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8.5x42 Swarovsiosn Focus Problem (1 Viewer)

M

m31m45

Member
8.5x42 Swarovision Focus Problem

I purchased a new pair of the 8.5x42 Swaros late last summer from EO. I ended sending them back to EO after a few days because the focus knob was rubbing severely against the rubber armor causing a rough focus and a squeaking sound. It was worse the hotter it got. EO sent me a different pair that although better still rubbed a little when it got over 80 degrees. Below 80 degrees and in the air conditioned house the focus was not an issue. I called Swarovski at the time and they said they were not aware of any problems. Since I loved the binos and it was getting colder I thought I would use them over the winter and see if it diminished.

Well now that it has gotten hot again, it does that in the South, the roughness and squeak is back. I called Swarovski and they now tell me they are aware of the issue and there is really nothing they can do. I have nothing but Swarovski optics, (8x32 Swaros, 12x50 Swaros, 95 mm ATX) and have been buying their products over the last 20 years and this is the first time I have been disappointed in a response from them. He said I could ship they back for them to take a look at but they had no solution for the issue. Why send them back if there is no fix on a problem they are aware of? Paying $2800 for a binocular you should not expect to have the focus wheel turn rough and squeak when it gets hot.

Anyone else notice this issue and get a different response from them?
 
Hi m31, I`m really curious as to which bit of armour the knob rubs against, I can`t visualise how this can happen on an SV.
 
m31m45 said:
.....
I called Swarovski and they now tell me they are aware of the issue and there is really nothing they can do.

Paying $2800 for a binocular you should not expect to have the focus wheel turn rough and squeak when it gets hot.

Anyone else notice this issue and get a different response from them?
Click to expand...

Their response does not make sense to me because I recently handled a new 10X42 EL SV that did not have those problems. If it can not be fixed, then why are there some that have the problem and some that do not. I would definitely send it in and be assertive that it is not acceptable. I would suggest to them that if it can not be repaired, then they should search through their inventory till they find one without the problem to send as a replacement.

I also do not buy the they are not aware of it comment. It has been an ongoing issue for years. I have discussed it with Swaro show reps multiple times and it was definitely not new to them.

Can't argue with your $2,800 assessment.

My brother has a 12X50 EL SV that had the stiction problem but no squeaking. He sent it in and although not perfect, it is much better and is now usable. So, do send it in.

Please keep us updated on how all of this works out.
 
BruceH said:
I would definitely send it in and be assertive that it is not acceptable. I would suggest to them that if it can not be repaired, then they should search through their inventory till they find one without the problem to send as a replacement. Please keep us updated on how all of this works out.
Click to expand...

AGREED! :t:
 
This is not the stiction problem as I have had that on other Swaro binoculars I had in the past. It is where the ridges on the focus knob rub on the upper portion of the green armor on the tubes. There is a slight cutout in the armor near the focus knob. When it gets hot, above 80 to 90 degrees, the expansion of the armor and the ridges is enough to cause the rubbing and sound. When it is below that temp the focus is very smooth. If you test them out in a store that is air conditioned you will never notice it. The rep at Swarovski said they are aware of it and that it is a design issue and as it gets hotter and more humid the issue becomes noticeable. I saw no reason to send it back and them have it for 4 to 6 weeks and get it back with the same problem, which has happened in the past with another issue I had on another pair of binoculars from them.

I am just curious if anyone has had a similar response from Swarovski. Sometimes I get someone in their Customer Service who is very helpful and other times I have to argue to get something fixed.

I would think if they redesigned the focus knob to make the ridges a lower height, it would not take much, then that would fix the problem. I guess they have had enough complaints they are aware of it but not enough to make it worth their while to make a design change on the ridges on the focus wheel. I think if you reduced the height by about .005" to .010" that would definitely correct it.

I did determine if you put something like Armorall on the focus knob that will stop the squeaking for a short time until it wears off. The squeaking does not bother me as much as the rougher focusing that occurs when everything expands. You basically turn the focusing of a $2800 pair of binos into something that you would expect on a $100 pair.

Maybe I just shouldn't use them when it gets hot?
 
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My own experience: I auditioned two SLC's last year from EO; a 10x42 and an 8x42. The 10x had a perfect focuser but the 8x 's was almost unusable given the rough, notchy feel and concomitant squeak. However, since I'd decided that the 8x was the configuration I wanted I returned the 8x to EO and asked them to check stock for a better performer. While the replacement I received was not perfect, it was considerably better than the original example.

Fast forward eight months, and I found, like you, in the warmer summer weather, the action had degraded. Just three days ago I used SONA's new on-line service requester to describe the problem and receive a service code to use in an address field (which presumably links the incoming bins to my service request and problem description).

I'll post the results of my efforts (and SONA's), when they become known.

cheers,

Michael
 
Your MI Task...

m31m45 said:
The rep at Swarovski said they are aware of it and that it is a design issue and as it gets hotter and more humid the issue becomes noticeable.

