birding-aus

Heavy bins (was Leica's warranty and customer service)

To: Jill Dening <>
Subject: Heavy bins (was Leica's warranty and customer service)
From: Carl Clifford <>
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2011 15:18:27 +1100
Jill,

Have a look at the OpTech USA range. They even have a double harness which allows you to carry camera and bins on the one harness. Also they have quick release connectors, which allow you to change over whatever you have attached quickly and easily. I have been using them for a few years now and they are great, especially when you have an arthritic neck like me. I have bought mine from an ebay merchant called Duracom Supply, who have had good prices and give good service.

Cheers,

Carl Clifford


On 07/03/2011, at 2:16 PM, Jill Dening wrote:

Right-o! I'm going to buy myself a harness and get a couple of those split keyrings. I spend hours in the field doing shorebird and tern surveys, and am getting too old for all the stuff I used to do without thinking in years gone by.

I've never used a harness. Any thoughts on the best place to buy online? Why buy my own experience when I can ask the list?

Jill

Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

26° 51' 41"S  152° 56' 00"E

On 7/03/2011 12:50 PM, jenny spry wrote:
....... and on my Zeiss 10 x 40s I have fitted a small split key ring to each nylon clip on the binocular where the carry strap attaches and a pair of small karabiner (carabiner) clip (from an outdoor supply store) to the harness. This makes taking the binoculars on and off very easy; even more
easy than using the strap when wearing a broad-brimmed sun hat.

But as far as the harness goes I agree entirely with John, there is no way I could spend a day walking or standing with binoculars without the harness -
it just would not be fun.

cheers

Jen



On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 1:31 PM, John Leonard<>wrote:

I note several times a year people writing about how they found their
bins too heavy and were looking a lighter pair....

About 10 years ago I was put on to the shoulder harness method of
carrying bins. At the time I didn't take it up because of one
disadvantage (makes taking the bins on and off more difficult).
However once I got over 40 (!) I found that heavy bins were indeed
making my neck ache and I went back to the shoulder harness. Now the
weight of the bins is immaterial and I can carry my preferred type
around regardless of weight.

John Leonard

On 7 March 2011 13:16, Dave Torr<>  wrote:
Interesting - I have been chasing Zeiss for warranty repairs and have
just
been put onto this company (luckily I live in Werribee so that is
handy!).
No response from them yet but I assume that as it is a warranty repair it
should be no cost????

On 7 March 2011 13:12, Jill Dening<>  wrote:

For the record, if anyone needs to know this, I have just called Zeiss
in
Sydney, and was told all ZEISS retail and repairs are handled by
Outdoor Sporting Agencies
17 Loop Rd
Werribee Vic 3030
03 9741 1174

I called and stated my situation, and the binos have to go to Werribee,
Vic. From there they have to go to the US (cost $80 for postage and
insurance) and they will advise the repair cost. This is possibly
because
they are Conquests, which are an American model. If I decide not to
proceed,
they will be sent back at no further cost to me.

I find this to be a pain in the neck, but at least this discussion has
got
me off my **** and doing something about it.

I have brought all this pain upon myself because, sick of carrying heavy
Leica 8x42s around the world, I took a pathetic, but light, pair of
Nikons
with me in 2006. I had barely hit the ground in the US before I was
utterly
fed up with the Nikons, and then wasted good holiday time tracking down
a
decent but light pair of binos for travelling. I have been happy with
the
Zeiss Conquests just for travelling, but they aren't a patch on my
Leicas.
Whilst you pay for the weight in Leicas, you also get good quality
glass.

Jill

Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

26° 51' 41"S    152° 56' 00"E

On 7/03/2011 11:19 AM, Carl Clifford wrote:

Jill,

Contact Carl Zeiss at their Australian office, 02 9020 1333. You will probably have to send them down to Sydney for service, as I think Zeiss
do all their service in-house.

