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Zen ED2 7x36 Dioptre problems (1 Viewer)

kristoffer

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Hello.
My ED2 is really an amazing bin. It so bright and sharp, a guy I meet at a reserve tried my ED2s and was shocked how bright and "wow" they were. (He used Leica Trinovids). Even more shocked when he heard what I payed for them ;)

However, my dioptre has malfunctioned or something. I have perfect eyesight and usually I have the dioptre set to 0 or middle, or what you call it. But to achieve full sharpness/focus I have to set my ED2s to + alot, over half to max on the dioptre. Does anyone know what can cause this? Has something moved inside the bin? It does not really matter since it is perfectly sharp at this setting, but it annoys me and I suppose it can wander of more, beyond max.
 
"Loose diopter" is somewhat common. I had it with bushnells. Most people use personal binos and never put it to a test as teh diopter is set once and never moved again, but if it is adjusted a lot, it can come sort of loose. I do not know what gets loose.
 
Hello Kristoffer,

I have had this problem with six and seven power binoculars, probably because of their great depth of field. First pick a target about five metres, away, not at a distance where depth of field is greater. Then focus from near to far, work from three metres to the object. This might provide greater consistency.

If the dioptre is really loosened than it should be serviced.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :brains:
 
I've got a recently acquired 10x42 Noble (Chinese made) that doesn't focus right, either. The action is smooth and the diopter stays put, but it has very fast focus (ala Pentax) and it takes a few rocks back & forth, while fiddling with the diopter to get perfect images on both sides. Then if changed to a closer/farther target and using the center focus, the bino doesn't stay in focus on both sides and requires the reset or several back & forth moves to reacquire the clear image in both tubes. Apparently the mechanism inside has some play, tho' it seems tight (no noise when lightly shaken).

Celestron, of course, won't honor the "no fault" warranty due to it being bought online, even tho the defect is obviously internal and mfrs snafu. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.....
 
Hello.
My ED2 is really an amazing bin. It so bright and sharp, a guy I meet at a reserve tried my ED2s and was shocked how bright and "wow" they were. (He used Leica Trinovids). Even more shocked when he heard what I payed for them ;)

However, my dioptre has malfunctioned or something. I have perfect eyesight and usually I have the dioptre set to 0 or middle, or what you call it. But to achieve full sharpness/focus I have to set my ED2s to + alot, over half to max on the dioptre. Does anyone know what can cause this? Has something moved inside the bin? It does not really matter since it is perfectly sharp at this setting, but it annoys me and I suppose it can wander of more, beyond max.


Too bad, I know you have really been trumping up the new wonder bin.
I hope this seems to cure itself, or you will have to keep adjusting it.

Long life and durability are important for satisfaction with anything we purchase.
 
I'd keep an eye on the diopter. My guess is you can set it and forget it. The diopter scale should be zeroed at the factory and in this case it probably wasn't. It's all relative, after all. Your diopter is now set to zero regardless of the diopter scale--unless it's the left barrel that was missassembled.

I have two bins like that (one off by a little, the other off by a fair amount). They are both stable, however, and the settings are repeatable, so I figure I'll just live with it.

If it were a Swaro, I'd send it back. As a Zen--that's a judgment call.
 
I had a rifle scope with which the parallax adjustment wasn't calibrated w/ the dial correctly. (e.g. the dial read 2ooyrds but it was focused at 50yrds). Just a misaligned dial. Hopefully it's that simple.
Good Luck!
 
This issue conjures up memories of the first offering of the Vortex Fury 6.5x32s. They started off the way you describe, with the adjustment in flux, soon to be completely un-focusable.

Since I've seen this before, I'd send them in... they won't get better
 
However, my dioptre has malfunctioned or something. I have perfect eyesight and usually I have the dioptre set to 0 or middle, or what you call it. But to achieve full sharpness/focus I have to set my ED2s to + alot,

Kristoffer,

I'm not clear whether the problem was there when you first used the bins or whether it developed later.

If it was there from the start, it's probably due to, as Kammerdiner says, the diopter scale not being zeroed at the factory. So nothing to worry about.

If it developed later, then that is a bit worrying.
 
For all those invoking other bins diopter issues -- this just a non-zeroed diopter setting. Annoying but not fatal. The one I have has a small but non-zero offset too for my corrected vision.

