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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Coronavirus and the launch of the Zeiss SF 32mm (1 Viewer)

Robert Wallace

Well-known member
It seems rather unfortunate that the much anticipated 8x and 10x 32SF binoculars are due to reach the market any time now.
I wonder how safe it is to try various models of binocular at your local retailer or optical event at a nature reserve? What hygiene precautions are recommended indeed will optical demonstrations at well known nature reserves in the UK be cancelled?
I am now in the vulnerable 70s and anticipate self -isolation "in the next few weeks". Details of what this means will be clarified soon apparently.
We in the UK are recommended to wash our hands using soap and warm water while singing singing two verses of "Happy Birthday" to ensure a 20 second hand wash. I guess we should wash our hands each time we finish looking through a binocular and that eye cups are wiped with a suitable antivirus solution.
 
It seems rather unfortunate that the much anticipated 8x and 10x 32SF binoculars are due to reach the market any time now.
I wonder how safe it is to try various models of binocular at your local retailer or optical event at a nature reserve? What hygiene precautions are recommended indeed will optical demonstrations at well known nature reserves in the UK be cancelled?
I am now in the vulnerable 70s and anticipate self -isolation "in the next few weeks". Details of what this means will be clarified soon apparently.
We in the UK are recommended to wash our hands using soap and warm water while singing singing two verses of "Happy Birthday" to ensure a 20 second hand wash. I guess we should wash our hands each time we finish looking through a binocular and that eye cups are wiped with a suitable antivirus solution.
I wouldn't try one at a birding event or at a dealer. Just buy a new one from an online dealer and by the time it reaches you any virus on it would be dead and then if you don't like it return it.
 
DENNIS, POST 2,
ALL COWORKERS OF THE ONLINE DEALER HAVE USED THE NEW SF AND SOME OF THEM CARRY THE CORONA VIRUS. THAT STAYS ALIVE FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS ON THE DELICIOUS LEATHER OR SEMI LEATHER COATING OF THE BINOCULAR, SO THEY REACH YOUR HOUSE FULLY INTACT AND START EATING YOUR ANTIBODIES IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU USE THE ONLINE BINOCULAR.
Gijs van Ginkel
 
DENNIS, POST 2,
ALL COWORKERS OF THE ONLINE DEALER HAVE USED THE NEW SF AND SOME OF THEM CARRY THE CORONA VIRUS. THAT STAYS ALIVE FOR AT LEAST 48 HOURS ON THE DELICIOUS LEATHER OR SEMI LEATHER COATING OF THE BINOCULAR, SO THEY REACH YOUR HOUSE FULLY INTACT AND START EATING YOUR ANTIBODIES IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU USE THE ONLINE BINOCULAR.
Gijs van Ginkel
Not according to the CDC.

"In its answer, the CDC writes, "There is still a lot that is unknown about the newly emerged COVID-19 and how it spreads." But the health agency went on to state that based on the behavior of past coronaviruses, "In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures. Coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets. Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods and there have not been any cases of COVID-19 in the United States associated with imported goods."

"An infectious disease specialist at Northwestern University also recently told NPR that the new coronavirus is, "Not going to be transported in a box," because it's spread by close contact between people."
 
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DENNIS, POST 4,
Do not believe these messages, we have inside information that especially on the rough binocular surfaces the virus has a very long life, so the only thing you can do is: go to a dealer, clean the new SF with absolute ethanol and take a sip of brandy yourself before opening your wallet.
Gijs van Ginkel
 
I notice far fewer aircraft, but some are flying, maybe mainly air freight.

Personally, I don't touch things that arrive at my door for several hours, and if possible 3 days.

I would not sign a touch pad, but have not had such a request in over a week.
I don't hug the postman.

I try to follow government advice.
But this varies day to day.

I limit watching the news to once a day.

The psychological attitude is important, as stress can be a large factor in health.

I don't fancy volunteering personally to reduce the world's population, even though we have about three times too many people on our fragile Earth.

It may be best not to share binoculars, and I don't plan on buying any.
But four months at home is a long time, although not much of a change for me.

Regards,
B.
 
DENNIS, POST 4,
Do not believe these messages, we have inside information that especially on the rough binocular surfaces the virus has a very long life, so the only thing you can do is: go to a dealer, clean the new SF with absolute ethanol and take a sip of brandy yourself before opening your wallet.
Gijs van Ginkel
I would believe the Center For Disease Control before I would believe your unsupported inside information! By the way where is there leather on the new Zeiss SF?
 
