Easy Zeiss Marine 7x50 GA T* Question: (1 Viewer)

dwever · Aug 11, 2015

Question: In production or out?

I have a fantastic pair of Zeiss Marine 7x50 GA T* binoculars that do not suffer from internal condensation, loose focus wheels, discolouration, rusty hinges; and, the rubber armour is impeccably well glued!

Just thought someone should play the other side of the album after reading all these recent threads!

So, I respectfully have a question: I have been told these are out of production. B&H says discontinued, they are gone from MidwayUSA. However, they still have a presence on the Zeiss web site (link below). Which is it, gone or still in production?

If out of production, I may find a second pair and store until needed as I considered the HT's or SF's but I'm cautioned that it seems unlikely the new Victory lines would be as abuse proof. Except for a couple of teeth marks, my Marines don't look or feel any different from the day I got them, these Marine's have have been tossed, thrown, bounced off the car seat, endlessly slid off the dashboard, hosed off repeatedly, been in the extreme temperatures of a closed car, and far out performed a previous pair of 7X50 Steiner's that literally came apart in 2 -3 years under the same treatment (in fairness, the Steiner's were much cheaper).

Thanks.

http://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics/.../specialist-binoculars/marine-binoculars.html.
Here is a pic from when I first got them ca. 2012.

Pinewood · Aug 11, 2015

Hello,

The 7x50 BGAT is still listed on the Zeiss web site, as you indicated. I suspect that it is a special order item. With the lifetime guarantee why worry about replacing it? Is yours a a BGAT? It is a lovely instrument but I did not know how tough it is. I thank you for relating your experience with this binocular.

Teeth marks? Did you have a confrontation with a shark?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:

dwever · Aug 11, 2015

Pinewood said:
Hello,

The 7x50 BGAT is still listed on the Zeiss web site, as you indicated. I suspect that it is a special order item. With the lifetime guarantee why worry about replacing it? Is yours a a BGAT? It is a lovely instrument but I did not know how tough it is. I thank you for relating your experience with this binocular.

Teeth marks? Did you have a confrontation with a shark?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:

I didn't think I could make a guarantee claim if ever necessary with the unreasonable abuse the Marine's have withstood. I don't know if they are BGAT, they were listing at $1,799 to $1,999 on the internet at my time of purchase if that helps. I take them birding in the Tennessee Valley / Alabama certain times of year.

No, ha ha, no shark encounter unless the land shark below counts - my West German buddy (Moses) is responsible for the teeth marks. Makes you proud doesn't he Houdiny?

perterra · Aug 11, 2015

Dont know anything about the glasses, but thats a handsome dog.

LPT · Aug 11, 2015

Lovely dog. The ears are great.

John Dracon · Aug 11, 2015

Zeiss will always service your 7x50 B porro. Have had a few over the years. I would rate it as "bullet proof".
Low demand makes almost anything obsolete. Old classic.

John

jan van daalen · Aug 11, 2015

dwever said:
Question: In production or out?

I have a fantastic pair of Zeiss Marine 7x50 GA T* binoculars that do not suffer from internal condensation, loose focus wheels, discolouration, rusty hinges; and, the rubber armour is impeccably well glued! Just thought someone should play the other side of the album after reading all these recent threads!

So, I respectfully have a question: I have been told these are out of production. B&H says discontinued, they are gone from MidwayUSA. However, they still have a presence on the Zeiss web site (link below). Which is it, gone or still in production?

If out of production, I may find a second pair and store until needed as I considered the HT's or SF's but I'm cautioned that it seems unlikely the new Victory lines would be as abuse proof. Except for a couple of teeth marks, my Marines don't look or feel any different from the day I got them, these Marine's have have been tossed, thrown, bounced off the car seat, endlessly slid off the dashboard, hosed off repeatedly, been in the extreme temperatures of a closed car, and far out performed a previous pair of 7X50 Steiner's that literally came apart in 2 -3 years under the same treatment (in fairness, the Steiner's were much cheaper).

