Binocular Collimation Quick and Easy Method without Prism Adjustment 

I'm an amateur astronomer and use a telescope all the time to take astrophotographs of the night sky. After inheriting some old Tasco 7x35s, I thought I'd give them a try for stargazing. I was really disappointed to learn that they produced a very poor double image even after focusing - something I hadn't even thought was possible since I'm used to a telescope. After a couple of hours of scouring the internet on how to collimate binoculars, I found out that my binoculars don't even have collimation screws, at least not accessible without taking most of the binoculars apart. I was almost ready to pull the trigger on some new $200 Celestron binoculars when I found this video and was able to easily correct the double image. I didn't even have to take the objective lenses off...they were just tightly screwed in and when I loosened them I was able to rotate them to remove the double image. I can't thank you enough for this! Saved me some serious money.

I worked on optics in the military. This is the most practical way of collimating binoculars outside of a well equipped optical service facility. Also if the technician is skilled, the objectives don't have to be removed (thus retaining the anti fog nitrogen gas in the instrument).

Thank you! I didn't even put them on a bench and I was able to get them 98% improved! That was incredibly helpful short term when I get a moment I'm going to do this properly as per your instructions! Thank you thank you thank you!

This really helped. I took the whole binoculars apart and checked the prisms without even thinking it was the objective lens. Nearly binned them. Working great now. Thanks

Just received a pair of Swift binoculars from from eBay. Completely misaligned! I found your great video and after 10 minutes work, I now have some perfect working binoculars. Thank you very much!!!

Fantastic. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

I solved the misscollimation in my beloved Zenith 10X50 binos with this method. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Thx a lot mate. I didn't even knew you can rotate those parts with lenses and I thought my good old binoculars are dead.

Thank you for this video. This is the only source for this information that I was able to find. I had to modify your technique a bit for my binoculars. Rotating the entire bezel certainly did work to temporarily collimate the binoculars, but retightening the bezel and moving the lense into that same position didn't work. I'm guessing it has to do with different thread pitches between the bezel and the lense. So, I simply loosened the spanner ring a little bit, and rotated the lense with a nitrile gloved hand until it was as good as it could get. Then I had to do the same for the other side to get it reasonably good. These 7x50 Binolux binos were only $15, so I'm happy with the result from the home repair. I discovered that my eyes & brain would adjust to the double vision mid job, resulting in having to go back and readjust the collimation a couple more times. And, seeing double was nauseating after awhile. Taking frequent breaks during this job seems reasonable.

I bought a pair of 20x old super zenith 20x50. After cleaning the fungus off the prisms. I found they needed to be collimated. This process helped me. I have some 8x40 binoculars that I’ll need to do next.

That is a wonderful trick! You are very handy.

THANK YOU! This is very, very helpful. I've been putting off collimating my binoculars as I just couldn't bring myself to risk ripping the securely glued leather covering the adjustment screws.

Thanks for very helpful video, it has taught me how to fix my binoculars. Hard to believe but I have this book in my library and had forgotten that I had it. Thanks also for the lovely bird sounds, we have chickens and where we live are surrounded by all sorts of other birds. Best wishes. Mike Peirson.

What a wonderful tip. Thanks for sharing.

You are so creative.

Thank you a lot. I need adjustment of my Nikon binoculars which slid to the floor. I will have to review the video some times, but I am sure I will sort out the matter with your video help. I did inscribe to your channel. Cheers!

Thanks for the tip, it worked a treat.

Really interesting video and even though I am unlikely to ever use this technique, I know how to do it. As always, a big thank you.

Great Video! Very Informative! I hadn't considered changing the objective. P.S. I loved the background music!

I can't believe it. For months I have been viewing videos on how to correct out of alignment binoculars, and every one of them teaches to adjust the screws. Only problem, my binoculars are totally covered with a rubber coating. Thus, I could not access/locate any screws. Ready to throw in the towel, I decided to give video searching one last chance, and sure glad I did. Although I haven't figured out how to adjust the lens within, I simply turned the entire lens housing per your instruction. Half a turn and I no longer see a double image! I can leave it at that since the rubber tends to keep the housing from turning without significant force. THANKS!

With that background music...I’m subscribing. Sweet video.

Thank you !!! It worked on my Bushnell 13-1650 !!!

That was helpful, thanks.

Well done. Great explanation

Thanks! You just saved me a big headache. I just looked up that book on Amazon. It currently sells for a whopping $222-$977. Looks like you're sitting on a treasure.

Thank you for your job.

...your video help and article I am going to read now...

That music kicked ass! Made the video hundreds of times better

Thank you for this I now understand what to do!

Great tip on lens spanner!

Thank You verry verry much! 👍

Thanks for this video

Just recieved a pir from ebays with the same issue. Hope this technique will help me to solve it

Do you have a video dismantling both zoom objective's internal optics inside their barrel of a stereo microscope?

