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Styrka Optics (1 Viewer)

I hope it's not money. Thanks to our mutual uncle, I'm living on first tier Social Security. 23 years of federal service and I qualify for nothing. :-C

Bill

Well that doesn't sound right. You should be FERred and Tri-Cared unto the next generation. You didn't happen to punch an Admiral last day of work?

Puzzled,
Jerry
 
Well, ... no! An extreme example - a manufacturer may pay a lower price for their optical glass by accepting a larger number of defects in the delivered product (bubbles, intrusions and such). By choosing carefully they may select the few examples with zero defect and distribute binoculars produced with this superior sample as their demonstration models. It is not very useful to know that the company is capable of producing good results three times out of a thousand because in practical terms, 997 buyers are never going to see the optics with the specially selected glass.

So it's a simple question. What is the nature of the test model - likely a representative sample or a specially picked unique specimen produced and distributed to creat an incomplete picture of likely quality.

Sure, there will be reports from buyers - but the whole point is that few are going to be able to check before they part with hard earned currency. A bitter warning on Bird Forum is cold comfort. So before stampeding to the next bargain alpha, why not check a little further? Aren't you just a little curious about how this all happened? So far, Mr Cook has chosen his words and tests carefully so there's no harm in us being careful as well.

Best,
Jerry

Jerry,

I thought you were talking about quality control issues which occur in all binoculars. Lower cost binoculars will have more of these issues than top of the line binoculars will. Your "extreme example" above involves chicanery which is something different.

Bill can only report on the binoculars he receives to review. If there are QC issues with those I'm sure he will say so. What would he know about individual manufacturers standards that determine which binoculars are determined to be suitable for sale to the public?

Reading the forums is one way of being careful. With sport optics it is probably the best way.

If the binoculars are shoddy because of poor QC many of them will get into the hands of purchasers some of whom will complain about them on various forums and the word will get around. Ultimately this will also happen with binoculars made under the scenario you described above. It takes a while to build a good business reputation. Those who have it protect it and those who want it strive for it.

Cordially,

Bob
 
Jerry,

I thought you were talking about quality control issues which occur in all binoculars. Lower cost binoculars will have more of these issues than top of the line binoculars will. Your "extreme example" above involves chicanery which is something different.

Bill can only report on the binoculars he receives to review. If there are QC issues with those I'm sure he will say so. What would he know about individual manufacturers standards that determine which binoculars are determined to be suitable for sale to the public?

Reading the forums is one way of being careful. With sport optics it is probably the best way.

If the binoculars are shoddy because of poor QC many of them will get into the hands of purchasers some of whom will complain about them on various forums and the word will get around. Ultimately this will also happen with binoculars made under the scenario you described above. It takes a while to build a good business reputation. Those who have it protect it and those who want it strive for it.

Cordially,

Bob

. . . those who don't will take the money and run.

Attached is a Galilean binocular dressed up as a real bino to fool Aunt Myrtle, who is so easily fooled about a lot of things. Beside it is a 120x120 bino that's really a garden-variety 7x50. But the Japanese knew the average American was clueless and that they like large numbers! Also attached is that bino stud meister in the 70s, about the time he coined the term Conditional Alignment. Ah, youth.

Bill

PS Please note the 120x120 has a whopping 11-degree field.
 

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. . . those who don't will take the money and run.

Attached is a Galilean binocular dressed up as a real bino to fool Aunt Myrtle, who is so easily fooled about a lot of things. Beside it is a 120x120 bino that's really a garden-variety 7x50. But the Japanese knew the average American was clueless and that they like large numbers! Also attached is that bino stud meister in the 70s, about the time he coined the term Conditional Alignment. Ah, youth.

Bill

PS Please note the 120x120 has a whopping 11-degree field.

Hey who's the kid? ;)
 
Jerry,

I thought you were talking about quality control issues which occur in all binoculars. Lower cost binoculars will have more of these issues than top of the line binoculars will. Your "extreme example" above involves chicanery which is something different.

Bill can only report on the binoculars he receives to review. If there are QC issues with those I'm sure he will say so. What would he know about individual manufacturers standards that determine which binoculars are determined to be suitable for sale to the public?

Reading the forums is one way of being careful. With sport optics it is probably the best way.

If the binoculars are shoddy because of poor QC many of them will get into the hands of purchasers some of whom will complain about them on various forums and the word will get around. Ultimately this will also happen with binoculars made under the scenario you described above. It takes a while to build a good business reputation. Those who have it protect it and those who want it strive for it.

Cordially,

Bob

If I were one prone to bending the truth for a dollar, I could be a rich man today. My cage has been rattled a few times by some powerful people who would like me to work for them. Then it happened. They found out that I wouldn't act like I had forgotten all I had learned of the binocular industry, and suddenly they weren't interested in ole Bill anymore.

That’s one of the reasons it hurts when people think the worst of me simply because they don’t try to see my skewed humor. But, as that sage of American philosophy—Ricky Nelson—has said: “You can’t please everyone, so you just have to please yourself.”

Cheers,

Bill
 
Hey who's the kid? ;)

I had just reported to my first ship, and was arranging my shop locker with the photo packet I got in boot camp leaning against my tool box, when my chief came by, grabbed the packet, and said:

“Cook, when did you have these taken . . . at recess!?”

