subject was: Re: Leica Servicing

Thanks for mentioning Seattle's "Close Instruments". Timing of this post
was post was perfect since I've got issues with my Swarovski EL 10X32 and
had forgotten about Close. So, checked online to see if Close was still in
business (yes) and called him up. He was closed today (MLK Day) but was on
the premises and told me to come on down and just knock on the door (2316
4th Ave, Seattle). So, behind closed and locked doors, we had a very
interesting and forthright HONEST discussion about binoculars. I learned a lot
about Swarovski that I didn't know before. With surprising honesty, Mr.
Close indicated that he didn't really like working on Swarovski bins because
of their complicated nature and recommended sending them to them to
Swarovski in Rhode Island for repair. Plus, if he worked on them, it would negate
the warranty. Carrying a life time guarantee, if Swarovski breaks or is
beyond reasonable simple repair, they will replace it with a new pair.
Afterall, as Mr. Close said, "You paid for it" ... meaning ..., about $2000 now
for a pair of these things, I figure I've paid for about 10 replacement
pairs, or a life time's worth.

The EL 10X32's are the best bins I've ever owned btw, superb optics, small,
light, comfortable, and still full 10X power for heavy duty use, all day
every day for months on end when they get their biggest most tireless
workout during job related field assignments (perfect at sea! ...and anywhere as
far as I'm concerned) without having to lug around those 10X42's that are
heavier and harder to conseal (like in my small shoulder bag) when I'm in
places here and abroad where I'd rather not advertise my presence or the
bins yet still have them handy when the need arises. Smaller is better, bins
& shoulder bag. And still, yet to this day, why I have yet to see another
pair of EL 10X32s in the field remains a mystery. If anyone has splurged
on a pair of Swarovski, it's always the but only slightly more expensive
10X42s (huge & heavy by comparison) and whatever little gained (light mostly)
usually isn't significant enough in light of the other said benefits.

That all being said, Swarovski does have one major design flaw which means
they very well may not last a life time or even a relatively short life
time and I am discovering several people now experiencing the same issue as
me. The focus mechanism wears out. Unlike similar roof prism bins e.g.
Leica & Zeiss and others, apparently there are gears that are just simply
doomed to wear out sooner or later depending on amount of use. In my case, use
is far more than average or weekend warrior style birding. Four going on
five years now by my standards of punishment might equal a life time for
average use.

Also talked by phone with the Swarovski servicing department this morning
in Rhode Island before dashing over to Close for his take on the situation.
Since Mr. Close advised against his working on them, they're off to Rhode
Island for repair (or replacement) now. I'm not left optics empty as I
still have my Leica 10X42s, now rarely used and relegated as backups. They
once were what I would call the "best bins I've ever owned", but after an
onsite swing through B&H Photo in NYC back in the early summer of 2006 and
just as I was heading out the door, mission accomplished (just a simple
inexpensive camera battery charger), just by random chance happened to pass the
B&H binocular section and stopped to just quickly look at and compare the
various Swarovski models I seemed to be seeing more and more of all the time
to see what all the hype and fuss was all about. Quality wise, I couldn't
really see much or a significant enough difference between EL 10X32 and
the 10X42 except size and weight. Impulse shopping at it's finest, I bought
the EL 10X32's on the spot ($1300 then) but was patient enough to at least
have them shipped to my home in
Washington rather than walking out with them thus avoiding the hefty NY
sales tax.

Once in my sweaty little hands, there's been no looking back. The Leicas
went in the drawer where they have seldom seen the light of day for years
since. They really are heavy by comparison now, lack the quick and critical
close focus feature that I fell in love with the Swarovski. Also, there
is one other major and by far more significant problem with the Leica
(Trinovid 10X42) over seemingly everything else that I regularly use, namely
Swarovski and Fujinon, polarizing cancellation. This is an issue I've never
seen discussed before, nor anyone else complaining about it. Surely I'm NOT
the only person who finds this so crippling disorientating and left
wondering why Leica markets a high end expensive binocular that fails so miserably
in this regard. Maybe people have complained and Leica has fixed it by
now? I don't know. For me who spends a great deal of time on the water at
sea, and facing tons of glare every day, polarizing sun glasses are a
critical part of the wardrobe. The Leica 10X42 get an absolute "F" in those
situations when most glare has been eliminated by polarizing sunglasses, only
to have it come back in full burnout as soon as I put the Leicas to my eyes
which is in direct 100% conflict with the polarizing glasses. It's
extremely disorientating and results in losing whales, dolphins, and seabirds when
'driving the ship' keeping track of those things is extremely critical
during research related chases, study, biological sampling, and photos.

Even though Leica in my mind (and eye) have fallen from grace, I still
have them, and when it's not glary (like around HERE these days), they're
quite fine, tough, great optics and light gathering capacity, and I can live a
couple months while the Swarovski are in the shop as long as serious water
time (oceans) aren't involved. That being said, and given the complicated
if not unreliable nature of the Swarovski focusing mechanism plus a few
other things that wear out, Mr. Close seemed to favor Leica over other high
end glasses. In part, I'd agree, if one were to use the Leica occasionally
and glare cancellation weren't a great concern nor close focus, the optics
are certainly top notch. A more serious birder however would probably still
opt for bins offering close focus (like Swarovski and some similar but
less expensive brands) and perhaps has yet to register the issue of glare
cancellation since for most, maybe that's not a big concern.

Anyone else out there with smaller and lighter Swarovski EL 10X32s (or
8X32s)? Any problems? Additional thoughts?

Richard Rowlett
Bellevue (Eastgate), WA

----------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Leica Servicing
From: Larry Schwitters <lpatters AT ix.netcom.com>
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:42:10 -0800
I had a good experience with Close two years ago with our Zeiss. Hope

they are still in business. Guys like this are hard to find.



Larry Schwitters

Issaquah



On Jan 16, 2011, at 1:09 PM, Hans-Joachim Feddern wrote:



> Richard, Tweeters,

>

> Unless the binoculars are still under warranty, I recommend Close

> Instruments at 2316 4th Ave in Seattle. The gentleman - and I

> believe it is Mr. Close - has been in business for many years and

> does excellent work. He also seems to be reasonably priced. you may

> want to google it.

>

> Cheers,

>

> On Sun, Jan 16, 2011 at 11:39 AM, Richard Isherwood > wrote:

> A friend has a pair of Leitz binoculars which need repair. I have

> used the Leica service center in Ny/NJ in the distant past but am

> not sure I have their current address. I recall they were expensive

> but good.

>

> Does anyone know a reliable repair place for Leitz in the NW ?

>

> Thanks in advance

>

> --

> Richard Isherwood

> Port Townsend WA

> Rjisherwood AT gmail.com