Not a drifting or loose setting (it locks on the 7x36) like Tero's Bushnell or a complex diopter setting mechanism like the first version of the Vortex 6x32. The diopter on the ZR (like the other Chinese EDs) just moves the right hand eyepiece in an out and is not coupled to the rest of the focusing mechanism (that was the issue with the Vortex 6x32).

It's actually settable by the user in dire circumstances (like being in Sweden and not wanting to ship the bins back to the USA ;) ). Of course I'd talk to ZR first as this would void your warranty, I presume. But there is an option if you don't want to send it back.

If you lift the glued on branding badge in the center of the focuser there is a aluminum plate inside the cage-like knob on a brass bushing that moves on a screw thread (turned by the focuser knob) that is attached to two brass rods (one for each focusing element in the bin). One is rigidly screwed in place on the plate and the other has a spring loaded offsetting mechanism that connects it to the plate. So as you turn the small screw on that one with the offset the physical focusing offset (i.e. the diopter) between the tubes changes. Zero the external diopter setting (on the mark by the right eyepeice) then turn that screw (a small amount each time) until you have good focus in both eyes at the same time. Then add a dab of Locktite (blue? the non-permanent one) to hold the screw in place. Finally stick the branding label back in place (if you lifted it carefully enough ... or ask ZR for a new one!).

How do I know? I had a small issue with a Promaster ED focusing that I own that wasn't warranted for me so I fixed it. No issues since ;)
 
Not sure if I described the problem good enough. I get perfect sharpness, but at a setting i normally wouldnt use.

I have a similar condition with my Leica 7 x 42 BA since I bought it new in 1995. Leica Warranty insisted that it was not worth fixing (and that the fix might actually create new problems) so I never bothered with it. I normally set my diopter at +2 but this Leica is sharp at -1. I also own an end of the model run Leica 10 x 50 BA which is set at +2. Go figure!
 
Thanks Kevin,
very helpful! Perhaps Il send them in anyways, not sure yet. But if I decide that it is to much hassle, il follow your guide :)


For all those invoking other bins diopter issues -- this just a non-zeroed diopter setting. Annoying but not fatal. The one I have has a small but non-zero offset too for my corrected vision.

Not a drifting or loose setting (it locks on the 7x36) like Tero's Bushnell or a complex diopter setting mechanism like the first version of the Vortex 6x32. The diopter on the ZR (like the other Chinese EDs) just moves the right hand eyepiece in an out and is not coupled to the rest of the focusing mechanism (that was the issue with the Vortex 6x32).

It's actually settable by the user in dire circumstances (like being in Sweden and not wanting to ship the bins back to the USA ;) ). Of course I'd talk to ZR first as this would void your warranty, I presume. But there is an option if you don't want to send it back.

If you lift the glued on branding badge in the center of the focuser there is a aluminum plate inside the cage-like knob on a brass bushing that moves on a screw thread (turned by the focuser knob) that is attached to two brass rods (one for each focusing element in the bin). One is rigidly screwed in place on the plate and the other has a spring loaded offsetting mechanism that connects it to the plate. So as you turn the small screw on that one with the offset the physical focusing offset (i.e. the diopter) between the tubes changes. Zero the external diopter setting (on the mark by the right eyepeice) then turn that screw (a small amount each time) until you have good focus in both eyes at the same time. Then add a dab of Locktite (blue? the non-permanent one) to hold the screw in place. Finally stick the branding label back in place (if you lifted it carefully enough ... or ask ZR for a new one!).

How do I know? I had a small issue with a Promaster ED focusing that I own that wasn't warranted for me so I fixed it. No issues since ;)
 
I would tend to agree with the others. I have had several bins that would not work at the "0" setting despite the fact that I typically require that particular setting for "perfect focus" in most binoculars for my eyes.

As long as you don't have to keep "resetting" it for different distances or over at different times then I would not worry about it. A little "niggle" at the back of your mind but nothing to be truly concerned over.

Guys....not sure how much I am going to be on from here on out but I do miss the bunch of you....even CLRobles.

;-)
 
i have perfect eyesight on both eyes. My EL needs -2 diopter setting. It never needs readjustment. As long as it has not changed, I will not worry about it.
 
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