Collimation test for my new nikons (1 Viewer)

Hi All,

I need a good reliable test to determine if my new bins are well collimated.

I brought them to my local optic shop and was told they where slightly out of alligmnent. The test, however, was done hand held in the store.

I am reluctant to send them back to Nikon for adjustments due to the fact that I just recvd them and fall migration is ongoing here in Ontario, Canada.

I do feel some eye strain when using them but could be a mental thing....

They are the Nikon 8x42 HG.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated...

Marc

Hand held collimation

Hello Marc. Firstly if you feel any eye strain, especially if you are not tired, then it is likely the collimation is incorrect. A dealer who handles many binoculars can usually tell quite quickly if there is an error. To be more certain, you have to look through the binocular at a distance. I'll try to explain. When anyone looks thru a bin, their brain has the capacity to adjust for small mis-alignments especially if the error is horizontal. A vertical mis-alignment is more difficult for our brain to cope with and is more likely to cause eyestrain. What you have to do is to fool the brain into thinking it is lokking at a much wider view with the view thru the bin being only a small part of it. If you can fit the bino on a tripod, it makes it easier. So, set up the bino as normal for your IPD and focus on a distant object; fit it to a tripod or place it on a solid surface looking out to the view; look thru the bino and begin to move slowly away from it keeping the chosen object in view; try to relax your eyes to take in the whole view but at about 2 feet away, see if you still have the same object in the same place in both eyelenses. It is easier than it may sound. If you can see the object as two seperate images not superimposed on each other, it is fairly certain that the alignment is not correct.

blackburnian said:

Hi All,

I need a good reliable test to determine if my new bins are well collimated.

I brought them to my local optic shop and was told they where slightly out of alligmnent. The test, however, was done hand held in the store.

I am reluctant to send them back to Nikon for adjustments due to the fact that I just recvd them and fall migration is ongoing here in Ontario, Canada.

I do feel some eye strain when using them but could be a mental thing....

They are the Nikon 8x42 HG.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated...

Marc

Click to expand...

Tks Richard,

So, step back and watch the images with both eyes? If I see the object not centered in both occulars, this means they need an aligmnent?

Marc

I'll make a couple of comments on Richard's good suggestion. First of all, since a binocular hopefully retains one, single alignment independent of viewing distance and interpupillary distance, the images seen simultaneously through each of the two exit pupils with each of the two eyes will never exactly overlap except for one single distance (this is for horizontal axis overlap). I'm not sure what the distance is at which most makers want the optical axes to intersect, but a local binocular technician here in Finland collimates binoculars to intersect at ca 300 meters. In any case, do not expect perfect horizontal coincidence, especially if you look from as far back as 2 feet. However, what you see in the center of each exit pupil should not be very widely spaced in reality. If you are looking at an object one kilometer away, one degree would be ca 17.5 meters, and one minute of arc about a foot, or 30 cm. 5-10 minutes of arc of horizontal misalignment is generally considered pretty acceptable, although personally I feel that under five, or under 1.5 meters at one kilometer is what we should strive for.

When it comes to vertical misalignment, as Marc said, the standard should be stricter, and although some amount of vertical misalignment can perhaps be tolerated (perhaps about 2-3 feet/kilometer max), and is usually considered okay by the manufacturer's standards, zero would be best, especially since it is attainable. At least if we have had the binoculars re-collimated, we should expect to see virtually zero vertical "step".

Incidentally, in Sky&Telescope's comparison of seven binoculars for "stargazing", the best of the binoculars straight out of the box measured 4 arcminutes vertical misalignment and 7 arcminutes horizontal misalignment. These were all porroprism binoculars, but the price range was up to over a thousand dollars. Thus, none of them were even near perfect. Two had zero vertical misalignment, but had 15 and 20 arcminutes of horizontal misalignment respectively.

Roof prism binoculars have generally tended to be better collimated and retain their collimation better, but severely miscollimated samples are dishearteningly common among them as well.

Hope this helps you some.

Kimmo

blackburnian said:

Hi All,

I need a good reliable test to determine if my new bins are well collimated.

I brought them to my local optic shop and was told they where slightly out of alligmnent. The test, however, was done hand held in the store.

I am reluctant to send them back to Nikon for adjustments due to the fact that I just recvd them and fall migration is ongoing here in Ontario, Canada.

I do feel some eye strain when using them but could be a mental thing....

They are the Nikon 8x42 HG.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated...

Marc

Click to expand...

Marc,

I had the same bin, same problem, about a year ago. IMHO, you will not grow accustomed to them and it's nuts to think otherwise.

John

Marc,

Yes, back up from a fixed binocular, but try to have a corner of a building, wall and roof line, first on the left and then on the right. Keeping your eye on the center for each of two attempts. You should not see a ghost image appear. This should reveal both horizontal and vertical lack of collimation.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :brains:

To John, re Collimation

John Traynor said:

Marc,

I had the same bin, same problem, about a year ago. IMHO, you will not grow accustomed to them and it's nuts to think otherwise.

John

Click to expand...

