You could always do what Jen Spry suggested - fit a keyring to the eyelets
in the bins and non-locking carabiners to the harness. You could also fit
non-locking carabiners to your existing strap. When you want to switch from
harness to strap, simply unclip the bins from the harness, and clip the
carabiners on your straps to the keyrings on the bins.
As for me, I'll stick to my neck strap for the moment...
Paul Dodd
Docklands, Victoria
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Peter Shute
Sent: Monday, 7 March 2011 8:03 PM
To: Jill Dening; jenny spry
Cc: Birding-aus
Subject: Heavy bins (was Leica's warranty and customer
service)
This page shows how one bloke carries heaps of stuff:
http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/tomstips/9052/The+Geek%26%23039%3Bs+Guide+to+C
arrying+your+Gear+while+Saving+your+Shoulders.html
I've attached my tripod strap that way now (to the head and the base of the
column), instead of to the head and one leg. It sits better, and doesn't
require the legs to be strapped together, so it's much faster to set up.
I've also had success strapping 2 of the legs to the back of a frame pack,
which lets me set it up without taking it off the pack. I've carried it for
several hours at a time that way on several OBP surveys (and only used it
once - sigh).
Some more ideas here:
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=130390&d=1205773156
Unfortunately the latter is from a very old Birdforum thread, and the
(British?) supplier of the equipment shown doesn't seem to have a website,
so it 's just for ideas only. I like the concept of keeping your camera and
binoculars on a traditional strap, but having a chest or waist pouch they
can sit in to take the weight. Kind of dorky, though.
My main objection to a harness, apart from the untangling required to get it
on, is the fact that once the traditional strap is taken off the binoculars,
you are then forced to always use a harness with them. You can't revert to a
traditional strap for, say, a 5 minute session in the back yard.
Peter Shute
_______________________________________
From:
On Behalf Of Jill Dening
Sent: Monday, 7 March 2011 2:16 PM
To: jenny spry
Cc: Birding-aus
Subject: Heavy bins (was Leica's warranty and customer
service)
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
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ===============================
>>>>>>
>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
>>>>>> send the message:
>>>>>> unsubscribe
>>>>>> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
>>>>>> to:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://birding-aus.org
>>>>>> ===============================
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ===============================
>>>>>>
>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
>>>>>> send the message:
>>>>>> unsubscribe
>>>>>> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
>>>>>> to:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://birding-aus.org
>>>>>> ===============================
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ===============================
>>>>>>
>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
>>>>>> send the message:
>>>>>> unsubscribe
>>>>>> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
>>>>>> to:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://birding-aus.org
>>>>>> ===============================
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ===============================
>>>>
>>>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
>>>> send the message:
>>>> unsubscribe
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>>>> to:
>>>>
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>>>>
>>> ===============================
>>>
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>>> send the message:
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>>> to:
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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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>> send the message:
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>> to:
>>
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>> ===============================
>>
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