Hello all. I have lurked around Birdforum for years now but have never felt compelled to add my two cents to any one thing. However, after dealing with Leica and their service department yesterday I can officially say that I feel compelled. Sadly, it is because of such a negative and bad experience.
When it comes to optics I always want to try new and different models, regardless of brand and price point. Also, before it seems like I am just here to bash Leica, I will admit that the Leica Noctivid, regardless of weight and ease of handling compared to other binoculars, produces the absolute best image that my eyes have ever seen. This is comparing them to Nikon EDG II, Zeiss SF, Swaro EL SV and SLC, Ultravid HD and HD +, Steiner Peregrine XP (the North American version of the Discovery XP), Meopta Meostar, and many other non “premium” binoculars.
I will also admit that I own and have owned many of those that I listed. My current set up includes a Steiner Peregrine XP 8x44 for archery hunting, Leupold Bx-4 Pro Guide 10x42 for my wife’s car, Leupold BX-5 8x42 for my car, Zeiss SF 8x42 (mine) for birding/travel, and a Swaro SLC 10x42 (my wife’s) for birding/travel. I also have a Steiner Shadowquest XP 8x56 (North American version of the Nighthunter XP) for looking at the stars. Needless to say, I have a lot of binoculars/optics. Also, needless to say, my wife thinks I have too many. However I am digressing.
A few weeks ago I called Leica customer service and explained that I had a Leica Televid 77 spotting scope that I wanted cleaned up and adjusted. I could see some dust specs on the prism, the locking ring for the eyepiece was not holding tension anymore, and the eyecup had fallen off. Problems from use, but not abuse. The glass was/is still pristine. The person I spoke with told me to send it in and they would clean and make the adjustments needed. I even told the customer service person that I did not have any paperwork for it (my father, the original purchaser, had thrown these out years ago). They told me that it was not a problem and to send it in. So I did so.
Well I received two invoices yesterday, one for the eyepiece and one for the spotting scope body. The charges list out $312.50 to clean, lubricate and adjust to spotting scope body, $35 for shipping, and $187.50 to clean, lubricate, and adjust the eyepiece. It also says included in the price is the repair of my eyepiece’s zoom mechanism, which is strange because my eyepiece’s zoom was just fine. It was the locking ring on the scopes body which had lost tension. And lastly a mere $13.50 for the rotating eyecup sleeve.
I immediately called Leica customer service thinking that there was an error. I was informed that without the warranty paperwork (which I had previously been told I did not need to send in to have my scope serviced) the charges were correct. This is astounding. Sadly, this is also the reason I will never buy the Lecia Noctivid, nor any other Lecia product. They want to charge over $500 to clean and adjust my spotting scope. I want to reiterate; it has been used but not abused. I do not need new lenses, new prisms, etc. Simply cleaning, adjusting the tension ring, and replacing the eyecup. And quite honestly If I had to pay $50- $100 for this because I don’t have the warranty paperwork, I would be okay(ish) with that. But over $500 just seems absurd.
Anyways, I am truly disappointed. Not just because I spent $50 to insure and ship the scope to Leica for them to do nothing, but especially because I was wanting this to be my litmus test whether I wanted to take the plunge and pursue buying a Noctivid and possibly selling my Zeiss SF.
Hopefully, yet another poor Leica customer service experience, this time at my expense, will help potential future purchasers be that much more discerning before investing in such expensive optics.
When it comes to optics I always want to try new and different models, regardless of brand and price point. Also, before it seems like I am just here to bash Leica, I will admit that the Leica Noctivid, regardless of weight and ease of handling compared to other binoculars, produces the absolute best image that my eyes have ever seen. This is comparing them to Nikon EDG II, Zeiss SF, Swaro EL SV and SLC, Ultravid HD and HD +, Steiner Peregrine XP (the North American version of the Discovery XP), Meopta Meostar, and many other non “premium” binoculars.
I will also admit that I own and have owned many of those that I listed. My current set up includes a Steiner Peregrine XP 8x44 for archery hunting, Leupold Bx-4 Pro Guide 10x42 for my wife’s car, Leupold BX-5 8x42 for my car, Zeiss SF 8x42 (mine) for birding/travel, and a Swaro SLC 10x42 (my wife’s) for birding/travel. I also have a Steiner Shadowquest XP 8x56 (North American version of the Nighthunter XP) for looking at the stars. Needless to say, I have a lot of binoculars/optics. Also, needless to say, my wife thinks I have too many. However I am digressing.
A few weeks ago I called Leica customer service and explained that I had a Leica Televid 77 spotting scope that I wanted cleaned up and adjusted. I could see some dust specs on the prism, the locking ring for the eyepiece was not holding tension anymore, and the eyecup had fallen off. Problems from use, but not abuse. The glass was/is still pristine. The person I spoke with told me to send it in and they would clean and make the adjustments needed. I even told the customer service person that I did not have any paperwork for it (my father, the original purchaser, had thrown these out years ago). They told me that it was not a problem and to send it in. So I did so.
Well I received two invoices yesterday, one for the eyepiece and one for the spotting scope body. The charges list out $312.50 to clean, lubricate and adjust to spotting scope body, $35 for shipping, and $187.50 to clean, lubricate, and adjust the eyepiece. It also says included in the price is the repair of my eyepiece’s zoom mechanism, which is strange because my eyepiece’s zoom was just fine. It was the locking ring on the scopes body which had lost tension. And lastly a mere $13.50 for the rotating eyecup sleeve.
I immediately called Leica customer service thinking that there was an error. I was informed that without the warranty paperwork (which I had previously been told I did not need to send in to have my scope serviced) the charges were correct. This is astounding. Sadly, this is also the reason I will never buy the Lecia Noctivid, nor any other Lecia product. They want to charge over $500 to clean and adjust my spotting scope. I want to reiterate; it has been used but not abused. I do not need new lenses, new prisms, etc. Simply cleaning, adjusting the tension ring, and replacing the eyecup. And quite honestly If I had to pay $50- $100 for this because I don’t have the warranty paperwork, I would be okay(ish) with that. But over $500 just seems absurd.
Anyways, I am truly disappointed. Not just because I spent $50 to insure and ship the scope to Leica for them to do nothing, but especially because I was wanting this to be my litmus test whether I wanted to take the plunge and pursue buying a Noctivid and possibly selling my Zeiss SF.
Hopefully, yet another poor Leica customer service experience, this time at my expense, will help potential future purchasers be that much more discerning before investing in such expensive optics.
. Ok, that is truly a luxury but I have to say the build quality on the Noctivid is A+ top notch. It’s tank-like industrial build just FEELS like it will last 50 years, and I can’t say the same about any of my Swarovskis. I just hope I never lose my receipt/warranty/purchase information. I wish Leica would step it up a notch in service as I think it would help Leica sell more binoculars. But as a much smaller company than Swaro or Zeiss, it’s a business decision Leica has to live with.
