My First Pair of Binoculars - Fujinon (1 Viewer)

This is my second post! In the last year I have been looking at the birds, the stars and the ocean/boats.

When I was a kid my Dad had this really old pair of German Navy Kriegsmarine binocs that we loved, he got em in a pawn shop in NYC for almost nothing. They were beat up and old but the view was amazing that was till my sister took them apart .

I never had any binoculars of my own. About a month ago I was looking around on the auction site and came across this military surplus guy selling brand new US Navy binoculars that were surplus. They were made by Fuji and are armored, water proof, nitrogen filled, reticle, coated - all for $120 new.

So I bought em and after I opened the package (and they really were new and made in 1990) the view out of them blew me away. Besides my Dad's Kriegsmarine binoculars I have never looked through any better binoculars.

I know they are not ideal for walking/hiking as they are heavy but they are the best $120 I have ever spent . Great for looking in the yard and if you have them in a car.

So here are some pics of them:

http://i.imgur.com/2Sf4556.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/cTR48Jz.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Muz00R7.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VRKqsjq.jpg

Interesting pwjp.
If Fujinon, sounds like a bargain.
Made in U.S.A. Someone will let us know about this marking.

Binastro said:

Interesting pwjp.
If Fujinon, sounds like a bargain.
Made in U.S.A. Someone will let us know about this marking.

Click to expand...

When I first saw them, I couldn't believe they were made in the US. But all the Fujinon stuff used by the military has made in USA on them.

The US military has procurement requirements where items have to be made in the US. Now how that works with Fujinon is beyond me - maybe they have small factory somewhere in the US just for the military.

They of course could be shipping the parts from Japan to the US and the final assembly point is here in the US via a US subsidiary.

http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products...binoculars/defense-supplies-series/index.html

I just know that the view out of them is amazing. The depth and brightness is incredible.

Thats a great find for $120 , I have a similar binocular made for the US Navy, the Bushnell navigator, made by Kamakura Koki Co. Ltd. This model is known as the Navigator and pretty much the same spec as the Swift Seahawk/ Fujinon AR, and supplied as a contract item for the US army and Navy. I have a large collection, but it's a favourite, as you say great depth of field. Love to get one of the Fuji ones.
I just noticed the same outfit you got your fuji from sold a Bushnell identical to mine for $165 recently, US Military sealed, evidently assembled by Fuji in the US, a forerunner to the Fuji's before they took over the contract. I wonder how mine found it's way to the UK, I bought it as bankrupt stock, about 2 years ago, new for £20.

pwjp2011 said:

....

They of course could be shipping the parts from Japan to the US and the final assembly point is here in the US via a US subsidiary.

http://www.fujifilmusa.com/products...binoculars/defense-supplies-series/index.html

Click to expand...

Hello PWJP,

That is almost certainly the situation. Meopta is another firm which assembles in the USA and has contracts with he US Defense Dept.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:

Hi,

nice find - fuji does indeed deliver bins for the US military and are known to make top notch porros. The individual focus is a bit of a letdown for birding - otoh with an 7x50 you are not going to need it too often due to the large depth of field.

Have fun with them!

Joachim