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Noctivid objective len covers (1 Viewer)

spiralcoil

Well-known member
The new Noctivid have an excellently designed objective lens covers.

I wonder how many of you keep the objective lens covers on the binoculars during the normal use or on the field?

Or do you use the objective lens covers on your binoculars, or find it is too much of a bother for each use of the bino that needs to remove the covers?
 
I don't keep the lens covers tethered on the binocular anymore. I had an Opticron bin a couple years ago and it came with a set of rubber tethered lens covers and a set of plastic lens caps (non tethered) which was nice.
I came to like the plastic caps better and I would only put them on when the bin was back in its case.

I prefer no hanging lens covers on the bin when in use ("naked"). I don't have that Opticron bin anymore. I have two bins now and I cut the tethered part off the lens covers on both sets so they are used as just caps.
 
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All Covers off.. pretty much all bins, but especially the Noctivid. Quick deployment and superior handling. See my comments pertaining to the Noctivid covers on the Noctivid thread - it handles noticeably better without its clunky dangling objective covers. The Noctivid objective covers are also too deeply recessed and easily touch and mark the lens.

Edit: the Noctivid eyepiece covers are superb but I no longer use them. They are light weight, simple and slide smoothly onto the eyepieces with exquisite precision. For myself, it’s just another superfluous contraption which interferes with my binocular use (much like neck straps). I don’t like anything hanging off or attached to binoculars. I climb trees and do bouldering and rock climbing and scrambling with binoculars in the bush so the various contraptions present as nothing but a ridiculous hindrance. If I’m viewing in a relaxed manner at home, there is even less reason to adorn Binoculars with plastic accessories and attachments. If I was going to count pigeons at Trafalgar Square I might consider a neck strap or harness.

But, I don’t want to be caught fumbling like a buffoon with binoculars and various straps, caps, accessories, contraptions and other binocular rubbish while a Wedgie is busy tearing a 20kg Koala off a tree trunk.
 
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Mine are on whenever the glasses are not around my neck, and the rain/spit guard is on whenever I am not looking through them.
 
That would be a big time no-no for me.

I touch my lenses only when it is unavoidable.

Yeah same here. I rarely clean or touch lenses.

If any Noctivid owner sees a mysterious small silvery streak or smudge on their lens, it’ll likely be from the objective covers touching it. Don’t panic...the first time I thought the silver streak was a horrendous scratch which resulted in a sphincter puckering moment. All was good however.

Edit: I’ve attached a photo of such a lens smudge at four o’clock. This is the smallest of such smudges I’ve had and it’ll be the last as I’ve ditched the objective covers. I might copy this post into the Noctivid thread.
 

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So when you get sand on your objective covers and you put them on you are likely to get your lenses scratched?!?

I don't use objective covers at all, but I use rainguards/eyecup covers and if they ever get sand or similar substances on them I always clean them before refitting them onto the eyecups. I don't think it would be a good idea to use objective covers with sand on them under any circumstances.

Lee
 
I don't use objective covers either and I do use a rainguard, but I don't check it every time I put it on. It goes off and on all the time.

But if you do use objective covers the design should be such that you don't need to check them all the time to see is there is sand on them and there should be space between the covers and the lens, just as with the Ultravid and most other objective covers.

It's no big deal as you can just take the objective covers off, I was just amazed.

George
 
Good to hear all those feedbacks... thank you.

Also if the lenses got dirty, it maybe best use water (e.g. under a running tap) to wash clean it, rather than other touching methods...
 
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