the name with optical excellence. The latest entries under this name are no exception to that rule. The Trinovid BN roof-prism binoculars come in a variety of shapes and sizes, differing in the size of the objective lens and the magnification. The 50-mm objective class is available in 8x, 10x and 12x, the 42-mm objective class comes in 7x, 8x and 10x, and you can choose from 8x or 10x in the 32-mm objective class. All Trinovid binoculars are fully sealed and nitrogen-purged to be weather and fog-proof. All are waterproof to a depth of over 16 feet. As a representative sampling, we reviewed the 8x magnification for all three objective sizes.

Optically, these binoculars are everything one might expect from Leica. They are very bright, and have crisp, clear focus right out to the edges of the field, although the 8x32 got just the slightest bit blurry at the very edges. Color fidelity was superb in all three models, with no color distortions or aberrations noted for any models under any light conditions. Surprisingly, the difference in the intrinsic light-gathering of the three different objective lens sizes was not particularly noticeable until the ambient light level was quite low. Under really low light, the 8x32 were slightly less bright than the other two, but it should be noted that even this binocular produced good color detail and brightness even in fading light. Lack of brightness is not a reason to select against the 8x32 binocular. No difference in brightness was evident for the 42- and 50-mm objective sizes.

The three binoculars differ in their field of view at 1000 yards. The 8x32 offers the widest field at 439 feet, while the 8x42 and 8x50 sizes have fields of 422 and 374 feet respectively. There was also a difference in the minimum close-focus distance for the three. Once again, the 8x32 was best with a close focus limit of about 7.2 feet, and the 8x42 and 8x50 models came in at roughly 10.1 and 11.7 feet respectively.

Eye relief on the 8x50 was 21 mm, while the 8x42 and 8x32 registered at 18 and 16 mm respectively. The eyecups on all three models were of hard rubber, and designed to click-stop in the fully extended position. In the larger two models, the resistance of the click stop was insufficient to prevent accidental collapsing, which can be annoying in the field. The 8x32 didn’t seem to do this as much, but it still did it some. All three models have the same diopter adjustment mechanism: a pullout, locking mechanism on the focusing knob. Simply pull towards the ocular until it stops, and then twist clockwise or counter clockwise to adjust. Push the knob down to lock in the desired position. There are two issues with this mechanism. On the larger two models, the large size and closeness of the barrels makes this knob difficult to access (this is less of a problem on the 8x32s). Second, you cannot adjust focus and diopter at the same time. Since, in order to check a new diopter setting, you must look through the binocular, this continuous adjustment of multiple positions of barrels, knob and focus makes the process tedious at best. Fortunately, you only have to do it once!

The focus requires a little less than 1¼ turns to go from minimum distance to infinity on the 8x32s. The larger two binoculars require just a bit more than 1¼ turns. The focusing knob is large and protrudes well above the barrels on all three models, allowing easy access to the fingers. It is a minor quibble, but the ridges on the focusing knob of the 8x32s and the 8x42s were uncomfortably sharp. The 8x50s feature lower ridges packed closer together, and thus are more comfortable to use in this regard.

All Trinovid binoculars are built on die-cast aluminum chassis with hard rubber armoring. The 42-mm objective size is available in black or olive green; the others are only available in black. All three feature broad longitudinal ridges designed to improve the grip, but the ridges are of such a hard rubber that many reviewers noted they are uncomfortable to hold. That brings us to the next point: these are fairly heavy binoculars. The 8x50 BN weighs 40.6 oz., the 8x42 BN weighs 31.4 oz. and the 8x32 weighs 22 oz. Of the three, only the 8x32 is unlikely to cause fatigue over a long day in the field. The 8x32 has thumb grooves on the barrels that would have been a welcome feature on the larger models.

Leica has made some concessions to ease the weight. The larger two models come with nylon straps with angled, neoprene segments to cushion the neck. These are well-designed straps. The 8x32 features a nylon strap with a flexible rubber segment for the back of the neck. We recommend purchase of the neoprene strap from the other models. The straps attach to secure metal lugs on the sides of the barrels, well positioned to minimize discomfort against the hands. All three models come with flexible soft rubber rain guards. The cups on the guards are deep and snug, so they don’t come off accidentally, but they can be difficult to fit onto the oculars, and frequently, doing so causes the eyecups to collapse. The strap threads through a bracket on the left side of the guard, and a gapped bracket on the right side, so it can be disconnected at will. All three models come with zippered, Nappa leather cases, with snapping flaps that allow the straps to fit through them.

The 8x32 has an MSRP of $995, while the 8x42 and 8x50 models are priced at $1095 and $1195 respectively. All are often discounted for as much as $100. Buyers of Leica Trinovids can be assured of several things: they are getting a solid, durable binocular with excellent color fidelity and notably fine image quality. Leica Trinovids will continue to be found around birder’s necks for many years to come.