Leica Geovid DIY lens caps solution??

[Cottis]

These binos are fine but I have just about had enough of these moody lens caps. How on earth they think it is reasonable to include these with such an expensive item is beyond me.

Before I start experimenting with various solutions, does anyone have any fail safe ideas they have implemented?

I hate harnesses and those silly bags that strap to your body. I have always been happy carrying my binos via the standard neck straps and will continue doing so. I have always maintained my lens pefectly using caps of some variety but these are just not up to the job. They pop open without any external influence whatsoever. Awful.

I tend to only use them for medium range+ vermin shooting as my Viper HD's are better for me when ranging is not required but I still use them enough to want to protect them.

 

[Dickie]

Eye piece can be covered with a square of supple leather with holes to thread onto the neck strap flops off when you raise binoculars flops on when you lower, not much good for crawling so you can tuck inside your jacket. The objective end can’t help there.

 

[Cottis]

Eye piece can be covered with a square of supple leather with holes to thread onto the neck strap flops off when you raise binoculars flops on when you lower, not much good for crawling so you can tuck inside your jacket. The objective end can’t help there.

Sorry Dickie, I should have been more specific. It is the objective caps that I find unfit for purpose. The rain covers are generally ok. Not great but usable.

If nobody has any solutions or I cannot find any myself, I will design some leather caps with a small disc inside to give shape and then stitch in elastic via pleats in very supple thin leather and see how that pans out.

 

[User00040]

Buy a proper binocular harness (FHF make a good one) and be done with it, better for your neck and shoulders too.

Would you buy a £2k bike and a £5 bike lock?

 

[Kalahari]

I think the OP said he hates the harnesses.

David.

 

[Cottis]

Buy a proper binocular harness (FHF make a good one) and be done with it, better for your neck and shoulders too.

Would you buy a £2k bike and a £5 bike lock?

Don't need one. They are pony in my opinion. I have no issue with binos round my neck. I won't go in to it but using the normal strap is way better for me for plenty of reasons.

I just want some decent objective lens caps.

 

[Dickie]

All they need is a longer strap that would be attachable the other side of the bridge when mine are on they are of but it’s when dangling they catch and fall off Leica must be aware as I’ve had a couple of free replacements which must be cheaper than a new design.

 

[Cottis]

All they need is a longer strap that would be attachable the other side of the bridge when mine are on they are of but it’s when dangling they catch and fall off Leica must be aware as I’ve had a couple of free replacements which must be cheaper than a new design.

Mine are secure in terms of the retaining rings staying on the barrels. The issue I have is that the actual cap itself does not stay in situ when pressed on to the barrels. My bins always sit on the back of an arm chair when not being used. They are not touching anything and are free from obstruction. Within 3-5mins of sitting there, the caps come free. They simply do not grip like they should. Drives me nuts. Obviously as soon as I use them in anger with them brushing against even the slightest thing, they come loose. They are so bad it is laughable. The Vortex ones just work perfectly. I think i will try some aftermarket jobbies and will report back or maybe I will make some.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

Within 3-5mins of sitting there, the caps come free. They simply do not grip like they should. Drives me nuts. Obviously as soon as I use them in anger with them brushing against even the slightest thing, they come loose. They are so bad it is laughable. The Vortex ones just work perfectly. I think i will try some aftermarket jobbies and will report back or maybe I will make some.

Think you either have the wrong model caps or they are faulty
I would get a new pair first as they don't come off unless you lose them off the barrel (usually!)
Leica will send you a pair FoC
do you have picture of yours?

 

[Cottis]

Think you either have the wrong model caps or they are faulty
I would get a new pair first as they don't come off unless you lose them off the barrel (usually!)
Leica will send you a pair FoC
do you have picture of yours?

Here you go Ed. When not in use, they hang from the back of a chair and are not resting on anything or are not brushed against at all. Within 5 minutes, they pop open by themselves. Never seen this with any other Binos I have had.

