VORTEX RAZOR HD Spotting Scope Failure

[SidecarFlip]

FYSA, for what it is worth. Got this from a local FB post and just sharing. Hopefully, you do not have the same issue or have it resolved ...

https://youtu.be/zv_Wvo9bV_I?t=1[url="https://youtu.be/zv_Wvo9bV_I?t=1"][/URL]https://youtu.be/zv_Wvo9bV_I?t=1[/QUOTE[ame="https://youtu.be/zv_Wvo9bV_I?t=1[/QUOTE"][/QUOTE[/URL]]

Is this where everyone will now jump on board and start calling Vortex junk just like they do when every other optic breaks???

**** happens, not one company has a perfect track record. Vortex will address this and problem will be solved.

Nothing wrong with Japanese glass. Most everyone uses it but what counts is the specs they give when ordering the glass.

All well and good for the earlier versoins. I suspect the glass in the later ones isn't Japanese but Chinese, after all they are made in China (as referenced in another post).

I haven't an issue with Japanese glass, LOE optical glass is on par with most everyone else, the Austrians and Germans excepted.

Like I said in my earlier post, I took 2 Razors, an early model and a late model and froze the eyepieces. The early eyepiece functioned flawlessly, the later eyepiece was locked tight until it warmed to room temperature. I'm not sure if it's a lubrication issue or a machining issue but it's there....

Note, neither of the spotters are mine. But it makes me suspect as to purchasing one. Who the heck wants to carry their eyepiece in their pocket and then insert it to glass with and hope it don't lock up. Thats crap IMO.

I'm also sure that Vortex will stand behind the issue, I own numerous Vortex scopes and all perform flawlessly. My point is, it should have never happened and it is a lack of QC, either on Vortex Optics part or their authorized manufacturer or both. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[bigngreen]

It's interesting that it's always blamed on China, but ONLY the manufacturing is done there, all engineering, product testing and inspections are done in the USA.

 

[LeddSlinger]

If a building inspector misses something on your house that causes a structural failure is the inspector at fault?

If an electrical or plumbing inspector misses something that causes a fire or flood are they at fault?

No. The inspectors are not at fault and free from liability. That repair cost and possible legal repercussions fall back upon the builder or sub contractors of the home.

Builders and sub contractors conduct their own inspections prior to calling an inspector. Do you honestly think China makes stuff and just throws it out the door and says "here ya go, see if it works."

So who's at fault here really? The people who made it in China? Or the people who took delivery of the product and didn't catch a mistake made to the INTERNAL components of the optic? They don't rip them apart and inspect the insides of the optic. Think about it...

 

[SidecarFlip]

It's interesting that it's always blamed on China, but ONLY the manufacturing is done there, all engineering, product testing and inspections are done in the USA.

.........

Sure about that? This ain't a John Deere discussion....lol

Case in point, I'm having a Chinese manufacturer quote a CNC machined part for me that I buy in quantity and that is easier for me to sub out versus making it in shop.

I'm going to submit drawings and tolerances to machine and extrude to and I expect them to hold those tolerances. While I will inspect some of the parts (sample) for tolerance hold, I would expect all of them to be within specification without 100% inspection.... Key word...'expect'.

Conversely, it's been noted on forums (other than this one) related to manufacturing and machining, that the Chinese manufacturers, if not monitored closely, tend to get sloppy... Is that what happened here?

That is how it's done in the business world. JD is no different and neither is Vortex. I'm sure the 'sample' batch conformed but it's obvious that some amount was defective.

As the importer, Vortex is obligated to stand behind the defective parts, that is business and predicated on their warranty.

However, letting any defective units through (trusting their manufacturer to hold spec and they didn't), causes harm to Vortex in the form of bad press, something no business wants or needs.

I was going to buy one (I'm in the market for a medium to high end spotter), but I'm not now. I'm not taking the chance in as much as I've frozen 2 objectives from 2 spotters and I had a 50% failure rate. Simply, that is not acceptable and it's not good business practice.

