Help with faulty binoculars

Hello. 

I am in Lichfield, Staffordshire and I run a Repair Cafe where people can bring items to get repaired by our volunteer repairers. A lady brought some Nikon Travelite binoculars which are not working properly. Looks like optics have moved inside.  Can't send to Nikon without warranty and/or paying £30 up front.

Anyone know how I could get them repaired?  There must be someone in RSPB circles who could help!

  • It sounds as though the prisms have shifted, maybe they have been dropped, if this is the case its not a job for an amateur. There are optic repairers out there but on cheaper optics replacement is often cheaper..
  • Thank you Pete. I just found a You Tube repair video for similar issue so at least I understand what might have happened. Not clear how to take cover off to get inside anyway but if I can find an optic repairer then that would be good. No luck so far - have tried a few routes.
  • Pam try a couple of decent camera shops they usually have some contacts for lens repair. As for getting inside the bins I tried on an old telescope and discovered it was joined by something called sonic welding, I got it apart but it would not go back together.. Specialist repairers don't come cheap and your bins could probably be replaced for about £100 or so after looking in magazines
  • While I'm not able to fully help, I do have a question, the Travelite binoculars, are they the tough durable ones which are shock proof and weatherproof?

    If they are the weatherproof ones, I do believe they are sealed with nitrogen gas inside.

    Nikon do sell a pair which is are a basic binocular.

    The reason why I ask, I've had a pair for well over 20 years, they've been dropped, kicked and knocked around and apart from the eye cups which have given up, they still perform. But they are the weatherproof and shock proof ones. I've only taken them out of service because the eye cups have had to be glued on.

    Now here's another thing, if the eye cups don't extend equally, that can also give the impression the optics are faulty.

    Incidentally, the eye cups are easy to replace, basically twist on twist off.

  • Hi Mike. Thanks for your reply. They are waterproof but can't see a shockproof thing. I will check out the eye cups then. I just may be better taking them to show someone who uses binoculars more often than I do. Definitely got a sealed rubbery type of case on them.
  • PamBeale said:

    Hello. 

    I am in Lichfield, Staffordshire and I run a Repair Cafe where people can bring items to get repaired by our volunteer repairers. A lady brought some Nikon Travelite binoculars which are not working properly. Looks like optics have moved inside.  Can't send to Nikon without warranty and/or paying £30 up front.

    Anyone know how I could get them repaired?  There must be someone in RSPB circles who could help!

    You're welcome.

    The following link shows how to replace the eye cups, and most of what they're showing is the same as in mine.

    http://blog.naturespic.com/2014/08/15/nikon-monarch-atb-binocular-broken-eye-cup-replacement.html