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

EDG Resale (1 Viewer)

Ed,

That might have been a good idea when binoculars were Z shaped simple tools.

I have owned a Leitz 7x42 Trinovid BA Armored since the early 90s. It has the Uppendahl roof prisms. It is registered with Leica. I inquired about getting it cleaned and looked over in general. Leica told me the cleaning would be $250.00 but they could not guarantee that they could replace any parts it might need. I was able to get screw on replacement rubber eyecups for it $25.00 each and my guess is there aren't many more of them left.

They are obsolete now and inventories for parts for them are gone and who ever wants one for collections or memories will have to live those facts. The same thing is going to happen to all those classic, complicated roof prisms we now think will last forever! New models will come out, parts will not be interchangeable and old parts will be used up.

I will give my sons some really good (and already obsolete) binoculars because they are my children but after that they are on their own and if they can talk Swarovski and Zeiss into fixing them for free when and if they have problems with them, say 15 or 20 years from now, good for them! But those companies aren't in the charity business so I wish them good luck!

Bob
 
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Bob,

To my knowledge Leica was never great with warranty service, at least in the US, so I'm not at all surprised. And that's the primary reason why I didn't buy Leica binoculars, incidentally. The price was sky high and the service problematic, although that may have changed in the last few years. So, I bought Swarovski instead, also starting in the early 1990's (at lower cost). And what happened? Well, my original 8x30 SLC Mk II was upgraded three times to a Mk III with Swarobright in 2005. The 10x25 SLC was repaired for water leaks twice and focus repair twice, and the my wife's (previously owned) 8x20 SLC was repaired once. I also sold an 8x30 SLC Mk II to a friend and his was upgraded to a Mk III. The 10x42 SLC was cleaned once. This was all at no additional cost to me. I bought a used Zeiss 8x42 BGAT*P about 6 yrs. ago and Zeiss repaired it under their transferrable warranty. They cleaned and aligned it, and replaced the objective boots. (I did have to pay $35 for a new pair of screw-on eyecups.) Even my old, used Bushnell binoculars were repaired at nominal cost (like $10) from the factory.

When you buy a car in the US the factory warranty follows the car, not the original purchaser. So, Nikon's arbitrary "policy" justifications fall on deaf ears. I'm strictly not interested in Nikon binoculars at any price.

When I give my Swaros and Zeiss to my children in the next few years, I'm pretty sure they'll be covered for some time, particularly the expensive 8x42 SLC-HD that is now out of production.

Ed
 
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Ed,

The factory warranty of a car is paid for by the original purchaser in the cost to him of the car and it has both a time and mileage limit. If the original owner transfers it after these limits run out the new owner doesn't get any warranty at all.

Unless he does what my oldest son just did this past weekend when he came in from Boston and bought a used 2012 Ford from a local Ford dealer which had exceeded the mileage limitation of the warranty. He was able to purchase an extension of the warranty from the dealer.

Let's hope he doesn't need to use it!:t:

Bob
 
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Bob,

Yes, let's hope he doesn't.

What I'm saying is that Nikon can do business any way they want, if it's legal. In their infinite wisdom they could could put any time or usage limitations they want on their warranty. It could be 90 days for indoor use only for all I care. However, further limiting the warranty to the original purchaser during that period just doesn't pass the smell test. |=@|

What tobac are you smokin' by the way?

Ed :smoke:
 
elkcub said:
Bob,

Yes, let's hope he doesn't.

What I'm saying is that Nikon can do business any way they want, if it's legal. In their infinite wisdom they could could put any time or usage limitations they want on their warranty. It could be 90 days for indoor use only for all I care. However, further limiting the warranty to the original purchaser during that period just doesn't pass the smell test. |=@|

What tobac are you smokin' by the way?

Ed :smoke:
Click to expand...

Ed,

I don't think anybody working for Nikon employed outside of their executive suites in Japan really understands its Warranty policies. Calling Nikon USA and asking a question about it just ends up with more confusion.

I have a lot of Nikons and the only one I returned for problems was no problem. I own one refurb which is now 8 years old. It had the 90 day policy. It's a 10x35 EII. I also have a 2nd hand 8x30 EII which needs re-collimation. Maybe I should call Nikon and inquire if I could get it recollimated and find out what they will tell me? What do you think? (I'm thinkin' out loud in print.)

As for the Smiley: None. I don't smoke although in the past I used to enjoy El Contrabandos from Cuba when I could get them. Like slick willy I never inhaled.

I removed that smoking smiley and replaced it with a "thumbs up" right after I submitted my post so you must have read it almost as soon as I posted it.

