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Leica Quality Control (1 Viewer)

mork

Active member
I recently bought a 10x50 bn 2004 production.I took a flash-light and shined into the objectives.In one objective there were lint and dust particles,the other showed what appeared to be the lens coating coming off.It looked like small droplets of oil all over the lens.This is my fourth pair of leicas and all had this problem!Has anyone ever seen this problem in their bino and does it affect the view.$1400.00 FOR A BINO I DO NOT THINK THERE SHOULD BE LINT AND DIRT INSIDE THE BINO AND THE LENS COATING FRECKLING GIVE ME A BREAK!I think leica need to check into their quality control. :
 
mork said:
I recently bought a 10x50 bn 2004 production.I took a flash-light and shined into the objectives.In one objective there were lint and dust particles,the other showed what appeared to be the lens coating coming off.It looked like small droplets of oil all over the lens.This is my fourth pair of leicas and all had this problem!Has anyone ever seen this problem in their bino and does it affect the view.$1400.00 FOR A BINO I DO NOT THINK THERE SHOULD BE LINT AND DIRT INSIDE THE BINO AND THE LENS COATING FRECKLING GIVE ME A BREAK!I think leica need to check into their quality control. :


May I ask where you bought these bins?
 
I find the original post very hard to believe. I do believe that you could have gotten one lemmon. I do not believe that you got four lemmons from Leica. If it is true, why would you continue with the brand? Sounds fishy to me!

ranburr
 
i own 2 pairs of leica bin's, and 1 scope - all of wich get used plenty, and they have NEVER let me down. have they been dropped our bought second hand? - they could also of been re-conditioned by someone who was less carefull of there equipment.
 
mork said:
I recently bought a 10x50 bn 2004 production.I took a flash-light and shined into the objectives.In one objective there were lint and dust particles,the other showed what appeared to be the lens coating coming off.It looked like small droplets of oil all over the lens.This is my fourth pair of leicas and all had this problem!Has anyone ever seen this problem in their bino and does it affect the view.$1400.00 FOR A BINO I DO NOT THINK THERE SHOULD BE LINT AND DIRT INSIDE THE BINO AND THE LENS COATING FRECKLING GIVE ME A BREAK!I think leica need to check into their quality control. :

My APO Televid 77 had a few tiny bits of dust inside the sealed tube from new. I don't regard it as an issue, though it is not ideal. Were all your samples from the same shop at about the same time? If so, and assuming your report is correct, then it might be a bad batch. That is not unknown, even for the best makes. They did once have a problem with the wrong grease due to a supplier error.

Leif
 
mork said:
I recently bought a 10x50 bn 2004 production.I took a flash-light and shined into the objectives.In one objective there were lint and dust particles,the other showed what appeared to be the lens coating coming off.It looked like small droplets of oil all over the lens.This is my fourth pair of leicas and all had this problem!Has anyone ever seen this problem in their bino and does it affect the view.$1400.00 FOR A BINO I DO NOT THINK THERE SHOULD BE LINT AND DIRT INSIDE THE BINO AND THE LENS COATING FRECKLING GIVE ME A BREAK!I think leica need to check into their quality control. :


I have also experienced this problem with Leica. Mine has been in their Trinivod Line, BN's and BA's. I have owned nine pair in the last six years. Five BA's and Four BN's--Of these,three pair had similar problems. Two 7x 42's had something similar--like lent or dust on the inside of the Objectives. One pair of 10x50 BN's had what looked to be like the paint coming off or chipping on the inside of the tubing or barrell. I sent them back Leica. They stated that this did not obstruct my view-so they sent them back as is ,and did nothing about it. For $1400.00 it is obstructive in my view!! No doubt Leica makes good binoculars,but I have seen what Mork is talking about first hand. I have not seen this in their new Ultravid Line. By the way all mine have either been purchased from Cabela's or SWFA.
 
I picked up a pair of second hand 8x32 BA's for half normal price about three years ago now and they are still as good as the day I bought them. After reading these posts I checked mine and there isn't even a hint of dust inside.

Seems very strange from reading the first post.
 
My 8x32 BN's which I purchased just under 2 years ago show a few dust particles when viewed through the objectives as does my Apo 77. Both are excellent optics and the dust doesn’t impair the viewing, I'd still prefer it wasn’t there considering I handed over £1700 for both items.
 
