A tough decision …. Leica or Swarovski…. I already have Leica ultravids and have been mightily impressed but actually thought I should try the Swarovski’s before deciding…. After using both albeit for a short period I finally went for the Noctivids for the perceived richer colours, I say perceived because I’m sure everyone is different! I found the Swarovski to have a much harsher more contrasty image whilst the Leicas had a much richer colourful view. I’ve taken them bird watching on a few occasions now and have had no chroma problems, at this price point there really shouldn’t be too much to complain about optically and these are superb… it really will be about personal choice.Build quality is excellent as expected and the service from Ace was excellent.

Always a fan but Leica hit a homerun with these binoculars!!

I've been a Leica fan for years, right after I tested just about every rangefinder on the market and Leica was the only one that would pass all the tests I put them through. Shortly thereafter, I bought a pair of Geovids and got years of great use out of them. I then moved to the newer style Geovids with the open bridge which I like very much. I decided to try these new Noctovids, and I must say, they are incredible. I was considering Swarovski's, Zeiss, Bausch and Lomb, and Leica Ultravids when I saw there was a new model coming out from Leica. I'm pleased I waited as these are some of the best binoculars I've ever looked through. Color phase is spot on, no fuzziness around the edges for a clear sight picture, ergonomically correct, and well-built. Light ... MoreI've been a Leica fan for years, right after I tested just about every rangefinder on the market and Leica was the only one that would pass all the tests I put them through. Shortly thereafter, I bought a pair of Geovids and got years of great use out of them. I then moved to the newer style Geovids with the open bridge which I like very much. I decided to try these new Noctovids, and I must say, they are incredible. I was considering Swarovski's, Zeiss, Bausch and Lomb, and Leica Ultravids when I saw there was a new model coming out from Leica. I'm pleased I waited as these are some of the best binoculars I've ever looked through. Color phase is spot on, no fuzziness around the edges for a clear sight picture, ergonomically correct, and well-built. Light transmission is superb. It is easy to see much earlier and later than most any other glass I've used. I like the diopter setting as once you get it set, you won't have to worry about it trying to move on you. The weight is perfect; not too heavy and is easy on your shoulders and back for a day of glassing in the field. If you are looking for top shelf glass, you have arrived. Buy them, you will not be disappointed!

Awesome compact binoculars

The Leica Noctivid 10x42 binoculars are pretty awesome. Smaller and lighter than expected with outstanding optical clarity. I was using them to check out the moons of Jupiter the other night; so okay a 10x magnification is not a telescope, but I could make out the moons pretty well and it was really cool. Overall, these binoculars are just what I was hoping for. My only complaint is the eyecups are not comfortable, I would appreciate soft eyecups. I think the eyecups be replaced/upgraded. Also, the price is staggering; my work bought these for field use, it may be a long time before I get a pair to personally own.

Great bins. One glaring issue

The optics of these binoculars are outstanding. Everything you would expect from Leica. Ergonomics great too.However, there is one problem that binoculars of this class and high cost shouldn't have. When you extend the eyecups the routing in the metal that allows the eyecups to twist catches sunlight from the side. This ruins an otherwise perfect view as the light glaresviff the edge. Imagine a bright light always present in your peripheral vision. These are top of the range Leica. I doubt this problem exists in bargain bin binoculars. It certainly doesnt exist in my other Leicas. Given the cost I think this is unforgivable, hence the 3 stars.

Leica Noctivid 10x42

This is a binocular you have to feel and use in person to appreciate. They are sooooo well build and over engineered. The lens coatings provide one of the brightest and most contrasted color filled images I have seen, if not the most. It is a extremely sharp binocular with a micro smidgen of chromatic aberration, not enough to bother me though. This is my all time favorite binocular. It feels like a tank. While something like the nl pure provides soft, almost pastel images, this one creates vivid piercing images. I couldn't see any blackouts in these binoculars. I imagine I will not be needing a replacement the rest of my life, and I am just over 30.

Lens quality has come a long way, if you can afford it!

I feel like I am missing something important, like my house keys, if I leave home without these binos. They are not a good value - you can find much more affordable binoculars just about anywhere. But they are worth it. I say this because my vision, especially night vision, is not the best (eyeglass wearer, astigmatism, old age). The color fidelity, brightness, and sharpness are only bested by the likes of top end Zeiss or Swarovski. (I can't speak for Swarovski bc I don't own any, but I do Zeiss). They are also very easy to carry and hold, and they focus in a snap. They absolutely opened up a whole new world for me! I am very grateful to own these.

MADE in Portugal NOT Germany as ADVERTISED! WHY???

Sadly, the NOCTIVID binoculars are now made in Portugal. First, while I am sure the quality in Portugal is on par with Germany, you are paying 'German Made' prices for Leica's flagship binocular; and therefore these offer no value for money. Secondly, Leica Noctivid marketing collateral still purports 'Made in Germany' - even in web pictures. This is misleading and demonstrates Leica's complete lack of ethics in the optic space. Stay Away!!

Um, what happened Leica? These suck!

