Hello everyone!
I'm new to the forum and pretty new to birding and have a couple questions I'd like to get some feedback on. I have a pair of Nikon 8x42 Monarch's with the front lens covers attached and I've hung the eye piece lens cover from the neck strap as it suggests in the manual. Problem is that while out in the field I remove the lens caps and they are left dangling from the strap or off the end of my binoculars and they quite often get in the way. I've removed them from the strap. Easy fix. But, what can I do about the ones attached to the binoculars? I've thought about pulling or cutting them off. Any suggestions? Or should I leave them attached and work around it? What is the common practice in regard to lens caps? Leave them attached or remove them?
Thanks in advance for any input
I always leave the objective lens covers and rainguard attached for use in the field.
They're very handy for protecting the lens when you are on the move, or on a dusty road or in rain under trees (sap dripping is a pain). Any time I'm no actively using the bins I put the covers on.
With the ones I use (but not specifically the Monarch) they re attached to the body of the bin (not the strap) and just dangle out of the way when not attached. The rainguard is in the strap, attached on one side and flips out of the way when the bin is in use or is run up the strap to stick out like a flag from the chest (most common with the older "hard" rainguards).
The style (I think) you describe where the objective covers clip to the strap I find a bit more annoying and less flexible. My Pentax WP have this style of cover and I do find them annoying. I leave them unattached to the strap and pull them off to observe and leave them in the case. Pentax fixed this on the SP with tethered covers and I plan of retrofitting a set of SP covers to the WP (they fit).
You can buy third party tethered covers (e.g. Eagle Optics) that fit most bins to avoid this.
Thanks for the reply. I probably should have used the search function for the forum as this has apparently been covered is some detail before. Lots of good info here. What you're telling me makes a lot of sense. I'll take a look at those tethered covers. Thanks again