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Leica Can you Fix my Noctivid or give me my cash back !!!!! (1 Viewer)

When I say alittle play, I mean LITTLE, half a millimeter, and not in the focus, just in the diopter windows.
I have had all the best alpha binoculars and the Noctivid are the best of all. You can't explain: you need to use it for a while.....
You should try: I am sure You would change your mind
 
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That would be fine, but kind of sad. Allegiance? Really? To an inanimate object, a manufactured product, a tool????

--AP

I think the LGM statement was facetious in order to take a dig at the signature of his critic.

Including what is owned in a signature can give the reader some idea of the other member's experience. However it can be a bit much for those that own a lot of different brands. I can also see where some may take it as flaunting what the member owns even if that was not the intent.
 
Hmm... From his behavior, I couldn't tell. And I'd still argue that even thinking to use the word "allegiance" is revealing.

--AP


Jumping Jehoshaphat!

"Behaviour"?!? You speak as if I snuck up unawares and stole one or more locomotives from your Hornby trainset as distinct from responding to the Op's opening post of dissatisfaction and against a thread title that asked for his money back!

What element of my stab at lighted-heatred and irony-laced banter is so unacceptable to you?

Then there is the charge of daring to suggest an allegiance to a brand that evidently no other member is guilty of!

Would it be more acceptable and less threatening if I substitute my chosen word to reflect trust in Zeiss mechanical properties with that of besotted?

I wish to get it right so I'm not banned from this valuable resource and, for the most part, pleasing site.

LGM
 
..."Behaviour"?!? ...What element of my stab at lighted-heatred and irony-laced banter is so unacceptable to you?

Then there is the charge of daring to suggest an allegiance to a brand that evidently no other member is guilty of!...

...I wish to get it right so I'm not banned...

To clarify. First, in the grand scheme, I'm not much bothered by your comments. I would hope the same would be true of most others on Birdforum, so I wouldn't be too concerned about being banned. By behaviour, I'm referring to your habit (not just on this thread) of offering (what I interpret as) unhelpful, flippant suggestions/comments. I couldn't tell you were kidding about allegiance to a binocular, and it seems maybe you weren't. I'm intrigued by your use of the word allegiance because I find it shocking that anyone would have that relationship to anything other than a person (or other being), a collective/community, or an idea/ideal. "Allegiance" is a relationship that involves not just loyalty, but subordinate status. As a human being, I can't imagine choosing to be subordinate to a manufactured object. Maybe that is just an example of your claimed use of irony, which I also missed.

--AP
 
LGM and Alex

James is right about this. Don't blow this up out of all proportion.

One of the problems with the internet and emails is that we only have the words on the website or email to go on. We can't see facial expression or body language or hear tone of voice. It can lead to misinterpretations and unnecessary frictions.

Lets stay cool here, please.

Lee
 
Hi.

I dint use to much the diopter just first time in the store and second time in the open field for fine tuning.

What i found at some distances the binocular was sharper and at others not so there is an influence when the focus wheel os move and the diopter setting varies by itself.

As i bought the binocular in January must be an early sample and probably now Leica already fix those bugs i don't know what i don't like at all is the terrible service that they provide.

I really like the optics of the Noctivid as photographer working with uber expensive lenses, cameras and calibrated monitors i can say that by far the noctivid has the best color of any binocular on Market but all of this problems push me to get one Swarovski 10x50 Field pro.

I am so tired now that i don't know if i want the binocular back or my money.

Very Sad to say that but i don't have any hope that they can fix or replace it.

I assumed your problem might be this: It is very common that the focus mechanism synching the barrels does not work perfectly, even in alpha bins. If you change the diopter, it will bring the focus back, but with the next focusing the image will be drifting away again. It is often more obvious in close focus and less at infinity.

I saw this in all the three Conquest HDs I checked, from slight to obvious. I even had it in one out of four Ultravids. I had it in an EDG which became hot. I had a totally broke focus in a used Zeiss HT. And so on.

I never had issues with 3 Swarovskis functionally, but a lot of roughness and squealing in the focusers.

Focus mechanisms seem to be rocket science. Let´s hope Noctivid will not walk in Zeiss SF footsteps.
 
Sorry for thread drift, but I'm curious what you mean here - have there been a lot of issues with the SF as well?

