Hi Greg,
I could not agree more about this dilemma. Gavin and I have 2 pairs of Zeiss
10x42s in the cupboard - 1986 and 1989 models. We got fed up of having to pay
between $400 and $600 to have them realigned every couple of years or so and
have replaced them. I just can't bring myself to chuck them out! If there was
a cheap repair option we would be happy to donate them.
I like Michelle's idea because we seem to be doing a pretty poor job in this
country as far as converting our children into birders. Our 15 year old son is
an avid birder, but as far as his school mates are concerned (with the
exception of a very select few), he would die rather than admit it! It would
be wonderful if your musings on this issue resulted in more young birders out
there.
Regards
Judith
> From: > To: ;
> > Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] old binoculars> Date:
> Wed, 9 Apr 2008 13:58:40 +1000> > Peter> > You might be right, but I would
> have thought that most of the expense> was labour. So the cost of cleaning
> and recollimation repair in for> example some African or Asian countries may
> be far less than here. But> then that cost may still be expensive for the
> recipient of those> binoculars in those countries. Plus also as you suggest
> many cheaper> binoculars may not be repairable and are simply disposable.
> What a> dilemma. So do we simply chuck the old ones into the bin?> > Greg
> Little> > Greg Little - Principal Consultant> General Flora and Fauna> PO Box
> 526> Wallsend, NSW, 2287, Australia> Ph 02 49 556609> Fx 02 49 556671>
> www.gff.com.au> > -----Original Message-----> From: Peter Shute
> > Sent: Wednesday, 9 April 2008 12:24 PM> To:
> Gregory Little; > Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] old
> binoculars> > I was under the impression that collimation costs about $100,
> assuming> the binoculars are constructed in a way that allows it to be done
> at> all. Everyone has different standards, but I'm wondering whether many>
> Australian birders use binoculars worth less than that. Perhaps what> the
> customer was really being told was that their binoculars really> couldn't be
> fixed.> > As for getting it done more cheaply overseas, if the construction>
> doesn't really allow it, then collimating them might require even more>
> precise equipment than for more expensive ones and might not be> available. I
> don't know anything about binocular construction, so> perhaps my dealer
> misled me about this.> > I'd be very interested to know if your idea is
> feasible, but I suspect> that it might be more feasible to have the
> recipients use them with one> eye closed or just send them money to buy cheap
> ones. $10 compacts> definitely have their limitations, but are still heaps
> better than> nothing, some of them anyway.> > Peter Shute> > -----Original
> Message-----> From: >
> On Behalf Of Gregory Little> Sent:
> Wednesday, 9 April 2008 11:39 AM> To: > Subject:
> [Birding-Aus] old binoculars> > Gooday birders> > I was recently in a shop
> that sold surveying equipment, telescopes and> binoculars etc and repaired
> these. A customer had a not so old and not> so expensive pair of binoculars
> and was asking if these could be> repaired. Apparently the collimation was
> out and they needed an internal> clean. The shop owner responded that they
> certainly could easily repair> them but that it would be much cheaper for him
> to buy another pair of> binoculars and he would probably get a better quality
> pair into the> bargain. This is probably realistic as the repairer has to
> charge for> the service. I suppose that the person then buys another pair of>
> binoculars and puts the old ones into the top of the wardrobe. I have an>
> older pair of Nikon Travelites that also need cleaning and recollimation> and
> that are simply sitting in a cupboard. > > Is there someone out there who
> collects such unwanted binoculars and> sends them to countries that could
> cheaply repair them and then> distribute them to bird watchers who may
> otherwise be unable to afford a> pair of binoculars? They are welcome to have
> mine.> > Greg Little> > > > Greg Little - Principal Consultant> General Flora
> and Fauna> PO Box 526> Wallsend, NSW, 2287, Australia> Ph 02 49 556609> Fx 02
> 49 556671> HYPERLINK "http://www.gff.com.au"www.gff.com.au> > > No virus
> found in this outgoing message.> Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.519 / Virus
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