Cleaning Binoculars

[mm289]

I know a few on here are into their optics so was after a bit of advise on how far you can go with cleaning bins yourself.

Just bought a new set as a Christmas present for daughter and having read some posts on here went for a set of Steiner 8x32. When I tried them the light and clarity was amazing compared to my Canon 10x30IS.

The Canon is a great set as it has image stabilising but the new bins showed how "cloudy" the image had become which I hadn't really noticed over time.

So is there anything I can do/check myself or is it a case of send them to a specialist which may not be worth it give the price of new (on stabilised) bins?

Cheers,

MM

 

[Migmac]

Steiners are good binos.

Send the canons away to be cleaned

 

[voipio]

Look at the optics very closely under a good light, to see where the most heavily contaminated surfaces are. Also shine the light through the binoculars, to try and pick up where the problems lie. The eyepieces and objective lenses are obviously the ones most likely to get deposits on them, since they face the outside world, but the insides too, especially the prism faces, can acquire a fine cloudiness to them, especially in smoky atmospheres, or if subjected to large temperature changes. Isopropyl alcohol and some clean tissues on the objectives and eyepieces would be the first place to go. Do it with care, with a small amount of IPA on the tissue, going from the centre of lens to outside, to get the grot off. The eyepieces are often the worst, because they are "mouth facing" when hanging off the shoulder straps, and all the spittle that comes out when talking, drifts downwards.

Getting inside image stabilised bins is really a job for the experts, under clean room conditions, so if basic external lens surface cleaning isn't enough, send them to Canon for a proper clean.

 

[Maker]

I definitely wouldn't dismantle them myself, the microscope I cleaned last year is a hell of a lot simpler than binoculars, never mind IS ones, and I didn't get it anything like perfect. If they're already good enough that you only noticed a problem comparing them to another pair, you'll only make them worse doing it yourself.

 

[fizzy]

I loved my Stenier 8x32 - notice the past tense!
Very gentle light use.
The central pivot is plastic now not brass. Must have been overtightened in the factory.
Contacted them but they weren't much help. Need to send it back just not had time to sort.
Would love to turn up a brass replacement but almost impossible to get the broken bit out.

 

[voipio]

I have a Nikon 8x25 binocular which suffered quite badly from new from light flare under certain conditions, e.g. looking at things in shade, with bright surroundings. The insides of the objective lens assembly had not been adequately treated to stop internal reflection, consisting basically of bare, stippled plastic. A coat of blackboard paint sorted that issue, but it was a delicate job.

 

[fizzy]

The broken Steiners.
Cheapskates

 

[badabec]

One of my older customers used to reset Canon binoculars after they had been dropped etc. He had dozens delivered monthly. He would then sit in the cupboard under the stairs, place the bins in an optical gizmo and fiddle with the lenses until the images coincided. With the tool he had (comparator???) it took minutes, money for old rope as he called it.
I bought his Geo Taylor mill.
He is dead now, no idea what happened to the optical gizmo, or his Boxford AUD with loads of tooling.

 

[badabec]

The spider must have been an optimist to make a web inside a pair of binoculars

View attachment 296539

 

[Brad93]

Steiner. Good glass, send them away for a service

 

[sako243]

The broken Steiners.
Cheapskates


View attachment 322560View attachment 322561

Speak to Andy @ Haylett Grange Shooting Supplies in Haverfordwest and say I recommended him. He's got a load of steiner stuff in and can usually get stuff sorted FOC.

 

[Migmac]

Paul Burke does binoculars , Northwest recommended him to me

 

[mtt.tr]

I definitely wouldn't dismantle them myself, the microscope I cleaned last year is a hell of a lot simpler than binoculars, never mind IS ones, and I didn't get it anything like perfect. If they're already good enough that you only noticed a problem comparing them to another pair, you'll only make them worse doing it yourself.

You wimp.

 

[fizzy]

Speak to Andy @ Haylett Grange Shooting Supplies in Haverfordwest and say I recommended him. He's got a load of steiner stuff in and can usually get stuff sorted FOC.

That's awesome thanks. Lovely binoculars spoilt by a cheap part.

 

[Screwdriver]

I definitely wouldn't dismantle them myself, the microscope I cleaned last year is a hell of a lot simpler than binoculars, never mind IS ones, and I didn't get it anything like perfect. If they're already good enough that you only noticed a problem comparing them to another pair, you'll only make them worse doing it yourself.

I second that. The optical path is extraordinarily complex and requires specialist equipment to align.

On the other hand, it does look pretty simple and is easy to ruin with cheap commonly available tools.

 

[mm289]

thanks for the advice. I will try giving the lenses a clean with IPA but if that doesn't improve things will look into the cost of a service

Cheers,

Paul