Hi John,

Did you send them back to Nikon for re-collimation? If so, where you satisfied when they where returned to you and what was the turnaround time?

Tks in advance.

PS: Thanks to all others who contributed to this thread. Love this site for the quick and intelligent responses.

Good birding everyone!

Marc

problem fixed!

Hi All,

I sent my 8x42 hg back to Nikon, and according to the technician, nothing was wrong with tem. They gave me the option of having them returned to me as is, or a new pair. I opter for the new pair.

They are sharp, bright and extremely well alligned. No more eye strain.

The whole ardeal lasted less than 2 weeks.

Tks for all your feedback!

Happy birder.

blackburnian said:

Hi All,

I sent my 8x42 hg back to Nikon, and according to the technician, nothing was wrong with tem. They gave me the option of having them returned to me as is, or a new pair. I opter for the new pair.

They are sharp, bright and extremely well alligned. No more eye strain.

The whole ardeal lasted less than 2 weeks.

Tks for all your feedback!

Happy birder.

Click to expand...

Marc,

I'm glad to hear you got the mis-collimation resolved. I had the same difficulty and simply returned the pair for a refund. I've heard of this problem before with the HG line...Nikon should address the issue once and for all. The bin should be perfect out of the box.

John

richard866945 said:

Hello Marc. Firstly if you feel any eye strain, especially if you are not tired, then it is likely the collimation is incorrect. A dealer who handles many binoculars can usually tell quite quickly if there is an error. To be more certain, you have to look through the binocular at a distance. I'll try to explain. When anyone looks thru a bin, their brain has the capacity to adjust for small mis-alignments especially if the error is horizontal. A vertical mis-alignment is more difficult for our brain to cope with and is more likely to cause eyestrain. What you have to do is to fool the brain into thinking it is lokking at a much wider view with the view thru the bin being only a small part of it. If you can fit the bino on a tripod, it makes it easier. So, set up the bino as normal for your IPD and focus on a distant object; fit it to a tripod or place it on a solid surface looking out to the view; look thru the bino and begin to move slowly away from it keeping the chosen object in view; try to relax your eyes to take in the whole view but at about 2 feet away, see if you still have the same object in the same place in both eyelenses. It is easier than it may sound. If you can see the object as two seperate images not superimposed on each other, it is fairly certain that the alignment is not correct.

Click to expand...

Hi,

I´m not that experienced with mis-alignments so I´m not sure if there such a case with my Nikon 8x20 HG. The image shown by the 8x20 isn´t circular. On the left side the image is getting a bit double. Could this be a case of horizontal mis-alignment?

Steve

Hello Steve. Not sure I understand when you say the image is not circular and the left side is getting a bit double. When you hold the binocular up to your eyes and look through normally, each side should be like looking through a circular "window" and if the shape is not round, it suggests that something has moved and is at an angle. If you can see a bit double when only looking through the left eyepiece, this would tend to confirm that. I think you need to find someone local who has experience with binoculars - a keen bird watcher perhaps - and get them to have a look.

hinnark said:

Hi,

I´m not that experienced with mis-alignments so I´m not sure if there such a case with my Nikon 8x20 HG. The image shown by the 8x20 isn´t circular. On the left side the image is getting a bit double. Could this be a case of horizontal mis-alignment?

Steve

Click to expand...

richard866945 said:

Hello Steve. Not sure I understand when you say the image is not circular and the left side is getting a bit double. When you hold the binocular up to your eyes and look through normally, each side should be like looking through a circular "window" and if the shape is not round, it suggests that something has moved and is at an angle. If you can see a bit double when only looking through the left eyepiece, this would tend to confirm that. I think you need to find someone local who has experience with binoculars - a keen bird watcher perhaps - and get them to have a look.

Click to expand...

Richard,

I try to describe more exacting what I see when I look through the 8x20 with both eyes. The shape is not round indeed. On the left side at the edge - viewing with both eyes - the image splits to two images. Thus the shape of the image seems to have a bulge on the left side. But you are right. I have to do some more testing with this issue.

Steve

John Traynor said:

Marc,

I'm glad to hear you got the mis-collimation resolved. I had the same difficulty and simply returned the pair for a refund. I've heard of this problem before with the HG line...Nikon should address the issue once and for all. The bin should be perfect out of the box.

John

Click to expand...

I agree John. High priced bins should have an excellent quality control and keep their reputation afloat if they intend to compete with the best.

Marc

I try to describe more exacting what I see when I look through the 8x20 with both eyes. The shape is not round indeed. On the left side at the edge - viewing with both eyes - the image splits to two images. Thus the shape of the image seems to have a bulge on the left side. But you are right. I have to do some more testing with this issue.

Steve[/QUOTE]

Hello Steve

I have the NIkon 8x20 HGs too. Mine give a perfect image/view without any of the types of problems you are describing.

I think you have a real problem with your particular pair and I would suggest contacting the shop/supplier where you bought them - or Nikon, to repair or replace them under guarantee.

These binoculars are excellent considering their size and should be very relaxing to look through when they are in alignment/collimation (the images from each side should form one clear image...)

Good luck!

Jeff.