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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

New binoculars fault (1 Viewer)

senatore

senatore

Well-known member
The focussing wheel on my new Nikon HG 8 X 32 bins has suddenly stiffened up and is allmost inoperable.Anyone else had this problem?

I have just returned from taking them back to Focus Optics in Corley and they said they would have to go back to Nikon.Fair enough but in the meantime I have no bins !!

Under pressure from me they did offer me a some bins to use in the meantime but they were so poor that if I had owned them I would have put them in the bin.Now I am home I wonder what my rights are as it does not seem fair that having paid out a lot of cash only a few months ago I have no bins.Does anyone know what one,s rights are under these cicumstances?Could I have demanded a replacement pair?

MAX.
 
Hi Max,

My trusty old Zeiss really stiffened up some years ago. They were fine in hot weather but dreadful in the cold. I returned them back to Zeiss and they cured the problem...for a short while! I then couldn't be bothered sending them off again, so I put a couple of drops of WD40 on the focus wheel (where it meets the body) I have never had a problem since, and that was 12 years ago!

I have the same second pair as you and mine are fine.

No doubt someone will come along and state that you shouldn't do what I did.

John.
 
PS...I think you can only demand a new pair if the Nikons are unrepairable (K........) I think they call it!

John.
 
You have my sympathy Max. A new pair of bins of that quality/price should keep you happily birding for life. Shame the optics shop could'nt find you a better replacement pair to be going on with, bearing in mind how many trade-ins they must handle (and how much you spent in their shop. I think they owe you one).
I think most birders that have been in the hobby for a few years end up with 'back-up' bins (I did after I dropped my lone pair which needed re-collimation).
 
I don't know that you have any rights to a loan pair of bins - I guess if the retailer is sending them back to nikon for you then the warranty is being honoured. That said I'd be very unimpressed with them for dealing with it in such a way.
My Leica Duovids developed a problem some time back and so I took them back to the retailer (Cley Spy), who sent them off to Leica to be repaired and lent me a pair of Leica 8x32 BNs until the problem could be sorted. I was very impressed with the service given by both the retailer and Leica.
A friend has recently had to send his Swaro scope back to be serviced and a bit of damage repaired. He dealt directly with Swaro and they provided him with an identical scope whilst his was being sorted out.
Definitely a black mark for the retailer you dealt with - I wonder how Nikon would have handled it if you'd gone directly to them?
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone.However I may have been unfair to the retailer Focus Optics as the top man there rang me later in the evening ( he was not there when I called in) and told me his quick inspection revealed that the spindle had been bent and this was causing the problem with the focussing wheel.

I must have caused this but for the love of me I cannot recall even the slightest bump that would have resulted in this damage.Are bins not so rugged as they appear as it looks like I am going to have to pay........where is my insurance policy?

MAX.
 
If you do not think that you have done anything to cause this problem, then could it not be a manufacturing problem. Personally having paid out good money bins I'd expect them to last, presumably this fault shouldn't have occured through normal use. If I were you I'd contact Nikon directly and discuss the matter with them, I'm sure that they will repair them under warranty - if they don't make sure you let everyone on here know just what you think of their after sale care.
 
Doesn't Nikon have a 25 yr. no-fault warranty? At worst, something like $10 USD fixes anything? Anyway, it doesn't apear to me that you damaged the binocs yourself, so they can jolly well replace the spindle thingy if that's what the problem is.

Steve's comment on post #4 about having back-up bins is very wise since that would put you in the driver's seat for exacting repairs.

-elk
 
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senatore said:
Thanks for all the replies everyone.However I may have been unfair to the retailer Focus Optics as the top man there rang me later in the evening ( he was not there when I called in) and told me his quick inspection revealed that the spindle had been bent and this was causing the problem with the focussing wheel.

I must have caused this but for the love of me I cannot recall even the slightest bump that would have resulted in this damage.Are bins not so rugged as they appear as it looks like I am going to have to pay........where is my insurance policy?

MAX.
Click to expand...

Max, If there is no outward sign of damage, tell them straight that you have never dropped them and that they should honour the warranty.

I know for certain that Zeiss will do anything to blame the owner rather than replace. It would be very interesting to know how many pairs of bins have been replaced with new one's due to factory faults...few I guess!

Stand up for your rights, as they will 'try it on'.


John.
 
