[Colin]

Another obvious but often overlooked tip. It is suprising how binnie and scope eyepieces, and object lens for that matter, get messed up without the user noticing.
Just think, apart from the odd grease spot from a fingerprint, other oddments all go to making vision through these optics far from ideal. Biscuit crumbs, small flakes of Mars Bar chocolate, dribbles of coffee, tea, juice, or beer, lipstick if you have just kissed your optics in thanks at giving you views of a fantastic lifer (don't use the stuff myself)!!, dried rain drops (examination of this will make you wonder what is in the atmosphere), sweat from a damp brow after having run 3 miles in panic to see a lifer, dandruff (not yours of course), and the list goes on.
The degrading of optical performance creeps up on you and it will not be obvious that there is a decrease in vision. Imagine paying over a £1000 for a top of the range pair of binnies and have them encrusted with some or all or more than the above, someone looking through the bottom of a milk bottle will probably see more (if they have kept their milk bottle clean!!!)
I knew of a bird tour leader who at the initial briefing for the days ahead got all of the participants to clean their optics first. They were generally surprised at the improved quality of service of their binnies etc.
Keep them clean.




this beer is OK, not one tiny drop was spilt


Colin