Sadly I have had to cancel all my upcoming gigs (I run a portable planetarium which I take to schools all around my home state), so I have a bit more (unpaid) time on my hands than normal. I took the opportunity to have a play with "modifying" my Swarovski Habicht 8x30 binoculars.
These punch well above their weight as they offer fantastic sharp and contrasty views with excellent colour correction. (I provided a review in our previous and sadly defunct forum.) However, their one real failing is that they can show internal reflections when pointed near a bright light source. So I thought I would try to minimise this by adding some winged eye-cups and some home-made dew-shield type extensions. The eyecups I bought on-line from here: http://www.fieldopticsresearch.com/shop ... u-B003.htm This is one of the few US manufacturers that offer reasonably cheap overseas shipping!
The extensions are made from pvc water-pipe joiners (costing about $2 from my local hardware store) lined with sticky-backed felt ($3 for a metre roll). They are a press-fit, so don't damage anything and can be pulled off instantly. I finished them with a coat of spray paint. I only had gloss unfortunately: I think satin finish would be a nicer match, but I didn't see the point of buying another spray can.
These mods actually work, and reduce many of the annoying reflections considerably. And they look OK, so I don't have to put up with my lovely wife laughing at me! I would recommend trying something similar if you are having problems with any binos. The winged eyecups are particularly good in the daytime when the sun is shining on the side of your face: no more squinting or trying to shade your eyes from the sun.
- Dean