Hopefully the pics show the type of caps. They are definitely Leica caps but no idea if they are the right or wrong type.

It seems that everyone moans about them actually falling off the barrels totally rather then lens cover itself popping off the barrels. To my mind, these seem like the rubber bit that sits round the barrel permanently will not be a problem. I don't suffer with them falling off. They seem pretty secure. I have tried pushing the rubber grip further up and further down the barrel in different positions to see if it helps but it doesn't. They pop open themselves regardless of where positioned.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

Well that is a wierd one
Certainly look the right size and I am not aware of a Leica model with 1-12mm bigger lenses

They do look to be almost flared out though
Definitely get some new ones first as its not the norm
mine are actually a bit sticky to flip off one handed when you want to use them

 

[Dickie]

I wonder if the piece between the lens cover and retaining ring is a bit stiff for some reason and acting like a spring and popping them off?

 

[Freeforester]

Lost mine first time out. The thin section of the band has too much 'give' and too little surface area to stay around the objective housing. Top cap is pretty inadequate also, IMV.
I use a monarch bino cover now on geovids: about 25% cost of long time unavailable Harkila large bino cover;

Wee Swaros have simple shaped leather rain/dust flap added over eyepieces:



I put on a lens cover top on the trinovids, and put a couple cable ties around the objective lens covers between the caps and the bands:


On my Zeiss glasses (7/42 & 8/56) I made leather push-fit caps to snugly fit the inner diameter of the objective recesses, you could do this with medium density foam rubber too:


If they are a snug fit they don't need to be elasticated or otherwise tensioned. Thin cord larks-headed around bridge.

The others I have are good enough with propriety solutions (swaro slc, Zeiss jenoptem, etc).

Edit: opticron sell decent replacement obj lens covers, but their eyepiece covers are noisy and stiff, leather is quiet, even the Zeiss top covers squeak on the rubber eyepieces.

 

[Kalahari]

"even the Zeiss top covers squeak on the rubber eyepieces. "

I have cut a couple of artificial shammy as used in window cleaning to fit snugly in eyepiece cover on my Zeiss 7 x 42 and this has shut them up completely.

David.

 

[Freeforester]

Only had leather to hand m'self

 

[Kalahari]

This is my "anti-squeak" simple but it does work.

David.

 

[Pkiernan]

I have similar issues with my Geovids.
I
A €2000 pair of binos shouldn't need black gaffer tape to hold on the lens covers!

 

[Selous]

Me too, good product, crap lens caps compared to Swarovski

 

[Jessie98]

These binos are fine but I have just about had enough of these moody lens caps. How on earth they think it is reasonable to include these with such an expensive item is beyond me.

Before I start experimenting with various solutions, does anyone have any fail safe ideas they have implemented?

I hate harnesses and those silly bags that strap to your body. I have always been happy carrying my binos via the standard neck straps and will continue doing so. I have always maintained my lens pefectly using caps of some variety but these are just not up to the job. They pop open without any external influence whatsoever. Awful.

I tend to only use them for medium range+ vermin shooting as my Viper HD's are better for me when ranging is not required but I still use them enough to want to protect them.

Hi Cottis

These binos are fine but I have just about had enough of these moody lens caps. How on earth they think it is reasonable to include these with such an expensive item is beyond me.

Before I start experimenting with various solutions, does anyone have any fail safe ideas they have implemented?

I hate harnesses and those silly bags that strap to your body. I have always been happy carrying my binos via the standard neck straps and will continue doing so. I have always maintained my lens pefectly using caps of some variety but these are just not up to the job. They pop open without any external influence whatsoever. Awful.

I tend to only use them for medium range+ vermin shooting as my Viper HD's are better for me when ranging is not required but I still use them enough to want to protect them.

Hi Cottis I have the very same problem with mine very disappointing...

 

[Jessie98]

Hi Cottis I have the very same problem with mine very disappointing...