Canon Binoculars' Rubber Armor Wears Out? Readers' Complaints

I have owned almost all the Canon binocular models, however, as they are not the instruments that I use most intensively, I have never been able to subject them to long endurance tests, except for the one test. bit extreme of the Canon 10×42 which I subjected to various tests in outdoor use.

Unfortunately, during 2018, I received complaints from some readers who had problems with the rubber coating on Japanese binoculars. On some models, it flaked off, ruining the surface after a few months of use.

It could be a “batch” of defective components, however, given the percentage of complaints, it is worthwhile for Canon to try to remedy this problem.

I have discussed at length with these enthusiasts to exclude some parameters capable of accelerating normal wear (particularly acidic sweat, insect spray, incorrect cleaning, etc., etc.) however it seems to me that they have always carried out correct maintenance as well as using them correctly.

I also attach, thanks to the consent of Mr. Paolo Piran, a quote received from Canon, which highlights the decidedly high cost of replacing the components, almost equal to the value of the binoculars.

I hope Canon takes this issue to heart. Binomania, as always, is willing to publish an official response!

[Show as slideshow]

Piergiovanni Salimbeni

Piergiovanni Salimbeni - Journalist and independent tester, founder of Binomania.co.uk, with over 25 years of experience in evaluating optical and digital instruments. It offers practical reviews and personalised advice for informed purchasing choices.