| The Leica 8 x 20mm Ultravid puts the many cutting-edge optical advances of industry-standard big Leica optics into an ultra-lightweight and ultra-compact body that’s a joy for traveling. The advanced optics make this 8 x 20mm Ultravid brighter, sharper, more compact, and more robust than any previous 8 x 20mm binocular. It is an expensive ultra-compact binocular, but one well worth its price. HighLux System dielectric prism coatings increase the prism reflectivity to 99.5%, close to perfection. Dielectric-coated prisms are a rarity in ordinary compact binoculars, but they are standard with this Ultravid. Fully-multicoated with HDC (High Durable Coatings) and P40 phase-correcting prism coatings, the optics give you images that are surprisingly bright for a 20mm objective binocular, as well as sharp and fatigue-free. The color rendition is superbly neutral and realistic. The image is particularly flat and sharp from edge to edge, thanks to special aspheric lens technology. The depth of field is excellent for close-in birding and butterfly observing. Barrel distortion is low and astigmatism is virtually nonexistent. Coated in durable black armor, sealed and nitrogen-purged to be waterproof and fogproof, the Ultravid will take the worst climate extremes in stride. Whether you’re casually birding on trips or in your neighborhood, traveling in distant lands, taking a walk through a museum, or viewing a concert, the lightweight, easy-traveling 8 x 20mm Ultravid will show you close-up all the color and detail that there is to see.
Features of this binocular . . . - Armored H-body roof prism with internal center focus. The lightweight and rugged die-cast aluminum body is covered with noise- and shock-absorbing soft touch black rubber armor to provide a sure grip even when wet or when wearing gloves. An innovative curing process fuses the rubber armor to the body for durability and long life.
- A unique “one-button" diopter adjustment lets you match the binocular performance to that of your eyes. A small window in the end of the centrally-located focus knob shows the diopter setting. This lets you easily return to your individual setting should someone else use your binocular and adjust the diopter correction to suit his or her eyes. To change the diopter setting, simply push a small button on the underside of the binocular’s center hinge and turn the ribbed rubber focus knob. When you release the button, the desired diopter setting locks in place.
- At only 8.5 ounces, the 8 x 20mm Ultravid is easy to carry all day long. Its double hinge lets it fold down to a package measuring only 3.7" x 2.6" x 1.5", smaller than a pack of cigarettes. This small size makes it easy to stow away in pocket, automobile glove compartment, or suitcase for traveling.
- All optics are fully multicoated with seven to ten layers of unique Leica HDC (High Durable Coating) antireflection coatings per air-to-glass surface for maximum light transmission. Each vacuum-deposited anti-reflection layer is a mere 0.000125 millimeters thick, about 1/500th the thickness of a human hair. External lens and eyepiece surfaces have special hard coatings for added protection from the environment – from scratches, dings, acid rain, enraged warblers . . . all the hazards today’s birders face.
- Nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed to be fogproof in all temperature extremes and waterproof to a depth of 5 meters (16.5 feet) for a period of one hour. Inert nitrogen filling also prevents the internal formation of fungus in high humidity climates, such as rain forests. Designed to operate reliably over a temperature range of -13 degrees to +131 degrees Fahrenheit – in any climate, in any location, from your backyard to the opposite side of the globe.
- HLS (HighLux System) coated roof prisms for superb light transmission. The mirrored surfaces of the binocular’s roof prisms are dielectric coated with 42 microscopically-thin layers to increase the reflectivity to more than 99.5% – higher even than silver, the former reflectivity leader. The result is an extremely bright image, with neutral and realistic color rendition.
- P40 phase-correcting prism coatings provide very high contrast and resolution, particularly visible when looking sunwards, where more color and detail is clearly visible in the shadowed areas of backlit or silhouetted birds.
- Pull-up soft rubber-rimmed eyecups retract into the binocular body for eyeglass use, rather than rolling down. It takes only a matter of seconds to switch from unaided eye to eyeglass use. Eye relief is rated at an eyeglass-friendly 16mm. The actual usable eye relief may measure a mm or two shorter due to the recessing of the eyepiece slightly into the body to protect it from being scratched by contact with eyeglass lenses.
- About one and three-quarter turns of the ribbed rubber central focus knob moves from near focus of about 7’ 2" out to the horizon and beyond. Focusing is a trifle slow for following fast-moving subjects, but very smooth and accurate.
- Supplied accessories include a woven half-inch wide neck strap for comfortable all-day carrying, individual slip-on plastic eyepiece protective caps, and a Cordura nylon carrying case with a belt loop for no-hands carrying.
- This genuine Leica import qualifies for the unique Leica Lifetime Sport Optics Passport Plan available only to registered owners of Leica products that have been legally imported by Leica USA. In essence, the Passport Plan says that if you register your Leica product with Leica, no matter what happens to that product for as long as you own it, you can send the pieces back to Leica (as long as you include the piece with the serial number) and they will repair it or replace it for only a $35 shipping and handling charge. Certain restrictions apply. Click on the “Warranty Information" link to the left and then click on the “Leica" link in the warranty page that opens up for the full details of the Leica Lifetime Sport Optics Passport Plan.
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