Bob
 
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elkcub said:
Bob,

To my knowledge Leica was never great with warranty service, at least in the US, so I'm not at all surprised. And that's the primary reason why I didn't buy Leica binoculars, incidentally. The price was sky high and the service problematic, although that may have changed in the last few years. So, I bought Swarovski instead, also starting in the early 1990's (at lower cost). And what happened? Well, my original 8x30 SLC Mk II was upgraded three times to a Mk III with Swarobright in 2005. The 10x25 SLC was repaired for water leaks twice and focus repair twice, and the my wife's (previously owned) 8x20 SLC was repaired once. I also sold an 8x30 SLC Mk II to a friend and his was upgraded to a Mk III. The 10x42 SLC was cleaned once. This was all at no additional cost to me. I bought a used Zeiss 8x42 BGAT*P about 6 yrs. ago and Zeiss repaired it under their transferrable warranty. They cleaned and aligned it, and replaced the objective boots. (I did have to pay $35 for a new pair of screw-on eyecups.) Even my old, used Bushnell binoculars were repaired at nominal cost (like $10) from the factory.

When you buy a car in the US the factory warranty follows the car, not the original purchaser. So, Nikon's arbitrary "policy" justifications fall on deaf ears. I'm strictly not interested in Nikon binoculars at any price.

When I give my Swaros and Zeiss to my children in the next few years, I'm pretty sure they'll be covered for some time, particularly the expensive 8x42 SLC-HD that is now out of production.

Ed
Click to expand...
I'll bet Nikon would be pleased to offer a 3-year warranty (or 36 lifebirds) and call it a day.
 
The less generous approach to warranties by Nikon and perhaps Leica surely reflects the stresses in the camera market.
Low end camera volume has deteriorated by almost half as cell phones have emerged as the preferred consumer camera. The lost business was not hugely profitable, but it did cover a lot of overhead, which the remaining product lines must now carry. The squeeze on warranties imho is just a logical consequence of this development.
Zeiss and Swarovski don't make consumer cameras, so they ducked that bullet. Competitively, this might be a good time for them to advertise their superior warranty policy.
 
ceasar said:
Ed,

I don't think anybody working for Nikon employed outside of their executive suites in Japan really understands its Warranty policies. Calling Nikon USA and asking a question about it just ends up with more confusion.

............... I also have a 2nd hand 8x30 EII which needs re-collimation. Maybe I should call Nikon and inquire if I could get it recollimated and find out what they will tell me? What do you think? (I'm thinkin' out loud in print.)

..............................

Bob
Click to expand...

Assuming your EII 8X30 was imported and distributed by Nikon USA, then I think that would be a great idea.

If what the Nikon rep told me is the actual practice, then they should charge you for any repair of the EII since you are not the original owner and only the new Limited Lifetime Warranty now applies, and it only applies to the original purchaser.
 
ceasar said:
Ed,

I don't think anybody working for Nikon employed outside of their executive suites in Japan really understands its Warranty policies. Calling Nikon USA and asking a question about it just ends up with more confusion.

I have a lot of Nikons and the only one I returned for problems was no problem. I own one refurb which is now 8 years old. It had the 90 day policy. It's a 10x35 EII. I also have a 2nd hand 8x30 EII which needs re-collimation. Maybe I should call Nikon and inquire if I could get it recollimated and find out what they will tell me? What do you think? (I'm thinkin' out loud in print.)

As for the Smiley: None. I don't smoke although in the past I used to enjoy El Contrabandos from Cuba when I could get them. Like slick willy I never inhaled.

I removed that smoking smiley and replaced it with a "thumbs up" right after I submitted my post so you must have read it almost as soon as I posted it.

Bob
Click to expand...

Hey Bob,

I was just blowing smoke too ... ;)

If your previously owned EII needs to be collimated, sure, as Bruce said, why not ask about warranty service or a no-fault repair? At least we'd get one current datum to jaw about. :t:

Otherwise, you could just send them off to Nick Crista and get it done right.

Ed
 
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Although I would agree that SONA could insist that only the original owner is entitled to warranty services, over the last two decades they have not done so (special cases, excepted). On the other hand, it is clearly evident from Nikon's 2014 Warranty (borrowed from Bruce's previous post) that they will deny warranty service to anyone but the original owner. Do I believe that? Absolutely!

Use your own judgment.

Ed
 

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Excerpt from the warranty...
http://aa.swarovskioptik.com/download/pdf/en_US/Warranty_US.pdf

"sold to a consumer by an Authorized U.S. SWAROVSKI OPTIK North
America Dealer has no Authorized Warranty"

Swarovski extends great service to a wide range of owners. That's their choice and I applaud it. However, language defines legality and they have plenty of wiggle room to change practices regarding non-original ownership. If you buy from someone who is not an authorized dealer then...well read the language. There's no mention of transfer, though Swarovski is free to extend that to you if they so desire.

