The trouble with accessories is that users vary so much with what they want from them. It is impossible for bino brands to satisfy such contradictory demands.
For example, for every user who perceives the Vic Pocket as a substitute for a normal sized field bino and wants an ocular guard, objective guards and a robust strap, and therefore a case big enough to accommodate the Pockets and all of these accessories, there is another user who says 'they are supposed to be compact pocket binos, I don't want to have to pay for some big case, strap and rainguards and objective covers I am never going to use. I want them to fit in a pocket'.
Its the same with cases for bigger binos where some folks want the smallest possible to fit into a backpack and others want a case big enough for not only the binos and accessories but also enough room for a notebook and cleaning brush and cloth, and possibly even a picnic lunch.
Lee
Lee,
- Marks on the diopter dial would not remove functionality. Of course in your defense of Zeiss you could say that it would be impossible to decide a color for such marks, but white is considered conventional.
- $.10 ocular and objective caps in the box would be really helpful for transport. It's a convention in optics that lens protections are ALWAYS part of the package, minimalistic maybe but always supplied so the user can then decide if he needs them and purchase a spare or better if really needed.
- a mini bino buy usually means a mini case, by default, as buyers of a very small instrument are presumably motivated by size. A monster case for a mini bino is plain wierd.
- So many people are complaining about the eyecups now that it seems improbable that some of the beta testers didn't file reports that were then discarded. Note that even on the SF42 new eyecups have been made available, so yes, change is possible. And yes, although various users have different IPDs and required eye relief, expectation is that reasonable effort will be made to accomodate them.
As I said, I would expect the Zeiss product managers to read this forum and maybe at least order up a batch of better eyecups eg. with a two stage telescopic extension, or just longer replacements, they can sell the affected users for $20 or something. Even the trick that I use of ungluing the eyecup rubber to extend the eyecup could probably be made an engineered "feature".
In the camera and video world functionality is routinely added by releasing hardware accessories or firmware upgrades. The point of view that a product's functionality is set in stone at the date of release is outdated.
Edmund
