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Heavy duty focuser on old binoculars. brands ? (1 Viewer)

I actually know the sport king, thought it is a bit overpriced on the used market.... Because I read reviews that this is no better than the usual japanese 7x35 you can get at the charity shop for 3$
 
Sixkiller66 said:
I actually know the sport king, thought it is a bit overpriced on the used market.... Because I read reviews that this is no better than the usual japanese 7x35 you can get at the charity shop for 3$
Click to expand...

It IS the "usual Japanese 7x35." But, if it is in collimation and the focuser doesn't have too much play in it, it's not a bad bino. I once picked up a 1907 Zeiss in a pawn shop for $6.00. I sold it for $250 and I know the buyer sold it to a Japanese collector for twice that. :cat:

Bill
 
Excellent so I will make sure the seller tests it if I find a clean one !
Tough to find these days, the good binoculars are slowly flowing to the hands of professionals and collectors so hard to find deals :)
 
Sixkiller66 said:
Excellent so I will make sure the seller tests it if I find a clean one !
Tough to find these days, the good binoculars are slowly flowing to the hands of professionals and collectors so hard to find deals :)[

Everything collectible is flowing into the hands of collectors.
Click to expand...
 
Sixkiller66 said:
Hey guys !
So, I am after another purchase of something I always wanted but never had the time or knowledge to look for.

an old 7x35 with that focuser:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8018/6995491972_2ea83c5b29.jpg

So if you can direct me in what models to look for except swifts that would be great thank you !
Click to expand...

The best example I have is the
Scope Custom 7x35, Model 3010
Full amber multicoating, whereas the Swift has that but with
a UVC coating on front. Rock-steady arms.

There is one with an even more precise focuser.
It's the SeeFar 7x50 (from Tokyo Kogaku).
It says "with patented fine microscrew adjustment".
It looks like an optics lab positioning piston.
People like fast focus now, even in a Zeiss.
It can be quite enjoyable to creep up on a perfect
razor focus. Gives you that extra sharpness you literally
might not find going by fast.

They sold regular powers as "long range". I suspect they
felt the extra sharpness gave performance at distance.
I tend to agree. The Swifts have a lot of detail miles away too.


The Swift and the Scope Custom are a little faster than SeeFar
but they use thicker grease to keep things highly repeatable.
I suspect all these designs are poaching the mechanics of optical lab
positioners. Too bad it didn't spread to more models.
 
Last edited:
My senses must be duller than the average bloke, but I have found that anything in CF made by Fuji has precise focusing, particularly in the Bushnell custom line. When sixty year old binoculars continue to focus correctly after much use, it has to speak to the inherent mechanical construction design.
 
Thanks Optic and John !!
Hard finds you present me with, but I wrote them down on a sticky note and I shall search maybe every evening around the interwebs :)

Part of the fun anyway, right ? :)

All I can find is Triton Swifts, they have the heavy duty precision focuser but are they as good as sport kings, which also aren't superb to begin with ?
 
Sixkiller66 said:
Thanks Optic and John !!
Hard finds you present me with, but I wrote them down on a sticky note and I shall search maybe every evening around the interwebs :)

Part of the fun anyway, right ? :)

All I can find is Triton Swifts, they have the heavy duty precision focuser but are they as good as sport kings, which also aren't superb to begin with ?
Click to expand...

I think the Sport King is not too bad myself, but the Triton is very similar to the sport king, they get some internal reflection issues and the eye cups are not great, for my comfort anyway, the Sport King has a wider FOV than the Triton and overall I feel it is better than the Triton.
 
John Dracon said:
My senses must be duller than the average bloke, but I have found that anything in CF made by Fuji has precise focusing, particularly in the Bushnell custom line. When sixty year old binoculars continue to focus correctly after much use, it has to speak to the inherent mechanical construction design.
Click to expand...

Some Fuji focusers look ordinary, but they are always milled to high precision
and the arms always set hard and parallel. It takes extra time setting the
clamp. The Customs usually use those
wide thin bars of hardened steel. Fujis are always excellent.
You can see the 'hard bars' on some Kenkos and the Streamline 7x35 as well,
along with the thick precision cylinders like the Customs use.
The hard bars can easily take a drop without cracking or bending, and they
help shade dust away from the guide tubes.
 
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