I couldn't resist buying this. The Kern Pizar 8x30 porro. Rated in the top 6 8x30 porro's ever made by Brin Best, Bryn has it on level par with the Zeiss Oberkochen 8x30B and slightly below the Nikon E11, both of which I have. In comparison, that would seem about right, my Nikon E11 would have to be rated slightly better, mainly due to the superb colours and super wide FOV, however the Kern easily matches it for clarity and brightness. Optically, there is not much in it with the Oberkochen, the Kern has the narrowest FOV, AT 140M@1000M, and falls away a fraction right at the very edge. Eye relief on the Kern is a tad skinny. The Kern has excellent resolution and brightness, a tad brighter than the Oberkochen, actually the Kern must be close to the brightest vintage porro I have ever looked through. Personally I just give the Oberkochen the edge, due to it's more compact ergonomics and the superb Zeiss West build quality. That does not mean the Kern is poorly built, it is superbly built, beautifully finished with smooth focus, but the Zeiss edges it. These Kern Pizar 8x30s are very hard to find now especially in this condition, not that many were made and I probably paid a bit over the top at just over £300, but I dont think I would find another in this condition, virtually as new, glass and coatings all perfect, clean inside, lanyard as new, case as new all in the original box pretty much as it would have come out of the shop back in the late 70s or early 80s. So, all considered, very pleased with it.
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Kern Pizar 8x30 Vintage Classic (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Bencw
- Start date
Ben
Porros aren't my cup of tea but I can understand why you must be thrilled to bits. Hope you enjoy it.
Do you have any more targets for aquisition?
Lee
Hi Lee,
Thanks, yes, I keep telling myself I will stop, but I have been looking for ages for a nice Hartmann Bernina, or a Hartmann Compact series 6 or 8 x30, and as I have the Zeiss Dialyt BGA T*P 8x30 and 7x42, would quite like the 10x40 to make up the trio, but it would need to be near mint and boxed as my other 2 are, so could be a long wait. Oh, yes, I just missed out on a mint, as new, boxed never used B&L 7x35 Zephyr awhile back, unlikely another will come up like that, but if it does how can I resist?
Good luck.
Ben
Hi Ben,
congratulations to a quite collectible pair - civilian models from Kern Aarau are indeed kinda rare - they mainly produced the bins for the swiss military besides their usual business of scientific instrumentation. Were bought out by Wild/Heerbrugg and later by Leica in the 90s iirc. After that there's swiss military issue Kern-Leica IF bins.
Joachim
congratulations to a quite collectible pair - civilian models from Kern Aarau are indeed kinda rare - they mainly produced the bins for the swiss military besides their usual business of scientific instrumentation. Were bought out by Wild/Heerbrugg and later by Leica in the 90s iirc. After that there's swiss military issue Kern-Leica IF bins.
Joachim
I have the same binocular in new condition (even smells new) and I agree with Bencw's comments about its optical performance - somewhat narrow field of view for an 8x30 but exceptionally bright with excellent resolution. I would add that for single layer coatings its color fidelity is very good too, much better than that of the Oberkochen 8x30. I have to wonder if it doesn't have a two lens eyepiece instead of the usual three lens Erfle type found on most 8x30 Porro I's. If so, this could account for its narrower FOV, brighter image (due to the eyepiece having two fewer air/glass surfaces), and good color fidelity as well (fewer air/glass surfaces = fewer AR coated surfaces = reduced AR color bias).
Thanks Joachim, yes, they don't come up often, I missed one, not as good as this about 2 years ago and this is the first I have seen since.
Hi LPT, you could be right about the eyepiece, too good to open and have a look though |=)| Yes, I would say these are pretty much colour neutral, my oberkochen is a touch warmer, but I don't mind that. I have to say it surprised me how bright they are for their age, and single coatings, I haven't compared yet, I will, but just from memory, they seem almost as bright as my ZEISS FL T.
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
Bencw, post 8,
What do you know about the age of the Pizar you have, since I investigated a couple of them and the Pizar 8x30 looked pretty much as having multicoating especially when I compare it with the Kern 8x30 military from 1984 (military Kerns always have their production year engraved).
Gijs van Ginkel
What do you know about the age of the Pizar you have, since I investigated a couple of them and the Pizar 8x30 looked pretty much as having multicoating especially when I compare it with the Kern 8x30 military from 1984 (military Kerns always have their production year engraved).
Gijs van Ginkel
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
Bencw, post 3,
I have seen quite a few Hartmanns, but never one in a box. Even when I visited the company when it still existed I did not see any boxes, so that may be a long long searching journey.
Gijs van Ginkel
I have seen quite a few Hartmanns, but never one in a box. Even when I visited the company when it still existed I did not see any boxes, so that may be a long long searching journey.
Gijs van Ginkel
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
Bencw,
In addition to my previous posts: I found the original flyer of the Kern Pizar 8x30.
It gives the following information among others:
Weight 518 g
FOV 140m/1000m
11,5 cm high.
Is this in accordance with your binocular?
Gijs van Ginkel
In addition to my previous posts: I found the original flyer of the Kern Pizar 8x30.
It gives the following information among others:
Weight 518 g
FOV 140m/1000m
11,5 cm high.
Is this in accordance with your binocular?
Gijs van Ginkel
Hi Gijs, I'm not expecting a Hartmann boxed? What made you think that? Only the Dialyt, if one comes up.
Ben
Hi Gijs, many thanks, weight and size, yes, but there is no FOV marked on the binocular, but I found on the net that it is 140m@1000m, but no year engraved. The serial number is 132470 but not sure that helps, I have been unable to find any list of Kern serial numbers. The seller said they bought it in Switzerland in the early 1980s, I think it is a later one as it does not have the Swiss Crossbow mark the early ones have. Do you have a link to the flyer at all?
Ben
Last edited:
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
Hello Ben, post 13,
No I have only the original printed flyer and I quoted from that. I have investigated one of the last made Pizar models and they certainly have multicoatings.
O yes, from your post 3 I had the impression that you were lookig at a Hartmann in an original box, but I may have misinterpreted that.
Gijs
No I have only the original printed flyer and I quoted from that. I have investigated one of the last made Pizar models and they certainly have multicoatings.
O yes, from your post 3 I had the impression that you were lookig at a Hartmann in an original box, but I may have misinterpreted that.
Gijs
Mine is serial 114657, has the crossbow on the left prism plate and is marked AR on the right plate in the same location as the serial number on yours. What color are the coatings on your binocular?
I renew this old thread, as I am too working on the Kern Serial numbers...
I also have a brown coated Pizar AR with a 107xxx number.
Today I found a 8x24 Alpar in Bern, uncoated, other Logo design (different font) with a serial 17xxx.
Needs some relubrication and maybe some painting, but optics is still wery sound, well collinated and only with little haze on parts of the prisms... So obviously perwar, as uncoated. Kern bins production started in 1920...
Has anyone more information about dating and serial numbers. Maybe "Militärmodelle" will help with their year engraved!
I also have a brown coated Pizar AR with a 107xxx number.
Today I found a 8x24 Alpar in Bern, uncoated, other Logo design (different font) with a serial 17xxx.
Needs some relubrication and maybe some painting, but optics is still wery sound, well collinated and only with little haze on parts of the prisms... So obviously perwar, as uncoated. Kern bins production started in 1920...
Has anyone more information about dating and serial numbers. Maybe "Militärmodelle" will help with their year engraved!
