Unusual Noctivid eyecup action (2 Viewers)

[dipped]

Forgive me if this has already been noted/discussed.

I've noted some people find the eyecups don't extend far enough to avoid "kidney beans", and I seemed to recollect something strange about the Noctivid eyecups. I was able to try them out again and ascertain what is happening. The eyecups extend out anti-clockwise and reach their maximum extension as with other binoculars, but then if you carry on extending them anti-clockwise the eyecups retract a bit and are fairly firmly locked in position. I can't remember if the eyecups can be removed but maybe if they do this retraction facilitates it and protects the integrity of the maximum eyecup extension.

I've never had a problem with the eyecups and I consider myself quite sensitive to kidney beaning. I wonder if on a quick try out people are inadvertently twisting the eyecups all the way (anti-clockwise) and beyond their highest point.

 

[tenex]

Yes. this behavior was mentioned once before; Leica eyecups can be pulled straight off in that final CCW position. Why it gets a bit lower I don't know; Ultravids go higher, and that position is a usable extra click (since it takes some force to remove the cups). On Noctivids it's not, and should be avoided as you point out. One should be able to feel whether the cup is moving up or down while twisting. (Swaro eyecups actually go up and then settle down into each designated position, which is rather intricate.)