In July, I will be 65 and I only have a hint of gray hair at the temples. With no bald spot or receding hairline, I feel quite fortunate. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get back to the sandbox. :cat:

Bill
 
I am currently in the market for new binoculars and was in a small local sporting goods store today that I frequent and ask to look at what they had in inventory that was in my price range. I was shown Styrka s5 series 10X50, Vortex Viper 10X50, and Vortex Diamondback 10X50. I thought the Styrka binoculars were comparable to the Viper in clarity and light transmission from my very limited observation. I had never heard of the brand previously so I decided to search for info on the internet. This review is by far the most comprehensive and, even though it reviews the next level up in optics grade, the report affirmed was I observed in the apparent quality of the Styrka that I tried out. I expect I'll be heading back to that store later this week to pick up a pair. Thanks for the review.
 
I think it's STEERKA.

BC

Hmm.

In Scandinavian languages a 'Y' is normally pronounced like 'oo' but short and with the jaw pushed forward somewhat so it tends slighty toward 'ew' but without any trace of 'you'.

So the name of the Swedish company Nyby is pronounced something like Newbew.

I am not too convinced by Steerka but would hesitate to be dogmatic and say its wrong.

Lee
 
Hmm.

In Scandinavian languages a 'Y' is normally pronounced like 'oo' but short and with the jaw pushed forward somewhat so it tends slighty toward 'ew' but without any trace of 'you'.

So the name of the Swedish company Nyby is pronounced something like Newbew.

I am not too convinced by Steerka but would hesitate to be dogmatic and say its wrong.

Lee

According to a Steerka Dealer of my acquaintance that is in fact how Stryka is pronounced. He apparently got the pronunciation from Stryka. But who knows? There is no guarantee anybody at Styrka is Scandinavian.
 
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Not to hijack, but do you remember the one about Nikon.

In some parts of the world it is pronounced Neyekon, also Nickon. ;)

Jerry
 
Not to hijack, but do you remember the one about Nikon.

In some parts of the world it is pronounced Neyekon, also Nickon. ;)

Jerry

Its a great one Jerry.

I have mostly heard this pronounced with a short i but only a couple of weeks ago a guy from the Meopta agent pronounced it N eye kon, just like you posted above. No idea which is correct.

And in the UK market manufacturers will sometimes change the way their name is pronounced to make it easier for us poor English to get our heads round. So for years Braun was pronounced as Brorn in UK tv commercials despite it being German. Trouble is it should be pronounced Brown and no doubt at the time Braun was worried about folks going into shops and asking for a Brown razor only to be told 'sorry we've only got black ones' etc etc. So you can't even rely on how the name is spoken in commercials or videos.

And you can't rely on how retail outlets pronounce names either. Go into any Skoda car dealership and the model name Fabia will be pronounced either Fab-ia (with a short flat a) or Faybia. The Octavia might be either Octarvia or Octayvia.

Lee
 
On La Palma and Tenerife they could not pronounce Fiesta for the cars we hired.

P.S.
When I arrived in the U.S.A. the American at the airport, from whom I asked directions, asked if I spoke English!
 
Sounds pretty close to the same to me, but then I am in Texas.

Close but no cigar.

You should hear a Swede pronounce Goteburg: its like Yuh-tuh-burry.

PT take a break from looking at Henry's pics and come back to the pronunciation when your brain has had a rest. Might sound different then:king:

Lee
 
Not to change the subject or anything, but likely the most mispronounced name in optics is Leupold. It's Lew-pold, not Leo-pold. He was King of the Belgians. Fred Leupold was a German.

Although I hear a lot of strange garble when people try to get Swarovski out in any sort of fashion.
 
Not to change the subject or anything, but likely the most mispronounced name in optics is Leupold. It's Lew-pold, not Leo-pold. He was King of the Belgians. Fred Leupold was a German.

Although I hear a lot of strange garble when people try to get Swarovski out in any sort of fashion.

You're right Steve I have heard it pronounced Leo over here too.

'Eu' in German is pronounced 'oy' as in 'toy' so Leupold is 'Loypold' and some Germans pronounce 'd' and 't' in almost the same way so it can sound like Loypolt.
If you see this Hermann perhaps you could confirm it or korrekt me.

Lee
 
You're right Steve I have heard it pronounced Leo over here too.

'Eu' in German is pronounced 'oy' as in 'toy' so Leupold is 'Loypold' and some Germans pronounce 'd' and 't' in almost the same way so it can sound like Loypolt.
If you see this Hermann perhaps you could confirm it or korrekt me.

Lee

Sometimes pronunciations change when a name adapts to what you folks in Europe likely regard as our alien Yank culture ;). Leupold is likely an example. They may well have had to change when Fred Leupold got over here from Germany.

My name underwent a similar name pronunciation metamorphosis when my great grandfather got here form Scotland. My last name in Scotland is pronounced Shane (at least according to Grandma ;)). Over here Sheen was as close as it got, so Sheen it remains today. Going through the first day in class I got used to following along the alphabetical list as the prof got out of the B's and into the C's. You would not believe how many ways my last name can be mispronounced ;). It is what I call a phonetically challenged name.

So I guess Leupold's current pronunciation...it has been official company policy to call it Lew-pold...may well be the result of cultural assimilation.
 
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