• 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.

Scratches on eyepiece (1 Viewer)

Personally, I think the scratches are minimal and whilst irritating, if they don't impede the performance, I'd try and forget about them.

If you feel so strongly, leave some negative feedback on Ebay for the seller.


A

My main concern is whether this kind of scratch on the ocular will affect the performance. I've read something says that scratches on ocular are much more worse than on objective.
 
Hi,

yes, if your Paypal account charges your CC and that offers good exchange rates, it is a good idea to instruct Paypal to charge your CC in the original currency.

http://mommypoints.boardingarea.com...hanging-paypal-currency-setting-for-invoices/

You can rest assured that almost invisible scratches like those shown and so far from the focal plane will not affect visual performance.

The only thing I would be concerned about is resale value and since an immediate resale seems unlikely and the price was ok, that is not much of an issue either.

So try the bins outside and maybe under the stars and if you like them, keep 'em.

Joachim
 
Thanks Joachim. The description said the glass is perfect. Obviously, this is not a perfect glass. The seller insists there was no scratch when the binoculars left his door. So he can accept return but will not do partial refund.

Hi, Rabbix:

NO binocular is EVER perfect. But, I would say that if the binocular is worth more to you to look AT than look THROUGH, you should ignore all the good advice that has been given you and return it. Those of us with experience at the eyepiece know that scratch is inconsequential, immaterial, insignificant, unimportant, and would be TOTALLY unobservable in the image. Furthermore, no university has a photometer capable of measuring its deleterious effects.

However, there is NOTHING so important to raising the bar of optical understanding than for one to look back and realize the magnitude of his mistakes. When that happens the bar STAYS to where it has been raised.

But, we are all different and what is inconsequential to one may be super critical to another. In college, a soon to be FORMER friend wanted, pleaded, hounded, etc. to borrow my new Rickenbacker 4001/1 bass guitar. Considering what I knew of this fellow’s character and lifestyle, I continued to say “NO.” Finally, needing some sleep, I relented and let him borrow it for ONE gig.

The next day, the formerly pristine guitar was returned with a 3-inch scar on the face. I went ballistic!!! Did the scar affect Sound, Feel, or Playability? It did not. But, it most certainly affected ME!

The fellow’s response:

“Hell, you can’t even SEE it from 10 feet away.”

And being an idiot myself......begrudgingly, I let the ignorant / inconsiderate sucker live! :cat:

Bill
 
Last edited:
My main concern is whether this kind of scratch on the ocular will affect the performance. I've read something says that scratches on ocular are much more worse than on objective.
I've seen much worse on very expensive bins that were being used by excellent birders. You said you don't see a problem so there's your answer...there's no visual problem. You got a great bin at a great price from a great company that will take care of you down the road. Enjoy!
 
Thanks everyone, I appreciate your help. I think I'm going to keep it and talk to Paypal to see if they can refund the CAD and charge original currency to my cc so I can save the $100 CAD. Thanks again.
 
if they said the glass was perfect....Id send them back....

I agree, send it back. That price commands a binocular without
scratches, and yes to your answer, scratches do affect the value.

These are easy to find, just try again. Good luck.

Jerry
 
I do not see this as an optical issue but as a value issue. Did you get $1,500 US in value is the question.

Give Swaro a call and see if they can give you a rough estimate of what it would cost to repair then add that to the $1,500 US. If it comes to $1,700 US or less and everything else is like new and it includes all accessories, paper work and box, then that sounds like a good deal. If $1,800 US, then it still sounds like a fair deal and I would consider keeping it if you are happy with it. If much more than that, I would ask for a credit to get the total cost down around the $1,700 US repaired cost or get a full refund and return it. Keep in mind those scratches, even if they do not hurt the view, significantly depreciate the value and make it much less marketable. People do not want to buy top of the line binoculars with scratched lenses so the value takes a big hit.

I am confused on taking a loss on the exchange rate if returned for a full refund. It you got charged $2,000 Canadian on the purchase, wouldn't you get credited near the same $2,000 Canadian on the refund back to your account? This assumes there has not been a material change in the exchange rate since the purchase.

Google shows $1,500 US converts to $1,534 Canadian.
 
I do not see this as an optical issue but as a value issue. Did you get $1,500 US in value is the question.

Give Swaro a call and see if they can give you a rough estimate of what it would cost to repair then add that to the $1,500 US. If it comes to $1,700 US or less and everything else is like new and it includes all accessories, paper work and box, then that sounds like a good deal. If $1,800 US, then it still sounds like a fair deal and I would consider keeping it if you are happy with it. If much more than that, I would ask for a credit to get the total cost down around the $1,700 US repaired cost or get a full refund and return it. Keep in mind those scratches, even if they do not hurt the view, significantly depreciate the value and make it much less marketable. People do not want to buy top of the line binoculars with scratched lenses so the value takes a big hit.

