• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

swift trilyte 7x50 roof prism (1 Viewer)

canonman77

Well-known member
United Kingdom
Hi guys, my dad was at a friends & was looking through some binos which turned out to be Swift trilyte roof prism 7x50 & he said they were the best hes ever looked through & they were spot on with the clarity & focusing. His mate wont part with them, so my dad is wanting to buy a pair of his own, but is struggling to find any. Can anyone help??

Thanks
Sean
 
Hi guys, my dad was at a friends & was looking through some binos which turned out to be Swift trilyte roof prism 7x50 & he said they were the best hes ever looked through & they were spot on with the clarity & focusing. His mate wont part with them, so my dad is wanting to buy a pair of his own, but is struggling to find any. Can anyone help??

Thanks
Sean

Hi Sean, That well know auction site would be the place to look, but I have never seen a Swift Trilyte 7x50 before, sometimes 7x35 comes up, more often 10x40 and 8x40 Trilytes, but never seen 7x50 anywhere. I have 10x40 and 8x40, and the 8x is miles better than the 10x.
 
Hi Bencw, thanks for replying to me, ill just keep checking about i suppose. Thanks again

Sean: I have LONG been a fan of Swift--at least before Humphrey died. However, the only Swift Trilytes I knew in 7x50 were just chum for a plastic-eating shark. In addition, the plastic was soft, and the product was at the lowest end of their product line.

The 7x35 roof--which I THOUGHT carried the Trilyte model name--was a VERY good instrument, optically and mechanically.

Apparently, I was wrong. I couldn't find the model under the photo sections of Google--only the stuff that wore the trilyte name after the company sold.

Help me out, Ed.

Bill
 
I have an old Swift pamphlet; the one with the Acorn Woodpecker on it. It shows two Roof Prism Trilytes: #816 TRILYTE 10X, 42 HCF and #817 TRILYTE 8X,42 HCF. Armored and Waterproof.

No 7x50 Trilyte is shown in it.

It shows 2 addresses for Swift Optics. 952 Dorchester Ave., Boston, MA and 1190 No. 4th St., San Jose, CA. Date shown on it is 4/99.

Bob
 
Hi Bencw, thanks for replying to me, ill just keep checking about i suppose. Thanks again

Sean: I have LONG been a fan of Swift--at least before Humphrey died. However, the only Swift Trilytes I knew in 7x50 were just chum for a plastic-eating shark. In addition, the plastic was soft, and the product was at the lowest end of their product line.

The 7x35 roof--which I THOUGHT carried the Trilyte model name--was a VERY good instrument, optically and mechanically.

Apparently, I was wrong. I couldn't find the model under the photo sections of Google--only the stuff that wore the trilyte name after the company sold.

Help me out, Ed.

Bill

Hi Bill,

It's very confusing. Swift Instruments, Inc. sold Mk I, II, and III Trilytes starting about 1969 in 7x35 and 9x35 configuration. By 1974 there was an 8x40 and 7x25 (CF). By 1975 there was an 8x20. By 1981 there was an 8x22, 10x25, and armored 9x35. There was also a 7x42, 8x56, and 12x30 (of all things) and several variants of the above at unknown dates. In 2000 (the last catalog year) there were 10x42, 8x42, 8x21, 10x25, 8x42, and 10x42...

BUT — no 7x50 !!.

So, we need proof of the roof, ... preferably with a model number. Otherwise, the OP's Dad is going to be disappointed.

Ed
 
Last edited:
Hi Bill,

It's very confusing. Swift Instruments, Inc. sold Mk I, II, and III Trilytes starting about 1969 in 7x35 and 9x35 configuration. By 1974 there was an 8x40 and 7x25 (CF). By 1975 there was an 8x20. By 1981 there was an 8x22, 10x25, and armored 9x35. There was also a 7x42, 8x56, and 12x30 (of all things) and several variants of the above at unknown dates. In 2000 (the last catalog year) there were 10x42, 8x42, 8x21, 10x25, 8x42, and 10x42...

BUT — no 7x50 !!.

So, we need proof of the roof, ... preferably with a model number. Otherwise, the OP's Dad is going to be disappointed.

Ed

No; this time I was mistaken. The 7x50 that was so cheaply made was the AEROlyte.

Bill
 
Yes, you're right again. ;) There were two Aerolites in 7x50 configuration: models 737 and 781.

Ed
 
The armored, waterproof Model 825 Audubon 7x35 (c. 1991) comes to mind. But it only weighed 21 oz.

Is that what you're thinking of?

Ed
 

Attachments

  • Swift 825 Compact Audubon.jpg
    Swift 825 Compact Audubon.jpg
    33.2 KB · Views: 327
Last edited:
The armored, waterproof Model 825 Audubon 7x35 (c. 1991) comes to mind. But it only weighed 21 oz.

Is that what you're thinking of?

