Monarch 7 8x30 fix (1 Viewer)

I bought a pair of the Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 binoculars. I experienced the same low contrast problem that Dennis reported.

I remembered that the Zen-Ray's had a similar problem that turned out to be caused by a retaining ring that hadn't been painted black. So, I looked down the objectives with a flashlight and sure enough there was a thin retaining ring and also a pretty wide band/clip between two lens assemblies that were not black.

I called Nikon Service. The gentleman I talked to had not heard about the problem. After I described the shiny metal parts, he put me on hold and talked to someone about it. He said that it was a known issue with some Monarch 7s and said it was caused by coatings coming off. It didn't look to me like a coating had come off. I just looked like they had never been coated.

At any rate, he said to send them in and they would fix it under warranty.

The problem is described by Nikon as:

Monarch 7 8x30 / Pale Colors / Service [Incident: 140224-001265]

So, if you have an 8x30 that has low contrast (pale colors). Give Nikon a call.

I was disappointed that they didn't pay the return shipping, but I guess you can't have everything.

Now the big questions are whether they will repair mine or just send me a new pair and how good the image quality will be after the fix.

BinoBoy said:

I bought a pair of the Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 binoculars. I experienced the same low contrast problem that Dennis reported.

I remembered that the Zen-Ray's had a similar problem that turned out to be caused by a retaining ring that hadn't been painted black. So, I looked down the objectives with a flashlight and sure enough there was a thin retaining ring and also a pretty wide band/clip between two lens assemblies that were not black.

I called Nikon Service. The gentleman I talked to had not heard about the problem. After I described the shiny metal parts, he put me on hold and talked to someone about it. He said that it was a known issue with some Monarch 7s and said it was caused by coatings coming off. It didn't look to me like a coating had come off. I just looked like they had never been coated.

At any rate, he said to send them in and they would fix it under warranty.

The problem is described by Nikon as:

Monarch 7 8x30 / Pale Colors / Service [Incident: 140224-001265]

So, if you have an 8x30 that has low contrast (pale colors). Give Nikon a call.

I was disappointed that they didn't pay the return shipping, but I guess you can't have everything.

Now the big questions are whether they will repair mine or just send me a new pair and how good the image quality will be after the fix.

Click to expand...

Very interesting and I will bet that was the exact cause of the low contrast. Henry had said that was probably the problem. Maybe Nikon will send you a pair of EDG II's. HaHa! Let us know if they are better.

BinoBoy said:

I bought a pair of the Nikon Monarch 7 8x30 binoculars. I experienced the same low contrast problem that Dennis reported.

I remembered that the Zen-Ray's had a similar problem that turned out to be caused by a retaining ring that hadn't been painted black. So, I looked down the objectives with a flashlight and sure enough there was a thin retaining ring and also a pretty wide band/clip between two lens assemblies that were not black.

I called Nikon Service. The gentleman I talked to had not heard about the problem. After I described the shiny metal parts, he put me on hold and talked to someone about it. He said that it was a known issue with some Monarch 7s and said it was caused by coatings coming off. It didn't look to me like a coating had come off. I just looked like they had never been coated.

At any rate, he said to send them in and they would fix it under warranty.

The problem is described by Nikon as:

Monarch 7 8x30 / Pale Colors / Service [Incident: 140224-001265]

So, if you have an 8x30 that has low contrast (pale colors). Give Nikon a call.

I was disappointed that they didn't pay the return shipping, but I guess you can't have everything.

Now the big questions are whether they will repair mine or just send me a new pair and how good the image quality will be after the fix.

Click to expand...

Hello BinoBoy,

Did you have the opportunity to discuss this with Mike Freiberg when you saw him earlier today and discussed the 90 day warranty on your refurbished 7x42EDG I?

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2936112&postcount=11

I was wondering if he had any advice on how you should handle your return of your M7 8x30 and if Nikon fixes it would it be considered a "refurbished product" when you get it back? Or would it be better, since Nikon knew about the issue, if you got a new one that did not have the problem and you can begin again with a "new Nikon product?"

I am trying to determine when a Nikon binocular becomes a "refurbished product." Is it when it is fixed after has been returned for a refund and subsequently sold by Nikon? Or does it also become a "refurbished product" after if it is repaired and returned to the original purchaser?

Bob

Bob:

The warranty is simple, and it was explained on the bargain post.

If you send in a binocular that you purchased new or used for warranty
work, it will be fixed and will retain the original 25 yr. No-fault warranty.

