So what happens if my binoculars go out of collimation ?. What happens if I drop or bang my binoculars against a wall ?. Believe it or not, these questions often get asked when customers purchase from our Optics weekends at Barton Upon Humber.
Sorry to sound like a politician, but there is no simple yes or no, because different brands have different T&Cs. So whenever you purchase a set, it is best advised to buy from a retailer face to face instead of on-line, so they can run through in detail the full terms and conditions from each brand, as we do.
With some high end brands, they do give warranty repairs when a set go out of collimation. But only if they have obviously not been misused or mistreated. Where some other brands simply do not cover collimation under warranty. An example from one brands T&Cs is as follows “Optical misalignment (image distortion or double-image caused by dislodging of prisms) is also not covered under the warranty as this will only happen if the product has been subject to a shock or has been dropped.” So in other words, look after your binoculars and avoid dropping, they will stay in perfect collimation for many years. Just to repeat, ask the dealer about the full T&Cs at the point of sale. If they are a knowledgeable and reputable dealer, they should know the answer.
Which brings us onto the 2nd question. What happens if I drop them , or bang them against a wall. Why would you do this ?. I have had a set of Hilkin 8×40 for over 40 years (giving my age away), and never dropped them once. One key rule of thumb is to check the neck strap for any sign of wear and slippage before every use.
So I hope this helps. Summing up, look after the binoculars and they will look after you by giving many years of enjoyment.