Leica Ultravid 12×50 HD Plus

Specifications:

Objective diameter:  50 mm
Magnification:  12 x
Exit pupil: 4.2 mm
Eye relief (acc. to spec): 13 mm
Usable eye relief (measured from rim of eyecup): 11 mm
RFOV:  5.7  degrees = 100 m
AFOV (messured, rounded): 68.5 degrees
Minimum focus distance (measured): 3.15 m
Focus type: CF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: > clockwise)
Degrees of rotation of focus wheel from 3.15 m to infinity (measured): 435 degrees
Range of diopter adjustment (acc. to spec.): +/- 4 dpt*
Excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity position (estimate): 4.5 dpt*
Prism system:  Schmidt-Pechan
Waterproof: yes
Weight (measured, with eyepiece cover and objective caps): 1‘134 g
Made in: Germany
*range of diopter adjustment and excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity are mutually exclusive

Remarks:

The Ultravid HD+ is one of only a handful of very good 12×50 binoculars on the market; some will say it shares the top spot with the Swarovski EL SV, with the Meopta MeoStar a close follower. Others will declare the Swarovski top, followed by the Leica, followed by the Meopta. But the differences are not huge anyway. Comparing the UV HD+ to an earlier and very popular 12×50 glass from Leica, the Trinovid BA (see separate post, https://binocular.ch/leica-trinovid-12×50-ba/), many similarities become obvious: almost identical shape and dimensions (if you ignore the thicker rubber armour on the Trinovid), similar eye relief, eyelens diameter, same field of view; and many similarities also when looking into the tubes from the front end (although the blackening inside the tubes is better in the UV HD+). Many image characteristics are therefore also quite comparable. The major difference: the image of the UV HD+ is noticeably brighter, with more contrast, and with a more neutral color cast than that of the Trinovid.

Ratings: