joejeweler
Well-known member
Well, i finally decided to update my "Bino-Arsenal" a bit, as truthfully i've been using nothing newer that about 30, 40, or 50 year old glass! Quite satisfactorally, i might add. :t:
These have consisted of quite a few Leitz early Trinovids in 6x24, 8x30, 8x30B, 7x42B, & 10x40 versions, as well as a just serviced by Zeiss 8x30B Oberkochen porro, and several Nippon Kogaku (early Nikon) porros in 7x35, 8x35, a VERY sharp 10x50 Mikron variety, .....and the main subject of this post, .....my mintish but maybe 50 year old Zeiss 8x30B Dialyt. (the early longer, heavier version)
These have served me well over the years, but i've not had a chance locally to review anything much newer. I've wondered what i was missing, with the better coatings available for many years now.
That changed recently with my purchase of an "as new" Zeiss 8x30 B/GAT*P that was missing only the outer box and paperwork that would have come with a new unit. New glass and cosmetics were much more important to me, so i made an offer on an ebay listing and was counter-offered at what i considered a fair price at $700.00 including shipping. Lacking only the "P*" designation, I don't believe i'm giving up much as from what i've read there is no difference with the "P" version in any meaningful way. (except dating it a bit earlier perhaps?)
The new Zeiss arrived yesterday and were as described, so i was pleased with the purchase. I doubt these were used much at all, as the typical (slightly) stiff focussing wheel is still there. Supposidly this will loosen with time, and quite honestly it's really not all that bad.
However, i now appreciate much more just how smooth and easy to focus my older Zeiss 8x30B Dialyt is. If that's what i can expect with use i'm going for it as quick as possible!
I was also really pleased with the lovely magenta colors appearing on the objectives and occulars. Given a choice i prefer this over the greenish tints i've seen on some coatings.
Unfortunately, yesterday it rained in the morning, and was heavily clouded the rest of the day. I did go out to the Albany, NY airport to get a feel for the new "B/GAT*P" , and I was amused at watching the incoming planes seeming appear out of nowhere prior to landing, and the jets taking off disappearing VERY soon into the heavy cloud cover! A bit eery for sure! :eek!: Several groups of passing geese were also viewed, and they too, at times, disappeared into the fiarly low heavy cloud cover. Sort of "now you see me, now you don't!"
Today is not much better,....heavily clouded, so I will have to preface this comparitive review by stating I will not yet get to see how much better the flare, ghosting, contrast, and anything else is controlled compared with my old Dialyt under strong sunlight conditions. Flare and ghosting were areas in the older Zeiss I expect to be much better in the newer version, although i got along nicely with it over the years. I think your brain shuts out a lot of the distraction, much like adjusting to a new pair of eyeglasses.
First impressions are surprising, however. I am more shocked at just how good my older 8x30B Dialyt is under cloudy conditions. About the only thing i can really notice is that the new B/GAT*P Zeiss is a "little" sharper out at the edges. (but i have to really look for it!) Considering they are most likely single coated, and without any phase coating,......they're still pretty damn sweet!
I never really noticed the slightly less focus in the outer edges in my old Dialyt's, because the center to maybe 80 percent out is just SO sharp that the slight tail off at the edges is not that important to me. The new Zeiss has a noticable improvement in outer edges sharpness, but i could only see that improvement when i was really looking for it. I don't consider that a deal breaker in any glass anyway, as we naturally "center" anything of note so the edges are of less importance in a practical sense.
However, in all other areas (again, under strictly heavily cloudy conditions), the brightness and contrast were hard for me to differentiate between the old girl and the much newer version!
Frankly, i was a bit surprised at that! However, i fully expect the newer version will begin to show the real benefits of the modern coatings. For instance, it's tough to get a comparson on "contrast", when the lighting conditions don't offer much contrast!
I've always suspected my 50 year old Dialyt was a cherry example, and one thing this preliminary comparison tells me is that is correct. I've always had a very satisfying experience whenever i've used the Dialyt, but have also seen it's shortcomings when faced with sunny day flare producing angles.
I believe under those full sun conditions I will be able to separate the two in a much more meaningful way,.....but that will have to wait for now.
One thing quite obvious is that the new Zeiss 8x30B/GAT*P is noticably smaller in length, but i noticed it is also a bit "fatter", due in part i'm sure to the armored coating.
BTW, contrary to what i've read on the armored versions fo this model, i can find NO fault with the finish on this pair. It was very smoothly finished and felt great in hand.
I've posted a few pics below to show some of that, and i'll add to my comparison review once the weather "sun's up"!
