Date: 4/9/24 11:48 am From: Florence Sanchez via groups.io <sanchezucsb11...> Subject: [sbcobirding] Advice on binoculars
PLEASE REPLY OFF LIST!
This morning while birding Refugio Canyon, I had the ultimate disaster. I had removed my binoculars while shedding layers of clothing and place everything on a service box about 4 feet above the concrete pad it was on. When I grabbed my windbreaker to put it back on, I didn't realize that the binoculars were on top of its sleeve. When I grabbed the jacket, the binocs fell hard onto the concrete. With a sinking heart, I picked them up and checked the optics and the prisms are now misaligned. These Leitz Trinovids are incredibly well-made and have survived other falls, but this was too much for them.
I have been on the phone with Leica USA repair service and unfortunately, they are just too old for them to be fixed. They have long outlasted their "lifetime" (actually 30-year) warranty and there are no parts available to replace anything that has been damaged. I am heartsick as these have been my best friends for over 40 years.
So, I need to get a new pair of binoculars and in short order as I have a major birding trip coming up. I would appreciate any recommendations you might have. While the old ones were 8X32, thanks to Leitz optics, the image was very bright and the field of view was good. They also were lightweight, a necessity for my arthritic neck. I am looking into their replacement model, the Leica Trinovids, but would consider other possibilities.
Just as an aside, I have been considering getting a second pair of binocs with greater power (10) for some situations, but for general birding, I still prefer 8 power.
Again, thanks for your recommendations but PLEASE REPLY OFF LIST.
Thank you,Florence Sanchez
