• 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.

Zeiss warranty service -- how good? (1 Viewer)

An update. And this one's not so good.

In mid-July I happened to look down into the objective ends of my FL, and I was horrified to see a huge, white, roughly spheroidal, object on the inner surface of the right objective ("right" as you hold it to observe). The spot had surprisingly little affect on the view, although, once I knew it was there, I could detect it under certain conditions. I assume this was a growth of fungus. I'll probably never know for sure. But it says to me that Zeiss NA breached the seal during their previous repair and never purged or resealed the right binocular tube.

So, the bins went back to Zeiss in VA for repair under warranty, which they performed. Again, it took about three weeks to get the binoculars back. HOWEVER, the rubber armoring is not correctly assembled. Nothing's sticking out or in the way, but flanges that are supposed to be under the adjoining piece are exposed instead, and it looks like the objectives were just sort of jammed or screwed on without regard to what was happening with the armor. This may seem like a small thing, but I'm getting the impression that Zeiss's Virginia office can be careless about some things. I'm guessing this wouldn't have happened if the binox had gone to Germany for repair. Also, left over from the previous repair, the close focus isn't as close as it once was.
 
Curtis,

I missed this last update but after reviewing earlier posts I do remember the original problem. Sorry to see this happen to you. What are you going to do about it?
 
I had forgot that on 8\12 I had sent a pair of 6x20 B's to Zeiss in Va. They had the lanyard and posts broke off and one of the eyecups was torn. Got them back today (actually came in Tuesday but I did not see the UPS slip on the door). New eyecups, new lanyard and posts, reset the focus adjustment on both tubes (IF) and realigned. Look like new (early 70's vintage). Never heard from them, no charge, no contact, just fixed and returned.

Ron
 
Anyone else care to add to this thread?

Just as soon as funds allow I'm considering a Conquest 8x30..aftermarket customer care is a very imortant consideration for me!!

Matt
 
I had a problem with a scope eyepiece misting up. It was about five years old.

Apparently they are only waterproof when attached to the scope, I can only assume that mine might have become partly detached during a particularly unpleasant (weather) seawatch, although that's only a guess and it could have had a fault.

It was repaired with no problems whatsoever, it took quite a while (three months) but due to the fact that I was off on holiday to Norfolk about two days after it happened, I was able to call in to the Zeiss HQ en route and a replacement was lent to me for as long as necessary.

The guy I spoke to was very helpful, even giving me a private phone number in case I got held up in traffic and was late, he offered to stay on and wait for me, it wasn't necessary but a generous offer on a Friday evening.

:t:
 
It was repaired with no problems whatsoever, it took quite a while (three months)

:t:

Three months!!!!!

I don't have a collection of top end bins and scopes so three months without a primory pair of bins would be a major bind..especialy if it coincided with spring/autumn migration!!

Matt
 
@ Matt: read John's post again, and you will find he did not stay long without eyepiece. Ofcourse, a replacement should (in an ideal world) be offered without asking.
 
Resolution of this thread. About three months ago I violated my own rule: never put anything on top of the car. So I lost my beloved, early-issue Zeiss 8x42 T* FL. The binocular in its virgin form was superb in every respect. However, I was less than thrilled with the repair service by Carl Zeiss in Chester, VA, a tale already recounted in my earlier posts. I unexpectedly had a chance to revisit a decision I made in 2004, and I decided to go with Swarovski this time, the 8.5x42 EL Swarovision, even though it currently costs $490 more than the Zeiss. The old FL cost me only $1199 in 2004. I have the Swaro in hand now. Since I no longer have the Zeiss, I can't judge how it compares. I was happy with the Zeiss before, and preliminary evaluation indicates I'll be happy with the Swarovski. Those of you who still own or are thinking of the Zeiss FL should have no fear about the binocular: it's spectacular. Just hope you never need to have it repaired!
 
Curtis what a sad ending to your Zeiss. Someone either found a working binocular or pieces of it. Hope you have better luck with your Swarovision.
 
Happy you have a Swarovision now.
One thing:
suppose you had your Zeiss repaired at no cost (even though it was an accident and thus your own fault): Zeiss would have to recuperate that money through making their bins more expensive (like swaro does). I, for instance, would not really be happy with a higher price because some people dropped theirs and expect free repair.

Now you (and your fellow Swaro owners) chose to pay a premium price for that service.

Everybody happy!
 
