NL Pure 'problems'. (1 Viewer)

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Pyrtle, post 139,
The Konica is a nice well-made binocular, but you have to look for it, since it is not easy to find. It is probably waterproof and certainly historic, since there are not so many Konica binoculars around here, but the search in itself is already fun.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Steve Thompson 136]

Hello, everyone on this long and fascinating thread! Steve Thompson here from the Isle of Wight, UK. I thought I would give some reflections on the issue of bino quality as someone who has been actively birding for 48 years. In 1979 I bought my pair of Zeiss Dialyt 10x40s. They have been on every continent bar Antarctica and have been through every weather, including a week on Stewart Island and a week in Fjordland Nz . Never seen so much rain! In deserts and rain forest faultless performance with, most importantly, some excellent views of birds. I decided having borrowed some Zeiss Victory FLs and using Swarovski ELs to add Victory FL 10x42s to our optics. My wife and I use both since 2012. I decided on the Victory model as I simply felt most at ease with it, though I wouldn’t like to say which is sharper in the field compared to the Swarovski. The FL glass does make a difference compared to the Dialyt and more bright detail is visible in low light - watching Hen Harrier coming in to roost at sunset in winter everything is visible. The build quality is excellent and the most important point is that I never feel distracted from birdwatching worrying about the binos( though my wife now does want to upgrade the 41 year old Dialyt!) Binos are not jewellery in other words as some have commented already! I will upgrade the Dialyts with either Swarovski ELs or Victory HTs probably as the NL range is too expensive for me and the comments here do make me hesitate about buying new models. Incidentally, I still use my Optolyth TB80 scope,, bought in 1986, except in the rain when draw tubes are a liability, and might upgrade this so I can use a scope in all weathers. I would comment, however, that in hot weather looking at distant Ospreys the heat haze meant the Swarovski 95 gave no better an image at 40x magnification. It’s what real world use is about. I have enjoyed the comments and clearly very experienced views on this thread - remember as a number of you have said, it’s watching the birds that is the key, albeit with the best most reliable gear you are most comfortable with.
Steve

 

[Steve Thompson 136]

Hello, everyone on this long and fascinating thread! Steve Thompson here from the Isle of Wight, UK. I thought I would give some reflections on the issue of Nino quality as someone who has been actively birding for 48 years. In 1979 I bought my pair of Zeiss Dialyt 10x40s. They have been on every continent bar Antarctica and have been through every weather, including a week on Stewart Island and a week in Fjordland Nz . Never seen so much rain! In deserts and rain forest faultless performance with, most importantly, some excellent views of birds. I decided having borrowed some Zeiss Victory FLs and using Swarovski ELs to add Victory FL 10x42s to our optics. My wife and I use both since 2012. I decided on the Victory model as I simply felt most at ease with it, though I wouldn’t like to say which is sharper in the field compared to the Swarovski. The FL glass does make a difference compared to the Dialyt and more bright detail is visible in low light - watching Hen Harrier coming in to roost at sunset in winter everything is visible. The build quality is excellent and the most important point is that I never feel distracted from birdwatching worrying about the binos( though my wife now does want to upgrade the 41 year old Dialyt!) Binos are not jewellery in other words as some have commented already! I will upgrade the Dialyts with either Swarovski ELs or Victory HTs probably as the NL range is too expensive for me and the comments here do make me hesitate about buying new models. Incidentally, I still use my Optolyth TB80 scope,, bought in 1986, except in the rain when draw tubes are a liability, and might upgrade this so I can use a scope in all weathers. I would comment, however, that in hot weather looking at distant Ospreys the heat haze meant the Swarovski 95 gave no better an image at 40x magnification. It’s what real world use is about. I have enjoyed the comments and clearly very experienced views on this thread - remember as a number of you have said, it’s watching the birds that is the key, albeit with the best most reliable gear you are most comfortable with.
Steve

Meant to be bino quality - I hate spellcheck!

 

[NDhunter]

Steve:
Thanks for the well thought out and interesting post, it was educational and much appreciated.

