I have started to notice several dots of light appearing on the lens coatings of my EL 8x42. Am I right in thinking the lens coatings are starting to deteriorate? Has anyone experienced anything similar? The performance of my bins is not affected as yet but I am always aware of the problem when I clean the lenses. Gareth
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A problem with my lens coatings ? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter GarethW
- Start date
Please inspect the lens carefully to find whether the dots of light appear on other lens inside the housing. I find similar problem in a 8x20 binocular and return it to SWAROVSKI repair centre. It claims that the the issue is caused by mold developed inside the housing. The repair centre never requests to get any proof of purchase and warranty card. The binocular is returned to Austria factory for repair free of charge. I receive it after six weeks and it appears brand new.
scampo
Steve Campsall
Have you tried using running water and a soft brush with non-detergent soap to clean (such as Ecover)? That and a drop of isopropanol applied by cotton bud (from a chemist's) usually does remove these dots/circles. I think they are stubborn grease. If that doesn't do the job, then Swaro will surely fix them under warranty - they are top class in this.GarethW said:
scampo
Steve Campsall
Hi againGarethW said:
Be good to know if it works. My son has a pair of Optolyth Alpin binoculars and one of the objectives developed a 2mm circle or spot - but this will not come off and must be a failing of the coating. As these are quite old and the view is completely unaffected, we have not bothered to have it repaired.
If you are using water and no isopropanol, I suspect it would be better to use deionised or distilled for the final rinse.
Perry Grin
Well-known member
falcondude
Well-known member
That's good to know. Do they replace the lens or the whole binoculars?
Perry Grin
Well-known member
falcondude
Well-known member
From what he described, it seems like coating is peeling off? Or maybe he is too afraid to clean them off himself. 
The dots are not on the surface of the lens and they are inside the housing. Local SWAROVSKI cannot clean them from outside. They suspect that the dots are mold developed inside the housing. I have returned them for cleaning twice since 2006 but the dots appear again in a few months. I shall request them to replace the lens or the binocular.
Hello Perry,
The repair took just over a fortnight from what I can remember. I do not know if Swaro replaced the lenses or re-applied the coatings. Contact Swaro and get it sorted because the problem is clearly niggling you and it wont get any better, more dots could even appear.
Gareth
The repair took just over a fortnight from what I can remember. I do not know if Swaro replaced the lenses or re-applied the coatings. Contact Swaro and get it sorted because the problem is clearly niggling you and it wont get any better, more dots could even appear.
Gareth
Last edited:
etc
Well-known member
Question, under what conditions do you see these dots of light?
Strange, just yesterday I saw a dot of light while looking at the moon which I don't think was there before. But I couldn't replicate this condition elsewhere no matter what I did. It doesn't seem to appear in normal daylight observation.
I inspected the inside area with a powerful torch and didn't see anything unusual at all. Maybe it was just glare from the moon.
