zeiss 8x56 GAT* Dialyt (1 Viewer)

edwincjones · Dec 3, 2012

I just "discovered" this interesting binocular,
find it apealing,
but wonder what the old binocular has to offer us now.

who would buy it instead of the newer, more modern models?
what does it offer in 2013?
and what is the battery for?

a quote "favored by stalkers and hunters" seemed interesting

edj

Troubador · Dec 3, 2012

edwincjones said:
I just "discovered" this interesting binocular,
find it apealing,
but wonder what the old binocular has to offer us now.

who would buy it instead of the newer, more modern models?
what does it offer in 2013?
and what is the battery for?

a quote "favored by stalkers and hunters" seemed interesting

edj

Hi Edj

To say this instrument is tried and tested is no exageration, it can trace its ancestry back to 1936, but has been updated with modern lens and prism coatings.

It is a relatively simple design and this leads to its main attribute IMHO. For a 56mm bin it is pretty light at 1010 gms, the equivalent Zeiss Victory FL, is 1220 gms, thats nearly half a pound weight heavier!

The FL is a significantly better instrument optically but the old Dialyt just keeps on keeping on and in the UK its about £300 cheaper than the FL. Its not 100% waterproof as it focuses by moving the eyepieces ie external focusing. It must be a candidate for the longest-lived binocular model so its got a lot going for it.

By the way it doesn't have a battery..............

Lee

LPT · Dec 3, 2012

I believe Zeiss still makes it. I have no idea what the battery is for. I have an older non-phase coated one and love it. Probably if I compared its view to that of a P* one I could tell the difference, but its view still looks pretty sharp to me. Although the bit "favored by hunters and stalkers" sounds like advertising hype, the binocular has 1) large exit pupil for maximum low light performance and 2) has the best stray light suppression (as when looking into the glare of a rising or setting sun) of any binocular I have ever used and I doubt in this regard any today are better. These qualities are all useful to the hunter, but on the minus side it's a large binocular and not one you want to tote around your neck all day. I've read that in Germany they are popular among the boar hunting fraternity. This is mine: http://www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/5968640302/in/photostream

LPT · Dec 3, 2012

Troubador said:
To say this instrument is tried and tested is no exageration, it can trace its ancestry back to 1936, but has been updated with modern lens and prism coatings.

The old Hensoldt Dialyt 8X56 is a terrific vintage binocular and is lighter and carries better than the rubber armoured Zeiss, its successor.

brocknroller · Dec 4, 2012

edwincjones said:
I just "discovered" this interesting binocular,
find it apealing,
but wonder what the old binocular has to offer us now.

who would buy it instead of the newer, more modern models?
what does it offer in 2013?
and what is the battery for?

a quote "favored by stalkers and hunters" seemed interesting

edj

Q. Who would buy it instead of the newer, more modern models?
A. Doh. "Stalkers and hunters!"

Q. What does it offer in 2013?
A. The same thing it had to offer in 1936 except with updated coatings.

Q. What is the battery for?
A. For your penlight so you can constrict your pupils to reduce aberrations from the 7mm exit pupils.

Well, I hoped that cleared things up!

Actually, here's a list of pros and cons from allbinos and a link to the review page where they show cutaway diagrams of the Dialyt and the FL, which shows how the Diaylt's design is a lot less complicated.

Pros:

high transmission,
interesting, old-style barrel but solid at the same time,
low astigmatism,
slight coma,
sharp image in almost all field of view,
slight brightness fall-off at the edge,
very good white reproduction,
fantastic blackening and cleanliness inside the inner tubes,
high class Abbe-Koenig prisms,
very good anti-reflective coatings,

Cons:

minimum focusing distance could have been smaller,
significant chromatic aberration at the edge of the field of view,
modest accessories kit.

The BGA is a much simpler system and has a modest FOV , so it should have less aberrations and "edge effects" than the FL. But for birding, the FL would be preferable with its wider FOV and close focus. But it seems there are enough "stalkers and hunters" in Europe to justify keeping this model in production. I think it also has an appeal to optics junkies because of it's a ClassiC.

http://www.allbinos.com/index.php?test=lornetki&test_l=174

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opticoholic · Dec 4, 2012

Although I'm sure it is still worthy in many ways, perhaps the best thing the Dialyt 8X56 has to offer me personally is that cool vintage look! But if I were shopping for an 8X56, I'd carefully compare it to more recent similarly priced alternatives, including the Swarovski SLC, Meopta Meostar, or even Zeiss Conquest. For vintage looks, I also like the Vixen Optics 8X56 ZCF Geoma porro, although I have no idea whether it is much good.

--Dave

brocknroller · Dec 4, 2012

Looking at the light graphs, it appears that the Dialyt's light "curve" is flatter than the FLs and extends farther into the red rather than dropping off preciptiously like the FL's.

The FL's peak earlier @550nm in the green-yellow while the Dialyt peaks @ 600nm in the orange and drops in a more shallow slope than the FLs, falling below 85% at about 725nm in the red, which is where its curve peaks in the blue, so a better balance in the Dialyt between the two ends than the FLs, which drops more steeply in the red and falls below 85% at about 675nm.

