Best practices for lens covers

[Tom67]

Hello everyone!
I'm new to the forum and pretty new to birding and have a couple questions I'd like to get some feedback on. I have a pair of Nikon 8x42 Monarch's with the front lens covers attached and I've hung the eye piece lens cover from the neck strap as it suggests in the manual. Problem is that while out in the field I remove the lens caps and they are left dangling from the strap or off the end of my binoculars and they quite often get in the way. I've removed them from the strap. Easy fix. But, what can I do about the ones attached to the binoculars? I've thought about pulling or cutting them off. Any suggestions? Or should I leave them attached and work around it? What is the common practice in regard to lens caps? Leave them attached or remove them?
Thanks in advance for any input

[Kevin Purcell]

I always leave the objective lens covers and rainguard attached for use in the field.

They're very handy for protecting the lens when you are on the move, or on a dusty road or in rain under trees (sap dripping is a pain). Any time I'm no actively using the bins I put the covers on.

With the ones I use (but not specifically the Monarch) they re attached to the body of the bin (not the strap) and just dangle out of the way when not attached. The rainguard is in the strap, attached on one side and flips out of the way when the bin is in use or is run up the strap to stick out like a flag from the chest (most common with the older "hard" rainguards).

The style (I think) you describe where the objective covers clip to the strap I find a bit more annoying and less flexible. My Pentax WP have this style of cover and I do find them annoying. I leave them unattached to the strap and pull them off to observe and leave them in the case. Pentax fixed this on the SP with tethered covers and I plan of retrofitting a set of SP covers to the WP (they fit).

You can buy third party tethered covers (e.g. Eagle Optics) that fit most bins to avoid this.

[Tom67]

Thanks for the reply. I probably should have used the search function for the forum as this has apparently been covered is some detail before. Lots of good info here. What you're telling me makes a lot of sense. I'll take a look at those tethered covers. Thanks again

[Tero]

The objective lens covers are almost useless in the field. Your binoculars are waterproof and the objectives hang down. The rain guard I use if having lunch with binoculars around my neck. It keeps the crumbs out.

You will find some routine eventually. I would not worry about it. Caps are good to have on for storage and travel.

[Guizotia]

I dont use objective covers for the reason given by Tero.

But the rain cover does what it says on the tin!

For a long time I would always automatically put it back on straight after looking at anything, being over protective of my lenses. This makes it slightly slower to get onto anything.

Now I'm less overprotective of my binoculars I generally leave the rain cover off while I'm walking about.

[Steve C]

Like others, I tend to leave the objective covers off when using the binocular. I do however always have a clean lens cloth and lens pen with me. I have been impressed with the flip up type of objective covers like the Butler Creek objective lens covers or the Bushwhacker flip ups. These are spring loaded and will flip in whichever way you chose to install them, ie up, down, left or right, or whatever angle suits you. Mine flip straight up.

With the rain guard, I install the strap and then use a piece of small nylon cord which I feed through the strap attachment on the binocular, and then through the attachment on the rain guard. This way the rain guard hangs straight down from the ocular, and I never notice it is there. No sliding up the strap. I only use one or two straps with all my binoculars, so the binocular is (usually) never cased with the strap and the rain guard is always with the binocular.

[NWBirder]

Like Kevin said, for rainguard, just attach one side to the strap. Don't attach both sides. Otherwise, it will get in the way.

[Kevin Purcell]

The objective lens covers are almost useless in the field. Your binoculars are waterproof and the objectives hang down. The rain guard I use if having lunch with binoculars around my neck. It keeps the crumbs out.

Try birding out on a dusty forest road in summer with lumber trucks coming by and kicking up clouds of dust. Same in other dry/dusty environments. The caps do their job then. That dust gets everywhere. ;)

Using caps also give you the chance to use the case a bit less and nor worry about the objectives. After all thats the expensive and delicate part of the bin.

But each to his own.

[Sancho]

Try birding out on a dusty forest road in summer with lumber trucks coming by and kicking up clouds of dust. Same in other dry/dusty environments.

Ah, the luxury of birding in dry, dusty environments....we´ve just had our wettest year in a quarter century! ;)

That´s the crux, really. It depends on your environment. It´s rainy here pretty frequently so paradoxically the objective covers are useless....when it rains, the binos go in the case, or under your jacket. I also have a habit of losing objective covers. The single-piece dual-lens rainguard on the eyepiece lenses is superb, though. Attach it on one side only, and hopefully if it´s fairly loose when on the lenses, you can literally shake it off with a flick of the wrist when you want to get the bins to your eyes in a hurry....no fumbling or prising it off.

[ronh]

I don't cap objectives in the field. Pointing down seems to keep them clean, at least in the places where I go, but the view is hardly hampered even if the objectives are a bit dirty looking.

Dirt or drops on the eye lenses is very noticeable, however, and upward exposure makes them vulnerable, so I do use the eyepiece "rainguard" in the field. The very best technique is to relax your mind and not care if it is in the way, hitting your wrist when you bring the binocular up, not notice it hitting you in the face when you are observing. Lots of luck!

I am the sensitive type. Right now my kick is a bit of adhesive-backed velcro stuck onto the outside of the rainguard, and a piece of mating velcro stitched to the strap. A string keeps it the rainguard from getting lost, and pulling that taut brings it to the correct place up the strap so that it can be anchored quickly without looking, and completely out of the way. Of course it goes "SCHRRIIIP!" when I pull it loose from the strap to put it back on the bino, but that is NOT when you don't want to scare a bird.

I offer this only to show how personal and hung up the dealing with the rainguard can get, and what intelligence and energy can be expended on this important issue---not as advice! I am very proud, however, that my method, while effective, is not the least bit geeky. In fact, girl birders often inquire about the method, and ask for assistance with their rainguards, what kind of velcro I use, etc.
Ron

[Kevin Purcell]

I offer this only to show how personal and hung up the dealing with the rainguard can get, and what intelligence and energy can be expended on this important issue---not as advice! I am very proud, however, that my method, while effective, is not the least bit geeky. In fact, girl birders often inquire about the method, and ask for assistance with their rainguards, what kind of velcro I use, etc.
Ron

Ah, the first birdforum belly laugh of 2009 for me. Thanks Ron! ;)

[Sancho]

..... In fact, girl birders often inquire about the method, and ask for assistance with their rainguards, what kind of velcro I use, etc.
Ron
LOL here too! Some guys just have a way with women. I might try the chat-up line one day..."Would you like to see how my rainguard attaches to my bino-strap using a simple-yet-effective velcro mechanism?"

[ceasar]

Women seem to like that kind of stuff. Didn't one (name escapes me now) write a famous best selling novel around 1980 or so about a "zipless" something or other? Title also escapes me at the moment too!:smoke: I think her first name was Judith and she was recently divorced from a Doctor.
Bob

[falcondude]

LOL here too! Some guys just have a way with women. I might try the chat-up line one day..."Would you like to see how my rainguard attaches to my bino-strap using a simple-yet-effective velcro mechanism?"


lol.. it has to be the new pick-up line for birders of 2009.