I buy new with warranty so this is mostly moot to me and mine. The Nikon change adversely affects my SE's because water damage is not covered for that model. Oh, well, I never thought they were waterproof anyway!


bh46118 said:
It's my understanding that if the binocular is sold buy an authorized dealer and is registered, then the warranty transfers to whoever buys it from then on.
Click to expand...
 
elkcub said:
Although I would agree that SONA could insist that only the original owner is entitled to warranty services, over the last two decades they have not done so (special cases, excepted). On the other hand, it is clearly evident from Nikon's 2014 Warranty (borrowed from Bruce's previous post) that they will deny warranty service to anyone but the original owner. Do I believe that? Absolutely!

Use your own judgment.

Ed
Click to expand...

Ed

The US has significantly lower pricing for new Nikon binoculars as well as a better warranty than everywhere else, so you could say that they are being subsidized.

All Nikon seem to have done is to bring the warranty more in line with the UK and Europe (and possibly the rest of the world).

Not good for you in the US, but it probably won't affect the majority of their sales elsewhere.

Look at the up side, at least the prices in the US are staying as they are - for the moment.

Stan
 
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Maybe the rep I spoke to recently was misinformed, but he was absolutely adamant that the warranty on a properly purchased Swarovski binocular transfers. Another phone call might be in order.

Pileatus said:
Excerpt from the warranty...
http://aa.swarovskioptik.com/download/pdf/en_US/Warranty_US.pdf

"sold to a consumer by an Authorized U.S. SWAROVSKI OPTIK North
America Dealer has no Authorized Warranty"

Swarovski extends great service to a wide range of owners. That's their choice and I applaud it. However, language defines legality and they have plenty of wiggle room to change practices regarding non-original ownership. If you buy from someone who is not an authorized dealer then...well read the language. There's no mention of transfer, though Swarovski is free to extend that to you if they so desire.

I buy new with warranty so this is mostly moot to me and mine. The Nikon change adversely affects my SE's because water damage is not covered for that model. Oh, well, I never thought they were waterproof anyway!
Click to expand...
 
I still think that Nikon will lower the prices of the EDG to make them more competitive.

They did it in the past.

I recall that the 8x32 LX L used to cost about the same as a Swarovski 8x30 SCL and less than 8x32 ELs, Ultravids and Victorys did.

Bob
 
ceasar said:
I still think that Nikon will lower the prices of the EDG to make them more competitive.

They did it in the past.

I recall that the 8x32 LX L used to cost about the same as a Swarovski 8x30 SCL and less than 8x32 ELs, Ultravids and Victorys did.

Bob
Click to expand...

Bob,

I don't think that the major reduction came until after the EDG was introduced.

On that basis, the EDG price is unlikely to be reduced until the EDG+ appears.

If they did reduce it before then, it would be tantamount to admitting that it isn't as good as the other, so called, Alphas. I suggest that they would be prepared to make a loss by low sales rather than do that.

This brings up another point - how many have they made anyway?

I'm not sure of the EDG numbering, but I have used 5 different EDG's (7x42, 8x42, and 3 off 8x32) and none of them has an end numbering of more than 1000. They might already be making a loss on them, just to show that they can compete at the highest level. Any loss they do make is likely to be infinitesimally small when set against their total revenue from their output of optics and cameras.

Still, it's fun surmising.

Stan
 
Pileatus said:
Excerpt from the warranty...
http://aa.swarovskioptik.com/download/pdf/en_US/Warranty_US.pdf

"sold to a consumer by an Authorized U.S. SWAROVSKI OPTIK North
America Dealer has no Authorized Warranty"

Swarovski extends great service to a wide range of owners. That's their choice and I applaud it. However, language defines legality and they have plenty of wiggle room to change practices regarding non-original ownership. If you buy from someone who is not an authorized dealer then...well read the language. There's no mention of transfer, though Swarovski is free to extend that to you if they so desire.

I buy new with warranty so this is mostly moot to me and mine. The Nikon change adversely affects my SE's because water damage is not covered for that model. Oh, well, I never thought they were waterproof anyway!
Click to expand...


Only the ignorant, or downright hard headed attempt to bash Swaro USA's warranty. They go above and beyond the call of duty, and everyone (I thought) knows that. Nikon and Leica shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Swarovski when it comes to taking care of the customer. Leupold and Swaro wrote the book, period. Evidently Nikon and Leica need to stick to making cameras.
 
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