If Nikon sends you a new replacement binocular under warranty, that one will
also retain full warranty. They do not replace it with a refurbished one.

A binocular is considered refurbished when it is resold by the retailers
that often sell these, after it was returned. They would be labeled as such and
have a 90-day warranty.

Jerry

I told him about my M7 8x30s. He wasn't aware of the problem. I hope they replace them. Ideally, they should have done a recall and notify owners of the problem and offer to fix it. I don't know if all 8x30s below a certain serial number (mine is 0000836) have the problem or if it is just some. You would think it would be all.

He said that he originally thought that refurbs would be covered by the default warranty, but he talked to some people at Nikon and found out that they aren't. He thought that they should be, because once they are fixed, they're fixed.

From a financial point of view I can understand Nikon's position. If the refurb can't be fixed and has to be replaced with an EDG II, they're replacing an $800 binocular with a $2200 binocular. They already lost money on the refurb the first time they replaced it, so I'm sure they don't want to do it again. Still, you would hope that they would have enough confidence in their repair facility to guarantee them.

I think the key point here is that you pay less for a refurb, so you don't get the warranty. They could factor the cost of the warranty into the price, of course.

BinoBoy said:

I told him about my M7 8x30s. He wasn't aware of the problem. I hope they replace them. Ideally, they should have done a recall and notify owners of the problem and offer to fix it. I don't know if all 8x30s below a certain serial number (mine is 0000836) have the problem or if it is just some. You would think it would be all.

He said that he originally thought that refurbs would be covered by the default warranty, but he talked to some people at Nikon and found out that they aren't. He thought that they should be, because once they are fixed, they're fixed.

From a financial point of view I can understand Nikon's position. If the refurb can't be fixed and has to be replaced with an EDG II, they're replacing an $800 binocular with a $2200 binocular. They already lost money on the refurb the first time they replaced it, so I'm sure they don't want to do it again. Still, you would hope that they would have enough confidence in their repair facility to guarantee them.

I think the key point here is that you pay less for a refurb, so you don't get the warranty. They could factor the cost of the warranty into the price, of course.

Click to expand...

Binoboy:

I have not seen the Nikon Monarch 8x30, but I am thinking 90% of those
that would purchase this binocular will be happy and pleased with them.

I very much doubt any changes are in the works, as they may work well
except in difficult lighting conditions, and that is a compromise with
compact binoculars with less length and shrouding provided when
size is not an issue.

So, I am sure one users experience would not require a recall,
wow, that is severe, and only your opinion.

They were tested well before they were released.

Since we are talking about Nikon 8x32 binoculars, the SE handles
stray light better than the Nikon EDG, in my opinion.

If you don't like the binocular, return it. Just consider the size and
how a compact design may have its compromises.

Jerry

NDhunter said:

Bob:

The warranty is simple, and it was explained on the bargain post.

If you send in a binocular that you purchased new or used for warranty
work, it will be fixed and will retain the original 25 yr. No-fault warranty.

If Nikon sends you a new replacement binocular under warranty, that one will
also retain full warranty. They do not replace it with a refurbished one.

A binocular is considered refurbished when it is resold by the retailers
that often sell these, after it was returned. They would be labeled as such and
have a 90-day warranty.

Jerry

Click to expand...

Jerry,

Thanks.

I know that when Nikon replaces a binocular with a NEW one and that it has full warranty rights and can be sold to a 2nd party with Nikon's warranty protection. I want to make it clear that I did not imply anywhere that Nikon replaced them with a REFURBISHED binocular.

I queried Bino Boy because I am trying to determine if Nikon's repairs of binoculars they REFURBISH are of lesser quality than the repairs they make on binoculars they return to the original purchasers under warranty? I wanted to know if possibly Mike Freiburg had given him advice on how to handle the problem he had with his M7 8X30.

You previously commented that Nikon told you that any binocular they repair for the original owner can also be sold to a 2nd party and still retain full warranty rights. See this:

http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2932619&postcount=1910

(A used binocular purchase may qualify for full warranty treatment.)

So far it appears from your statement above that there may be a difference in the quality of the repairs Nikon performs on them because the ORIGINAL OWNER can sell his REPAIRED binocular to a 2nd party and it will still be covered under the Nikon warranty without even a disclosure that it has been repaired; but a binocular sold as "REFURBISHED" by Nikon or an agent of Nikon will not be covered under the warranty.

I think this is a logical conclusion although some may disagree with me. (After reading what Binoboy wrote in his post while I was writing this post I would tend to agree that the costs of warranty insurance might have been a factor in this.)