Thanks.

http://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics/.../specialist-binoculars/marine-binoculars.html.
Here is a pic from when I first got them ca. 2012.

No worries mate, these are still in production (ordered and got one last month) but the price went up though.

Together with the 8x56 Dialyt one of the last Icons.

Jan

Binastro · Aug 11, 2015

Hi dwever,
. Lovely dog. He seems to have a rather large kennel at the back.

How heavy is the 7×50 binocular?

Pinewood · Aug 11, 2015

Binastro said:
Hi dwever,
. Lovely dog. He seems to have a rather large kennel at the back.

How heavy is the 7×50 binocular?

Hello Binastro,

It weighs 1.2 kg, which is a little lighter than the Fujinon 7x50. With a width of 215 mm, at 65 mm IPD, it should be rather easy to hold.
See: for the Zeiss specifiations.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Binastro · Aug 11, 2015

. Thank you very much Arthur.

The Zeiss 7×50 binocular or the Fujinon would be very nice but they are a bit heavy for me nowadays. They would be okay for occasional viewing.
They are even heavier than the Canon 18x50.

I do have a Nikon 7×50 with a compass. It was at a very good price second-hand and I didn't expect much, but the view is beautiful and it is not heavy. I was surprised because my eyes don't open up so much nowadays. There are three versions for different parts of the earth, and presumably ships captains need all three if they travel the whole earth. I suppose they can be calibrated by Nikon periodically. These areas of the Earth have complicated boundaries.

Do Zeiss make similar 7×50 binoculars with compasses, with different versions for different parts of the earth?

Pinewood · Aug 11, 2015

Binastro said:
.
...
Do Zeiss make similar 7×50 binoculars with compasses, with different versions for different parts of the earth?

Hello Binastro,

I think not. Their catalogue only lists a single version of the Marine, formerly the Nautica. I always thought that the built in compass was more a novelty than a useful feature, as it is not a very good compass. However, I am not a yachtsman or a small boat user. On the bridge of a ship, there are more accurate sighting devices than a small compass inside the binocular.
I would think that a reticle, or graticule, would be a good feature for yachtsmen and professional seamen. If one sighted a lighthouse, whose height is marked on a chart, the reticle, especially if it is marked in radians, would allow an easy computation of its distance. I would not be surprised if Zeiss would fit a reticle as a custom item.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

brocknroller · Aug 11, 2015

dwever said:
Question: In production or out?

I have a fantastic pair of Zeiss Marine 7x50 GA T* binoculars that do not suffer from internal condensation, loose focus wheels, discolouration, rusty hinges; and, the rubber armour is impeccably well glued! Just thought someone should play the other side of the album after reading all these recent threads!

So, I respectfully have a question: I have been told these are out of production. B&H says discontinued, they are gone from MidwayUSA. However, they still have a presence on the Zeiss web site (link below). Which is it, gone or still in production?

If out of production, I may find a second pair and store until needed as I considered the HT's or SF's but I'm cautioned that it seems unlikely the new Victory lines would be as abuse proof. Except for a couple of teeth marks, my Marines don't look or feel any different from the day I got them, these Marine's have have been tossed, thrown, bounced off the car seat, endlessly slid off the dashboard, hosed off repeatedly, been in the extreme temperatures of a closed car, and far out performed a previous pair of 7X50 Steiner's that literally came apart in 2 -3 years under the same treatment (in fairness, the Steiner's were much cheaper).

Thanks.

http://www.zeiss.com/sports-optics/.../specialist-binoculars/marine-binoculars.html.
Here is a pic from when I first got them ca. 2012.

You forgot to mention that if the B/GAs fell a meter onto a hard surface, the front hinge wouldn't crack!