DENNIS, POST 4,
Do not believe these messages, we have inside information that especially on the rough binocular surfaces the virus has a very long life, so the only thing you can do is: go to a dealer, clean the new SF with absolute ethanol and take a sip of brandy yourself before opening your wallet.
Gijs van Ginkel

Are you sure you haven't had too many sips yourself? "Inside information" in this era is wroth nothing, with so many fake news circulating, I would much rather trust the official advice.

I mean if the buyer cleans it upon delivery with alcohol, it doesn't really hurt, but it seems over the top compared to all other sources of risk.
 
"how safe it is to try various models of binocular at your local retailer or optical event at a nature reserve?"

Probably not very safe. All stores and even the Mass Audobon nature reserves have shut down until likely April here in Massachusetts.

And I concur with Dennis' post from the CDC. This virus, similar to the influenza virus, is transmitted via respiratory droplets, meaning close contact with people hence there is a nationwide pressure to abstain from social gatherings and instead stay at home (where its very easy to shop online which has been a rather ravenous experience for my wallet...).

Make rational decisions. Wash your hands frequently. Eat healthy. Comb through the internet for professional reviews of the SF32.
 
Thanks Robert for bringing this up, however before this thread gets shut down, it should probably go to ruffled feathers. There will be more than ample responses and opinion on the subject at that location. Personally I would do what Samolot is doing, besides many places are or will be closed.

Andy W.
 
In reality I would not worry one moment to handle a binocular that had been used before by somebody else unless I would be certain that microorganisms could not be removed form the binocular surfaces (after all I handle a lot of historical binoculars which have been in all kinds of environments including the trenches of WW-1).
I only wanted to scare Dennis a litle bit after his serious encounters with mountain goats.
Gijs van Ginkel
 
I think the more serious problem is to remember the global nature of the supply chain. Who knows just where all the myriad of internal parts and the accessories in the binocular box, including the box come from? I recently talked with a couple of contacts I have developed at various spots in the optics business. When the outbreak was still a Chinese matter, they said there was a real problem that they would have some product , but no accessories or box to ship them in. The shutdowns have done nothing but accelerate since then. A lot of cargo ships in the hold of cancelled airline flights.

Be clean, be careful, be smart. In the meantime, be careful not to sniff the air in popped bubble wrap liners, it might be infected air.
 
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In reality I would not worry one moment to handle a binocular that had been used before by somebody else unless I would be certain that microorganisms could not be removed form the binocular surfaces (after all I handle a lot of historical binoculars which have been in all kinds of environments including the trenches of WW-1).
I only wanted to scare Dennis a litle bit after his serious encounters with mountain goats.
Gijs van Ginkel
Once you have come face to face with a Mountain Goat you don't scare easily. This one has just looked a Zeiss SF and was amazed at the amount of green tint. Look's like he need's a little dental work also.
 

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I wonder how safe it is to try various models of binocular at your local retailer or optical event at a nature reserve?
After all this "joking" about coronavirus (which I neither expected nor enjoyed) I want to get back to the OP's question.

Dennis has mostly answered it with his quote from CDC: compared to aerosols from the breath of infected individuals, surface contact is not thought to be a major route of transmission. It's also relatively easily defeated by avoiding touching one's face before thoroughly washing one's hands. And this virus is not thought to persist especially long (for days) on surfaces. All that said, I do avoid more obvious fomites like door handles as much as possible. ( "Fomite" is a lovely technical term for something touched by large numbers of people that can spread disease.)

It's also worth saying that Gijs's "scary joke" got the texture thing exactly backwards: germs are more easily picked up from smooth surfaces like metal doorknobs than from textured or soft ones, so bino armor is not a particular problem.

Of course you may not have a chance to try binoculars anywhere if shops etc are ordered closed in the effort to contain spread of the virus, as is beginning to happen here.
 
Tenex, post 17,
You are right the corona virus is not to make jokes about, I did not want to offend anybody, it is serious enough. Our information is that on smooth surfaces the virus can live longer sometimes up to 48 hours on smooth stainless steel surfaces.
Our country is in a complete lockdown: restaurants, theaters, schools, universities and some shops closed.
In France it is even worse according to our news papers: you are not allowed to go outside unless with a special permit.
Prospects may be that this can last a fairly long time. Policy in our country is a controlled rate of infection so that in the end the majority of the population is protected and prevents further spreading of the virus.
Gijs van Ginkel
 
As long as jokes are not misleading or expected to be hurtful to the direct recipient, I do not think anyone should refrain from them. Although sober clear "rational" deliberate thinking is the best foundation for dealing with complicated and grave situations, I consider the human ability to joke in the face of adversity and unhappy circumstances to be an admirable quality. Moreover, like "hope" and "optimism" it is probably an important tool in our mental constitution for thinking clearly and creatively in situations that might otherwise lead to overwhelming despair.

--AP
 
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