Happy you have a Swarovision now.
One thing:
suppose you had your Zeiss repaired at no cost (even though it was an accident and thus your own fault): Zeiss would have to recuperate that money through making their bins more expensive (like swaro does). I, for instance, would not really be happy with a higher price because some people dropped theirs and expect free repair.

Now you (and your fellow Swaro owners) chose to pay a premium price for that service.

Everybody happy!

I didn't expect the original repair to be free. I was happy it "only" $129. Would Swaro have repaired it free? I don't know. All I expect is competence. Don't fix one thing and mess up something else. As to why Swaro is more expensive, I suspect it has to do simply with the fact that they can get away with it. Perhaps they are less willing than Zeiss to absorb unfavorable currency exchange rates. Are production costs higher in Austria than Germany? Does Zeiss farm out certain labor-intensive operations to Asia or to former Soviet-bloc countries to hold down costs? It could say "Made in Germany" and yet have significant parts made elsewhere.
 
I think Swaro as being biggest of 3 alpha brands, puts more money in research, warranty and PR (sponsoring, advertisement). The latest Zeiss design is from 2004-2005, marketing has not been as good as the binocular actually is, and while Zeiss made some inferior binoculars (victory I), Swaro had a revolutionary design with the EL, away from instant classics like the SLC, dialyt and especially the Trinovid.
I don't know what Swaro does with US warranty cases, but at least in Europe everything from Zeiss, Leica and Swaro is send to the factories in Germany and Austria.

At least Zeiss and Swaro representatives assured me that all work is still done in Germany/Austria for the high-end series. The Swaro glass comes these days mostly from Hoya (just for the record), not from Schott.
 
I think Swaro as being biggest of 3 alpha brands, puts more money in research, warranty and PR (sponsoring, advertisement). The latest Zeiss design is from 2004-2005, marketing has not been as good as the binocular actually is, and while Zeiss made some inferior binoculars (victory I), Swaro had a revolutionary design with the EL, away from instant classics like the SLC, dialyt and especially the Trinovid.
I don't know what Swaro does with US warranty cases, but at least in Europe everything from Zeiss, Leica and Swaro is send to the factories in Germany and Austria.

At least Zeiss and Swaro representatives assured me that all work is still done in Germany/Austria for the high-end series. The Swaro glass comes these days mostly from Hoya (just for the record), not from Schott.

Zeiss need to improve, Swarovski are way ahead of them.

Heres a case in point, i got in touch with Zeiss for replacement of armour on a Zeiss Night-Owl 7x45.
I was not overjoyed at having to send them to Zeiss UK for them to then send to Germany because they would not give me a price without seeing them first.
When the quote finally got sent to me it was for £225, and thats not a misprint. I told them to send them back.
I wasn't expecting the re-armouring to be a FOC service but £225 is a joke, i have had this service done on Leica and Swarovski bins and the cost to me was nothing only the initial postage.
Also i enquired to Zeiss about the 30yr warranty on the 7x45 and was told that the first 5yrs is parts and labour the remaining 25yrs is parts only.
Something to think about...
 
Well I'm almost a month into a simple repair and a 50 yr old nightmare repair both at the same time. Both pairs of bins are in Germany right now. Just follow my thread and lets see how they do.
 
I don't know what Swaro does with US warranty cases, but at least in Europe everything from Zeiss, Leica and Swaro is send to the factories in Germany and Austria..

This is simply not true.

I am pretty certain that in the UK, both Zeiss and Nikon have their own in-house repair service. Sure some instruments may have to be returned to the manufacturing facility, but not all.

mak
 
Zeiss need to improve, Swarovski are way ahead of them.

Well, I don't know about Swarovski, but in all my dealings with Zeiss over here in Germany I've been more than satisfied. No problems at all, on the contrary.

But it's good to hear that Swarovski also have a good service.

Hermann
 
Well, I don't know about Swarovski, but in all my dealings with Zeiss over here in Germany I've been more than satisfied. No problems at all, on the contrary.

But it's good to hear that Swarovski also have a good service.

Hermann

Good for you, but they can only dream of matching Swarovski for customer satisfaction..:-O
 
This is simply not true.

I am pretty certain that in the UK, both Zeiss and Nikon have their own in-house repair service. Sure some instruments may have to be returned to the manufacturing facility, but not all.

mak
Zeiss has a facility down in Virginia but for my Conquest 8x30's they had to go to Germany.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 3 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.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top