Interesting Optics Trade discussion on where Leica binoculars are made. (1 Viewer)

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That article means absolutely nothing about the actual mfg ability of different nations. Go back and read it - it's about people's perceptions. THere are just as many placebo studies that show that people are more satisfied with name brands than generics, etc. etc.

To be clear: I'm not arguing against German quality. But I think the whole Germany vs Portugal thing is ridiculous. YMMV ;-)

How do you feel about the MIC versus MIJ debate? Do you think China is closing the gap in quality on Japan? Just curious.

 

[gweller]

Yes, but are Portuguese as quality conscious as Germans. I know Chinese are not as quality conscious as Japanese from experience with their products.

Wow Dennis, that's a bit denigrating of Portugal! It's a modern European country in case you haven't noticed and I'm sure they are more than capable of producing quality products and adhering to Leica's QC standards.

 

[Mike F]

Wow Dennis, that's a bit denigrating of Portugal! It's a modern European country in case you haven't noticed and I'm sure they are more than capable of producing quality products and adhering to Leica's QC standards.

Not only capable but have been doing so, for many years. The reason why so many have reported that there is no difference between the quality of the German made and the Portuguese made UV’s and NV’s is that they were all made in the same place! If Dennis wants to believe differently based on assumptions made due to normal sample variation then that’s up to him........

 

[MiddleRiver]

How do you feel about the MIC versus MIJ debate? Do you think China is closing the gap in quality on Japan? Just curious.

I think the thread is about 'where Leica binoculars are made'. Unless you are suggesting they are made in China, I think I'd be rude in hijacking the OP.

 

[gweller]

.....Dennis wants to believe differently based on assumptions made......

Which pretty much sums him up in a nutshell!

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

The discussion about a quality difference of Leica optics made in Germany or Portugal is purely based on prejudice and not on facts, so it is really a pity to spent any time to this discussion.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Troubador]

The discussion about a quality difference of Leica optics made in Germany or Portugal is purely based on prejudice and not on facts, so it is really a pity to spent any time to this discussion.
Gijs van Ginkel

Couldn't agree more Gijs.

Lee

 

[William Lewis]

I think given an Italian explorer on a Spanish ship discovered America we shouldn't be quite so down on craftsmanship in the iberian peninsula. My old trinovid were certainly very well crafted by Portuguese hands.

 

[forent]

Once I spoke to a Zeiss engineer in Oberkochen. I asked whether there were discrepancies between the Carl Zeiss photo lenses for the Contax/Yashica mount produced in Germany and in Japan, respectively. (At that time, second hand prices for MIG lenses were quite a bit higher, all else being equal.)
He negated in general but added that, if any, the sample variation in the MIJ Zeiss lenses was a little bit lower due to the fact that the japanese Zeiss manufacturing plants were more recent and allowed for smaller tolerances. But the identical final inspection did away with this effect.
Eventuell he confessed that industry experts frequently joke about their customer's romantic obsession with "made in Germany". The country of origin was definitely no decisive factor in quality assurance.

 

[MiddleRiver]

I think given an Italian explorer on a Spanish ship discovered America we shouldn't be quite so down on craftsmanship in the iberian peninsula. My old trinovid were certainly very well crafted by Portuguese hands.

Uhh... methinks Chinese arrived first?
OMG, MIC is better after all??? What have I DONE!!

 

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Some countries based on consumer's experience with their products have a better reputation than others. It is a fact, and it based on experience with products from those countries. Here is an interesting chart ranking different countries by their "Made In" Labels.

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[William Lewis]

Better chuck the swaro's in the bin, there way down the list!

 

[[email protected]]

Better chuck the swaro's in the bin, there way down the list!

I already did! I returned my NL 8x42 for bad glare, a sticky focuser and poor quality control, especially the armour with visible seams. I also returned my Portuguese made Noctivid for poor quality control. My new German made Noctivid 8x42 is at a different level of quality than the Swaro was or the Portuguese Noctivid. People may perceive some countries to have higher quality control than others, but that perception is based on EXPERIENCE with products from that country, so in reality it is based on fact. IMO, it is a FACT that Germany in general produces higher quality products than China. I don't care what you say, I have more trust in a product produced in Germany than I do in China because it is based on my experience with products from Germany and China.

 

[MiddleRiver]

I already did! I returned my NL 8x42 for bad glare, a sticky focuser and poor quality control, especially the armour with visible seams. My new Noctivid 8x42 is at a different level of quality than the Swaro was. People may perceive some countries to have higher quality control than others, but that perception is based on EXPERIENCE with products from that country, so in reality it is based on fact. IMO, it is a FACT that Germany in general produces higher quality products than China.

I suspect you are not trained in science.

I perceive the world to be FLAT. That is my EXPERIENCE.
Therefore it is a FACT that the world is FLAT!

 

[dries1]

The discussion about a quality difference of Leica optics made in Germany or Portugal is purely based on prejudice and not on facts, so it is really a pity to spent any time to this discussion.
Gijs van Ginkel

So we have to bring in the race card, really?

 

[mjflory]

FWIW, when native speakers of German use English, the word "also" is often used incorrectly. This is because the German word "auch" ("also") is also used - and very frequently so - as an affirmative intensifier. I think that's the case here. Some Germans translate the intensifier (... then it is also...) whereas in English one would just set the "is" in italics.

It seems to me that Herr Brieger evades the question by giving an answer that seems too obvious.

E.g. "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (by Richard Strauss). Sometimes also in this sense is translated as "thus," and that too would make sense here.

 

[Vespobuteo]

I already did! I returned my NL 8x42 for bad glare, a sticky focuser and poor quality control, especially the armour with visible seams. I also returned my Portuguese made Noctivid for poor quality control. My new German made Noctivid 8x42 is at a different level of quality than the Swaro was or the Portuguese Noctivid. People may perceive some countries to have higher quality control than others, but that perception is based on EXPERIENCE with products from that country, so in reality it is based on fact. IMO, it is a FACT that Germany in general produces higher quality products than China. I don't care what you say, I have more trust in a product produced in Germany than I do in China because it is based on my experience with products from Germany and China.

Sorry to hear, what was the quality difference?

 

[jafritten]

E.g. "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (by Richard Strauss).

Don't upset Nietzsche...

Sometimes also in this sense is translated as "thus," and that too would make sense here.

You're right. But I don't quite see how this would make sense here because Zarathustra's "also" is the German word and Herr Brieger's "also" is the English word. Am I not getting it?

 

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Sorry to hear, what was the quality difference?

The Noctivid 8x42 that was Made in Portugal had a rough, sticky focuser, the eye cups did not move smoothly, and the armour was poor fitting in places. The Noctivid 8x42 that I have now that says Made in Germany seems to perfect in every way with a smooth focuser, smoothly functioning eye cups and excellent fitting armour. You know it is just one sample, so it could very well just be sample variation as others have said and have nothing to do with where it was made, but it did make me question if it had something to do with it.

 

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Better chuck the swaro's in the bin, there way down the list!

Germany 100 and China 28! Funny!