.....and it all fit nicely into the older hand made leather case I picked up recently on the bay, somthing the longer Dialyt couldn't do. A might easier to tote around, and about 4X as thick leather protection as the original pouch.
These have consisted of quite a few Leitz early Trinovids in 6x24, 8x30, 8x30B, 7x42B, & 10x40 versions, as well as a just serviced by Zeiss 8x30B Oberkochen porro, and several Nippon Kogaku (early Nikon) porros in 7x35, 8x35, a VERY sharp 10x50 Mikron variety, .....and the main subject of this post, .....my mintish but maybe 50 year old Zeiss 8x30B Dialyt. (the early longer, heavier version)
These have served me well over the years, but i've not had a chance locally to review anything much newer. I've wondered what i was missing, with the better coatings available for many years now.
That changed recently with my purchase of an "as new" Zeiss 8x30 B/GAT*P that was missing only the outer box and paperwork that would have come with a new unit. New glass and cosmetics were much more important to me, so i made an offer on an ebay listing and was counter-offered at what i considered a fair price at $700.00 including shipping. Lacking only the "P*" designation, I don't believe i'm giving up much as from what i've read there is no difference with the "P" version in any meaningful way. (except dating it a bit earlier perhaps?)
The new Zeiss arrived yesterday and were as described, so i was pleased with the purchase. I doubt these were used much at all, as the typical (slightly) stiff focussing wheel is still there. Supposidly this will loosen with time, and quite honestly it's really not all that bad.
However, i now appreciate much more just how smooth and easy to focus my older Zeiss 8x30B Dialyt is. If that's what i can expect with use i'm going for it as quick as possible!
I was also really pleased with the lovely magenta colors appearing on the objectives and occulars. Given a choice i prefer this over the greenish tints i've seen on some coatings.
Unfortunately, yesterday it rained in the morning, and was heavily clouded the rest of the day. I did go out to the Albany, NY airport to get a feel for the new "B/GAT*P" , and I was amused at watching the incoming planes seeming appear out of nowhere prior to landing, and the jets taking off disappearing VERY soon into the heavy cloud cover! A bit eery for sure! :eek!: Several groups of passing geese were also viewed, and they too, at times, disappeared into the fiarly low heavy cloud cover. Sort of "now you see me, now you don't!"
Today is not much better,....heavily clouded, so I will have to preface this comparitive review by stating I will not yet get to see how much better the flare, ghosting, contrast, and anything else is controlled compared with my old Dialyt under strong sunlight conditions. Flare and ghosting were areas in the older Zeiss I expect to be much better in the newer version, although i got along nicely with it over the years. I think your brain shuts out a lot of the distraction, much like adjusting to a new pair of eyeglasses.
First impressions are surprising, however. I am more shocked at just how good my older 8x30B Dialyt is under cloudy conditions. About the only thing i can really notice is that the new B/GAT*P Zeiss is a "little" sharper out at the edges. (but i have to really look for it!) Considering they are most likely single coated, and without any phase coating,......they're still pretty damn sweet!
I never really noticed the slightly less focus in the outer edges in my old Dialyt's, because the center to maybe 80 percent out is just SO sharp that the slight tail off at the edges is not that important to me. The new Zeiss has a noticable improvement in outer edges sharpness, but i could only see that improvement when i was really looking for it. I don't consider that a deal breaker in any glass anyway, as we naturally "center" anything of note so the edges are of less importance in a practical sense.
However, in all other areas (again, under strictly heavily cloudy conditions), the brightness and contrast were hard for me to differentiate between the old girl and the much newer version!
Frankly, i was a bit surprised at that! However, i fully expect the newer version will begin to show the real benefits of the modern coatings. For instance, it's tough to get a comparson on "contrast", when the lighting conditions don't offer much contrast!
I've always suspected my 50 year old Dialyt was a cherry example, and one thing this preliminary comparison tells me is that is correct. I've always had a very satisfying experience whenever i've used the Dialyt, but have also seen it's shortcomings when faced with sunny day flare producing angles.
I believe under those full sun conditions I will be able to separate the two in a much more meaningful way,.....but that will have to wait for now.
One thing quite obvious is that the new Zeiss 8x30B/GAT*P is noticably smaller in length, but i noticed it is also a bit "fatter", due in part i'm sure to the armored coating.
BTW, contrary to what i've read on the armored versions fo this model, i can find NO fault with the finish on this pair. It was very smoothly finished and felt great in hand.
I've posted a few pics below to show some of that, and i'll add to my comparison review once the weather "sun's up"!
.....and it all fit nicely into the older hand made leather case I picked up recently on the bay, somthing the longer Dialyt couldn't do. A might easier to tote around, and about 4X as thick leather protection as the original pouch.
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