Waterproof eyepieces? (2 Viewers)

[John goshawk]

I was pretty surprised to discover opticron HDF eyepieces are not waterproof?
Are the standard zoom waterproof?
I then couldn't find out if Kowa long eye relief/wide angle eyepieces were waterproof?
Is this common in the birding world and is it a problem?
And if so, what is the solution?
Im sure I've used my IS60 with waterproof case and HDF eyepieces without thinking about water damage in the rain.
Also Celestron tell me their zoom for my old Ultima scope is waterproof.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[John goshawk]

Surely someone has some thoughts on this???

 

[wllmspd]

The SDL is waterproof.

Peter

 

[John goshawk]

The SDL is waterproof.

Peter

Yes I noticed. But otherwise do we bother with rain when using fixed mag?

 

[Hermann]

Yes I noticed. But otherwise do we bother with rain when using fixed mag?

I used several scopes that were not waterproof over the past 40 years. The eyepieces also weren't waterproof. I either used some lens covers (usually one I had made myself) or a simple plastic bag fastened with some rubber bands to cover the eyepiece if the conditions got too bad. Never had any problem. Neither with zoom eyepieces nor with fixed magnification eyepieces.

Hermann

 

[John goshawk]

I used several scopes that were not waterproof over the past 40 years. The eyepieces also weren't waterproof. I either used some lens covers (usually one I had made myself) or a simple plastic bag fastened with some rubber bands to cover the eyepiece if the conditions got too bad. Never had any problem. Neither with zoom eyepieces nor with fixed magnification eyepieces.

Hermann

Very interesting Hermann. Does the plastic bag or lens cover not obstruct the view?

 

[Hermann]

Very interesting Hermann. Does the plastic bag or lens cover not obstruct the view?

Well, when I look through the scope I obviously take the cover or bag off ...

Hermann

 

[4John]

If a manufacturer states that a scope/eyepiece is "waterproof" without specifying the waterproofing standard it meets/complies with, the word "waterproof" is worthless. The scope/eyepiece could be no more or less waterproof than a scope that is not specified as waterproof.

Does Opticron specify the waterproofing standard it meets/complies with ?

 

[John goshawk]

If memory serves me right the scopes are gas filled/purged, so I would assume that would be a high standard of waterproofing?
Only their new zoom is listed as waterproof.
Thanks John

 

[4John]

If memory serves me right the scopes are gas filled/purged, so I would assume that would be a high standard of waterproofing?
Only their new zoom is listed as waterproof.
Thanks John

Not necessarily. Gas-filling or purging only results in a higher standard of waterproofing if the pressure inside the scope after filling/purging is higher than than the air it replaces. The higher the "over-pressure" after filling the higher the standard of waterproofing. If the scope is "purged" it could simply mean that all the air inside has been pushed out with an inert gas like argon so the pressure inside after purging is no higher than it was with air inside.

Does Opticron specify the pressure in the scope after gas-filling/purging ?

 

[John goshawk]

Not necessarily. Gas-filling or purging only results in a higher standard of waterproofing if the pressure inside the scope after filling/purging is higher than than the air it replaces. The higher the "over-pressure" after filling the higher the standard of waterproofing. If the scope is "purged" it could simply mean that all the air inside has been pushed out with an inert gas like argon so the pressure inside after purging is no higher than it was with air inside.

Does Opticron specify the pressure in the scope after gas-filling/purging ?

Very interesting, thanks. I see nothing but 'waterproof.' As I understand the nitrogen gas doesn't hold onto water so no chance of condensation.
Do you not yourself use opticron scopes/eyepieces?
Thanks again John

 

[John goshawk]

?????

 

[4John]

?????

I don't currently own any Opticron scopes or eyepieces. I had two Opticron MM4 60 scopes with the SDL v3 zoom lens over a period of about 12 months. Both were returned because of chromatic aberration.