I had a pair of Leica binoculars about 18 years ago I purchased new. They were stunning, I loved them and they parted from me way too soon from a car theft. I thought since these were considered top-of-the-line I would be equally blown away with them. I was not. In fact, Despite all of the glowing reviews for this model, I saw very little difference between these and some very inexpensive ones I have. Let's start with the focuser. Everyone says it's super smooth, the best focuser available. But at least on this one it had a lot of play, maybe it was loose from the factory. The click diopter is nice, but it's nothing notable. And the knob is too far back for easy finger use. The view is nice, but again, nothing amazing and certainly not something that seems worth the ... MoreI had a pair of Leica binoculars about 18 years ago I purchased new. They were stunning, I loved them and they parted from me way too soon from a car theft. I thought since these were considered top-of-the-line I would be equally blown away with them. I was not. In fact, Despite all of the glowing reviews for this model, I saw very little difference between these and some very inexpensive ones I have. Let's start with the focuser. Everyone says it's super smooth, the best focuser available. But at least on this one it had a lot of play, maybe it was loose from the factory. The click diopter is nice, but it's nothing notable. And the knob is too far back for easy finger use. The view is nice, but again, nothing amazing and certainly not something that seems worth the extreme cost. The caps are cheap little rubber things that shed black dust on the lenses. The case is super-cheap nylon with tiny little junky zipper pulls. The binocs are simply in a plastic baggie in the case - no fabric bag, not much protection. Everything about these binoculars feels cheap. I hate them. Apart from the high weight and nice coatings on the lenses, nothing about them seems like Leica at all. I'm going to just look for a used old pair and save a couple thousand. Did I get a bogus pair? Who knows? I got them from this site and they were sealed with a round plastic label. Everything seemed legit. Maybe it's just a sign of the times with Leica. Anyway, thanks Crutchfield for at least stocking them.

[Rewarded Review] 10 X 42 Noctivid

I've owned the 10 X 42 Noctivid binoculars for 16 months and am very impressed by how well Leica executed their design goals with them. Before choosing Leica, I tested both the Zeiss Victory SF and Swarovski NL Pure in the same 10 X 42 configuration. The Noctivids won because of their insane eye relief of 19 mm, their huge ocular lenses, the very well executed diopter setting mechanism and their amazing contrast and color saturation. Resolution is also the best of the three. They are also shorter than the Swaro's and Zeiss so quicker to draw focus in the field. I also love the fit and finish that simply scream quality.I have tried to duplicate the problem another reviewer noted with glare from the grooves inside the eyecups but not only cannot see it, I can't see ... MoreI've owned the 10 X 42 Noctivid binoculars for 16 months and am very impressed by how well Leica executed their design goals with them. Before choosing Leica, I tested both the Zeiss Victory SF and Swarovski NL Pure in the same 10 X 42 configuration. The Noctivids won because of their insane eye relief of 19 mm, their huge ocular lenses, the very well executed diopter setting mechanism and their amazing contrast and color saturation. Resolution is also the best of the three. They are also shorter than the Swaro's and Zeiss so quicker to draw focus in the field. I also love the fit and finish that simply scream quality.I have tried to duplicate the problem another reviewer noted with glare from the grooves inside the eyecups but not only cannot see it, I can't see how it could even happen, the exit pupil being the only source of light inside the eyecups when they are fully extended. The grooves inside my pair's eyecups are well anodized so no reflection can be seen at all.My only complaint is that the protective caps for the ocular lenses are brittle and the retaining ring has broken on both. Otherwise, simply amazing!

[Rewarded Review] Great image and build quality, weird issue with barrels

I recently did a side-by-side comparison of these plus the Swarovski NL Pure and Zeiss Victory SF T, all in 10X42. I am a very active birder and have used the Nikon Monarch HG 10X42 for 3 years now. At the time I bought the Monarch HG, those and the Zeiss Conquest were the best I found without going to the $2500+ level.In my test of the flagship models, the Swarovski NL Pure had definitely the best image, super sharp and wide, but there was an really annoying issue with the focusing mechanism.The Leica had no issues with the housing, very solid and the size was more compact versus the other 2. I think they actually weighed the most but it wasn't as noticable due to the compact size.The image quality was very good, really no issues. The field of view is ... MoreI recently did a side-by-side comparison of these plus the Swarovski NL Pure and Zeiss Victory SF T, all in 10X42. I am a very active birder and have used the Nikon Monarch HG 10X42 for 3 years now. At the time I bought the Monarch HG, those and the Zeiss Conquest were the best I found without going to the $2500+ level.In my test of the flagship models, the Swarovski NL Pure had definitely the best image, super sharp and wide, but there was an really annoying issue with the focusing mechanism.The Leica had no issues with the housing, very solid and the size was more compact versus the other 2. I think they actually weighed the most but it wasn't as noticable due to the compact size.The image quality was very good, really no issues. The field of view is standard, the sharpness is great. But the Swarovski NL Pure is just on another level with the super wide field of view and crystal clear and bright image.I had a major issue with these though which caused me to return them. This might be due to me wearing glasses. I had the eye cups screwed down all the way so my glasses were right on the lenses. But unless I was looking straight on, right at the bird, with my pupils perfectly centered, I would be seeing quite a bit of the insides of the black barrels. Meaning if I made any little adjustment, I would see some degree of black crescents in the image, sometimes a large amount, like 20-30% of the frame. I've never really seen that with binoculars before, it's more of an issue looking through spotting scopes. I know people will have different experiences based on their anatomy, so this could just be something unique to myself. So my personal experience is 4 stars, but without that issue I would have rated these 5 stars and kept them over the Swarovski NL Pure due to the NL Pure's horrible focusing issues.Comparing these to the Zeiss Victory SF T, they had a noticeably better image, also felt more ergonomic due to the more compact shape and solid build quality.