I'm sure at this point, they know there is an issue, how they handle it will determine how they are perceived by their customers in the future. Keep in mind, it's a crowded playing field (optics) so missteps can be costly.

 

[eklarsen]

Okay, you guys were getting me all worked up. Temperature around here has been in the 20's and testing the last three days has shown no issue with the zoom adjustment freezing up at, in fact it is very smooth. I wouldnt let a survey of 2 sway your opinion, I totally understand why it would give you pause but lets see how this pans out.

 

[geargrinder]

i sent my scope back for service stating the issues in cold weather. I got it back a week later with a new eyepiece.

I put the eyepiece in the freezer and it was ok. I'll have to wait until winter or get some dry ice to test it futher in colder temps.

 

[Timber338]

i sent my scope back for service stating the issues in cold weather. I got it back a week later with a new eyepiece.

I put the eyepiece in the freezer and it was ok. I'll have to wait until winter or get some dry ice to test it futher in colder temps.

Good to know and thanks for the heads up. I need to get mine sent in.

 

[Sully2]

"I was going to buy one (I'm in the market for a medium to high end spotter), but I'm not now. I'm not taking the chance in as much as I've frozen 2 objectives from 2 spotters and I had a 50% failure rate. Simply, that is not acceptable and it's not good business practice."


Buy Zeiss!

 

[geargrinder]

Buy Zeiss!

Because everyone knows that every Zeiss is perfect and they never have a failure.

Sending my scope back cost $20 and now I have a perfect scope that performs way above its price point.

Even knowing that there may be an issue with Vortex eyepieces I'd still recommend them to anyone. Worst case it costs a few bucks to get it right. There still isn't a scope within $20 that even comes close to it's performance.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Yes, there is....

I was hesitant as well so I went and bought a Celestron Regal 100 ED and I have to say at 1 mile with the eyepiece cranked up to 55X, I can easily discern the shingle lines on the farmhouse roof across the field...at just over 1 mile. No viginetting, nothing and it was 700 bucks at Optics Planet.

It accepts any 1.25" eyepiece, Vortex, Zeiss, Swaro, anything.

besides, it's big enough, you could use it for a weapon if you needed to... Sort of an expensive baseball bat.

Has an excellent dual wheel coarse/fine focus, built in sunshade, magnesium body covered in rubber armorcoat (green) and even comes with a nice (looks just like the vortex) cover.

The bigger the objective the better light capability and at 100mm. The Celestron has the largest.

I would have bought a Swarovski, but I already shot my wad on a pair of EL's. My wife thinks I'm nuts paying 2300 for a pair of bino's.

 

[geargrinder]

I agree that it may be a good perfomer but, I wouldn't put the Celestron in the same class.

I set my Razor up the other day in the back yard and was reading the sign on the front of a bar over 8 miles away.

The Vortex warranty has me sold as well. I have no worries about any type of failure. They'll make it good, no questions asked. Just like how they handled my freeze prone eyepiece.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I agree that it may be a good perfomer but, I wouldn't put the Celestron in the same class.

I set my Razor up the other day in the back yard and was reading the sign on the front of a bar over 8 miles away.

The Vortex warranty has me sold as well. I have no worries about any type of failure. They'll make it good, no questions asked. Just like how they handled my freeze prone eyepiece.

It came right out of the same factory in China that the Razor and Zen-Ray came from.....

Reading that sign... I would have gotten thirsty....

 

[Sully2]

Because everyone knows that every Zeiss is perfect and they never have a failure.....

.

You never heard me say that....but Im willing to lay $$ on the table that there is a LOT MORE Vortex screwups than Zeiss!!!!

 

[geargrinder]

You never heard me say that....but Im willing to lay $$ on the table that there is a LOT MORE Vortex screwups than Zeiss!!!!

My point was that all manufacturers have screw ups that leave the factory.

Even Zeiss.

Nice hijack though...