It's common in the bird watching world nowadays to see scopes and eyepieces advertised as "waterproof". However, IMO unless its backed up with a statement of compliance with a performance standard it's a worthless/meaningless claim. You have used your non-waterproof HDF eyepiece without a problem. I have used a pair of non-waterproof Zeiss binoculars for over 30 years without a problem. IIRC the zoom on my Nikon ED50 is not waterproof, but that has never been a problem for the 10 years I have used it. On the rare occasions I have been caught in very heavy and prolonged rain and a long way from shelter I have simply moved the binoculars from outside my jacket to underneath it and I have moved the scope to the rucsac, but that's more to do with trying to avoid having to take the stay-on case off to dry it afterwards because it's hard to get off. The clue is in the name I guess As for Herman above, most of the time the objective and eyepiece caps on the stay-on case are enough to keep the rain off. I think that's enough proof that you don't need to worry about a non-waterproof HDF eyepiece in normal use !

 

[John goshawk]

I don't currently own any Opticron scopes or eyepieces. I had two Opticron MM4 60 scopes with the SDL v3 zoom lens over a period of about 12 months. Both were returned because of chromatic aberration.

It's common in the bird watching world nowadays to see scopes and eyepieces advertised as "waterproof". However, IMO unless its backed up with a statement of compliance with a performance standard it's a worthless/meaningless claim. You have used your non-waterproof HDF eyepiece without a problem. I have used a pair of non-waterproof Zeiss binoculars for over 30 years without a problem. IIRC the zoom on my Nikon ED50 is not waterproof, but that has never been a problem for the 10 years I have used it. On the rare occasions I have been caught in very heavy and prolonged rain and a long way from shelter I have simply moved the binoculars from outside my jacket to underneath it and I have moved the scope to the rucsac, but that's more to do with trying to avoid having to take the stay-on case off to dry it afterwards because it's hard to get off. The clue is in the name I guess As for Herman above, most of the time the objective and eyepiece caps on the stay-on case are enough to keep the rain off. I think that's enough proof that you don't need to worry about a non-waterproof HDF eyepiece in normal use !

A very good reply. Thanks for your time, I agree with you completely. That's a big help.
John

 

[mbb]

I have always assumed (maybe wrongly?) that being waterproof (to some standard) also was a sign of much less risk of having dust, condensation, mould growth… inside the binoculars.

When I bought my first own, good binoculars, as a teenager, I remember how reassuring it felt not to worry about them when walking or even observing in the rain because they were now waterproof, nitrogen purged, from a good company (Kite). (Belgian weather can be poor and change fast.) The years before that, I was using not so good binoculars that my parents had and that were not waterproof. Each time it started to rain even only a bit, I put them underneath my raincoat, which was sometimes quite annoying. Maybe I was too cautious?
In the meantime, many years later, the only second hand binoculars that I have bought and appeared afterwards not to be pristine inside, having some dust or other thing, were non-waterproof ones (a.o. a Nikon Mikron). Not sure if that means anything, statistically

Still, I only have a fixed HDF, non-waterproof eyepiece for my MM4 50mm. It does bother me a bit and would have preferred it to be waterproof, but it is optically very nice, and compact….
Any examples/solutions/tips to protect it is welcome!

 

[John goshawk]

I have always assumed (maybe wrongly?) that being waterproof (to some standard) also was a sign of much less risk of having dust, condensation, mould growth… inside the binoculars.

When I bought my first own, good binoculars, as a teenager, I remember how reassuring it felt not to worry about them when walking or even observing in the rain because they were now waterproof, nitrogen purged, from a good company (Kite). (Belgian weather can be poor and change fast.) The years before that, I was using not so good binoculars that my parents had and that were not waterproof. Each time it started to rain even only a bit, I put them underneath my raincoat, which was sometimes quite annoying. Maybe I was too cautious?
In the meantime, many years later, the only second hand binoculars that I have bought and appeared afterwards not to be pristine inside, having some dust or other thing, were non-waterproof ones (a.o. a Nikon Mikron). Not sure if that means anything, statistically

Still, I only have a fixed HDF, non-waterproof eyepiece for my MM4 50mm. It does bother me a bit and would have preferred it to be waterproof, but it is optically very nice, and compact….
Any examples/solutions/tips to protect it is welcome!

Very interesting reply, thanks for sharing.
Much appreciated.
John