Bob

BinoBoy said:

I told him about my M7 8x30s. He wasn't aware of the problem. I hope they replace them. Ideally, they should have done a recall and notify owners of the problem and offer to fix it. I don't know if all 8x30s below a certain serial number (mine is 0000836) have the problem or if it is just some. You would think it would be all.

He said that he originally thought that refurbs would be covered by the default warranty, but he talked to some people at Nikon and found out that they aren't. He thought that they should be, because once they are fixed, they're fixed.

From a financial point of view I can understand Nikon's position. If the refurb can't be fixed and has to be replaced with an EDG II, they're replacing an $800 binocular with a $2200 binocular. They already lost money on the refurb the first time they replaced it, so I'm sure they don't want to do it again. Still, you would hope that they would have enough confidence in their repair facility to guarantee them.

I think the key point here is that you pay less for a refurb, so you don't get the warranty. They could factor the cost of the warranty into the price, of course.

Click to expand...

Binoboy,

Your last paragraph makes a good point. Although it has been discussed here before we tend to forget that the costs of the warranties that come with the binoculars are factored into their prices.

Bob

NDhunter said:

Binoboy:

I have not seen the Nikon Monarch 8x30, but I am thinking 90% of those
that would purchase this binocular will be happy and pleased with them.

I very much doubt any changes are in the works, as they may work well
except in difficult lighting conditions, and that is a compromise with
compact binoculars with less length and shrouding provided when
size is not an issue.

So, I am sure one users experience would not require a recall,
wow, that is severe, and only your opinion.

They were tested well before they were released.

Since we are talking about Nikon 8x32 binoculars, the SE handles
stray light better than the Nikon EDG, in my opinion.

If you don't like the binocular, return it. Just consider the size and
how a compact design may have its compromises.

Jerry

Click to expand...

Mine had very low contrast all the time, not just under some conditions. I can't believe they intended to have unblackened metal in the objectives. What conceivable reason would they have to specify that these two parts not be black? This had to be a manufacturing error. Perhaps only some didn't get blackened and they didn't know which ones. You would think one batch didn't get blackened and they would know which binoculars they went into.

Binoboy:

I stand by my post, and so if you have some problems, get some help.

Jerry

Binoboy,

Thanks for the post. Hadn't realized this was happening with this model.

CG

BinoBoy said:

Mine had very low contrast all the time, not just under some conditions. I can't believe they intended to have unblackened metal in the objectives. What conceivable reason would they have to specify that these two parts not be black? This had to be a manufacturing error. Perhaps only some didn't get blackened and they didn't know which ones. You would think one batch didn't get blackened and they would know which binoculars they went into.

Click to expand...

BB,

A few years ago, I bought a demo Nikon 10x42 LX/HG on eBay for a nice price, I think it was $600. When I received the bin, I did the "blink test," looked through one eye and the other, to make sure there was no vertical collimation error, and surprisingly, I found a noticeable difference in contrast from one barrel to the other. I tried the EPs with both eyes to make sure it wasn't my eyes.

I took the bin inside, and with a ceiling light above me looked into the barrels from the objective side. I could clearly see that one reflection in one barrel was white while that same reflection in the other barrel was green. During the manufacturing process, they forgot to coat one surface.

I called Nikon to see what could be done, and they confirmed that it was a manufacturing error and that they could not repair it. So I told the seller about it and he agreed to take it back and refund my money. Considering the shenanigans that go on eBay, I was lucky to get my money back.

Just because Nikon checks samples from a batch, that doesn't mean there couldn't be some that are defective, as my experience with the LX proves. Plus, I'm sure Zen Ray tested the 7x36 ED2s when they received them, but they sold them as is, with the veiling glare and didn't make the baffle changes until customers complained and returned the bins.

Edz and Holger did tests on this model and found what the problem was, and they also explained why some people saw it more prominently than others (due to the size of their entrance pupils at the time of observation).

You and Dennis aren't the only two who found this problem, there were others who also reported it. For all we know, it could be quite common, but not all have seen it yet. The winter is a time when you are more apt to see veiling glare because of the sun hanging lower in the sky and with the lower light levels, your pupils are dilated more so you're more likely to see the edge of the exit pupils where the glare/flare is most prominent.

I've been interested in this model myself, but shunned it because of the glare/contrast problem. Having seen this with the ZR, I know I wouldn't be happy with it. However, if there's a fix, that would renew my interest.

Write down the serial # to see if they fixed your unit or sent you another and note the difference (i.e., if the bare metal parts are blackened). I look forward to reading what you find.

