• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Opticron Service/Warranty (1 Viewer)

Steve999

Steve999

Member
Hi all,

Just thought I'd give a good word for Opticron here and some reassurance for potential Opticron buyers.

My Wife has a pair of 8x42 DBA's that I bought for her as a present in September 1999. She loves them, uses them every week and wouldn't change them for anything.

Recently, the focus wheel has started to go a little 'loose' around the mid-point changeover and one of her pull out eyepieces became stiff and virtually immovable.

We sent them to Opticron Service last week for attention (hopefully) under the 30 year warranty and were delighted when they came back this week, a mere 3 working days after we had first despatched them and with the focus and eyepieces restored to 'as new' operation and the invoice slip marked 'no charge'.|:d|

Excellent and fuss free service.

Steve
 
I have heard about their legendary after sales care before. It's encouraging to know it's still as good as ever. I think the 'big four' should take note.

Ron
 
Last edited:
NoSpringChicken said:
I have heard about their legendary after sales care before. It's encouraging to know it's still as good as ever. I think the 'big four' should take note.

Ron
Click to expand...

Ron,

I'm at a loss to understand. The big FOUR? I know three but I'm sure that with the superb service and quality optics Opticron would consider themselves to be number 4
 
The Big Four! The Holy Quaternaty!

Arsenal, Liverpool, Man U and Chealski.

Oh, wait wrong forum.

The Axis Four (Germany and Japan and "Don't mention the War")!

The Alphas.

Leica, Nikon, Swarovski, Zeiss (in alphabetical order!).
 
Kevin Purcell said:
The Big Four! The Holy Quaternaty!

Arsenal, Liverpool, Man U and Chealski.

Oh, wait wrong forum.

The Axis Four (Germany and Japan and "Don't mention the War")!

The Alphas.

Leica, Nikon, Swarovski, Zeiss (in alphabetical order!).
Click to expand...

That may well be the case in the good ol' USA but here in the UK Nikon are very much a bit part player with only a cameo role. You will probably see in the field a 4 or 5 to 1 advantage to Opticron over Nikon.
 
Chris Galvin said:
That may well be the case in the good ol' USA but here in the UK Nikon are very much a bit part player with only a cameo role. You will probably see in the field a 4 or 5 to 1 advantage to Opticron over Nikon.
Click to expand...

"Big" refers to quality/prestige/design leadership, not volume of sales. Brands like Bushnell, Tasco, Simmons, Alpen and anything available in a bubble-pack at Walmart dominate sales in the USA it seems.

--AP
 
As stated in my previous post over here in Europe, Nikon is camera manufacturer and is not regarded as Prestige brand at the cutting edge of design or quality when it comes to binoculars. In Europe there are the big THREE and the chasing pack which are led by brands like Opticron and Minox and perhaps you could add Nikon to the chasing group too.
 
In "ALPHA" binoculars? I don't think so Chris. Just check, if you are really bored next time out on a twitch or in the field, how many Opticron DBA / Auroras there are out there against Nikon HGs or HGLs, probably more like 1:1.

Agree that there are a lot of Opticron "introductory level" binos out there. Cheers and well done Opticron.
 
Last edited:
The major differentiator for "alphaness" seems to be the ability to design and build the highest quality (most expensive?) bins in house and sell them under your own brand name. Hence Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss and Nikon. The problem with this definition is the Chinese ODMs only need their own brand to become "alpha".

Being "alpha" has nothing to do with popularity. Think about popular cars and supercars, for example.

So what makes "Alpha bins" the Alpha Bins? People who own these four brands say that they're the Alpha males so these must be the Alpha bins. You can swagger around like a Lowland Silverback with your bin proudly displayed on your chest. King of the Twitch.

Which all goes to show how pointless the "Alpha bin" description can be unless you are just using it to put down people for using "ordinary" bins. ;)

And that's why I prefer to use the phrase "Euro 3" which seems clear enough. Or the "Axis 4" which is perhaps more obscure.

Next up a discussion of "quality": which bins have it and which don't (by definition not by measurement). ;)
 
Last edited:
So what makes "Alpha bins" the Alpha Bins? People who own these four brands say that they're the Alpha males so these must be the Alpha bins. You can swagger around like a Lowland Silverback with your bin proudly displayed on your chest. King of the Twitch.

Is that what you guys do and think, really!!! I just want and have a reliable pair of high quality binos for wildlife watching.....however I do have a hairy back problem as the onsort of age continues.:king: No seriously, are these not just "Alpha" due to the fact that you cannot purchase any better sport optics off the shelves than those brands already mentioned, therefore they are deemed the very best in their class.
One can purchase more expensive binos from an in house designer and manufacturer such as KOWA (PROMINAR, skyobservation units eg) but yet to see one on a twitch, so guess they're not the cherished alphas we crave and save for. Regards.

As for definition, a pair of LEICA Ultravid 8 x 32 HD that I looked through recently are right up their with my 8/32 Victory FLs in terms of resolution....however these are a bit girlie in size for the larger primate!
 
Last edited:
Just thought I'd give a good word for Opticron here and some reassurance for potential Opticron buyers.
.............Excellent and fuss free service.


Just to reitterate the original posting (as this thread has gone way off track). Opticron's service is absolutely fantastic! I have sent items for repair, overhauling, service under guarantee etc etc and never waited more than a fortnight to receive the optics in return and in repaired / serviced condition. And I have never received a bill - always had things done under guarantee! Absolutely fantastic!

And on the subject of the big four I have experience with service depts. for all but Leica. Of the remaining three Nikon's service I would describe as fairly good but slow, Swarovski as being hopeless, and Zeiss have been completely useless (please don't ask)!

