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another swift type clone ??? . (1 Viewer)

stuart C smith

swansong
i have just picked up a pair of mint sears 10x50 binoculars, dead ringers of my swift audubons, but a little larger, same b type body, large eyepieces, coatings etc. written on the prism plates is, left hand plate. sears model no 6277-A super wide angle BAk -4 prisms fully amber coated optics. right hand plate, discoverer 10x50 420 ft a 1000 yds magnesium body cf-00631. on hinge bar jb 56 [hiyoshi kogaku co ltd ] i bought these in mint condition complete with case and filters. the image is very sharp [ central ] and very bright and wide. a joy to use, a keeper to go with my 8.5x44 and 10x50 audubons. [ plus some other extreme wide angle binoculars and astro gear ] a clone it maybe , but a very good one. i am a huge fan of wide angle optics both terrestrial and astro, i dont like looking down drainpipes -just no wow factor in it for me.
 
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Stuart, they sound great, but we need a picture. Sears seem to sell some good binoculars. I have a pair of old Sears Discovery's in 7'35 and low index prisms. They are still a great pair of binoculars and look really retro!
 
i have just picked up a pair of mint sears 10x50 binoculars, dead ringers of my swift audubons, but a little larger, same b type body, large eyepieces, coatings etc. written on the prism plates is, left hand plate. sears model no 6277-A super wide angle BAk -4 prisms fully amber coated optics. right hand plate, discoverer 10x50 420 ft a 1000 yds magnesium body cf-00631. on hinge bar jb 56 [hiyoshi kogaku co ltd ] i bought these in mint condition complete with case and filters. the image is very sharp [ central ] and very bright and wide. a joy to use, a keeper to go with my 8.5x44 and 10x50 audubons. [ plus some other extreme wide angle binoculars and astro gear ] a clone it maybe , but a very good one. i am a huge fan of wide angle optics both terrestrial and astro, i dont like looking down drainpipes -just no wow factor in it for me.

Stuart,

I share your appreciation for ultra-wide angle binoculars, something that has become a thing of the past. Since Swift contracted with Hiyoshi Kogaku (HK) to manufacture only some products sold under their brand name, HK was also free to make products for other retailers. As I recall, Sears sold quality knives, guns, and binoculars under the "Sears Best" label, and Montgomery Ward had a similar high-end line. For that reason I wouldn't necessarily call what you have a clone.

I own a Swift 7x35 Holiday Mark II (Model 766), also made by HK, with a 600 ft. field. This computes to an 80˚ apparent field, virtually identical to your Sears 10x50. In their advertising literature, Swift mentioned something to the effect that this is as wide as field as the human eye can use. My guess is they were referring to the fact that in order to see the edge of an apparent field this wide, the eye would have to rotate 40˚ — and for many folks their noses would get in the way. Compared to this, the 60.11˚ apparent field of a Zeiss 7x42 BGAT seems quite puny. "Drainpipes," indeed!

Unfortunately, the eyecups of my 7x75 Holiday measure a whopping 44mm, which means they can't be positioned on my face properly and sidelight reflects off the prism edges. How are your Sears along these lines, and what is your impression of lateral CA?

Elk
 
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Stuart,

I share your appreciation for ultra-wide angle binoculars, something that has become a thing of the past. Since Swift contracted with Hiyoshi Kogaku (HK) to manufacture only some products sold under their brand name, HK was also free to make products for other retailers. As I recall, Sears sold quality knives, guns, and binoculars under the "Sears Best" label, and Montgomery Ward had a similar high-end line. For that reason I wouldn't necessarily call what you have a clone.

I own a Swift 7x35 Holiday Mark II (Model 766), also made by HK, with a 600 ft. field. This computes to an 80˚ apparent field, virtually identical to your Sears 10x50. In their advertising literature, Swift mentioned something to the effect that this is as wide as field as the human eye can use. My guess is they were referring to the fact that in order to see the edge of an apparent field this wide, the eye would have to rotate 40˚ — and for many folks their noses would get in the way. Compared to this, the 60.11˚ apparent field of a Zeiss 7x42 BGAT seems quite puny. "Drainpipes," indeed!

Unfortunately, the eyecups of my 7x75 Holiday measure a whopping 44mm, which means they can't be positioned on my face properly and sidelight reflects off the prism edges. How are your Sears along these lines, and what is your impression of lateral CA?

Elk

give me a bit of time as i am a bit tied up this coming week, but i will report back on the sears. i also have a mint pair of sans and streiffe 7x35 ewa 683ft at 1000 yards . 998 commander BaK 4 prisms. 13 degrees fully coated. regards stuart.
 
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Stuart,

I share your appreciation for ultra-wide angle binoculars, something that has become a thing of the past. Since Swift contracted with Hiyoshi Kogaku (HK) to manufacture only some products sold under their brand name, HK was also free to make products for other retailers. As I recall, Sears sold quality knives, guns, and binoculars under the "Sears Best" label, and Montgomery Ward had a similar high-end line. For that reason I wouldn't necessarily call what you have a clone.

I own a Swift 7x35 Holiday Mark II (Model 766), also made by HK, with a 600 ft. field. This computes to an 80˚ apparent field, virtually identical to your Sears 10x50. In their advertising literature, Swift mentioned something to the effect that this is as wide as field as the human eye can use. My guess is they were referring to the fact that in order to see the edge of an apparent field this wide, the eye would have to rotate 40˚ — and for many folks their noses would get in the way. Compared to this, the 60.11˚ apparent field of a Zeiss 7x42 BGAT seems quite puny. "Drainpipes," indeed!

Unfortunately, the eyecups of my 7x75 Holiday measure a whopping 44mm, which means they can't be positioned on my face properly and sidelight reflects off the prism edges. How are your Sears along these lines, and what is your impression of lateral CA?

Elk
I have the same problem with the Swift binoculars. Pulling off the rubber eye cups does it for me.
 
I have the same problem with the Swift binoculars. Pulling off the rubber eye cups does it for me.


I don't understand. Wouldn't you get even more sidelight reflections with the eyecups pulled off? Or maybe you are only referring to the eyecup-size problem?

Renze
 
i have just picked up a pair of mint sears 10x50 binoculars, dead ringers of my swift audubons, but a little larger, same b type body, large eyepieces, coatings etc. written on the prism plates is, left hand plate. sears model no 6277-A super wide angle BAk -4 prisms fully amber coated optics. right hand plate, discoverer 10x50 420 ft a 1000 yds magnesium body cf-00631. on hinge bar jb 56 [hiyoshi kogaku co ltd ] i bought these in mint condition complete with case and filters. the image is very sharp [ central ] and very bright and wide. a joy to use, a keeper to go with my 8.5x44 and 10x50 audubons. [ plus some other extreme wide angle binoculars and astro gear ] a clone it maybe , but a very good one. i am a huge fan of wide angle optics both terrestrial and astro, i dont like looking down drainpipes -just no wow factor in it for me.

i have now secured [but not to hand] a sears 7x50,[same model, body and f.o.v. as the above 10x] in good used condition and a jason 7x50 same body and f.o.v. but, i think bk 7 prisms in new condition. i will report on all of these time permiting.
 
I don't understand. Wouldn't you get even more sidelight reflections with the eyecups pulled off? Or maybe you are only referring to the eyecup-size problem?

Renze
Yes you would get more sidelight reflections but the problem I find is the prism reflections. If you have an big broad nose like I have, I can't set the correct IPD as the oculars are to wide and squash my nose:-O
Removing them allows me to view through the centre of the ocular (best quality) and reduce the effect of the prisms.
 
I got a pair of extra-wide Binolux 7x35s that were identical to Swift NightHawks.
Awesome. Huge prisms, lavish view, sharp.
Pays to have a keen eye (and good photos) at auction.
 
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