Jerry

 

[Troubador]

Hello, everyone on this long and fascinating thread! Steve Thompson here from the Isle of Wight, UK. I thought I would give some reflections on the issue of Nino quality as someone who has been actively birding for 48 years. In 1979 I bought my pair of Zeiss Dialyt 10x40s. They have been on every continent bar Antarctica and have been through every weather, including a week on Stewart Island and a week in Fjordland Nz . Never seen so much rain! In deserts and rain forest faultless performance with, most importantly, some excellent views of birds. I decided having borrowed some Zeiss Victory FLs and using Swarovski ELs to add Victory FL 10x42s to our optics. My wife and I use both since 2012. I decided on the Victory model as I simply felt most at ease with it, though I wouldn’t like to say which is sharper in the field compared to the Swarovski. The FL glass does make a difference compared to the Dialyt and more bright detail is visible in low light - watching Hen Harrier coming in to roost at sunset in winter everything is visible. The build quality is excellent and the most important point is that I never feel distracted from birdwatching worrying about the binos( though my wife now does want to upgrade the 41 year old Dialyt!) Binos are not jewellery in other words as some have commented already! I will upgrade the Dialyts with either Swarovski ELs or Victory HTs probably as the NL range is too expensive for me and the comments here do make me hesitate about buying new models. Incidentally, I still use my Optolyth TB80 scope,, bought in 1986, except in the rain when draw tubes are a liability, and might upgrade this so I can use a scope in all weathers. I would comment, however, that in hot weather looking at distant Ospreys the heat haze meant the Swarovski 95 gave no better an image at 40x magnification. It’s what real world use is about. I have enjoyed the comments and clearly very experienced views on this thread - remember as a number of you have said, it’s watching the birds that is the key, albeit with the best most reliable gear you are most comfortable with.
Steve

Hi Steve, having been a Dialyt 10x40, an FL 8x42 and an Optolyth scope owner, I can only endorse your opinions. You will love an HT.
Lee

 

[henry link]

I just had an opportunity to test a second pair of 8x42 NLs. One small detail caught my eye related to glare performance. The attachment end of the objective cover tether has been modified to prevent it from intruding into the exit pupil (see photo below). The original attachment was too wide and made the glare a bit worse with the objective covers attached. I'll probably call Swarovski on Monday about getting a pair of the new covers.

 

[ticl2184]

I just had an opportunity to test a second pair of 8x42 NLs. One small detail caught my eye related to glare performance. The attachment end of the objective cover tether has been modified to prevent it from intruding into the exit pupil (see photo below). The original attachment was too wide and made the glare a bit worse with the objective covers attached. I'll probably call Swarovski on Monday about getting a pair of the new covers.

How do you find your NL's compared to the EL Swarovision Henry..
I've been tempted to buy a pair of NL's and tested some of the first ones in September.
For me glare was an immediate issue.. Secondly I could clearly perceive an Absam ring. Thirdly the Diopter didn't lock and I had to readjust it.
Fourthly, the pricing was astronomical, plus a also a bit cheesed off that you can now buy a pair of 10x42 Field Pros for £1540. My point being that my pair of 10x42 Swarovisions cost me £1690 back in 2010, over 10 years ago 😡

Cheers
Tim

 

[John Boy]

mmm, interesting article, the issues on focuser sounds off putting, but still going to try the NL's and see what I think of them.

 

[rpg51]

I think I will put my NL on eBay before it starts self-destructing and people get wind of it...

What power are they? Might be interested. Maybe I'll just start sweeping up behind you guys. Long run durability is the one thing none of us know now. But, Swaro will fix them. PIA - but they will get fixed if stuff goes wrong.

 

[SUPPRESSOR]

Hi John,

Interesting stuff. I certainly didn't get any debris stuck in my NL's focusser, but this may have become a problem down the line. We can only speculate.

You say you babied the binoculars. Why did you have to rinse them under the tap! In the 50years of owning binoculars that's something I have never had to do.. Just asking.