I think if you reduced the height by about .005" to .010" that would definitely correct it.

Maybe I just shouldn't use them when it gets hot?
Click to expand...

m31m45

Thought I'd send you my FBR (focuser barrel rube) fix suggestion below, however be aware this could start the upcoming 4th of July Fireworks...Early! :smoke:

Not sure if you'd be willing to try a little EL 8.5x42 modification yourself (I have CL 8x25's, SLC 10x42's and EL 10x50's...I probably wouldn't, but I don't have any FBR issues, yet)! My proposal, if you choose to accept this secret mission, is to:

1. get the EL real cold (A\C should do)
2. use feeler gauges to check between the focuser and each inside barrel armor clearances.
3. get some 320 to 600 grit emery cloth (rolls are about width of the focuser knob)
4. use a 6" or so long cloth piece on the very cold EL inside barrels, sliding between the focuser and insides of each barrel (with bino well secured of course).
5. Carefully and lightly using a polishing back and forth action, remove material (.001 to .002) on each "barrel side" armor surface.
6. Maybe, keep a vac suction close by to draw away any dust.
7. Go slowly and inspect often. Due to material removal between the focuser\barrels spacing, hopefully visual signs of these actions may not even be noticeable!?
8. Recheck clearances to see if any progress was made.
9. Go out into the heat of the summer and check for results \ improvements!
10. If you choose to accept this mission (or not), all modification suggestions here-in-of BF will Self-Destruct...You have 10 seconds...Good Luck! :t:

Now, if This doesn't get Swavorski's attention, nothing will. Shame we have to joke about consumer MI *&#$@! modifications to $2800 optics for an issue that shouldn't even exist! :C

My .02 cents, 3:)

Ted
 
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Ted:

I just inspected my 8.5x42 SV and I see the clearances are somewhat close. I have not
had any issues at all with the problem mentioned so I do not think it is a big problem, but
isolated.

I agree with your fix, it is simple, and it would remedy the issue at hand.

By the way, I have 2 different grades of emery cloth in my shop.

Jerry
 
I have not seen this problem of focus wheel rubbing against the body armor in the EL series, but have seen it in some SLC's. A possible temporary fix is to use a small amount of armor-all or similar vinyl treatment, or, perhaps better still, McLube dry lubricant & speed polish. The latter is meant for dry lubing anything that slides or moves in racing sailboats, is invisible once it dries, lasts pretty long, and reduces friction and squeaking quite dramatically. Mind you, I haven't tried it on binoculars specifically, but it should be safe and effective.

Kimmo
 
m31m45 thanks for raising this issue. The clearance between the focus knob and the barrels of my EL8.5x42 is really tiny (almost non existent) however no issues with turning the focus knob so far. Still it's winter here and Brisbane summer is typically hot and humid; I wouldn't want to see the barrel green armouring expanding and rubbing the focus wheel. So far all OK but will keep a close eye as the summer approaches.

Ted's remedy solution should work and shouldn't be too hard to do it. As such I find hard to understand Swarovski's unwillingness to offer a fix - this is quite contrary to their exceptional customer service and after-sales support people have been praising.

These binocs should be passing 100% quality control and final inspection. Some of the inspection probably happens in the A/C environment, still the binocs are rated to properly work in the wide temperature setting (from memory between -20C to +50C) and should be tested accordingly.
 
Thanks for all the input. I had thought of doing some work on the focus wheel ridges but I like the idea of trying it on the tube cut-outs. My main reason for posting was to see what other people's experience may have been with Swarovski customer service on this issue and if they got a different answer. I wonder if Swarovski would think it acceptable if you purchased a brand new top of the line car in the winter and come summer it runs rough and the manufacturer tells you there is no fix?

The Customer Service rep did ask me what it would take to make me happy after he told me there was nothing they could do to fix it. My response was fixing the binoculars would make me happy but he said there was no fix so I was not sure of the intent of his question to begin with.
 
m31m45 said:
....

The Customer Service rep did ask me what it would take to make me happy after he told me there was nothing they could do to fix it. My response was fixing the binoculars would make me happy but he said there was no fix so I was not sure of the intent of his question to begin with.
Click to expand...

I think he's asking if they could grease your palm. How about knocking $500 off the price, that would probably make you happy even if it didn't fix the problem?

That would make them priced closer to where they should be, and about where they were when they first came out before Swaro started jacking up the price. $2,800 is already $200 more than most big online stores charge. Why should you pay full price+ for a product that is not fully functional? Ask for a partial refund.

I was going to say that some SLC-HDs had this problem but Kimmo already mentioned it, but this is the first I've heard of the same problem with the 8.5x SV EL.

Maybe I missed it, but have you approached the dealer? He may be able to give you a better sample and send this one back to Swarovski so they can sell it as a demo/refurb. You shouldn't get stuck with it or make modifications to the bin that would decrease its resale value.

