ATX eyepiece button stuck! (1 Viewer)

[steph.661]

Hi,
I have purchased an ATX-90 in 2012. Today, for the 1st time since my purchase, I have separated the modules to add the 1.7x extender. Unfortunately the button is now stuck inside. Definitively a weak point of this modular system. Any suggestions to release the button?
Thank you very much.
steph

 

[dipped]

Hi Steph

Have you actually tried anything to shift it?. Did you get as far as trying to attach the extender - maybe if not and you did it would pop out? A touch of WD40 or penetrating/easing oil might do the the trick.

 

[steph.661]

Thank you for your suggestions. Tried everything except with oil, I don't want to take the risk and void the warranty. Emailed Swarovki and they asked me to send the eyepiece to the factory.

 

[Aidan G. Kelly]

Hi Steph,
Exact same thing happened my ATX a few years ago, and I had to get it sent to Swarovski for repair.

 

[safaridreaming]

Can you try re-attaching the objective and eyepiece - when you twist them to lock, does this release the button by any chance?

I've never seen the ATX in person but i'm wondering if this button stays in when the eyepiece is NOT connected to an objective and releases once an objective is attached and triggers a release mechanism thus being locked in?

cheers
Jeelan

 

[Binastro]

Would a magnet free it?

 

[Jay Gamble]

My 2012 ATX 90 ep module had the button stick in 2014. SONA does not repair this issue, they have to send it to Austria for this repair with a 3 month turnaround.

A little over one year after getting it back, the bottom stuck again. Rather than be without my scope for another 3 months, I've been using a stuck button ATX ep module for the past two years, very frustrating. I will probably send it back again after spring migration is over. This issue has been a constant problem on my EP.

SONA recommended trying compressed air to free the button, but I've had no success with that.

 

[steph.661]

Finally I have received the repaired eyepiece. Thank you Swarovski!


Soon I will compare the ATX90+1.7Extender with ATS80HD+Televue Ethos 4.7mm (~98x magnification).

Right now I can say that the 120x magnification with the 1.7extender is impressive in daylight. I will soon test both scopes at night.

 

[Strandman]

Just to mention that I've got the same problem on my ATX, so if anyone sees this and knows of a practical fix I would love to hear.

I am behind the scope pretty much every day, so don't plan on sending it for repair until I am dragged off a non-birding holiday perhaps next spring and have a few weeks birding downtime.

It seems to work fine despite the problem, but requires a bit of care- I left a camera mounted on it this morning whilst I yomped after some Knot and the extra weight was enough to twist the ocular and off and drop it into the mud. My fault I guess and no harm done that tap water would not fix, but not ideal!

 

[Egrets Ivadafew]

I'm not familiar with the ATX, but...
Maybe a small rubber suction / sucker cup? Those that fix signs people hang in the backs of cars (baby on board), kiddies bow and arrow sucker, suckers that fix to glass. That type of thing. Might not work but at least it won't affect the warranty.

 

[mayoayo]

That button ,when pressed ,has to push someplace in the mount to release the lock..Can you push back the lever/pin or whatever the button actuates on ?
If someone can post pictures of the eyepiece mount with the button pressed in and out, we might be able to see how it works...

 

[litebeam]

That button ,when pressed ,has to push someplace in the mount to release the lock..Can you push back the lever/pin or whatever the button actuates on ?
If someone can post pictures of the eyepiece mount with the button pressed in and out, we might be able to see how it works...

My thoughts as well....

 

[Binastro]

Would a strong magnet work?

 

[Strandman]

Thanks for input- prompted by mayoayo I had a look into the other end of the thing- here's a couple of pics.

The three lugs on the lens slot into the matching three holes in the base of the eyepiece.

When you press down the black button (not pictured) on the eyepiece, the little metal tongue marked in red should lift up to allow the lug to be rotated into position. Then when you let go of the black button, the metal tongue drops back down, to stop the lug rotating out.

But in my case the black button is stuck in the pressed down position and the metal tongue is stuck in the up position, as pictured.

I think having seen it from this end I am probably stuck with the problem for now as anything which might drop the little metal tongue might leave me in a worse situation. I guess a blast of compressed air might do something if the problem is detritus of some sort, but there's always the worry that it might drive whatever it is deeper into the mechanism.

 

[kabsetz]

Ed,

The little metal tongue your arrow is pointing at is the bayonet spring, and is not part of the locking mechanism. The locking pin is the steel knob visible right next to the letter "m" in the word "made" (in austria), and seems to be stuck almost all the way in. I presume this can happen if one inadvertently twists the eyepiece part with enough force without pressing the release button at the same time, which could cause the pin to bend slightly. In my unit, the pin comes out about two millimeters when in the locked position, and goes in deeper than flush with the flange when I press the release button fully.

The corresponding locking hole in the objective unit you can see just to the left of the serial number in your second photo.

Hope this helps.

Kimmo

 

[Strandman]

Ed,

The locking pin is the steel knob visible right next to the letter "m" in the word "made"

------

That is very helpful- I had forgotten about that pin as I haven't seen it for a while! Yes on close inspection it does seem to be a little bent and you may well be right about why. Personally (my fault I'm sure) I find fitting the eyepiece to objective on ATX quite clonky and so I may well have let the button go whilst lining things up.

It will still need to go for a repair, but good to know what is happening.

 

[mayoayo]

If it bent ,its a bad design,..we are talking cutting edge,state-o'theart imstruments,with Astronomic-yet-terrestrial price tags...but this aside..
Thanks Kimmo for the acclaration..I see the pin..it is true,it looks a bit bent ,or misaligned..i dont think you can bend this short piece,but ,if its sitting on a spring,it could have moved a bit sideways and sit crooked ,getting stuck in that position..I think pushing a bit on the pin with an instrument would not be a risky attempt to solve the situation..just dont use metal,,maybe the end of a ball pen!..press the button at the same time and you might see the pin pop out ...
Would not hurt to try

 

[Strandman]

If it bent ,its a bad design,..we are talking cutting edge,state-o'theart imstruments,with Astronomic-yet-terrestrial price tags...but this aside..
Thanks Kimmo for the acclaration..I see the pin..it is true,it looks a bit bent ,or misaligned..i dont think you can bend this short piece,but ,if its sitting on a spring,it could have moved a bit sideways and sit crooked ,getting stuck in that position..I think pushing a bit on the pin with an instrument would not be a risky attempt to solve the situation..just dont use metal,,maybe the end of a ball pen!..press the button at the same time and you might see the pin pop out ...
Would not hurt to try

Thanks again- I have had a gentle prise at it with a not too vicious instrument, which frees it temporarily but it still catches its housing and sticks, so somewhere there is a bend or misalign that I should get fixed down the track.

 

[forent]

Hmm. Given the fact that this sort of bayonet locking mechanism can be found in nearly every SLR/DSLR around the globe, normally working problem-free for years or even decades, it seems that Swarovski should not be too proud of its specific implementation.

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

forent post 13,
One problem and you draw conclusions as if it was an investigation of 1000 or more ATX telescopes? Seems a little bit too hasty.
Gijs van Ginkel