Leica HD-B = Very Disappointing

dotman

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Leica HD-B = Very Disappointing but Customer Service is amazing!!!

So I tested out the HD-B the last 4 days while hunting and I must say I’m not impressed at all. First and really the biggest issue is the fact it will not Range when below freezing or in the teens to low 20’s. Talk about very frustrating. The optics I had hoped would be a tad better, while very clear in the center it was still a soft image. The outer 10% was blurry or not in focus and the color fringing of a bluish purple on the outer edge was very noticeable. For the price I would have expected a much much better experience.

What I don’t get is why no one else has pointed out these do not Range in cold weather, I haven’t read one thing on this major flaw. I could have lived with the optic if the ranging actually worked. I also had a hard time ranging out past 1700 yards in perfect conditions. Maybe this unit is a lemon but I have a hard time believing that as they were very consistent in working once it was above freezing.

Edit: Leica CS has been nothing but impressive!!!
 
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dotman

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Not yet as I just got home from my hunt but will give them a call.
 
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JP100

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Interesting just saw a post on facebook from a hunter who used one in Nepal at high altitude.
Said it worked fine at -5 at 16,000 feet

Maybe the battery has been drained? All batteries struggle in the cold
 

AGPank

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I’m surprised to hear about ranging issues and image quality. I’ve owned two Leica range finders and they work very well.

I’ve read other positive reviews on the image quality of the HD series Geovid. I had actually been watching some Camerland demos.

Keep us posted on how Leica addresses your concerns.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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dotman

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I’m surprised to hear about ranging issues and image quality. I’ve owned two Leica range finders and they work very well.

I’ve read other positive reviews on the image quality of the HD series Geovid. I had actually been watching some Camerland demos.

Keep us posted on how Leica addresses your concerns.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don’t get me wrong the image is good, I’m just used to my swaro sv el’s. I’ll keep the thread updated when I talk with Leica.
 
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dotman

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Just talked to Leica, they said there definitely is something wrong with them and to send them in for repair as they should work just fine in the conditions I was in.
 

SD Ham

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Just bought a pair of Leica 10/42 laser binoculars for Cabelas, used them Saturday morning, at 32 degrees,they wouldn't range past 88 yards
BUT I have 3 friends that have the same pair,no problems, I contacted Cabelas, they sent a new pair, they are on the way.
BUT there was 3 comments of poor performance in cold, Leica commented with a email contact for help on there problem
I contacted them, about my new binoculars, they sent a overnight UPS return label, and said they would over night a tested pair back WOW
Wow that's good service, Merlyn
 

akrdkill

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Feb 25, 2012
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I have a pair that's a couple yrs old...I"ll have to set them outside when it gets below 20F here & see what they do...I did read some reviews before I bought mine & the swaro's didn't do well in the cold...it's a small battery in there & once its gets cold it's zapped...another thing with the rangfinding bino's image is they cant use there top of the line glass, so I'd expect some side to side clarity esp if you've been behind top glass....
 
Joined
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Mine had the very same problem. (They were the latest HD-B 2200 model.) Worked great in warmer weather, but completely stopped ranging in colder temperatures. (With a fresh lithium battery.) At 50 degrees, I could range out to 1400 yards. Very same spot at 20 degrees, and I couldn't range anything past 100 yards.
 

Kotaman

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For me, the Swarovski El range would not range in the cold. My HD B will range at minus 20! (Mine are the originals)
 
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I recently had issues with my HD B 2000s in the cold too. They are still on the first battery so I was going to try again with a fresh one and see if it's any better. My kilo 2000 is bad in the cold too..
 

mtnwrunner

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Well, I was out hunting elk this weekend with a brand new pair of the Nikon laserforce range finding binoculars and it was 13 degrees. This was my first foray with them and I was duly impressed. I was able to range a small rockpile at 1835 yards and had no problem ranging elk to 1300 yards. If I get up the gumption, I may do a review on them.
On another note, my brother runs the leica geovids and has never had an issue with them in cold weather.

Randy
 

mcseal2

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I consider the glass in mine equal to the HD Swaro SLC's I also use. I've used mine in temps below zero with no issues. I do change my battery every fall before hunting season, I figure it's just cheap insurance to make sure it works when I need it to. I think the batteries would last much longer but why risk it? I consider mine one of the best hunting purchases I've ever made.
 

Josey D

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Does anyone use the ballistic output formats on these? I have a pair on order but can't tell from reading the manual if it will work to my expectations. I would like to use the point of impact correction (number of clicks 1/4 MOA) but it looks like only takes the measured range not the true equivalent horizontal range. So does it take the angel of inclination into consideration when giving the measured distance? It doesn't sound like it does on that setting, so if shooting at any big angles the number of clicks it reads will be incorrect?
 
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Does anyone use the ballistic output formats on these? I have a pair on order but can't tell from reading the manual if it will work to my expectations. I would like to use the point of impact correction (number of clicks 1/4 MOA) but it looks like only takes the measured range not the true equivalent horizontal range. So does it take the angel of inclination into consideration when giving the measured distance? It doesn't sound like it does on that setting, so if shooting at any big angles the number of clicks it reads will be incorrect?

I've only used it with the custom curve from SD card. It does take angle and atmospherics into play and works well. Set it to 1/1 rather than 1/4 in clicks and it will give you MOA come ups to the nearest 0.1 MOA and you won't have to divide by 4 or count clicks.
 
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dotman

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Yes it does take the angle into consideration. I like the ballistic function of it.
 
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Does anyone use the ballistic output formats on these? I have a pair on order but can't tell from reading the manual if it will work to my expectations. I would like to use the point of impact correction (number of clicks 1/4 MOA) but it looks like only takes the measured range not the true equivalent horizontal range. So does it take the angel of inclination into consideration when giving the measured distance? It doesn't sound like it does on that setting, so if shooting at any big angles the number of clicks it reads will be incorrect?

I do. (Using custom input with the SD card.) The web based software is kind of klunky, but once you get the data input correctly, it works quite well.
 
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