twist-out eye cups (all brands)

[Tero]

I had some complaints on Zeiss eye cups, earlier.
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=83092&highlight=cups

I hear they are now improved.

Eye cups are the most used part other than the main hinge of a binocular. You should test them for wobble. My Monarchs had some wobble and if you twist them off their normal course, they could go off track even.

My Pentax SP 10x42 are pretty good and so is the Legend 8x32 in the photo. The Legend 8x42 has the same. Both have click stops.

Vortex Viper, top in the photo, has less lip, but still fairly comfortable. I rest them below my eye brow on top, I cannot push them against the eye socket completely. This Viper developed a problem where the plastic cylinder the cup screws into started to rotate. I can still push them in and out. Screwing just rotates in place. Will try the "no receipt" warranty service I guess.

Bushnell Excursion smaller end models have a rubbery layer of the eye cups glues onto a metal frame that goes in and out. the frame is OK, but the rubber layer can come loose, it is just glued on.

High end binoculars have reliable mechanisms, but some of them also are uncomfortable.

The most comfortable eye cups on porros I have seen are on Bushnell Legend 8x42.

[denco@comcast.n]

The worst twist-out eyecups I have had were on Nikon Monarchs 8x42's. The best I have had were on Nikon HG 8x32's. It's amazing that for a little more money Nikon CAN make good cups. The rest Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski are in between. All pretty good. I did have some bad ones on the last Leica 8x20 BR compact I had. One side of the eyecup was a little loose and it would go in a little when you put your eyes up to them. Not good!

Dennis

[Tero]

eye cups were the problem in this thread as well
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=129201

[Steve C]

Sort of funny when I think about this. The worst eye cups I have ever seen are on one of my two keeper binoculars, the Swift Eaglet 7x36. They are a more or less typical twist out with either all the way out or all the way in stops. If there is intermediate stops they are non existent. So is the all the way out stop, where they need to be for me. I have them permanently secured them with an O-rings and a "rubber band" fashioned from bicycle tire inner tube. I took some time with the inner tube bands, and I doubt that anyone who didn't know would be able to tell they are there. I have basically forgotten about them. The eyecup design is comfortable enough to suit me OK.

As an aside to Tero, the eye cups on my Viper have always been rock solid.

[Tero]

The Vipers, top pair in the picture, are back. The repair took a week, no charge other than 7 dollars to ship it there. No papers needed.

[Tero]

The eye cups of the Excursion 8x28, possibly also other small models in the series, are metal with a rubber skin glued to it. I had to glue both of them on. Put glue where there is no glue and at the bottom. I use a rubbery craft glue. Also worked to glue rubber seal back to car door.

Definitely the weak point of this pair. If you wear glasses, no problem, just never move them.

[FrankD]

Hmm, tough question to answer. If you are talking from a mechanical perspective then I would agree that several of the newer style eyecups are very poor quality. If you are talking about the level of comfort they provide during use then I would say that there are only a handful I truly have found uncomfortable. The Promaster ELX, for example, had a bit of an edge to the eyecup design. I preferred the Hawke's to the Promaster in this regard. They were more rounded and much more comfortable to use. I also find the little eyecups on the Leupold Cascade Porro to be very comfortable to use.

[NWBirder]

The worst twist-out eyecups I have had were on Nikon Monarchs 8x42's. The best I have had were on Nikon HG 8x32's. It's amazing that for a little more money Nikon CAN make good cups. The rest Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski are in between. All pretty good. I did have some bad ones on the last Leica 8x20 BR compact I had. One side of the eyecup was a little loose and it would go in a little when you put your eyes up to them. Not good!

Dennis

I believe the Monarch uses plastic ring, instead of metal rings for eyecups.

[Tero]

The eye cups of the Excursion 8x28, possibly also other small models in the series, are metal with a rubber skin glued to it. I had to glue both of them on. Put glue where there is no glue and at the bottom. I use a rubbery craft glue. Also worked to glue rubber seal back to car door.

Definitely the weak point of this pair. If you wear glasses, no problem, just never move them.My Pentax SP 10x42 developed some problem. They eye cup on one side will not go smoothly in. It turns out the outer skin is similar to the one above in the Bushnells. It is glued on to the metal frame that goes in an out. I cleaned off all glue and dirt. It still does not move smoothly. The rubber slin I could have glued back myself, but it is going back to Pentax now. I paid about $500 for these a couple of years back.

The eye cups of many pairs are made like this. The alphase may be a tiny bit better.

[Tero]

OK, I could not fix them, went in the mail. I could have taken a picture, but the inside of the Pentax was a similar metal frame on threads as the Bushnell. Little screws hold it in and it glides ont he screws.

[chris butterworth]

I have to admit the eyecups on my Leica's became jammed in the extended position 5 or 6 years ago - probably through 15+ years almost constant use on the shore, meaning sand had got in - but, as I only wear glasses for close work, it hasn't affected the performance. I'm still able to use them in all the regions I visit, including tropical areas, where I tend to take them into the shower with me a couple of times a week, just to get the sweat and grime off the body, and they still perform brilliantly.
Chris

[denco@comcast.n]

The worst twist-out eyecups I have had were on Nikon Monarchs 8x42's. The best I have had were on Nikon HG 8x32's. It's amazing that for a little more money Nikon CAN make good cups. The rest Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski are in between. All pretty good. I did have some bad ones on the last Leica 8x20 BR compact I had. One side of the eyecup was a little loose and it would go in a little when you put your eyes up to them. Not good!

Dennis

I have to update this. I just bought a new pair of Monarchs 8x42 and the twist-up eyecups work very good! I think they made some QA improvements in this area.