birding-aus

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

To: Birding-aus <>
Subject: Heavy bins (was Leica's warranty and customer service)
From: John Leonard <>
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2011 13:31:24 +1100
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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