The Dialyt's light curve should give it a "warmer" image than the FL though not as bright.

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edwincjones · Dec 5, 2012

I checked about ordering a pair-they are special order,
apparently zeiss only makes one when ordered,
takes 8-10 weeks, at $1599-a standard price around the web

edj

james holdsworth · Dec 6, 2012

edwincjones said:
I checked about ordering a pair-they are special order,
apparently zeiss only makes one when ordered,
takes 8-10 weeks, at $1599-a standard price around the web

edj

Lots on e-bay, but not for much cheaper than new......typical Zeiss.....

brocknroller · Dec 6, 2012

edwincjones said:
I checked about ordering a pair-they are special order,
apparently zeiss only makes one when ordered,
takes 8-10 weeks, at $1599-a standard price around the web

edj

Holy Carp! $1599 for a bin designed in 1936? It's like an old collectible bought new.

Zeiss has a transferable warranty, so you'd be better off buying them used. Here's one from Germany for a little over $1,200. Looks in great shape, but it's just labeled "B" so better check to see if it's phase coated. The AR coatings look blue, which means it's probably single coated.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zeiss-8x56-B-hunting-binoculars-/280775591658?pt=UK_Photography_Binoculars_Monoculars&hash=item415f8786ea

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edwincjones · Dec 8, 2012

brocknroller said:
Holy Carp! $1599 for a bin designed in 1936? It's like an old collectible bought new.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zeiss-8x56-B-hunting-binoculars-/280775591658?pt=UK_Photography_Binoculars_Monoculars&hash=item415f8786ea

<B>

but you know what they say, " a fool and his money...................."

just ordered

edj

Troubador · Dec 8, 2012

edwincjones said:
but you know what they say, " a fool and his money...................."

just ordered

edj

Wonderful, hope you enjoy. I've always been tempted by the 7x42 myself.....

Lee

Robert Wallace · Dec 8, 2012

Never seen the attraction of the 8x56 Dialyts for birdwatchers, even back in the 70's.
The field of view is poor (110m @1000m) together with a poor close focus distance.
In fairness they were always marketed for the hunting sector not birdwatching.

Troubador · Dec 8, 2012

Robert Wallace said:
Never seen the attraction of the 8x56 Dialyts for birdwatchers, even back in the 70's.
The field of view is poor (110m @1000m) together with a poor close focus distance.
In fairness they were always marketed for the hunting sector not birdwatching.

Hi Robert

A bit harsh aren't you? 110 m is poor for a x8 but its more or less the same as a 10x bin and lots of folks use those. And yes the close focus is abysmal but some birders don't mind that in the least.

And yes they were marketed at the hunters but for decades bird watchers ( used to be called bird spotters) barely existed.

And if you are not a dedicated birder and just a fan of classic optics its a classic all right.

Lee

edwincjones · Dec 8, 2012

Robert Wallace said:
Never seen the attraction of the 8x56 Dialyts for birdwatchers, even back in the 70's.
The field of view is poor (110m @1000m) together with a poor close focus distance.
In fairness they were always marketed for the hunting sector not birdwatching.

I just like binoculars.
I got started with astronomy and binoculars,
added birding as a day time activity,
and have collected a good group of optics

The dialyt fits in, especially for low light observing,
but mainly I got it for the cool (I think) appearance
and as a general binocular

this may be a mistake,
may become my favorite
time will tell

I am not following the herd
maybe like the Nikon SE crowd, or the IS group
just a different drummer

I also like my 10+15x50s

edj

Troubador · Dec 8, 2012

Thats cool Edj. As a total contrast keep an eye open for a 1970's leatherette Dialyt 8x30B. They are impossibly cute and possibly impossible to resist.

Lee

OsageArcher · Dec 8, 2012

110m at 1000m is almost a 6.3* field - not too bad, very usable IMO as long as you can point them well. Many of us have used binos with a field as small as 5* with great success!

JabaliHunter · Dec 8, 2012

Troubador said:
Hi Robert

A bit harsh aren't you? 110 m is poor for a x8 but its more or less the same as a 10x bin and lots of folks use those. And yes the close focus is abysmal but some birders don't mind that in the least.

And yes they were marketed at the hunters but for decades bird watchers ( used to be called bird spotters) barely existed.

And if you are not a dedicated birder and just a fan of classic optics its a classic all right.

Lee

OsageArcher said:
110m at 1000m is almost a 6.3* field - not too bad, very usable IMO as long as you can point them well. Many of us have used binos with a field as small as 5* with great success!

But the 8x has a ~50* AFOV whereas for the 10x it would be ~63*
Or is that just an academic distinction between the two 6.3* models?

Troubador · Dec 8, 2012

JabaliHunter said:
But the 8x has a ~50* AFOV whereas for the 10x it would be ~63*
Or is that just an academic distinction between the two 6.3* models?

Yes

Lee

james holdsworth · Dec 8, 2012

I used a pair of 8x56 Dialyt's today for the 1st time. Much lighter than something like the 8x56 Night Owls, easy to hold. Optically so-so, as this pair wasn't P coated, very much like early versions of the 7x42.

I can see where a collector would want a pair, though, as they look so unique and they are sure to hold their value.

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