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Ultravid focus wheel issue ! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter niallo
- Start date
scampo
Steve Campsall
Well, one thing when you get to the RW Bird Fair - speaking to a Leica person rather than the Leica stand might be a touch more productive...
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Secondly, you own one of the best ( the best?) pairs of binoculars in the known universe. There - good news indeed. But then, I suppose there will be plenty of Good News over the next three days!
(-;
Secondly, you own one of the best ( the best?) pairs of binoculars in the known universe. There - good news indeed. But then, I suppose there will be plenty of Good News over the next three days!
Hi Ragna
I have had the optics since Oct/Nov 03 so not that long.
I myself have noted the notchy feel to the wheel but I was aware of this as it is even detectable in my fathers trinovids.
The "play" in the whell has now reached approx 1mm of nil resistance particularly when the bit of raised strip of rubber that is on the wheel is facing straight up.
Is it just me or when something is found not just right do you focus in on this and perhaps worry a bit to much or should a product at this end (any product) of the market be spot on?
It is a situation as I am a liitle concerned that this problem with the wheel could well turn into a problem that cannot be fixed by Leica in a short term as this should have been picked up on QC.
how do your Bins fare ragna?
I have had the optics since Oct/Nov 03 so not that long.
I myself have noted the notchy feel to the wheel but I was aware of this as it is even detectable in my fathers trinovids.
The "play" in the whell has now reached approx 1mm of nil resistance particularly when the bit of raised strip of rubber that is on the wheel is facing straight up.
Is it just me or when something is found not just right do you focus in on this and perhaps worry a bit to much or should a product at this end (any product) of the market be spot on?
It is a situation as I am a liitle concerned that this problem with the wheel could well turn into a problem that cannot be fixed by Leica in a short term as this should have been picked up on QC.
how do your Bins fare ragna?
Ragna
Well-known member
Stephen i think ive got a simular amount of slack on fine focus as you have.This is on right to left and only when fine focusing,does'nt seem to notice as much on left to right.This does'nt seem to have got any worse since i've had them(2 months).But like you if i go to the Birdfair in August i'll mention it to the Leica reps to see what they say,it will also be a chance to try a pair on there stand which i would think would be perfect.I think this is only a slight niggle it what i think are perfect binoculars.
I've used leica repair service only once and from posting bins to receiving them fully repaired took six days.I call that a more than excellent service and it was less than a year ago.I've recently purchased the 8x42 BR and find the focus wheel super smooth.There's no sticky or notchety movement at all (yet).These bins are the best to fit my hands I've had.The large eyepiece lenses give fatique free viewing and i would say they are marginally brighter than the trinovids and swaro's.
Tom.
Tom.
Ragna
Well-known member
Thomas glad to hear you have no problem with your focusing wheel.It is possible that both sleeper and myself may have a slight problem with ours and if we take them to Leica at the birdfair they can take a look at our problem?also by then i may have had a try of someone elses to compare.
Unsmooth Focussing Ultravids
The focus wheel was a contributory factor for me selling my Ultravid 8x42 (optically, I found them inferior to my partners Nikon HG 8x32). I found that when trying to focus 'slowly' at the nearest end of the focus range, the wheel became stiffer to move, and at one point (and only in one direction), 'stuttered' rather than turn smoothly. I spoke to Leica technical who said that a small amount of play is normal, but they had had no other complaints about the focussing. To give them their due, they offered to take them back and check/overhaul them, but after only 6 weeks and 800 ukp I
cut my losses and they went.
Sleeper said:
The focus wheel was a contributory factor for me selling my Ultravid 8x42 (optically, I found them inferior to my partners Nikon HG 8x32). I found that when trying to focus 'slowly' at the nearest end of the focus range, the wheel became stiffer to move, and at one point (and only in one direction), 'stuttered' rather than turn smoothly. I spoke to Leica technical who said that a small amount of play is normal, but they had had no other complaints about the focussing. To give them their due, they offered to take them back and check/overhaul them, but after only 6 weeks and 800 ukp I
cut my losses and they went.