Ed

Give the man a C-gar! That's the one I took to show off in Tucson. I went down in August that year to introduce Dr. B to Zemax. It must have been a new model at the time.

Bill
 
The armored, waterproof Model 825 Audubon 7x35 (c. 1991) comes to mind. But it only weighed 21 oz.

Is that what you're thinking of?

Ed
I have a Swift Trilyte Model 815 8x24. I don't have the manual or receipt so I don't know how old it is. Any ideas? Thank you!
 
I have a Swift Trilyte Model 815 8x24. I don't have the manual or receipt so I don't know how old it is. Any ideas? Thank you!

Hi,

I wouldn't have thought so, but it appears that you have a rare binocular. The 1993 Swift price list shown below includes an 8x24 Model 815 Trilyte that retailed for an amazing $375. Note that the other Trilytes are less than a third that price. The distinguishing feature seems to be that it's armored and waterproof. Is that correct?

Strangely, there is no picture of the Model 815 in the catalog, and it is also omitted from the specifications chart. It's all very mysterious to me.

Please post some pictures of the binocular so that we can all see what it looks like.

Thanks,
Ed
 

Attachments

  • Swift pricelist 1993.pdf
    119 KB · Views: 310
Last edited:
Hi,

I wouldn't have thought so, but it appears that you have a rare binocular. The 1993 Swift price list shown below includes an 8x24 Model 815 Trilyte that retailed for an amazing $375. Note that the other Trilytes are less than a third that price. The distinguishing feature seems to be that it's armored and waterproof. Is that correct?

Strangely, there is no picture of the Model 815 in the catalog, and it is also omitted from the specifications chart. It's all very mysterious to me.

Please post some pictures of the binocular so that we can all see what it looks like.

Thanks,
Ed
Thanks, Ed! I will post some pics once I get home from work. I hope you are right!!! Debbie
 
Hi Debbie,

Thanks for the pics. Somewhat surprised to see red objective coatings. But it's clearly armored, and says "TESTED" on the front. That probably means tested for water resistance. Take a look on the "How to enjoy ..." booklet and see if there is a publication date somewhere. Next, on the picture of the Audubon binocular on the front of the booklet, does it say Model 804 or 804R? In the former case that would place it in the early 1990s. Otherwise it could have been as early as 1985. Use a flashlight to see if there are any embossed Japanese maker's marks on the inside of the red objectives. They would look like JB-56 or some other number. Finally see if there are any marks on the hinge.

So far it does look like you have a rare and mysterious model.

Ed
 
Last edited:
Hi Debbie,

Thanks for the pics. Somewhat surprised to see red objective coatings. But it's clearly armored, and says "TESTED" on the front. That probably means tested for water resistance. Take a look on the "How to enjoy ..." booklet and see if there is a publication date somewhere. Next, on the picture of the Audubon binocular on the front of the booklet, does it say Model 804 or 804R? In the former case that would place it in the early 1990s. Otherwise it could have been as early as 1985. Use a flashlight to see if there are any embossed Japanese maker's marks on the inside of the red objectives. They would look like JB-56 or some other number. Finally see if there are any marks on the hinge.

So far it does look like you have a rare and mysterious model.

Ed
The booklet's camera on front says No. 804. It says IMMERSION TESTED. There are some etched numbers over and under this writing: over looks like 10534. Under looks like B191, Japan. I don't have magnifiers with me so it's hard to tell for sure. The little yellow slip that was included has what looks like a date on it: 9/94/10M? The booklet has similar (possible) dating on the back: 11/93/15M. I don't have access to a flashlight to look through the red objectives right now. I will try from home. Thanks for your help with this! I appreciate it!!!
 
The booklet's camera on front says No. 804. It says IMMERSION TESTED. There are some etched numbers over and under this writing: over looks like 10534. Under looks like B191, Japan. I don't have magnifiers with me so it's hard to tell for sure. The little yellow slip that was included has what looks like a date on it: 9/94/10M? The booklet has similar (possible) dating on the back: 11/93/15M. I don't have access to a flashlight to look through the red objectives right now. I will try from home. Thanks for your help with this! I appreciate it!!!

Okay, this is informative. Because the Audubon on the cover says No. 804, the booklet was issued after 1990 or so. Immersion testing would only be done to assure waterproofness, which is what makes the model so expensive. The designation B191 indicates the Japanese company that put the final product together, Seiwa Optical Co., Ltd., Wako-Shi. That company also made other models, such as the Nighthawk series in the 1970s and 80s.

There really isn't too much more to discover except how the instrument performs.

Ed
 
Debbie,
That is the neatest looking trylite I have seen, I have had the 10x40, and 8x40, reasonable performers. Yours looks great condition and all with original box. Hard to see from the photo, but the objectives look to be more dark amber in colour than red to me?, similar to the Zeiss Jenna coatings but maybe a tad darker? Very nice collectable to have. Best wishes. Ben
 
Warning! This thread is more than 5 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top