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I still have not got my bins back from Nikon and it,s getting on for nearly a month.They had informed me that "impact damage" had bent the spindle and the repair would cost £82.

As I said before I must have caused this damage but for the love of me I cannot recall diong anything that would have resulted in such damage.

£82 seems a hell of a lot of money God knows what the cost would be if I ever damage a lens!

Are all manufactureers like Nikon with regard to repairs.I feel as though they have got me by the short and curlys ..........Is there any way I can fight back?

MAX.
 
Sympathies Max it is a lot of money and indeed how do they justify it? Labour charges seems to be the popular excuse these days. In excess of a month and they still have not been repired and returned, thats appalling service.

Highlighting manufacturers shortcomings on widely read forums such as this is one way of fighting back, none of them want negative feedback about their products and services.

Stewart
 
Max,

My recent experience with Nikon repair in the US was very good. They have a 25-yr "no-fault" warranty. I sent in a pair of 10x35E for alignment, plus $17.50 USD ($10 + 7.50 shipping). When they came back there was a speck of dirt that drove me nuts and the close focus was way off. I sent them back again (no money this time) and they fixed the problem at no additional charge. Each time it took three weeks out and back, for a total of 6 weeks, but they did get the job done.

Question: do you have the 25-yr. "no-fault" warranty? It sounds like you don't, but if you do it's a no-brainer.

Assuming you don't, I would suggest sending a firm (but respectful) letter to Nikon's "President" and ask for a review of the case in light of the fact that you did not misuse the binoculars. State that the problem developed gradually, and that you believe it's a quality control issue they need to address.

Elkcub
 
Another thing that has annoyed me re. getting my bins repaired is that there is no way you can contact the " engineer,s dept." that is doing the repairs.The shop that supplied the bins to me has tried to chase them up on my behalf but you only get as far as a phone operator who fobs you off with general comments.

This is putting me off Nikon.There must be a better manufacturer out there?

MAX.
 
senatore said:
I still have not got my bins back from Nikon and it,s getting on for nearly a month.They had informed me that "impact damage" had bent the spindle and the repair would cost £82.

As I said before I must have caused this damage but for the love of me I cannot recall diong anything that would have resulted in such damage.

£82 seems a hell of a lot of money God knows what the cost would be if I ever damage a lens!

Are all manufactureers like Nikon with regard to repairs.I feel as though they have got me by the short and curlys ..........Is there any way I can fight back?

MAX.
Click to expand...

Could it be that the binocular got compressed between two objects, thus buckling the focus shaft? Also were there any marks on the focus knob consistent with impact damage? Lastly do you have any children, or someone who might 'borrow' you bins without you knowing? Could it also be that Focus Optics got the diagnostics wrong, and Nikon accepted their diagnosis for obvious reasons i.e. avoid a warranty repair? The fact that it suddenly seized up is consistent with the impact theory though.

I am not keen on Nikon service. Some years ago I dropped my F90x and 105mm macro lens into a New Forest stream. I was quoted £200 for repairs, and said okay, only to receive back a cleaned lens and a body described as beyond economic repair, when I was led to believe that the £200 was for both items. I felt as if they had taken me for a ride (or at least been careless to an unprofessional degree) and anyway £200 seemed outrageous when a skilled optical technician could have done the job for much less. I recall that Scampo sent his scope to Nikon for repairs and while it was being repaired a few more glaciers had melted.

Leif
 
Hi Leif,
I think that the only logical reason for the damage to my bins must have been caused by them being compressed between two objects without me noticing it.They were not dropped or banged.
My children no longer live here so for once they are blameless.I just want them back ASAP( the bins not the children!).Allthough the cost seems ridiculously high it is the time they are taking that really gets me.

MAX.
 
Hi Max,

I question your retailer saying the spindle was bent . I believe these are made from magnesium..... and it would take alot of purposeful force to bend it .... if at all ..... the rest of the binocular would show other signs of damage too. I doubt you did anything to them.

Enough of the blame game ..... your focus wheel was simply stiff .... now hopefully Nikon will get it back to you in reasonable time .

It seems warranty service varies alot from country to country. 10 years is really pitiful .... beyond words really .Is there no No-Fault for a fee warranty from Nikon UK? How about Swarovski or Leica warranties in UK? I've heard nothing but good about Swarovski .... at least here in the US .

Good luck, Garth
 
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