The Very Best Of The Best!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Unsurpassed clarity. Rugged construction. Lifetime warranty

Cons: Weight. Price.

The Bottom Line: 
This is potentially the best binocular on the planet. Clarity, construction, ergonomics, and warranty are all superior.

Author's Review
This binocular is simply outstanding in every respect. If you need the best binocular in the world, you will find this one to your liking.

HISTORY: The top three bino manufacturers are Leica, Zeiss, and Swarovski. All three compete for the high-end consumer's business. In the last couple years, Zeiss abandoned its "Classic" line of binocular and introduced its "Victory" series. Swarovski countered with its "EL" line which sports a composite frame. Leica, not wanting to appear as though it was content to get left behind, introduced the "BN" line. Ironically, Leica was in a tough spot because there was little need for improvement in its already superior "BA" line. I didn't expect much difference between the BA and BN's, but in a side-by-side comparison, the BN's demonstrate Leica's commitment to excellence.

GENERAL: The Leica 8x42BN is an armored, nitrogen-filled, shock proof, waterproof binocular, featuring fully multi-coated lenses and a lifetime warranty--three years of which is unconditional. That means if you run over your binos with your truck during the first three years, scoop the pieces into a box and mail them to Leica. You will get a new pair. The binocular also features a tripod socket and comes with a neckstrap, ocular covers, and soft carrying case.

PROS: Optics. You have to start and end with optics. If the world doesn't look bright and clear when you look through a binocular, put it down and get a different one. Leica optics are amazing. The image produced is so true to life with the colors appearing as natural as can be. There is no distortion and the brilliant light transmission keeps the image bright--even if the object viewed is in the shade. At dusk, you can continue to distinguish various colors even after your naked eye cannot. This is due, in part, to the large exit pupil of 5.25 (aperture divided by magnification: 42/8=5.25). Exit pupil is the maximum amount of light that can be transmitted to the user's eye. While higher numbers are better, the human eye can make use of only so much light. Plus, as you get older, your eyes can use even less. It is said that a 40 year old man can't use more than 5.0mm of light, so the exit pupil of 7.0 produced by an 8x56 glass is a waste.

The bino produces a twilight factor of 18.3 (the square root of magnification times aperture:8x42=336, sq rt=18.3). Twilight factor is an indicator of how well a bino will function in low light viewing. Higher scores are better.

The heart and soul of how well your binocular performs, however, is the quality of your lenses and the coating used. That is why a Bushnell 8x42 bino can be had for about $50 and the Leica 8x42BN costs 20 times as much. Leica lenses are superb. Leica coats its lenses with its trademark HDC coating to increase light transmission and contrast. The coating also protects against scratching. The lenses are fully multi-coated, meaning there are multiple layers of coating on every lens surface(not just the surfaces exposed to the open air).

The Field of View (FOV) is 390 feet at 1000 yards. If you're new to binoculars, FOV is the left to right distance you can see without physically moving the binocular. The industry standard test is performed at a viewed distance of 1000 yards. 390 feet is excellent.

Eyeglass wearers will appreciate the generous eye relief of 15.9mm (the distance you can hold the binocular away from your eyes and still use it). Additionally, the pop-out eye cups make it easy to switch back and forth between two users if one wears glasses and the other does not.

Ergonomically the Leica functions well. This unit is built like a tank and feels like it. Some users have commented to me that it doesn't feel user friendly. I think this is more from the Birder crowd than from the Hunters. (Speaking of birdwatching, the BN features a close focus distance of 10.2 feet, a vast improvement over the BA's). I like sturdy feel of all of the Leica Trinovids.

CONS: At 31.5 ounces the 8x42BN is about 4 ounces heavier than the competition. That doesn't sound like much on paper or might not feel like much in the store, but at the end of a full day of carrying these things around your neck, you'll wish they were lighter. Buy a custom neoprene neck strap or Cabela's incredible Bino Buddy and this problem is quickly solved.

The other negative is the price: $950 is a lot of bones for me. I do own a pair of Leica's, but not everybody needs to tie up this much cash in their binoculars. Another thing to consider is whether you will use your binoculars less because they cost so much. I hate to see that but it is a very common result.

CONCLUSION: If you can afford them, buy them. If you can "almost" afford them, wait and save--you'll be glad you did. If you can't afford them, borrow them! LOL! They are simply incredible. My highest recommendation.