I am confused on taking a loss on the exchange rate if returned for a full refund. It you got charged $2,000 Canadian on the purchase, wouldn't you get credited near the same $2,000 Canadian on the refund back to your account? This assumes there has not been a material change in the exchange rate since the purchase.

Google shows $1,500 US converts to $1,534 Canadian.
I have contacted Swarovski but they refused to give me an estimate until I send the binoculars to them for inspection. For Paypal things, they will refund me $1500 USD with their current exchange rate, so I'll get approx. $18xx CAD. The market USD to CAD rate was 1:1.27, now it's 1:1.29. Including the return shipping, I'll lose approx. $170 CAD if I return it.
 
I have contacted Swarovski but they refused to give me an estimate until I send the binoculars to them for inspection. For Paypal things, they will refund me $1500 USD with their current exchange rate, so I'll get approx. $18xx CAD. The market USD to CAD rate was 1:1.27, now it's 1:1.29. Including the return shipping, I'll lose approx. $170 CAD if I return it.

Hi, Rabbix:

There is no doubt that even such an infinitesimal scratch will affect resale value—especially to the irrational optical nitnoid. And, I know people on BirdForum change expensive binoculars as often as some people change underwear. However, you need to decide whether you bought the binocular to sell or use. It is a world-class instrument. Over the next 20 years, there will be innumerable advances in optics to cause part of the herd to cry “lo here” and others to cry “lo there.”

However, if you are the average observer during that 20-year period, you probably won’t be able to recognize $10 worth of difference in the lot.

I got a letter, today, from Dr. Dick Buchroeder of Optical Design Service of Tucson who has been critically testing the extremely expensive Nikon WX 7x50. He recognized an advantage for daytime observations, over the Navy Mk41 of the early 1940s, due to improvements in glass and coatings. But, he saw no appreciable improvement over the Mk 41 7x50 of 80 years ago for astronomy.

Talk is cheap; good products are not. But, YOU must be happy with YOUR decision. :cat:

Bill
 
Last edited:
Rabbix ...... I assume you bought the Swaro off of eBay USA. My understanding is if the product is returned because it wsa mis-represented, then the seller must pay the return shipping and the original shipping. Since the binocular was listed as perfect but the lenses are scratched, then you have a very good argument that that the condition was not as listed and are entitled to a full refund, including all shipping costs.

If the seller insists that the lenses were not scratched and will not agree to paying the return shipping (and refunding any original shipping), then contact eBay to have them intervene. They generally go along with the buyer in these types of disputes.

I ordered a Swaro SLC 8X42 HD WB, the prior generation, from a Canadian camera shop about a year or so ago. The photo and descriptive data were all of that model. What arrived was the newer model which I did not want. The seller made a mistake in the listing and the product was not as listed. He gave me a full refund and picked up all shipping costs both ways. Fortunately their was no argument on who was at fault and the return and refund went well. I think it was about $70 to ship it back. I think I took about a $3 hit in how the refund was handled but it was no big deal.
 
Last edited:
Hi everyone, newbie here. I just bought an used Swarovski EL 10X42 on ebay. When I received the binoculars I did an inspection on all lens and found some scratches on the right eyepiece. To be honest, I can't notice anything abnormal when I'm looking through the binoculars, but it does bother me as I know it's there. My question is: does this kind of scratches really affect the optical quality of the binoculars? Should I just return it and get the refund (will lose approx. $150 due to the ridiculous Paypal currency change rate)?

Thanks,
Scott

I inherited a pair of 8x50 Swarovski. My brother in law died and my sister was going to give them to the GoodWill if you can believe it. She didn't care even after I told her what they were worth. I asked for and got them but they had been on dozens of elk hunts and they had all kinds of tiny thin light scratches on the lenses. I was bummed until I looked through them. They blow away any other of the dozens of pairs of other brand binos I've owned.

If it looks good when you look through them then they are still good IMO. It's the view that counts. However the seller should have mentioned the scratches. I think based on that he should accept a return if you want it. Full disclosure should be the rule.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Joachim. The description said the glass is perfect. Obviously, this is not a perfect glass. The seller insists there was no scratch when the binoculars left his door. So he can accept return but will not do partial refund.
Rabbix, since the value, and especially the 'salability', would be affected I think a return would be the cleanest solution. The only thing which is not clear is whether the seller would refuse to pay return postage. If so, the dispute procedure is effective and only takes a couple of button-presses.
 
Last edited:
Warning! This thread is more than 6 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