eyepiece cover for FLs? (1 Viewer)

Swissboy · Oct 13, 2005

My new 8x42 FLs are great except for the fact that the eyepiece cover is much too large. I'd like a pair that fits tightly but still gets off quickly. And it should be attached to one of the straps, yet get out of the way of both nose and mouth so as not to lead to fogging in low temperatures by diverting one's breath towards the lenses. I think my old Leica Trinovid BAs (8x32) have an optimal solution. Unfortunately, that model is too small for the FLs. Does anyone know whether such a product is available for Zeiss FL? In fact, I would not bother if it had Leica or some other name printed on it.

karmantra · Oct 13, 2005

I found the same problem for the factory eyepiece cover for my Zeiss 8x42 FLs--too loose to do any good! I rectified it by purchasing an Eagle Optics Rainguard for $6.95--fits perfectly, not too tight, yet stays put. It has a slit in one of the strapholders that allows the rainguard to hang away from your face when binos are in use. :t:

Bill Atwood · Oct 13, 2005

That seems strange, mine fits rather tight.

Curtis Croulet · Oct 13, 2005

Bill Atwood said:
That seems strange, mine fits rather tight.

So does mine!

henry link · Oct 13, 2005

When I borrowed a friend's 8x32 FL last spring I noticed that the eyecups and rainguard were larger than those supplied with my 8x42 FL. Zeiss-USA told me that all the FL's would eventually be supplied with the new wider eyecups. The old eyecups and rainguard were a very tight fit. I can't remember how tight the fit is between the new eyecups and new rainguard, but a new rainguard would be about 2mm too large for the old eyecup.

Swissboy · Oct 13, 2005

henry link said:
When I borrowed a friend's 8x32 FL last spring I noticed that the eyecups and rainguard were larger than those supplied with my 8x42 FL. Zeiss-USA told me that all the FL's would eventually be supplied with the new wider eyecups. The old eyecups and rainguard were a very tight fit. I can't remember how tight the fit is between the new eyecups and new rainguard, but a new rainguard would be about 2mm too large for the old eyecup.

It would seem strange that they would increase the diameter of the eyecups as this definitely would not help the looks of the binoculars. But, at least, they should supply the rainguard that fits the eyecups. In my brand new pair (from Eagle Optics) this is definitely not the case.

Swissboy · Oct 13, 2005

karmantra said:
I found the same problem for the factory eyepiece cover for my Zeiss 8x42 FLs--too loose to do any good! I rectified it by purchasing an Eagle Optics Rainguard for $6.95--fits perfectly, not too tight, yet stays put. It has a slit in one of the strapholders that allows the rainguard to hang away from your face when binos are in use. :t:

Thanks, will check into that. My problem, at this point, is that Eagle Optics does not ship to Europe. So I'll have to do some "juggling" again. :-C

Swissboy · Oct 13, 2005

karmantra said:
It has a slit in one of the strapholders that allows the rainguard to hang away from your face when binos are in use. :t:

On my Leica Trinovid 8x32BA the rainguard has only one strapholder, so it nicely falls to the side when the binoculars are in use. I have since fixed all the rainguards on our other binoculars in this way, using only one of the strapholders. Works well!

Curtis Croulet · Oct 13, 2005

henry link said:
Zeiss-USA told me that all the FL's would eventually be supplied with the new wider eyecups.

Did they give a reason?

henry link · Oct 13, 2005

Curtis Croulet said:
Did they give a reason?

I called Zeiss to see if I could purchase the wider eyecups for my 8x42 because I found them more comfortable. The person on the phone told me Zeiss had heard that from others and was planning to discontinue the narrow eye cups. The wide eyecups were not then available as replacement parts in the US and I haven't followed up since. The old style eyecups are about 40mm in diameter and as I recall the new ones are about 2mm wider. BTW, Robert, I think the new ones will look better on the 42mm's than the old ones which look and feel a bit too small to me.

Curtis Croulet · Oct 14, 2005

The edges of the new eyecups would probably line up better with the rubber housing on the body of the bin, since the old ones are about 1 mm smaller than the housing all around. For comfort, I've had no problem with the original eyecups.

