Torchepot
Well-known member
In a moment of inattention (which still haunts me!) I recently dropped my new EL 8.5x42s onto a tiled floor. I might have got away with it but they landed objective end down at an angle and bent the bit that projects beyond the objective on one side quite badly.
These were a surprise present (what a surprise!) from my nearest and dearest and I never had the nerve to point out two little niggles - one was the slight difference in feel when turning the focus one way to the other. This has been highlighted many times over the years and I stupidly checked for it and then once I noticed it I couldn't "un-notice' it.
The other problem was that the eyecups had an annoying habit of not staying put in the fully out position. I solved this by cutting two little bands of bicycle inner tube to fit and slipping them over the eyecups. Virtually undetectable in use this solved the problem and as sending them back from the wilds of Limousin is not straightforward I just forgot about it and enjoyed the (sublime) views.
Now that I'm in the UK I took the opportunity to send them off for repair from a local supplier. I didn't point out either of the niggles (my wife was standing next to me - and I'd kind of got used to them anyway) but to my surprise when I got them back the eyecups have presumably been replaced and now lock firmly in whatever position they're set in and even better the focusing mechanism is now super smooth in both directions with no discernible difference. I also have a sneaky feeling that they've renewed the armouring as it had a slight flaw at the point of impact which I can't see anymore.
A familiar and perhaps predictable outcome but for me an unprecedented level of service that really put a smile on my face.
These were a surprise present (what a surprise!) from my nearest and dearest and I never had the nerve to point out two little niggles - one was the slight difference in feel when turning the focus one way to the other. This has been highlighted many times over the years and I stupidly checked for it and then once I noticed it I couldn't "un-notice' it.
The other problem was that the eyecups had an annoying habit of not staying put in the fully out position. I solved this by cutting two little bands of bicycle inner tube to fit and slipping them over the eyecups. Virtually undetectable in use this solved the problem and as sending them back from the wilds of Limousin is not straightforward I just forgot about it and enjoyed the (sublime) views.
Now that I'm in the UK I took the opportunity to send them off for repair from a local supplier. I didn't point out either of the niggles (my wife was standing next to me - and I'd kind of got used to them anyway) but to my surprise when I got them back the eyecups have presumably been replaced and now lock firmly in whatever position they're set in and even better the focusing mechanism is now super smooth in both directions with no discernible difference. I also have a sneaky feeling that they've renewed the armouring as it had a slight flaw at the point of impact which I can't see anymore.
A familiar and perhaps predictable outcome but for me an unprecedented level of service that really put a smile on my face.
