Focusing problems with old 8,5X42EL (1 Viewer)

Hi,

This morning, when I've taken the binoculars for watching a merlin, I've realized it was imposible to focus clearly over 20 metres, The focusing wheel finds their farthest limit there. On the other extrem, after the closest focusing distance, you can follow turning the wheel. At he same time, in the narrow range of clear focus, first Hoopoe from the year here, was imposible to get a good focus with both eyes simultaneosly. It feels as you need some extra turn from the individual focusing after the limit. Two thoughs has come to my mind:
- First, If this problems would have appear birdwaqtching in Senegal, it would have been a tragedy.
- Second, the binoculars showed the same symptoms round 15 months ago. I sent them to the official dealer in Spain. The repair cost me 215.44€.

I just written to the dealer, looking for suggestions.

The binoculars are 14 years old, with the slowest focusing.

What could I do?

Greetins.
Fernando

When Swarovski comes out with new binoculars it seems they always have a big bus trip for famous birders promoting them through the mountains of Spain.

Maybe some European fan boy of Swarovski can give you advice on where to send your Swarovski for repairs if you purchased it and used it in Spain? I can't find any information on Swarovski's websites for this.

Meanwhile you can try this link which puts you in contact with Swarovski Headquarters in Absam, Austria where you should be able to get your information.

http://www.swarovskioptik.com/is-bi...S/-/USD/SPAG_CustomerService-ViewContactStep2

Select your country (in this case-Europe) and click on continue.

Good luck!

Bob

Fernando,

Looks to me you did the right thing. Calling your dealer!!
Step two will be sending the item(s) to this dealer so it can go on his way to Austria.

Jan

The commonest issue here( and I know someone who's had a pair for 15 yeasrs without knowing!) could be the small knob in between the eye pieces which sets the focal distance. See if it's slipped out?

It pulls out, then use the main focus wheel for desired focal distance and simply push it back in when set.

I'll often use it to set the focal distance really close for Dragonflies.

Apologies if this seems a bit simple but as I said, plenty of birders don't know about it.


Andy

I know for a long time, the two positions, general and individual, of the focusing wheel.
The official dealer in Spain, has answered me that I send them the binoculars. The previous repair was made in Austria, where they will go again. One time there, the Swarovski people will tell. As in the previous breakdown, it involves round one and a half months without the ELs. I'll have to survive with the Nikons 8X32 SE and a very old par of Docters 7X50.
By the way, I use the docters last nigth for doing a flashligth census. My job has so hard duties! The docters are good at the time of gathering ligth but a bit poor in deep of field. This last is essential, because, usually, you have a very short period of time for doing the identification. I felt nostalgia thinking in the swaros, when watching a common genet over impossible thin twigs.

Fernando np said:

I know for a long time, the two positions, general and individual, of the focusing wheel.
The official dealer in Spain, has answered me that I send them the binoculars. The previous repair was made in Austria, where they will go again. One time there, the Swarovski people will tell. As in the previous breakdown, it involves round one and a half months without the ELs. I'll have to survive with the Nikons 8X32 SE and a very old par of Docters 7X50.
By the way, I use the docters last nigth for doing a flashligth census. My job has so hard duties! The docters are good at the time of gathering ligth but a bit poor in deep of field. This last is essential, because, usually, you have a very short period of time for doing the identification. I felt nostalgia thinking in the swaros, when watching a common genet over impossible thin twigs.

Click to expand...

For these issues Swarovski has a lent bin service. Your dealer can arrange that for you via the Spanish rep.

Exactly is what is going to be made. The cost of courier to/from Barcelona is going to be paid by me. The courier service Barcelona-Austria-Barcelona depends from them.

With ccoperative birds, at short distance, I rated the 8X32 SE over the 8,5X42 EL. First time I have news obut the lend service. It would have been interesting to use the 15X56 for some weeks.

The binoculars arrived back home yesterday. The repair has been made at no cost for me. They look, as allow to look at, as new. Objetive covers have been renoved, let's cross the fingers. One difference, with the first repair it's that when you change from general to individual focusing the big "click" has come back. It's only speculation by my part, but perhaps the problems has related with not having use the individual focusing regulation for years. I'm the observer 99.99% of the time of use. It could be that dirt left the mechanism in a intermediate position between general and individual focusing. It's only a suposition. My ignorance in this matter is infinite.