David -- I have not had any trouble with the lens coating of the 8x42 B&L Elites, but I am very careful with the equipment that I have. I have a B&L Balscope Sr. scope that I bought about 1956 with paper route earnings that is still in very good condition, and is the "spotting scope" that I use regularly. (I also got a Celestron C5 catadioptric telescope -- 50x, 75x, 125x -- about a year ago that I use for long distance I.D. of things that do not move too much -- waterfowl and shorebirds.) I can recommend Adorama, New York (800-815-1260). Others that I'm aware of are Eagle Optics, Christophers (800-356-6603), National Camera Exchange (800-624-8107). You should NOT deal with The Camera Corner (Davenport Iowa). Last spring I got a pair of B&L Discoverer binoculars from there for my wife to try. I thought the binoculars were not worth the cost, and they did not fit my wife's small interpupiliaty distance. I had been told that there was no charge for a "return", but The Camera Corner kept a 10% "restocking fee", which is probable their profit margin, in spite of several phone calls and letters from me about it. Also, do NOT deal with Cam America. I got a real run-around from them last spring about a return of a camera lens for a camera that I'd bought at the same time and did keep. peterrobins@hotmail.com Peter Robinson Hanover, York County, PA ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com