As some-one else commented, I cannot see how just rotating a lens around the same axis alters the light path direction unless the lense isn't perfectly symmetrical and this is what you are depending on. I have rotated eyepiece lenses to make a seemingly small difference on view appearance so perhaps this is the same type of thing that you are doing with the objective. I usually do a screw adjustment on the prisms if I can get at them. The perfect solution though is just use monoculars and then forget about it lol. I actually have several small monoculars and after fiddling a bit with those (for example swopping a better prism from some broken compact bins into a monoc and/or adjusting the eye lenses and cleaning) I'm finding they are really very handy on a neck strap and surprisingly effective especially a little 4x12 Viking monic that I "adjusted". I even prefer it now to the 4x, 6x and 8x Specwells that I collected. I showed it to some-one the other day and first thing they said was "that's better than bins". I still use bins also but I'm using the monocs more and more or at least alongside bins and won't even get the bins out unless I need the extra power. I'll just caution though for anyone considering the 4x12, it's good but pretty unremarkable before my alteration which involves some filing.

My Pentax 10 x 50 model 584 binoculars do not have prism adjusting screws, so I am hoping your procedure will help with collimation. Thanks for the video. David

ive got a nice old pair of all metal japanese binos by yashica and a small telescopic one my sister got me from royal caribean cruise but it needs to be a very bright day for those to work well for some reason the sight in them is very obscured unless you hold them steady and look at one object at a time ,idk how pirates used these things lol

Hello my friend, I have binoculars. I cleaned the lenses and the vision problem occurred. Two pictures became the cause of the problem and the solution. Thank you

Worked great for me and I'm as novice as it gets.

thanks.

I tried this with an old pair of 7x50 binocular and it didn't work for me. This pair doesn't have adjust screws either so they may just be cheap.

I have a steiner military 15x80c. in a moldy lens condition and there are cracks in the body, where can i find a place to fix it? I'm from Indonesia. thank you.

Good video, and helpful, but with that background music I expect the natives to attack at any time

Após desmonta-lo inteiramente pra fazer uma manutenção ,tive que fazer a "colimação" ,que com apenas recursos caseiros é um pouquinho trabalhoso, mas o resultado final é compensador, pois a visão estéreo/panorâmica, deixa o observador #babando# , principalmente por se tratar de um equipamento de ### 1900eantigamente### !!! Valeu a pena o tempo gasto na #brincadeira# !!!

Organik, Great video!. Question. I get a Celestron 20x50 and just recently appears on both ocullars a kind of circular ligth smaller and closer to both pupil exits ... is it lack of collimation? No shocks were received by prismatics at all. My Issue looks like this -regarding right and left ocullars- ... Oo oO, but should be like this ... O O (only two pupil exits). Maybe I need to send you a Photo of my issue ... for better explanation isn't it?. Any help / advice is very welcome. Thanks in advance!.

most of my binos are vintage and I can get off the end cap and unscrew the collar but everything else is solid, in that I mean I cannot get the cell out...any info please?...cheers

Wow!

If collimation big u should fix it by the prism by they glued so the problem with the glass not in the place

I imagine this isn't possible with sealed models that have argon or nitrogen purged to minimize fogging?

how is it that rotating and perfectly symmetrical objective lens will create a better image?

Do you know? What is the problem when the binocular dont have a clear focus on the center field? My binocular have a clear focus on the right field, not on the center, why?

at 2:05 you did not mention that you re tightened the lens back to place before you added a marker and reference line on the card, im assuming that's what you done ,is it possible to remove the ocular lenses in order to clean them from the inside as well? i done this to the objectives but im worried about trying to do the same with the oculars because the right one has the diopter adjustment motion and the left one although should be locked in place does have bit of slack probably from bad handling and if i try to remove them im worried i make break something or mess up the threads ,not sure these are made to be removed like that? would like to unscrew the prism holders and give them a clean as well but figured perhaps i should not move them and hope that its relatively dust free inside ,in any case i dont have any dust issues like that and the best i can do is clean the objectives from inside and out and the oculars from outside only ,i will try to see the stars at night to make sure its still collimated ,if im seeing double then ill try to adjust the equatorial as this helped in the past,hopefully i dont need more work on them

Minute 2:37 - "turn the objective lens to the correct position", what does that means? It is not clear for me what point is the the first position, "incorrect".

Thanks brilliant video, pity about the background racket..

How did it get out of alignment in the first place

We’re going to Big Bend in a couple of weeks ru-vid.comUgkxSt0aBrzyS1nxONvwm1e0u7ZDFD_eypAO so I bought these to use during the hikes, didn’t want to miss anything. As you can see by the photos I tested the phone adapter by taking a phone of a power pole on the next block and you can see the results. It took a couple of minutes to line the phone camera up to the eye piece, there’s a bit of a learning curve, but once it was longed up it stayed in place without any issues. So far I’m impressed with the feel and the weight, the neck strap is wide and soft so it feels good on my neck. I look forward to using it with my friend and grandson in Big Bend!

Dude... This method works ONLY with specific type of binoculars which have conus shaped primary lens holder which moves prisms when inserted, and the thing is that they are uber rare...

Have anyone tried this with the celestron 10x50 g2?

Nifty process and interesting to know, but definitely more than 10 minutes' work when factoring in making the tool to unscrew the objective and any mounting requirements, also wouldn't work for any binoculars that are fully encased & waterproof. Also depends on knowing that the objective is aspherical, could be a big waste of time if it isn't!

do you do this to both objectives?

one qustion, how to determine which lense should turned left or right

your vids are like asmr with that voice lol

Was that a Rooster?

Your idiotic music and the intrusive farmyard noises are doing my head in.

The music. Ahem. A bit too ridiculous.