Swissboy · Oct 14, 2005

Curtis Croulet said:
The edges of the new eyecups would probably line up better with the rubber housing on the body of the bin, since the old ones are about 1 mm smaller than the housing all around. For comfort, I've had no problem with the original eyecups.

Well, as the attached picture shows, it would seem to me that my binoculars' eyecups really are flush with the body, yet, the rainguard is too large.

henry link · Oct 14, 2005

Yes, Robert, those are definitely the new eyecups and IMO they do look nicer on the binocular than the old ones. I suppose Zeiss has also gone with a looser fitting rainguard at the same time. The old one was very tight.

Swissboy · Oct 14, 2005

henry link said:
Yes, Robert, those are definitely the new eyecups and IMO they do look nicer on the binocular than the old ones.

Oops, this might mean that the Eagle Optics rainguards that I have ordered via my son might be too small, then?!

But I agree that the look with smaller eyecups must have been a bit odd. For those who usually keep them pulled out it probably matters much less, though.

Curtis Croulet · Oct 14, 2005

Were the old eyecups leftovers from an older model?

karmantra · Oct 14, 2005

Swissboy said:
Oops, this might mean that the Eagle Optics rainguards that I have ordered via my son might be too small, then?!

But I agree that the look with smaller eyecups must have been a bit odd. For those who usually keep them pulled out it probably matters much less, though.

Swissboy: I saw your photo of your eyepieces on your 8x42s, and my 8x42s have the same larger eyepieces as yours--the Eagle Optics rainguard fits mine just fine--should work fine for you as well! I contacted Zeiss North America and they want me to send my too-large Zeiss rainguard to them and they'll send back a new smaller diameter rainguard--unfortunately they also said they are backordered and they won't be available for 4-6 weeks!

Swissboy · Oct 15, 2005

karmantra said:
Swissboy: I saw your photo of your eyepieces on your 8x42s, and my 8x42s have the same larger eyepieces as yours--the Eagle Optics rainguard fits mine just fine--should work fine for you as well! I contacted Zeiss North America and they want me to send my too-large Zeiss rainguard to them and they'll send back a new smaller diameter rainguard--unfortunately they also said they are backordered and they won't be available for 4-6 weeks!

Thanks for this reassuring news!

Swissboy · Nov 20, 2005

Eagle Optics rainguard fits Victory I as well

karmantra said:
Swissboy: I saw your photo of your eyepieces on your 8x42s, and my 8x42s have the same larger eyepieces as yours--the Eagle Optics rainguard fits mine just fine--should work fine for you as well! I contacted Zeiss North America and they want me to send my too-large Zeiss rainguard to them and they'll send back a new smaller diameter rainguard--unfortunately they also said they are backordered and they won't be available for 4-6 weeks!

I have since managed to get the Eagle Optics rainguards and they are perfect. I had to cut out the small ridges inside in order to make them come off a bit more easily, however.

I had ordered a second pair at the same time for my wife's Victory I. That rainguard is also too large. Here too, the EO model minus those small rubber ridges fits perfectly. Highly recommendable. And, once again, many thanks for the good advice! The additional benefit that comes with this model is that the rainguard is much less bulky. Which, in turn, makes the binoculars look even more classy. :t:

robert s · Dec 2, 2005

Eagle optics rainguard.

Got it today and it fits perfectly no adjustments at all. I e-mailed Zeiss and they are sending me a replacment rainguard but I have a feeling I`m gonna use the eagle instead. It looks preety good too.

Swissboy · Dec 2, 2005

robert s said:
....I`m gonna use the eagle instead. It looks preety good too.

That's exactly how I feel about them.
My only problem was that EO does not accept foreign credit cards, and they don't ship abroad either. Theoretically, they accept other types of money transfer, but I never got an answer from them when I originally inquired for buying my FLs. Seems they have to cut service at that end in order to be efficient at the more important one, i.e. the domestic market. Fortunately, I had my son taking care of my problems from Chicago. In the end, it cost me about 11 US$ each for the two rainguards, including airmail shipping to Switzerland. :king:

eyepiece cover for FLs? (1 Viewer)

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