Dust

[flymatt]

Hello,

Learned a lot from this forum. Sorry my first post is a downer...

I just purchased a brand new pair of $2,000 8x32 binoculars. I'm just blown away by the view through these. Just amazing.

Unfortunately (?), I decided to inspect the insides with a flashlight, and there is a big piece of dust inside. Not a speck, more like a 2mm super thin white hair on the prism. When I shine a light, I can see the dust particle on the prism and two reflections of the dust particle on other internal surfaces.

I can exchange these. But should I, given that I am happy with the view and the mechanics? I don't want to hurt the retailer by setting ridiculously high standards. I don't have a way to do a rigorous test of the optics, so I don't know if the dust particle is impacting anything negatively or not.

[Kevin Purcell]

Yes, you should. You are not "setting ridiculously high standards" to want dust free sealed bins (even $200 bins).

It is slightly reducing the contrast but more importantly in a brand new pair of "top bins" there shouldn't be a defect like this.

$2,000 8x32 binoculars? Which ones?

The other option is to send them back under the warranty.

[flymatt]

Hi Kevin,

Sent you a PM. I didn't want to throw the brand under the bus.

Thank you for sharing your view. Appreciate it.

[Kevin Purcell]

Hi Kevin,

Sent you a PM. I didn't want to throw the brand under the bus.

Thank you for sharing your view. Appreciate it.

You should post it here as its another little data point. One episode doesn't mean too much but many is a trend (not that we've seen one).

Others amongst the top bins have had the "mote in the bin" problem recently (e.g. Dalat's post).

The downside of the warranty approach is you may be without the bin for a while if it goes back to Germany but I suspect with a new bin they may just swap it out for you. Or they may just open it up.

It does have the advantage that the issue will make it back to the company so they may look at people not wearing masks or helmets during assembly (or even faulty clean room equipment) but with the retailer he may just sell it on again to someone who doesn't notice.

[flymatt]

For the record, they were Zeiss 8x32s.

Eagle Optics handled the exchange very smoothly. :t:

[Kevin Purcell]

For the record, they were Zeiss 8x32s.

Eagle Optics handled the exchange very smoothly. :t:

As I would hope they would ... they're a good bunch.

Still it's a slightly odd "trend" (having see reports of the Euro Three having this issue recently) but not typical.

[falcondude]

I think, for being alpha, they still have above average quality control, comparing to other working class brands. I have my EL for several years and it has not failed me once.

Can EO or Zeiss tell whether it is dust introduced during assembly process or chipped internal paint, as someone mentioned in another discussion?