There is not an issue with the Zeiss SF focuser. I have had the 10x42 SF
for almost 2 years. The focuser is very smooth, better than any of the
Swarovski's I have experience with, and I own several.

I have had several Zeiss models, and have not had an issue with any
focuser on the newer ones. Nikon still leads the way, I find them to have
a very good handle on focusers, from under $100 models to the EDG.

Since this is a Leica thread, my Ultravid HD 8x42, has that little bit
of drag, it does not bother me, as some say it is a design decision.

I am not sure if there has been any other discussion of the SF focuser
that was not positive.

Jerry
 
Interesting to read about the focus sync issue. I had it with Swaro 8.5x42 ELs.

The defect/failure rate of new alpha bins rather disappointing. In fact I think my experience has been that it is well over 50%. And I don't even evaluate them by the various optic tests some folks on BF use. Over 22 years I've had 2 bad Leicas (foreign object inside & a very obvious clarity issue), the Swaro, and 2 Zeiss with focus wheel problems. Almost need a wrench to turn the focus wheel on the 10x32 FLs I just purchased from the EO closeout sale.

At least the sellers and manufacturer's bat 1.000 on returns/repairs. The FLs are going to Zeiss tomorrow, hope to have the same success.
 
Sorry for thread drift, but I'm curious what you mean here - have there been a lot of issues with the SF as well?

Some early (grey) SFs had an issue with the focuser which could feel 'tight' in upto 3 places during the full focus movement. By no means all greys were affected and many were fine. However Zeiss refined the focus mechanism so that the last grey SFs and all of the black ones do not have this issue. The focus on current SFs is silky smooth and precise, as it was on many of the original grey ones.

Lee
 
Focus sync problems are indeed quite common in binoculars of any price range. Eliminating or minimizing them is the reason why Swarovski has the springs on the focus shafts, whereby people readily complain that the focus action demands different levels of force depending on direction of movement. Some have even complained about the sound the springs make.

How problematic diopter drift due to focus sync imperfections is depends highly on the individual user and their eye accommodation. When younger, I could take almost any amount, but nowadays at a ripe non-accommodating age, I'm highly sensitive to it. Since a large percentage of demanding binocular users are no longer young, this is an area which manufacturers should take very seriously.

BTW, for testing whether and how much diopter drift there is, mounting the binoculars on a tripod and examining each tube separately with a booster or another binocular is a good method since it takes away the accommodation of the eye from play. You set the focus on the booster to a fixed setting, and focus the left tube of the binocular so that the image through the booster is sharp. Then, through the booster, set diopter so that both tubes are sharp through the booster. Then, focus closer than the target with the focus wheel, and re-focus with the booster behind the left eyepiece only moving focus from close to far until the image is sharp. Now, check that the left tube is also in focus. Repeat the procedure coming from beyond infinity focus to sharp focus. If diopter drifts, you will readily see it through the booster.

Kimmo
 
Thank as well to those who responded about the SF problem.

I have experienced a diopter "drift" type problem in only one binocular, an early production Conquest HD. The diopter, after extensive use, began to require further and further shift to achieve an actual neutral setting (which I use with my glasses). Eventually the diopter correction became unable to bring the two barrels into focus at the same time. Zeiss quickly remedied the situation and I've never had another problem nor heard of this problem in other Conquests.
 
Kimmo, that's a great post many thanks.

My experience with Swarovision binoculars is that they do possess a very high level of synchronicity.

I have some older but mint looking Zeiss roof binoculars with non-synchronous diopter and focusing issues. One way of getting around this without repair is to set the diopter while focusing in only one direction, eg: 'near to far. The focuser will then operate effectively and can be used but will only function properly (be synchronous) through that one chosen direction. If the user overshoots focus, then the main focuser will have to be wound back a half turn or so and then refocused again from near to far to once again account for all of the faulty mechanical slack in the mechanism. No back and forth fine focusing is possible.

...Then, Resetting the same diopter for 'far to near' focusing will work in just the same way and will show how non-synchronous the bins are. You'll be able to see the difference by reading the diopter dial.

Rathaus
 
I've had a minor issue with my Noctivids, causing me to want them sent back to Germany, my local optics retailers since told me they may not be back before i go to shetland this year, but the rep has assured them if my Bins aren't returned, i will have a brand new pair to take with me,....So Leica are listening to consumers and upping their post customer services..
 
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