Cheers,

Carl Clifford


On 07/03/2011, at 11:55 AM, Jill Dening wrote:

I agree with Carl here, and not with Tony (sorry Tony). I have always had an all risks policy on our binos (2 prs Leicas) and scope, so that
I
go into the field with a feeling of relaxation. I insure my house, my
health, my binos. On the very few occasions (twice?) I have had a
problem, my insurance has honoured its contract without discussion, and Adeal has been very professional in its conduct, even lending me binos
twice in the past when mine had to go to hospital in Germany.

But I currently have a pair of Zeiss Conquests as my light, travelling binos, and I am missing them. The eyecup and outer glass have come off on one lens, and there appears to be no one left in Brisbane who can repair such. Am I right? And if so, what is my next option? Do I really
have to send them to Adelaide?

Cheers,

Jill

Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

26° 51' 41"S 152° 56' 00"E

On 7/03/2011 9:49 AM, Carl Clifford wrote:

I have been following this thread, which seems to re-appear every year or so, with interest. The majority of the complaints about Leica seem
to
be the result of lack of care or maintenance by the owners, or
physical
impact. The equipment in question in all cases are consumer level
products and it is quite unrealistic to expect them to withstand any abuse thrown at them. If you want bins that will withstand abuse, you
need to go to military spec gear, such as the Steiner Military R
range,
which you can literally run over them with a truck and they will still
be in collimation, as a video on Steiner's web site shows.

I am not a Leica user& never will be, as I think they are over- rated and over priced. I just think it is not fair to bag a brand when the problem is with the owners. As for making a warranty claim for damage
from physical impact, well isn't that what insurance for?

Cheers,

Carl Clifford


On 07/03/2011, at 9:31 AM, Greg Little wrote:

Jonny

I too am a happy Leica owner, with no complaints. Have had my Leica BN
10x32
binoculars for 9 years and use them every week for work and play.
While
they
are well made and robust I look after them and can only imagine that
eyepieces popping off and screws rusting are from mishandling,
accident or
abuse.

Greg Little

-----Original Message-----
From: 
On Behalf Of Jonny
Schoenjahn
Sent: Monday, 7 March 2011 1:53 AM
To: Birding-Aus
Subject: [Birding-Aus] Leica's warranty and customer service

Hi all

I seem to be one of very few, if not the only one, who is entire
satisfied
with Leica.

Since 1997 I own a Leica spotting scope. Two or three years ago, on a
windy
day, the thing fell over when the car-door slammed and hit the tripod.
The
scope survived the 2m fall into rocks completely unharmed, only the eye-piece received 2 major scratches on the ocular. Certainly not a
warranty
issue.I sent the eye-piece to Leica Germany asking for a quote to
replace
the ocular, saying that it was my own fault. Not 3 weeks later and no
questions asked, I received to my greatest excitement a brand-new
eye-piece
at no cost. My only expense was the postage from Perth to Leica.

Last year, my 10-year old Leica bins had a problem with the focus
spindle,
the first and only problem I ever had with any Leica equipment. I sent
the
bins to Leica Germany, mentioning that the minor scratches on the
oculars
were old and could be left like that (Zeiss once had charged my a
fortune to
replace those oculars). Before long I receive my bins completely
over-hauled
including new rubber armour and, most of all, two new oculars. Again,
all I
paid was the postage from me to them. As before, I wrote them a letter
thanking them for their outstanding service.

It was easy and straight forward to send the Leica equipment to Leica Germany, it wouldn't occur to me to send it anywhere else. Both the
scope
and the bins I had bought in Australia, but no-one wanted to see a
receipt
or asked where or when I had purchased the units.

Suffice it to say that, from my own experience, I'm happy to recommend
Leica
not only but also for their generous and prompt service.

Cheers, and happy birding

Jonny

Jonny Schoenjahn
Perth WA

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--
John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net

I want to be with the 99,999 other things.
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