Here's an authorized Zeiss dealer that is still selling the B/GAs for $1,799:

casanovasadventures

Does the department pay for the bins or are these your personal bins (you take them birdwatching, so that suggests they the belong to you and are "out-of-pocket" expense).

If that's the case, the Fujinon 7x50 FMTR-SX gives a very similar performance for a fraction of the cost -$599 - and it's built to mil-spec.

/Fujinon_7x50_FMTR_SX_Polaris_Binocularsl

They are a bit heavier and longer than the B/GA, but they perform similarly. Here's a comparative review, although it's from an amateur astronomy forum, so the criteria will be different than for your purposes, but it still gives you an idea of how close they are.

zeiss-7x50-bgat-vs-fuiji-7x50-fmt

The fact that haze filters and polarizing filters can screw onto the Fujis might give it the advantage for your purposes.

Brock

dwever · Aug 11, 2015

brocknroller said:
Does the department pay for the bins or are these your personal bins.

If that's the case, the Fujinon 7x50 FMTR-SX gives a very similar performance for a fraction of the cost -$599 - and it's built to mil-spec.

The fact that haze filters and polarizing filters can screw onto the Fujis might give it the advantage for your purposes.

Brock

They're mine.

I read the comprehensive comparison with the Fujinon you linked, tellingly in the conclusion it says, ". . . the Zeiss are clearly the better binoculars . . .".

And I definitely would not want to have a bigger heavier instrument. "The Zeiss are substantially smaller and lighter than the Fuji . . ."

Thanks for the link!

Elmer Fudd · Aug 13, 2015

Here it is! Still available in Germany:

http://www.das-fernglashaus.de/Zeiss1.htm

brocknroller · Aug 15, 2015

dwever said:
They're mine.

I read the comprehensive comparison with the Fujinon you linked, tellingly in the conclusion it says, ". . . the Zeiss are clearly the better binoculars . . .".

And I definitely would not want to have a bigger heavier instrument. "The Zeiss are substantially smaller and lighter than the Fuji . . ."

Thanks for the link!

He paid at least $1799 for his B/GA so what was he going to say? I spent $1200 more than I had to, I could have bought a Fuji?

The Fuji is 7 oz. heavier, and the Zeiss @ 42 oz. is already heavy enough. I had a Zeiss Jena 8x50 Octarem that was about the same weight as the B/GAs, and they honestly didn't feel too heavy because the weight was so well distributed and because the flat prism housing provided perfect support for my thumbs. What I don't like about the Fujis is that the prism housings are rounded at the bottom, so you have to curl your thumbs around them instead of letting them rest flat against the bottom. But I sure can't afford a $1,799 bin, so I will stick with the Vixen 7x50 for now.

Sounds like you already have the bins you need! Other than some chew marks, why do you want to buy another pair? Hedge against bets that they might be discontinued?

Brock

dwever · Aug 15, 2015

brocknroller said:
He paid at least $1799 for his B/GA so what was he going to say? I spent $1200 more than I had to, I could have bought a Fuji?

Stating what I paid for it as a fact. I like that. |:x|

1. I did not pay, "at least $1,799" for my new bins; as you can see from my receipt below I paid $1,067** from MidwayUSA. So I spent $468 more than I had to.

(Last year or early this year they had almost the same margins on some 10X42 HT's I should of jumped on)

2. What he is going to say is, I did not want a Fuji, and don't want one now - the comparison you linked is one source that helps tell me why.

3. After my Steiner's disintegrated in just a few years, I wanted to get five years out of these. It would appear five years is going to be just the beginning in spite of somewhat persistent abuse. However, when I thought these were discontinued, I thought I'd put second pair in the closet for the day I drove off with this pair on my trunk.

