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New Leupold McKinley HD

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Klamath View Drop Down
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    Posted: February/03/2014 at 10:02
My information has it that the new Leupold BX-4 McKinley-HD should show up by the end of the month.  It is basically the same optical design with the wide flat field and sharp edges.  What appears will be different is the overall shape of the binocular and the new one will have smaller diameter eye cups.

To accomplish the latter, the right eye diopter ring will be moved to the center focus and the diameter of the armor will be reduced.  The armor was about 3x thicker than it needed to be, to do its job effectively.

It seems the original design centered on the wide ocular eye pieces, simplicity of the right eye diopter, and using a larger diameter armor to meld lines together.

The optics seemed to work, no complaints from users there, but the large eye cups in particular drew a lot of fire.  The new  McKinley will bear some physical similarity to the Cascade, particularly with regard to the focus/diopter and the size and shape of the eye cups.

The new glass is pictured on Leupold's site.  I should have review samples in two or three weeks.


Steve
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anweis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/03/2014 at 13:46
those huge ocular ring/eyepieces were really waaay to big.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/03/2014 at 18:16
It seems that the original 46 mm diameter will be reduced to 41 mm.  This brings the glass in line with the more or less industry standard eye cup size of 41-42 mm.  Yeah they were way too big Big Smile.  Heck of a binocular, so now this should bring those optics to a platform that is much more user friendly to a lot more people.

I'm interested to see just how the form factor has changed.  I have pretty big hands and I was not particularly bothered by the eye cup.
Steve
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Theo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/02/2014 at 19:36
Originally posted by Klamath Klamath wrote:

I should have review samples in two or three weeks.


Steve,

Any review samples yet on the 119282's???

I too am interested in the updated ergonomic improvements. I had the 117790's in my hands in January, but couldn't get them as sharp as my BX-2's...returned them as defective. Then I discovered Leupold was updating with slimmed down eyepieces, armor coating change similar to my BX-3's (nice, and 2 oz. lighter), locking diopter control on the main focus control (also like my BX-3's...very nice) and finally, moving the golden logo up the right barrel 1\2", facilitating full emblem view with the objective covers installed.

I was really WOW'ed by the full edge to edge flattening FOV and their extreme 3-D DOF...they really were very "easy on the eyes" and overall appeared to be a Great $$$ value in the Alpa Glass category. However, during my recent inquiry to Leupold CS, they informed me that the initial 119282 shipment had some type of mechanical issues (???) and their full release would be further delayed! Sad

Anyway, my Mojave BX-3's fit the bill very well...for now!

Ted
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Klamath View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/02/2014 at 21:21
Leupold ran into difficulty with the existing diopter design.  It did OK as a right eye adjustment, but refused to play nice as a center focus dial mount.  My Leupold source said they were pleased enough with the overall ergonomics improvement with the new McKinley that they decided to delay the introduction until such time as they got it right...read design a new diopter system.  So it's on hold for awhile.  They will let it go when they think it is ready to go and when they have a supply to get to dealers, not before.  It is the right decision IMO.  They rushed the first one just a bit I think.  It should be close, but they won't say when.  I guess I'll know when my review sample shows up. Smile




Edited by Klamath - April/02/2014 at 21:30
Steve
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Theo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/19/2014 at 11:19
Originally posted by Klamath Klamath wrote:

They will let it go when they think it is ready to go... It is the right decision IMO.


Yes indeed, Steve!

BTW, do you know what the weight \ size reductions of the 10x42 119282's will be?

Ted
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/19/2014 at 16:28
The only thing of note that I'm aware of is the reduction in the diameter of the eye cup from the out-sized 48 mm down to a pretty standard 42 mm size.  They did that somehow without changing the ocular design.  But it involved moving the right eye diopter to a center focus style like the Mojave or the Cascade. 
Steve
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