 

[rpg51]

Since you've already given the SF and NL a whirl, I think you might as well give the Nvid a chance. It has a more traditional focus design. I've tried only one 10x42 Noctivid and thought the focuser was beautiful; super smooth and precise. You have nothing to lose by trying it at this point.

If these top binos don't work maybe save a ton of cash and get "the poor man's alpha" - Nikon Monarch HG 42. It has a wide FOV and is no fuss; smooth focuser that will always work, nice view and light weight.

My wife has a new pair of Monarch HG 8x42. They are very nice binos. But, they are not in the same league as my NL 8x42. Also, the focus mechanism on her Monarch HGs is not as smooth functioning as my NLs. Hers has a little mushy feel here and there. Not a big deal. The glass is very good but not as good as the NLs and the field of view is smaller. To me, the NLs - or other true alpha - is well worth the investment if you can swing it.

 

[Hermann]

Why did you have to rinse them under the tap! In the 50years of owning binoculars that's something I have never had to do.. Just asking.

Because rinsing them under the tap is the best and easiest way to clean binoculars after using them a full day somewhere on an island in the North Sea?

Hermann

 

[NZbinodude]

You say you babied the binoculars. Why did you have to rinse them under the tap! In the 50years of owning binoculars that's something I have never had to do.. Just asking.

Curiosities sake, I suppose. I'd rather have binos fail at home, than in the field after getting wet. I was also keen to see what the fancy soap Swaro included in the box was all about. Lol

I returned the NL's and got a full refund. They weren't abused, otherwise the store likely wouldn't have given me my money back...

I accept that I was probably just unlucky, and got a lemon sample. I haven't read any other reports of NL focusser issues, so that's promising.

Enjoy!

 

[rpg51]

By the way, I recall watching a Swarovski produced video in which rinsing them under tap water was one recommended technique for cleaning. When paddling, if my waterproof binos get sandy, I sometimes swish them in the lake over the side of the canoe. No worries.

 

[RockyRidge]

Curiosities sake, I suppose. I'd rather have binos fail at home, than in the field after getting wet. I was also keen to see what the fancy soap Swaro included in the box was all about. Lol

I returned the NL's and got a full refund. They weren't abused, otherwise the store likely wouldn't have given me my money back...

I accept that I was probably just unlucky, and got a lemon sample. I haven't read any other reports of NL focusser issues, so that's promising.

Enjoy!

I had pretty much the exact same experience as you with a pair of NL 8x42’s. The focuser stopped getting totally stuck after a day or so after they dried out, but it remained really rough and gritty. Like you, I was able to get a refund from the store where I bought them. I went with a pair of SF 8x42’s and couldn’t be happier. I actually prefer them to the NL’s even before the focuser issues.

 

[Loud Green Man]

Rinsing bins under a cold tap to remove mud & crud is not particularly unusual if you hunt and not just twitch.

LGM

 

[Hermann]

Rinsing bins under a cold tap to remove mud & crud is not particularly unusual if you hunt and not just twitch.

I find rinsing under a tap very useful indeed, e.g. after a seawatch with an onshore gale. I also often rinse the objective lenses in the field once they're covered in salt spray. I sometimes even carry some additional water for that very purpose.

Hermann

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

When we went on mountain vacations in Switzerland, I always took 8x32 binoculars with me. Of course with eyepiece protection caps and no objective caps at all. Despite all precautions I could not prevent dust etc. settling on the eyepiece lenses especially in rough terrain. In many Swiss villages there is on small squares a sort of fountain with constant running water streaming in a large concrete or brick "vessel", that is always full of fresh water. It was often shocking to spectators around that "vessel" when they watched me immersing my binoculars into the clean water to rinse it from dust etc. The result: beautiful clean binoculars, lenses as well as the rest of the binocular body, never any water leaked into the instrument.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[jaymann]

it is better to rinse the lenses with water than rub with a dirty rag.

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

jayman, post 159,
That is called in Dutch "een open deur" meaning that is obvious.
Gijs van Ginkel