So Opticron are a winner in my book!!!! And the quality of the recent models (new Imagics, HR WPs, DBAs, Auroras are definitely worth checking out).

SW
 
Kevin Purcell said:
So what makes "Alpha bins" the Alpha Bins? People who own these four brands say that they're the Alpha males so these must be the Alpha bins. You can swagger around like a Lowland Silverback with your bin proudly displayed on your chest. King of the Twitch.
Click to expand...


Then again I have seen some absolutely useless monkeys in the field with them, you know the type "All the gear & No idea"
 
My Leica Trinovids leaked when I used them in heavy rain. Leica repaired them free of charge in two weeks, which was good, but I was still disappointed that they failed despite being a 'quality' product. Meanwhile my other half has a pair of Opticron Discovery bins which get clonked and chucked about and have their lenses cleaned wiith the cuff of her fleece. They appear to have survived unscathed so far but if she does finally succeed in breaking them it is encouraging to know that Opticron might be able to rescue them.

Next time I am in the market for some new bins, I will definitely consider Opticron as I rate good after sales service very highly and their new products look very interesting.

Ron
 
Chris Galvin said:
As stated in my previous post over here in Europe, Nikon is camera manufacturer and is not regarded as Prestige brand at the cutting edge of design or quality when it comes to binoculars. In Europe there are the big THREE and the chasing pack which are led by brands like Opticron and Minox and perhaps you could add Nikon to the chasing group too.
Click to expand...

Actually, that's not what you stated in your previous post. I can't comment on whether "Europeans" afford the top-end Nikon binos any more or less prestige than Opticron or Minox, but if they do not recognize Nikon as a leader in design and quality then that is a sad commentary on the state of their optics knowledge. Actually, through the evaluations of Nikon binoculars and scopes in Alula, and by reading optics reviews here on Birdforum and other online sources, at least a few Europeans must be aware of Nikon's role as a leader in the design of binoculars with very high quality (contrast, color fidelity), flat and astigmatism free views (big sweet spots), as seen, for example in the Nikon SE, EII, LX, and LX pocket roofs. Nikon is definitely not a chaser--its designs, at the time of their release, have generally exceeded the optical quality of competing products.

--AP
 
Well!

I came back to this post and was a little surprised that anybody else had even replied to my original post as I submitted it as mere encouragement for those looking at buying Opticron products. To make such a purchase, in the UK at least, potential buyers must run the gauntlet of brand snobbery but it seems that no corner is safe!

Incidentally, I am a Nikon HG bins and scope owner, so have no Opticron axe to grind other than to point out that my Wife's DBA's are, in the ways that matter, the equal of the so called 'Alpha' brands and on our own evidence, they appear to offer excellent after sales service to boot.

Best Regards,
Steve
 
Big Four!!!

Kevin Purcell said:
The Big Four! The Holy Quaternaty!

Arsenal, Liverpool, Man U and Chealski.

Oh, wait wrong forum.

The Axis Four (Germany and Japan and "Don't mention the War")!

The Alphas.

Leica, Nikon, Swarovski, Zeiss (in alphabetical order!).
Click to expand...

What would be the Big Four in NFL(Cowboys(70-80-90's and on the way for the 10's), Redskins(80's), 49'ers(80's-90's)(Not Today) Patriots(00's) And Steelers(70's):t: Not the Sea"Hawks" I presume!!!

Opticron; seeing is beliving!!!

Someone might have said this before me, but Opticron is supposedly produced by Leupold, they look kind of simmilar to.
 
Northern Viking said:
Someone might have said this before me, but Opticron is supposedly produced by Leupold, they look kind of simmilar to.
Click to expand...

No, they both buy from the same ODM and OEMs.

So you see some designs that are almost identical e.g Leupold Cascades and the Opticron HR WP.

With others you can see Vixen and Opticron sharing designs but with different menu options: the Vixen Atrek without PC and the Opticron Discovery with PC ... rather annoying because I want a light 32mm with PC in the USA (they ship but the price are roughly Vixen $ == Opticron £ so the Opticrons are a lot more expensive in $).

Not sure about the very highest end Opticrons. As I don't see them elsewhere I wonder if they either do the design or have an exclusive deal with an ODM for those top end designs.
 
Last edited:
Kevin Purcell said:
No, they both buy from the same ODM and OEMs.

So you see some designs that are almost identical e.g Leupold Cascades and the Opticron HR WP.

With others you can see Vixen and Opticron sharing designs but with different menu options: the Vixen Atrek without PC and the Opticron Discovery with PC ... rather annoying because I want a light 32mm with PC in the USA (they ship but the price are roughly Vixen $ == Opticron £ so the Opticrons are a lot more expensive in $).

Not sure about the very highest end Opticrons. As I don't see them elsewhere I wonder if they either do the design or have an exclusive deal with an ODM for those top end designs.
Click to expand...

No offence mate, but do you guys ever get out birding? Or are you constantly on birdforum with a pair of binoculars sellotaped to your head?

;););)
 
Warning! This thread is more than 15 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

P
Vortex Razor HD 13-39 x 56 - first impressions
Replies
8
Views
4K
Steve Babbs
Steve Babbs
Steve C
Opticron Aurora Review
2
Replies
30
Views
9K
lilcrazy2
lilcrazy2
R
Review: Opticron Traveller BGA ED 10x32
Replies
7
Views
4K
lmans66
lmans66
Troubador
Review: Opticron Verano BGA VHD 8x32
Replies
13
Views
7K
ZDHart
Z
Troubador
Unboxing Opticron’s New Flagship Binoculars: Aurora BGA VHD 8x42
2
Replies
25
Views
6K
Troubador
Troubador

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top