Brock

This post says fix so has Nikon fixed this ? Interested in the binos.

marinemaster said:

This post says fix so has Nikon fixed this ? Interested in the binos.

Click to expand...

There was a lone thought about some issue, and I am thinking it will
have no merit for most users.

If Dennis the Menace reports any thoughts, I would question it.:smoke:

I would not expect a "fix" for anything that does not require one.

Just remember you read about it on the internet. Just like with any
binocular, try it out before you buy.

Jerry

Marinemaster,

They were aware of the problem before I reported it. So, I assume the ones currently being made have the correction.

The question is when the binoculars you buy were made. There's no telling how long the dealer has had them in stock. From what Mike Frieberg told me, it sounds like they are selling well. They sold out of them at the Space Coast Bird Festival.

I bought my pair from MidwayUSA when they had their sale before Christmas. They were just $230. At the time, I was surprised that a model that had just been introduced would be on sale at so drastic a reduction. It's possible that they knew that the ones they had in stock had this problem, so they were clearing them out at firesale prices.

I bought a Kruger Caldera 10x42 when they were fairly new. At the time, some dealers had them at a price in the low $200's and other had them at much higher prices. Mine turned out to have a problem with the diopter ring that was fixed by a redesign after the first production run. Kruger replaced mine under warranty with the newer version. So, I assume the dealers selling at the lower price had the first version and knew that they were bad.

The same thing may have happened here, except that they fixed a manufacturing issue rather than a design issue. The Customer Service person said that there was a problem that caused the blackening to come off.

It sounds like mine were much worse than the ones that Dennis got. As I understand it, his only had low contrast under some conditions. Mine had "pale colors" or low contrast all the time. There were two unblackened rings in each objective. A slim retaining ring parallel to the glass and a wide (1/4" or more) band around the inside of the objective barrel whose shiny surface was perpendicular to the glass. I suspect Dennis' just had the shiny retaining ring and not the band.

I'm OK with the hassle of sending them in to be repaired/replaced since I saved $150 on them. If you order from a major dealer who has good turnover of stock, I would hope you'd get a good one. But there's no guarantee, of course.

I loved the bins except for the "pale colors". I think it is worth the risk. The worse case is that you'll have to send them in.

Mark

My bins came back from Nikon yesterday. They repaired and returned my pair. The "pale colors" problem is fixed now.

I'm impressed by the speed of their service.

Nice
Did they say what they did ?
Is the same bino, same s/n ? Or a new pair ?

I'm decidedly not an expert on binos. Just liked these M7 8x30's based on reviews and splurged. Wanted an exceptionally light but good unit for hiking, without going alpha $, with a good to very good FOV, with phase, dielectic, and ED being bonuses. Not sure if I'm suffering from the problem, honestly, but must admit the contrast does seem low.

My serial is 0001812, purchased 3/24/13 on Amazon. Not looking forward to sending these away for a month as it appears BB did. Debating what to do.

Attached are some pics of my internals. It does seem there are non-black internal surfaces, let alone simply uncoated rings. But I just don't know enough to be certain. Hopefully these pics can illuminate the subject (pun intended).

BinoBoy said:

My bins came back from Nikon yesterday. They repaired and returned my pair. The "pale colors" problem is fixed now.

I'm impressed by the speed of their service.

Click to expand...

I'm shocked:eek!: from Nikon M7 8x30 that have unblackened rings.
But the cheap Chinese binoculars for the $20-30 have blackened rings.
I choice Bushnell Legend HD 8x36 (China) and I very happy!:t:
I also love Pentax 8x32 DCF WP (Japan) but has slightly smaller field of view.:t:
Weight Bush (Magnesium alloy chassis with rubber armoring) - 20.6 oz, Pentax (Magnesium alloy chassis with rubber armoring) - 21.2 oz and Nikon M7 (Fiberglass-infused polycarbonate chassis with rubber armoring) - 15.3oz

P.S.
Tomorrow of Die Casting Is with Magnesium Alloys!
Nowadays aluminium, which appearance in the last century caused revolution in aircraft construction and motor-car industry, is being replaced by absolutely different alloys, including magnesium ones. Their application allows not only to lighten metal structures, but also to increase performance attributes of products, to reduce the price of components production.

http://global-sei.com/sn/2013/433/3a.html

marinemaster said:

Nice
Did they say what they did ?
Is the same bino, same s/n ? Or a new pair ?

Click to expand...

They sent back the same bino, same s/n.

They didn't say if they blackened the shiny metal parts or replaced them.