Colin
Axeman (Retired)
This thread has really interested me. Some months ago in another thread which was discussing the top of the range binnies, I stated that I did not like Leica because although optically they are really good, the engineering on the focusing wheel was awful. I have tried several pairs including some belonging to my friends and there is a tiny bit of slack in the wheel which to my mind makes it not very exact with the fine focussing. Another forum member made a strong remark against me when I described the wheel as awful. It seems that I may be not alone in this finding after all. Incidentally some of my friends agreed that there was some slack in the mechanism but they had not noticed it until I had bought it to their attention.
Second point. I may be wrong here but one of the factors why In Focus do not sell Leica may well be the small profit margin because I believe that In Focus have an agreement with The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (where many of their outlets are situated) that a percentage of the takings goes to them which would effectively make the profit margin even smaller.
Second point. I may be wrong here but one of the factors why In Focus do not sell Leica may well be the small profit margin because I believe that In Focus have an agreement with The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (where many of their outlets are situated) that a percentage of the takings goes to them which would effectively make the profit margin even smaller.
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trealawboy
Well-known member
Leif said:
I can also confirm the report "I heard once that the margin given by Leica (i.e. profit) was too small", as this was said to me at the Slimbridge In Focus shop last August.
Ragna
Well-known member
Had the chance to try out 3 or 4 other pairs of Ultravids at Portland Bill B.O. this weekend and all seemed to have slight play in the focusing wheel,although all their owners had'nt noticed this.As regards Leica service a friend left his 8x40s with Leica at last years Birdfair for a clean and service and got them back 10 days later,that does'nt seem like bad service to me.Nikon had my 4500 for over a month just to remap a dead pixel and this included me taking them back and collecting ,and they were'nt to helpful.
So
All does not seem to good then?
Would this be classed as something that we are going to have to accept then? Is there any point in sending the bins away if this is an "acceptable" fault come design flaw?
Maybe overeaction but i feel a little dissapointed if i have to accept this play in the wheel. mmmmmmmm
Is it really worth having the bins opened up to be put back together again with possibly the same problem arising? Will leica "fix" the problem for future manufactured pairs. I guess Leica will be more dissapointed than any individual will be though if it becomes apparent that adjustments need to be made.
All does not seem to good then?
Would this be classed as something that we are going to have to accept then? Is there any point in sending the bins away if this is an "acceptable" fault come design flaw?
Maybe overeaction but i feel a little dissapointed if i have to accept this play in the wheel. mmmmmmmm
Is it really worth having the bins opened up to be put back together again with possibly the same problem arising? Will leica "fix" the problem for future manufactured pairs. I guess Leica will be more dissapointed than any individual will be though if it becomes apparent that adjustments need to be made.
scampo
Steve Campsall
And although they fixed my CP4500 within a week and have been very helpful on the phone, it looks as if I've got to wait at least another fortnight (which will make the best part of two months or more) to get my scope back from Nikon. Apparently, they are out of stock of spare ED82 lens hoods - what?!?Ragna said:
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Ragna
Well-known member
Steve we know this is a fairly new scope but i would have thought Nikon should have a couple of lens hoods in stock.Also stock of parts (camera spares etc) should be arriving every day so to take so long to get the lens hood is rather poor.I think this is why Swarovski are so highly rated as their after sales service is said to be the best.
I have also tried at least 4 pairs of 8x42 ultravids and found the focus to be not very smooth, and to have a tiny amount of 'play'. I dont like the feel, but would accept it given they are all the same. All of the pairs I tried seemed very consistent in this regard, which is a good thing I suppose. Its obviously built in as part of their design. I have noticed that a pair of Zeiss I have owned for around 10 years started out with no play, and ended up with very slight play in one direction. Some people may consider that a fault has crept in, and get them repaired. I dont at this stage. I was wondering if Leica build in the 'play' because it suits their manufacturing tolerances, and to ensure the mechanics do not noticebly change over the years for their customers - thereby generating warrantee work? Another thought i've had is that it may be to do with allowing easy operation at temperature extremes?
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