Leica Trinovid 12×50 BA

Specifications:

Objective diameter:  50 mm
Magnification:  12 x
Exit pupil: 4.17 mm
Eye relief (according to spec.): 24 mm
Useable eye relief (measured from rim of eyecup): 11.5 mm
IPD: 58  – 73 mm
RFOV:  5.7  degrees = 100 m
AFOV (measured, rounded):   68 degrees (!)
Minimum focus distance (measured): 4.35 m
Focus type: CF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: > clockwise)
Degrees of rotation of focus wheel from 4.35 m to infinity (measured): 300 degrees
Range of diopter adjustment (estimate): +/- 8 dpt* (!)
Excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity position (estimate): 3.5 dpt*
Prism system:  Schmidt-Pechan
Waterproof: yes
Weight (measured, with eyepiece cover and strap): 1‘321 g
Made in: Germany
*range of diopter adjustment only partially available when the position of the focus wheel is beyond infinity

Remarks:

Built “like a tank”, the Trinovid BA is one of the heaviest 12x50s we have ever seen. It was built between 1995 and 2000 and still impresses with its bright, relatively high-contrast image; it exhibits a slightly warm tone (without being yellowish, though), the sweet spot is relatively wide, the edge sharpness acceptable. There are still many avid birders out there with this impressive bino or one of its smaller Trinovid BA “siblings”, see separate posts https://binocular.ch/leica-trinovid-8×42-ba/  and https://binocular.ch/leica-trinovid-10×42-ba/. Some consider the BA and BN Trinovids the best classic Leica binoculars, being for Leica what the legendary “Victory FL” binoculars were for Zeiss.

Ratings: