Oh crap, the diopter knob is gone (1 Viewer)

[Jos Stratford]

Thank you for that enlightening post. I do not understand what the point is here as the only case I own for that thing is the huge Zeiss case which I occasionally clip on my belt in summer, while in colder weather I wear the instrument around my neck. I will expand upon it by noting that many people have received repaired instruments promptly from Zeiss while I got back one that was seriously damaged by repair.

When someone has something that breaks, does it really help to tell them "oh mine is perfecly ok, clearly you've done something wrong"? And if so, could you please explain what my dealer did wrong that caused a repair-damaged instrument to be sent back? Could you also with the same superior knowledge explain what the dealer has done wrong that impedes Zeiss from communicating with the dealer and telling him that they will solve the problem? I hope you do not work in PR, as blaming for their random bad luck causes real anger.



Edmund

I do apologize, I remember posts from you earlier where you repeatedly posted about the various things you didn't like about the pockets, one being the case. I thought you had mentioned that you had obtained a smaller case - if I remember incorrectly, my bad.
Point wasn't really that 'mine is okay', but rather the vast majority have fortunately not reported such incidents - an unfortunate thing to happen to your binoculars, confounded by poor treatment from your dealer, but comfort can be taken by others that this appears to be an extremely rare event made worse, as you mentioned, by going through the dealer rather than Zeiss themselves.

 

[Jos Stratford]

I hope you do not work in PR, as blaming for their random bad luck causes real anger.

I hope you don't work in anger management 😅

 

[eronald]

I do apologize, I remember posts from you earlier where you repeatedly posted about the various things you didn't like about the pockets, one being the case. I thought you had mentioned that you had obtained a smaller case - if I remember incorrectly, my bad.
Point wasn't really that 'mine is okay', but rather the vast majority have fortunately not reported such incidents - an unfortunate thing to happen to your binoculars, confounded by poor treatment from your dealer, but comfort can be taken by others that this appears to be an extremely rare event made worse, as you mentioned, by going through the dealer rather than Zeiss themselves.

Thank you for your apology. I don't think this got worse by going through the dealer network, which is the procedure recommended in the user manual as far as I remember. Zeiss supply a perfectly good case except it's huge - a bit surprising for a miniature instrument. If it really needs that case and no other as you seem to think, then maybe that fact should be underlined in the user manual.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Thank you for your apology. I don't think this got worse by going through the dealer network, which is the procedure recommended in the user manual as far as I remember. Zeiss supply a perfectly good case except it's huge - a bit surprising for a miniature instrument. If it really needs that case and no other as you seem to think, then maybe that fact should be underlined in the user manual.

Fair enough, I actually like the case - protects well and sits on my belt if I am working that day and will have a hour or two free later to use my binoculars.

 

[adhoc]

FWIW, as I don't know if this is obvious, or possible for everyone. A pocket binocular the size of the VP, single or double-hinged, can be carried, for field use at your IPD, in a pants pocket, if you can "dedicate" the pocket just for this. Objectives downward, eyecups with covers/rainguard on. Other stuff in the pocket might touch the obj. lenses. I have been doing this for years.

 

[Troubador]

Thank you for that enlightening post. I do not understand what the point is here as the only case I own for that thing is the huge Zeiss case which I occasionally clip on my belt in summer, while in colder weather I wear the instrument around my neck. I will expand upon it by noting that many people have received repaired instruments promptly from Zeiss while I got back one that was seriously damaged by repair.

When someone has something that breaks, does it really help to tell them "oh mine is perfecly ok, clearly you've done something wrong"? And if so, could you please explain what my dealer did wrong that caused a repair-damaged instrument to be sent back? Could you also with the same superior knowledge explain what the dealer has done wrong that impedes Zeiss from communicating with the dealer and telling him that they will solve the problem? I hope you do not work in PR, as blaming for their random bad luck causes real anger.



Edmund

We all hope you get a satisfactory solution to this as soon as possible.

Lee
MODERATOR

 

[Mikewander]

I wouldn't say the supplied case is huge. I find it a tight squeeze with the strap attached to the binos.

 

[eronald]

FWIW, as I don't know if this is obvious, or possible for everyone. A pocket binocular the size of the VP, single or double-hinged, can be carried, for field use at your IPD, in a pants pocket, if you can "dedicate" the pocket just for this. Objectives downward, eyecups with covers/rainguard on. Other stuff in the pocket might touch the obj. lenses. I have been doing this for years.

Yes, this is so for the usual style double hinged instruments. The problem is that now we know that if the diopter knob of the VP catches or rubs on the edge of a pocket it could get pulled off, so one should not do this with this instrument. Although unfortunately I learnt that if you drop the thing over your neck the diopter knob can also go running away ... It may be there is simply no way to safely transport this instrument outside its case, a situation familiar to people who used japanese-made miniaturised electronics like pocket video recorders back in the 80s and 90s

BTW, I recently tried the Swaro companion 8x30 and although it is quite heavy it still seems super-compact, coat-pocket sized, and might be an alternative for people who want something tougher and with a more comfortable view than the VP. Although I suspect that there are a bunch of perfectly nice low priced pocketable x30 betas with a decent view that can match the VP which after all is an extraordinary x25 but still limited by the physics of an x25.

Edmund

PS And of course when employing the VP 25 case at one's hip one should be careful that the diopter knob does not catch on the lip of the case when one lifts the instrument out.

 

[adhoc]

My pockets are not tight for this, and when pulling the bino out I, by habit now, slip the middle fingers over the bino, below the bridge, and and lift the bino out that way. In doing this with the VP the fingers curve below the (top of the downward facing) diopter knob also. (When pushing a VP into the pocket, of course, the friction if at all presses the diopter knob the opposite way.)

But (and after your post I'm thinking more about this!) I remember that occasionally in (literally) tight spots I press the pocketed bino against tree trunk or rock, or indoors whack it on the edges of tables! So, one more thing to be mindful about, and add to the stresses of life--less stressful than repair, of course, or what the OP and you have been through.

About the case I'm afraid I just don't know. I put it away as soon as I got the bino. To me it just goes against the miniaturization of the instrument.

Some time back I could compare the VP and the newer Swaro. Companion 8x30. As I remember the Swaro. was superior optically by nearly all criteria excepting maybe glare control and including ease of viewing. And now I realize it's also tougher. But for me it is too heavy as a pocket bino.

Edmund, if it was the 80s then maybe you're thinking of Walkman-type audio, not video, devices? But let this not divert the thread off topic!

 

[Mikewander]

What is this 'huge' case that is being discussed?

 

[Jos Stratford]

Fair enough, I actually like the case - protects well and sits on my belt if I am working that day and will have a hour or two free later to use my binoculars.

What is this 'huge' case that is being discussed?

It's not huge, it's just bigger than some folk would like it. It's hard shell, so gives good protection, but I guess that means not as compact as could be in squishy

 

[Alexis Powell]

It's not huge, it's just bigger than some folk would like it. It's hard shell, so gives good protection, but I guess that means not as compact as could be in squishy

Actually, I'd go so far as to call it huge because I prefer my cases, whether soft or hard, to fit the bin since I like to fit things as compactly as possible in my gear bags and boxes. The hard case for the Leica 8x20 Ultravid BL is decently compact. I use an old Nikon case w/my Zeiss 8x25. So far, the diopter has survived, but I think I will be especially careful going forward. Here is a past post of mine that includes photos of these bins and their cases for comparison. Yes, the Zeiss 8x25 Victory case is huge.

Review of 8x25 Victory Pocket

How big is the Zeiss 8x25 Victory Pocket? The Zeiss 8x25 Victory Pocket is an 8x25, with the optical comfort (except in very low light) and handling qualities of an 8x32, that packs like an 8x20. See attached images (Note: images not to same scale from one image to the next) to accompany...

www.birdforum.net

--AP

 

[eronald]

Some time back I could compare the VP and the newer Swaro. Companion 8x30. As I remember the Swaro. was superior optically by nearly all criteria excepting maybe glare control and including ease of viewing. And now I realize it's also tougher. But for me it is too heavy as a pocket bino.

Edmund, if it was the 80s then maybe you're thinking of Walkman-type audio, not video, devices? But let this not divert the thread off topic!

Adhoc,

I think one might inquire whether someone has found something like the Swaro Companion but cheaper and/or lighter.

I'm remembering the Sony minicassette pocket video recorders - supersmall, superb Zeiss optics, superfragile.

Edmund

 

[dorubird]

A widespread problem it is that quite a few consumers have complained about Victory pocket diopter wheel issues (like falling the diopter wheel or involuntarily and annoying changing of diopter settings). Looks like it's a mechanical/ design error. I hope Zeiss will consider this diopter wheel issues.

eronald,
Your extremely unpleasant experience with dealer warranty and service is an isolated case, but it is unacceptable for a pair of binoculars that has entered in service with one problem, to returns to the customer with another (bigger problem). I hope you will receive a new pair of binoculars from dealer!

 

[GrampaTom]

Can we be done with the diopter wheel issue now? Doesn't Zeiss make other binoculars? Weeks of this? How about a convo of SF 1032 vs 832 and the effect of EP beyond the edges of the day? or something....

 

[Alexis Powell]

Can we be done with the diopter wheel issue now? Doesn't Zeiss make other binoculars? Weeks of this? How about a convo of SF 1032 vs 832 and the effect of EP beyond the edges of the day? or something....

No one is stopping you from starting a new thread.

--AP

 

[james holdsworth]

It is a bit much when people repeat the “widespread” problems with the diopter…

 

[Alexis Powell]

I guess I am sympathetic to the complaining because I have found that I too have to check the positioning of the diopter when I remove the bins from the case that I use. In general, I believe diopters should be very firm or lock. The diopter is also poorly calibrated and it doesn't hold settings off of the zero position very well as it is designed to snap back into the detent at that setting. Would definitely benefit from a redesign.

--AP

 

[GrampaTom]

Alex! You were the main guy why I bought mine. Don’t leave me hanging out here on a limb..,

 

[GrampaTom]

Should I grumble about ongoing Habicht threads above. I’m in a mood….