Unknown binoculars off of eBay

[MacGee]

I bought a pair of Kyonon 8x30 Porro binoculars on eBay to keep me going while I search for the ones. The name sounds Japanese(?) but the two descriptive terms on the binoculars themselves are in German. Weitwinkel, meaning wide field (8°) and Vergütet, which I think means Coated(?), though the lenses seem colourless. Does anyone know anything about these?

I bought them because they looked in good condition, looked identical to some Pentax Porros I've seen, and were cheap. They seem pretty good; light, sharp and bright. Well worth the money. The image quality falls off pretty badly near the edge, but that doesn't matter the way I use them. Early impressions are that they do much worse against the light, even compared to my wife's 7x21 compacts, but for £15 I wasn't expecting miracles.

The only things I'd like to be able to improve are the eyecups. They're the rubber, fold-down kind, but seem pretty hard and unyielding. Is there something that I can treat the rubber with to make it softer and more face-friendly?

Michael.

[Tero]

The rubber won't fold back? I have some porros that are uncomfortable, I fold the rubber back and rest them on my face above the eye sort of near the eye brow. These are not made to use with glasses, and I do not use glasses with them. Not the ideal way to hold it, but it is more comfortable.

You can also cut the rubber rims off, but you can't put them back on. ;)

[Otto McDiesel]

Japanese, imported and sold in Germany.

[MacGee]

...I have some porros that are uncomfortable, I fold the rubber back and rest them on my face above the eye sort of near the eye brow. These are not made to use with glasses, and I do not use glasses with them. Not the ideal way to hold it, but it is more comfortable...I've tried folding the eyecups back and using them with and without glasses, but the view is so much better with the eyecups extended that I'd rather have the discomfort. I was hoping that someone would suggest a little-known miracle oil that I could rub in to the rubber...

Michael.

[mayoayo]

I've tried folding the eyecups back and using them with and without glasses, but the view is so much better with the eyecups extended that I'd rather have the discomfort. I was hoping that someone would suggest a little-known miracle oil that I could rub in to the rubber...

Michael.
Sure!,,,you can rub miracle oil in to rubber.....

[MacGee]

Sure!,,,you can rub miracle oil in to rubber.....Excellent. I'll look on eBay for some.


There is one other thing; the strap on them is made of pretty horrible plastic, so I'd like to replace it. The binox only weigh 480g (that's 17oz for the metrically challenged), which makes me think a simple cheap strap would do. I shouldn't need any of Opticron's or OP/Tech's neoprene creations, should I? Does anyone have any recommendations? I like to be able to have the binox high on my chest, so the strap would have to adjust enough for that.

Michael.

[nctexasbirder]

Excellent. I'll look on eBay for some.


There is one other thing; the strap on them is made of pretty horrible plastic, so I'd like to replace it. The binox only weigh 480g (that's 17oz for the metrically challenged), which makes me think a simple cheap strap would do. I shouldn't need any of Opticron's or OP/Tech's neoprene creations, should I? Does anyone have any recommendations? I like to be able to have the binox high on my chest, so the strap would have to adjust enough for that.

Michael.

America will probably never convert to the metric fold :-O

[Henry B]

I think the snake oil and neoprene strap will be worth more than the bins.

[MacGee]

I think the snake oil and neoprene strap will be worth more than the bins.That may be true - literally. But I still think their quality is far better than I could reasonably have expected for a £15 punt on eBay. Holger Merlitz has suggested to me that these are probably one of the Japanese clones of the Carl Zeiss Jena Deltrintem, so they may be of comparable quality to the Deltrintems, though inferior to something like the Nikon EII. Eventually they'll be confined to the windowsill, replaced by something better (and no doubt more expensive), but in the meantime they're doing a good job and I think the least I can do is reward them with a new strap. I'm sure they'll appreciate the gesture and might start trying a bit harder against the light.

Michael.

[Tero]

Straps in my stores are quite expensive, for low end binoculars as replacement. I googled and found some decent straps for less mail order.

[Henry B]

That may be true - literally. But I still think their quality is far better than I could reasonably have expected for a £15 punt on eBay. Holger Merlitz has suggested to me that these are probably one of the Japanese clones of the Carl Zeiss Jena Deltrintem, so they may be of comparable quality to the Deltrintems, though inferior to something like the Nikon EII. Eventually they'll be confined to the windowsill, replaced by something better (and no doubt more expensive), but in the meantime they're doing a good job and I think the least I can do is reward them with a new strap. I'm sure they'll appreciate the gesture and might start trying a bit harder against the light.

Michael.
Michael, try-out www.7dayshop.com plenty of low priced goods on their lists.

[Tero]

By the way, if you manage to destroy a pair of anything, save the strap!

[nctexasbirder]

By the way, if you manage to destroy a pair of anything, save the strap!

:-O :'D the strap will be worth more!

[MacGee]

I've sent for an Op/Tech strap from South West Optics, who had the best price. I would have gone for the cheap Opticron nylon strap, but its ends are 12mm (1/2") and the Kyonon's lugs are 10mm (3/8"). I'm a bit bothered that the strap might be too fancy for the binox, but we'll see.

I'm still impressed with them, and either the eyecups are softening with use, or I'm learning how to hold them, but they're much less uncomfortable than they seemed at first. I'm even thinking I was too harsh about the performance against the light. Of course, I have nothing of quality to compare them to. So if anyone would like to lend me a pair of Zeiss, or Swarovski, or Leica...

Michael.