Edward Young/NGC 205
 
m31m45 said:
The Customer Service rep did ask me what it would take to make me happy after he told me there was nothing they could do to fix it. My response was fixing the binoculars would make me happy but he said there was no fix so I was not sure of the intent of his question to begin with.
Click to expand...

This is rather strange. The Swarovski service has got the reputation of being top-notch, and this is most certainly *not* good service.

If I were you I'd try to get in touch with Dale Forbes.

Hermann
 
m31m45 said:
Thanks for all the input. I had thought of doing some work on the focus wheel ridges but I like the idea of trying it on the tube cut-outs. My main reason for posting was to see what other people's experience may have been with Swarovski customer service on this issue and if they got a different answer. I wonder if Swarovski would think it acceptable if you purchased a brand new top of the line car in the winter and come summer it runs rough and the manufacturer tells you there is no fix?

The Customer Service rep did ask me what it would take to make me happy after he told me there was nothing they could do to fix it. My response was fixing the binoculars would make me happy but he said there was no fix so I was not sure of the intent of his question to begin with.
Click to expand...

This doesn't sound like the SONA customer service I know. Yes, of course they can fix them; it's nonsense. At this point my suggestion is to ask to speak with a supervisor, say this is unacceptable and you want to return the binoculars because they don't function properly. Once returned, they can either fix them, replace them, or refund your purchase price.

The problem IMO is not to grease their squeaky wheel, but to become a squeaky wheel yourself. Don't do anything to the binoculars, incidentally, that could be used to show that you abused them.

Ed
 
ceasar said:
Brock,

If those sale prices posted on Eagle Optics today are correct that $2800.00 8.5 x 42 Swarovision you mentioned in thread #12 above can now be purchased for $2270.00. If they stay there, the resale value will reflect it.

http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/swarovski

Bob
Click to expand...

And those aren't even demos! This confirms my suspicion that Swaro's prices are well padded. They are skinning buyers if EO can sell a new $2,600 SV EL for $2,270 and still turn a profit. I think the SV ELs were around $2,349 when the first came out (any early adopters recall?).

The first price hike was $80, that I do remember, which brought them to over $2,400 (a new world price record), and it went uphill from there. Apparently, some store was selling them for $2,800. We're getting dangerously close to the $3,000 price barrier, folks. Who knows what might happen when that barrier is breached? It could lead to a rupture in the space-time-money continuum.

I guess due to their popularity (remember the infamous words.."they are selling like hotcakes"), Swaro raised the price $300. Adam Smith would be proud: the Immutable Law of Supply and Demand in action. Except Smith never figured on offshoring to China. :smoke:

<B>
 
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M:i - Pow !

Theo98 said:
Thought I'd send you my FBR (focuser barrel rube) fix suggestion below, however be aware this could start the upcoming 4th of July Fireworks...Early! If you choose to accept this mission (or not), all modification suggestions here-in-of BF will Self-Destruct...You have 10 seconds...Good Luck! :t:

Now, if This doesn't get Swavorski's attention, nothing will. Shame we have to joke about consumer MI *&#$@! modifications to $2800 optics for an issue that shouldn't even exist! :C

Ted
Click to expand...

Okay, Okay...didn't really mean for the 4th fireworks to start early, but my solution was strictly meant for tongue-in-cheek humor.

I really Do Not subscribe to modifying top tier\ top $$$ optics (even if it might work) that could greatly reduce their resale value or worse, void the warranty!!! I could have dunked my squeaky\stiction SLC focuser into 30 weight motor oil (not going there) :eek!:, but instead had Swarovski change the focuser out. IF that doesn't last, I'll expect them to Replace it with a properly working unit!!

As per my first post above, I Do Agree that Swaro has a solution to this issue...Replace them with 8.5x42's that Doesn't Exhibit Heat Rub Issues!!!

Now I'll rest my tongue,

Ted
 
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As promised, the update on my rough and squeaky slc focuser: after a six week absence it returned with a subjective improvement % of about 80. While it still has squeaks in warm weather and a slight whirring in cool, the inaccurate stuttering (with the requirement that I use two opposing digits to effect fine control), is gone. On the whole, a much better experience is had when focusing.
 
brocknroller said:
And those aren't even demos! This confirms my suspicion that Swaro's prices are well padded. They are skinning buyers if EO can sell a new $2,600 SV EL for $2,270 and still turn a profit........
<B>
Click to expand...

You think you're being ripped. Your birding bins are a bargain compared to what hunters have to pay for the rangefinder models. The Leica Geovid HD-B being more expensive than even the new Swaro EL Range, in my neck of the woods.

Incidentally, I tried a friend's brand new Swaro 10x42 EL Range yesterday and the focus was as smooth as silk.
 
I looked at the 8.5x42 and 10x42 SV yesterday and have to say I think in general it's poor design to have made the focus wheel so large relative to the body armor. Rubber armoring is not a static material and swells/changes with all manner of influences, including heat/cold, bug dope, etc.

It looks like the 8x32 does not have this issue, having enough room between the armor and focus wheel.

Cmo'n Swaro... get with it.
 
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