-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Problem with green coating of EL SV 8x32 (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter bittern
- Start date
I've previously posted about my brother's 8.5x42 SV Fieldpro purchased Christmas 2016 (link). After almost seven years of regular use (every weekend, often double sessions in summer, plus several visits to Spain and also a few to Singapore) they are now beginning to suffer the dreaded bio-deterioration.
They're still great binoculars, and I certainly hope this thread and others like it cause Swarovski used values to plummet. I would rather like a 10x42 NL - exterior condition immaterial...
They're still great binoculars, and I certainly hope this thread and others like it cause Swarovski used values to plummet. I would rather like a 10x42 NL - exterior condition immaterial...
Attachments
7 years is a pretty good run
No it's not.
Compared to the 2+ years on mine (and others')
Last edited:
Redneckbmxer24
Well-known member
Yes, so much that I ordered $4K EL Range TA’s yesterday with zero hesitation.
This issue is blown out of proportion. To begin with it’s very very isolated and not “common” considering how many are out there. Swarovski will also fix it for free and is great to deal with.
If you want to see problems, I just received two brand new defective out of the box Leicas. One of which was a Ultravid HD+ that the hinge was stress fractured and cracking and they sent it out the door with that issue. I started looking on the classifieds on here and on eBay for used UVHD’s and almost every one (well over 50%) that had good pics with the hinge somewhat bent HAD THE SAME DEFECT PRESENT. So at least with Swarovski’s you have to use them several years to maybe have this issue and it’s just the sacrificial armor layer.
Aquaplas
Well-known member
Purchased my Nl Pure 8x42 in January 2021. After a year of use, most of the time in my garden for birding, the rubber coating becomes sticky. Now 3 months ago, the coating breaks open! I never use Deet or hand creams, etc... the only thing this coating has to do is hand sweat in summer. The look of this bino is excellent. The coating is crap. I use other alphas much more and never have such problems. I wash the NL more often with the soap and the brush. After the soap and the brush, the coating becomes more sticky. This bino is not used hard. I am a bino collector and I bathed my binos and took great care of them.
Paultricounty
Well-known member
Wow, that sucks. Get Swaro all over those , and tell them to throw in a free accessory for the aggravation and inconvenience. You mean the soap and brush are not to clean our hands 😜
paddyluke
Well-known member
the soap is for washing your hands after handling Swaro binoculars
Paultricounty
Well-known member
Not before 😜the soap is for washing your hands after handling Swaro binoculars
james holdsworth
Consulting Biologist
You can take comfort in the fact this is an apparently rare occurrence….😉
Paultricounty
Well-known member
Yeah I was thinking the same thing 🤪
If I woke up in the morning and seen a crack or a separation line on any of my Swarovski's, they’re be in the mail by lunch time.
A recent product recall on a manufacturing/QC defect:
"Nikon values our customers’ trust above all else... We recognize this is an important issue and are committed to resolving it as soon as possible... will inspect applicable cameras and take the necessary steps to correct this issue, at no cost to the consumer, even if the warranty has expired. Nikon will also pay all shipping costs both to and from the Nikon service center."
petapixel.com
"Nikon values our customers’ trust above all else... We recognize this is an important issue and are committed to resolving it as soon as possible... will inspect applicable cameras and take the necessary steps to correct this issue, at no cost to the consumer, even if the warranty has expired. Nikon will also pay all shipping costs both to and from the Nikon service center."
Nikon Issues Service Advisory to Repair Loose Z8 Strap Lugs for Free
The company has isolated the issue and will repair it for free.
As we are not sure how big Swaro's armor problem is, something only they know that at this point, the ultimate actions Swarovski will need to take are an unknown. Seems a decent bet no one there, wants the word recall, thrown around. Given what we don't know, it also seems premature we promote the idea either. The implications to cost, reputation, the bottom line are large. If the failures are a small percent of all binos shipped, fix those and go may be sufficient. If repairs to now, are not long term fixes, and repeats are required that's not so cool. If returns are low, do to timing of the thing, but the implication is that eventually many/most will need it, thats something else. We wait.
etc
Well-known member
My EL 12x50 is disintegrating in the same fashion, using duct tape temporarily. I am not going to send it in until they come up with a new formula as it would be pointless to replace it with the same self-destructing material. If they do not fix it soon, they will get kicked out from the Alpha list, with Nikon or GPO will replace them.
Leica armor lasts for generations. Maybe they need to hire an engineer from Leica or Zeiss.
Leica armor lasts for generations. Maybe they need to hire an engineer from Leica or Zeiss.
tehri
Well-known member
That's true enough !!
Ah! Took a minute. Suspect we're well passed that point.
etc
Well-known member
I understand the point.
If I send it right now, they will fix it using the same worthless armor as the one I already have and it will be back in 2 years.
Or send it to them and instruct them not to fix it until they come up with a real fix.