I had an absolute nightmare with a Leica Apo 62. Lens Coating came off. Got 2 Brand new len elements fitted and they were faulty. Leica then gave me replacement scope, which had a scratched lens. Then another which had a different colour cast to the element and speckles where there was no len coating on the surface of the objective lens.

To be fair, Leica tried to put it right but the whole escapade took over 6 months, where I obviously didnt have the use of the scope. Warehouse Express ( excellent service ) agreed to credit note me the amount for the scope, which I returned to them and I bought EL 8.5's which are fantastic ! The manager of Servicing at Leica said, and I quote, "that I was expecting far too much for an instrument that ONLY cost what I had paid" and that " as far as they were concerned it met THEIR standards". I let several other people see it, including professional photographers, and they said it was a shocking for a brand new lens. Clearly a QC problem there then.

I have posted all of this before and I guess all the Leica-phobes will take offence, as they did last time. But scratched lens, missing coating should not be getting out of the factory period. If they looked like that after several years of use, fine.

I still use a Apo Leica 77, and it is optically very good but, if I were in the market for a new scope I would be looking at Swarovski, Zeiss or Nikon. When I bought my Bins I did not even consider Leica.............


Linz
 
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In 1999 bought 8x50 bn had dust and lint,sold, bino,cost me $100 for lint he said these guys buying are picky,sold them anyway.Bought 8x50ba from adorama had lint and coatings were pealing off.I am not blind i see what i see. It like the leica view just like everyone else ,but i am not a sucker!Purchased a 10x50br from cabelas,lint,returned.I said self where are these things being made kokomo,for 1.5 ben franklins do not think so!Bought a7x42bn from SWFA,lens coatings were coming off severely on both focul lens and had lint!PURCHASED FIFTH PAIR OF 10X50 BINOS AND STILL CURRENTLY OWN,GUESS WHAT LINT IN RIGHT BARREL,AND COATINGS ARE COMING OFF INSIDE.This is last leica bino.Going to try something else.
 
John traynor because i can.Get a flash-light and look inside and you will emerge from the twilight zone.
 
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Swissboy said:
JCJ said:
I have owned nine pair in the last six years. Five BA's and Four BN's--Of these,three pair had similar problems.
Mork and JCJ: why would you keep buying Leica if this was a serious problem?


My personal reason is one of bias.My first high end bino was a leica 7x42BA (outstanding),probally shouldn"t have sold them.Since then I have always had a thing for leica. I can 't say I won"t continue to own leica products,but their (QC and slow service), here in the states anyway,makes it a little discouraging. And with companys out there like swarovski,zeiss and nikon they(Leica) need to get it together.


JCJ
 
Obviously Leica is absolute crap. I would feel bad making you guys suffer, so send me everything you own that carries this offensive logo. I will be sure to dispose of it properly! Incidently, Adorama is not an authorized dealer and has about 2 million Better Business Bureau complaints against them for selling refurbished equipment as new, or selling counterfit equipment. Cabelas will take anything back and make it right. And finally, Chris and Brady of SWFA would have replaced the binos and made the president of Leica send you a personal apology! Your story does not jive. I do believe that you probably got a bad bino from Adorama.

ranburr
 
Still odd to keep buying from a manufacturer that you have had so much trouble from. Clearly the phrase, once bitten twice shy isn't applicable here.
 
mork said:
John traynor because i can.Get a flash-light and look inside and you will emerge from the twilight zone.


Mork,

You saw lint etc. in a bin yet you repeatedly bought the same brand without checking? That strains credulity in my sphere.

Perhaps the Leica view is so good you just couldn't resist.

Happy birding!

John

PS
My 7X42 Ultravid is spotless.
 
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Just inspected my 8x32BN with a flashlight. I bought this pair 12 months ago second hand and I am pleased to say there is no dust at all.
 
I just took a flashlight aided look down the barrels of my 8x32s and my brother's 8x42 Ultravids and found a considerable number of speckles in one of the barrels of the 42s. They appear to be on the internal glass at about the mid point of the binos. It doesn't look like dust or oil,,, and I don't know enough as to guess at what they might be. What I do know is that to my very good eyes there is no discernible difference between the barrels of the 42s, or between the 42s and the 32s. The views they give are still superb and appear uncompromised. I will, of course, let Leica know about these speckles, but I don't expect them to do anything about it. I'll post what I find out from them.
 
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