Leica 10×42 Ultravid HD Earns 'Best of Best' Award

The new-generation Leica Ultravid 10×42 HD Binocular has been named “Best of the Best” by Field & Stream magazine. Field & Stream’s “Best of the Best” award selects winners based on design, dependability, and value. The Ultravid 10×42 is offered in both basic and HD (“high definition”) versions. The premium HD model features Fluorite-Ion Lenses for reduced chromatic aberration and enhanced color rendition plus state-of-the-art lens/prism coatings that transmit 3% more light. External lenses have an “AquaDura” hydrophobic coating that sheds moisture.

The Leica Ultravid HD binocular was introduced in 2007. The new Ultravid HD offers a marked increase in depth of field, contrast, and light gathering while retaining a compact size. Leica Ultravid HD binoculars are offered in a variety of models: 8×32, 10×32, 7×42, 8×42, 10×42, 8×50, 10×50, and 12×50. The Award-winning Ultravid 10×42 HD is available from SWFA.com (item 40294) for $2295.00. The “regular” (non-HD) 10×42 Ultravid (item 40262) is considerably less expensive at $1,479.95.

10000Birds.com Review:
“Optically [the Ultravids] are without doubt the best binoculars I’ve ever used — clear, sharp, and with no fringing at all. Thanks to the use of lightweight materials like magnesium for the housing and titanium for the central hinge shaft I no longer feel like I’m carrying a boulder around my neck after a day in the field, and the neck-strap is as comfortable as expected. I’ve used them on five continents already, at high-altitude, in strong sunlight and at dusk, in light rain and strong winds, and they have performed exceptionally well every time. They don’t fog-up, they don’t let in dust and — as the manufacturers booklet suggests — you can clean them by running them under a tap!”

Birdwatching.com Review:
“Because of its superb optical resolution and contrast, the Ultravid belongs in any list of the top binoculars of the world. Look through a Leica Ultravid, and you’re immediately struck with how bright and clear the image is from the center of the generous field of view to the outer edges, and how true and free from bias are the colors.”

Great Optics but Just Too Expensive?
The Washingon Times had an interesting take on Field & Stream’s “Best of the Best Awards”: “If you just hit the lottery and money is no object, the best top-of-the-line binoculars, say the experts at Field & Stream, are the German Leica Ultravid 10x42mm HD at $2,095. The best mid-priced binocs were Leupold’s Mojave 10x42mm at $480. Okay, so [the Ultravids] are the best, but I’ll never throw away my 20-year-old Bushnell binoculars I paid a little over $100 for. I love ’em. Seriously now [despite what F&S says] … we’re idiots if we buy the most expensive item when another performed just as well.”