**As the receipt shows, this pair was called a 'factory second'. I called before purchase and received an e-mail detailing a non-functional cosmetic blemish. I think I found it but I'm not sure, but now the dog has authored some blemishes of our own!

perterra · Aug 15, 2015

dwever said:
Stating what I paid for it as a fact. I like that. |:x|

1. I did not pay, "at least $1,799" for my new bins; as you can see from my receipt below I paid $1,067** from MidwayUSA. So I spent $468 more than I had to. (Last year or early this year they had almost the same margins on some 10X42 HT's I should of jumped on)

2. What he is going to say is, I did not want a Fuji, and don't want one now - the comparison you linked is one source that helps tell me why.

3. After my Steiner's disintegrated in just a few years, I wanted to get five years out of these. It would appear five years is going to be just the beginning in spite of somewhat persistent abuse. However, when I thought these were discontinued, I thought I'd put second pair in the closet for the day I drove off with this pair on my trunk.

**As the receipt shows, this pair was called a 'factory second'. I called before purchase and received an e-mail detailing a non-functional cosmetic blemish. I think I found it but I'm not sure, but now the dog has authored some blemishes of our own!

I think he was talking about the reviewer.

If you dont mind, how did the Steiners disintergrate?

I have a friend who has drug a pair of Steiners all across the US, Canada and Africa hunting. He loves them. I dont really care one way or the other, I find IF so tedious that center focus is about all I will look for. But everybody is different. I suspect his is more remembering where his Steiners have been with him than it is the actual glass. But who am I to judge anyone. I wouldnt trade my Conquest HD for any right now.

dwever · Aug 16, 2015

perterra said:
I think he was talking about the reviewer.

If you dont mind, how did the Steiners disintergrate?

I have a friend who has drug a pair of Steiners all across the US, Canada and Africa hunting. He loves them. I dont really care one way or the other, I find IF so tedious that center focus is about all I will look for. But everybody is different. I suspect his is more remembering where his Steiners have been with him than it is the actual glass. But who am I to judge anyone. I wouldnt trade my Conquest HD for any right now.

In all fairness to the Steiners they were a much cheaper pair of binoculars than the Zeiss I now have. I want to say around $300 at the time. So one of Steiners' more expensive lines may have been a much different experience.

First the hinge got loose, and strangely the same thing happened at the individual focusing mechanisms, they were way too easy to turn. Ultimately there was so much play in the hinge I discovered it was coming apart. This many years later it would be difficult to say exactly what happened, but I chunked them in Florida in March of 2011 as I remember I was in a school at the time.

perterra · Aug 16, 2015

I dont know if all Steiner warrantys are the same, but they used to have a pretty good one.

Rathaus · Aug 16, 2015

dwever said:
They're mine.

I read the comprehensive comparison with the Fujinon you linked, tellingly in the conclusion it says, ". . . the Zeiss are clearly the better binoculars . . .".

And I definitely would not want to have a bigger heavier instrument. "The Zeiss are substantially smaller and lighter than the Fuji . . ."

Thanks for the link!

It's great to settle in with a bin you're truly happy with...especially such a classic beauty.

However, looking into the future, I probably wouldn't write off the Milspec fujinon 7x50 too quickly. As a rough guide, BF's beloved and oft quoted 'Allbinos' (yes I take it with a big grain of salt) ranks the 7x50 FMTRSX fujinon above every single Zeiss binocular they have ever tested, regardless of price. So does excelsus. It's low price is frankly absurd. Alas, they rank my favourite Habicht not so well! Foolish rankings...except when they rated the fujis of course

Having said that, I'm a massive fan of the traditional models like yours. I'd love to try one of these. If they make you that happy, Put another on ice while you still can. Rare as hens teeth in my part of the world.

(Does zeiss ever update optical coatings at a service?...like Swarovski does sometimes?)
Rathaus

Easy Zeiss Marine 7x50 GA T* Question: (1 Viewer)

Well-known member

Attachments

New York correspondent

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

John Dracon

Well-known member

Well-known member

New York correspondent

Well-known member

New York correspondent

porromaniac

Well-known member

Well-known member

porromaniac

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread