Company Seven | Leica APO-TELEVID Field Telescope Ever Ready Field Case

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Leica APO-TELEVID Field Telescope Ever Ready Field Case

Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 Angled Telescope in Field Case - ready for use (220,079 bytes)

Above: Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 angled telescope with 20-50X Zoom ocular in Ever Ready Case - a stunning performer!
shown ready for use with optional field tripod fluid head (220,079 bytes).
Click on image to see enlarged view (386,527 bytes).

The original Leica TELEVID 77 and Apo-TELEVID 77 were among the most durable, shock resistant, and water proof field telescopes ever made. The latest generation, replacing the TELEVID 77, is the Leica Apo-TELEVID 82. The Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 carries on the tradition and brings with it noteworthy increase in light gathering power and resolution. In addition to its optical properties, the Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 is even more compact than its predecessor and the Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 is supported by a selection of the best engineered accessories which include several cases. Our optional Field case is an attractive, protective option for your straight or angled Leica TELEVID telescope. The durable Cordura Ever Ready Case makes it easier to carry the telescope, while providing peace of mind against moderate impact or cosmetic damage.

The Ever Ready Case is designed to:

protect the exterior of the telescope,
to make it practical to quickly cover or uncover the optics of the telescope,
facilitate carrying the TELEVID spotting telescope even with a lightweight tripod or monpod attached to the TELEVID.
facilitate attaching the TELEVID spotting telescope onto a backpack or other fixture.

The case succeeds in most of these aspects very well.

A Matter of Preference

The Leica APO-TELEVID 82 and APO-TELEVID 82 are available in the customer's choice of either straight or 45 degree angled body.

Leica APO-TELEVID 82
Straight Ever Ready Case
click image to see enlarged view
Leica APO-TELEVID 82
Angled Ever Ready Case
click image to see enlarged view

The case is precisely fitted, padded, and available in your choice for either the Straight Through View, or Angled (shown above) TELEVID 77 telescopes. This case includes a padded carrying strap to facilitate carrying the telescope in the field. With the telescope in this case, adn the covers in palce, one can throw the TELEVID into the trunk of a car, hike around rocky ledges, or store it in a backpack with the comfort of mind that the exterior finish is protected from scrapes. Our case also offers protection of the TELEVID from an environment where dirt or dust may contaminate the telescope or work into the eyepiece or focus mechanics. The shoulder strap of this case is well padded though somewhat stiff when new; in time it should break in yet remain durable.

Right: Business end of the Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 angled telescope in Ever Ready Case (144,527 bytes).
Click on image to see enlarged view (287,838 bytes).

Features include:

Durable scrape and mildew resistant design and materials.
Facilitates ready use of telescope without the telescope snap-on plastic objective cover since the case incorporates quick on or off cover for the telescope objective. A magnetic fastener helps to keep the cover in place or remove it silently - no Velcro or button fastener!
Leave the eyepiece plastic cover at home too since the case also incorporates quick on or off cover for the eyepiece.
The quick on or off eyepiece cover also extends forward to protect the focus control knobs.
The case design makes it impossible for the spotting scope to work loose and fall out.
The cover is open at the base to provide access to the tripod socket for quick release hardware, or mounting onto a tripod head.
The included padded carrying strap attaches to four "D" rings on the case, this can support not only the TELEVID but also an attached lightweight tripod.
The carrying strap also accomodates one or more spare Leica TELEVID eyepiece and pouch.
The carrying strap and four point attachment harness can be rigged either to carry the attached spotting scope in a horizontal (parallel to the ground) or vertical (hanging close alongside pointed down) configuration.
The eyepiece and objective covers are held captive to the bag by an attachment strap, but these covers can be unfastened and removed if desired.
Tasteful Leica logo on each sid of case adds just that touch of class!

Carry Arrangements

Carrying a Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 telescope in Ever Ready Case Horizontal (54,229 bytes)

Carrying a Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 telescope in Ever Ready Case Vertical (32,786 bytes)

Above: Carrying a Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 telescope in Ever Ready Case with tripod attached.
Horizontal orientation at left, and vertical at right (54,229 and 32,786 bytes).

Carrying a Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 telescope in Ever Ready Case by Tripod (185,609 bytes)

Above: When the tripod and head weigh more than the telescope then it may be preferable to carry the system with the strap attached to the tripod.
In this way the heaviest loading is not exerted upon the quick release mechanism or tripod head to telescope attachment bolt (185,609 bytes).
Click on image to see enlarged view (453,427 bytes)

Close But Not Perfect

The Ever Ready Case for this generation of the TELEVID is in some ways an improvement over the original TELEVID cases, and yet in someways this is simply poorly designed. Some aspects of this case are impractical, while other aspects overlook what happens when the user is wearing gloves and has reduced dexterity.

This case is so precisely fitted to the TELEVID 82 body that when the telescope's Lens Shade is retracted then this is so well surrounded by the case fabric so that it is practically impossible to grip and extend the Lens Shade. The Lens Shade is hard to pull out even without the case, so we found ourselves having to loosen the Velcro fastener holding the forward portion of the Ever Ready Case together and pulling that part of the case back so that we could grasp enough of the Lens Shade to be effective. So plan on extending the Lens Shade and leaving it out well before you need to use your TELEVID in the field. If you need access to rotate a Polarizing Filter, well then...
The case fit is so tight around the TELEVID 82 body that we must to loosen the case to extend the Lens Shade. Once accomplished, the user must bring the case halves together with some force along the bottom of the TELEVID barrel in order to secure the Velcro fastener. When the case is not precisely fastened then the forward-most portion of case will slide back and bind against the fine focus dial.
And when the Lens Shade is extended then the fabric strap that retains the front cover of the Ever Ready Case is not long enough to permit the cover to be attached securely over the objective lens of the TELEVID.
Even with the Lens Shade extended, even if the strap were long enough, then the lens cover material is not long enough to span the length of the Len Shade and attach securely onto the magnetic fasteners at the front of the Ever Ready Case. So plan on extending the Lens Shade and hiking with the lens uncovered when you need quick access to the TELEVID.
We would prefer to have the Lens Cover of the TELEVID be double threaded so that it could be attached onto the front cell with the Lens Shade retracted, then snap on over the Lens Shade when extended.

We can not comprehend how such an otherwise superbly engineered system could have these minor shortcomings of the case design - more so one that costs over $200! We wish they would have sent a preproduction sample of these instrument to Company Seven for evaluation. But for now this is the best solution for the TELEVID and we would not do without the Ever Ready Case.*

* We are working to design and produce a case that will share the best attributes of the current Leica case, but will have all the improvements we seek. This case will appear to be made by Leica and will be backed by Leica. As this new case becomes available Company Seven will make it to those customers who order their TELEVID from us. We hope to be doing this by Christmas 2009 or early 2010.

Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 telescope in closed Ever Ready Case with provided strap (88,768 bytes)

Above: Leica Apo-TELEVID 82 angled telescope in closed Ever Ready Case with provided strap (88,768 bytes).
Click on image to see enlarged view (177,343 bytes).

Ever Ready Cases for TELEVID 65 and 82

The ever ready case is available in models for the 65 and 82 spotting scopes, with angular sight or with straight sight.

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