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Information on old tecnars? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter RandomPerson101
- Start date
Hi, Binastro is correct, the technar is a one of the lower order budget swift models, I have one and optically it does not match the other models, even the budget model called "greens" by swift is slightly better, the Technars were near the at the bottom of the price range at the time.
Price list here.https://www.flickr.com/photos/95019762@N07/10244836085/
RandomPerson101
New member
Thanks for the replies, I didn't expect them to be all that good anyway, but thank you for the information.
elkcub
Silicon Valley, California
I don't know much about TecnaR binoculars, but yours appear to be a model from the mid-1960s, that was marketed by Pyser-Britex (Swift) Ltd. I've attached pages from their 1966 catalog showing the 8x40 model, as well as their description of what the ZCF® mark means.
Ed
Attachments
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I had a look yesterday at a 10×50 Tecnar by Swift.
It says coated optics and there are two parallel orange bands.
It says 10×50 367 feet at 1000 yards wide angle No. 1063.
The main problem with this binocular is that the very wide and long indented focus wheel moves with the slightest pressure. It is impossible to maintain focus unless you keep both forefingers lightly touching the focuser.
However, this is not particularly difficult and it is much better than the toggle bar used on some Bushnell binoculars and others.
The full range of focus from close to far is achieved with only 100° rotation.
In fact it says on the very large focus wheel ' swift' ' focus'.
The white sticker says 'passed' and it may suggest that the binocular was made in May 1961.
It also says on the binocular Japan and JB139.
There are only two light blue coated surfaces. One on the objective and one on the eyepiece. All the other surfaces are uncoated.
The weight is ridiculously small for a 10×50 binocular at 721 g.
There is pincushion distortion which is not particularly bad.
The collimation is very good may be perfect.
There is some haze in both barrels with the left side being noticeably dimmer than the right side.
It comes with 4 lens caps and a quite good black square Japanese case which still has a silica gel small packet inside.
The exit pupils are some of the squarest I have ever seen. The prisms seem to be undersize. In fact the binocular is probably actually a 10×42 or 10×40 rather than 10×50.
There are rubber eyecups and rubber protectors around the front cells.
Although nowadays such a binocular would not sell but 50 years ago it was probably a justified cheap binocular.
In fact I've seen brand-new Bresser 10×50 binoculars purportedly German, which have worse performance than this and probably made in China. It is unlikely these will be around in 50 years time and they will more likely be filling up landfill sites.
It says coated optics and there are two parallel orange bands.
It says 10×50 367 feet at 1000 yards wide angle No. 1063.
The main problem with this binocular is that the very wide and long indented focus wheel moves with the slightest pressure. It is impossible to maintain focus unless you keep both forefingers lightly touching the focuser.
However, this is not particularly difficult and it is much better than the toggle bar used on some Bushnell binoculars and others.
The full range of focus from close to far is achieved with only 100° rotation.
In fact it says on the very large focus wheel ' swift' ' focus'.
The white sticker says 'passed' and it may suggest that the binocular was made in May 1961.
It also says on the binocular Japan and JB139.
There are only two light blue coated surfaces. One on the objective and one on the eyepiece. All the other surfaces are uncoated.
The weight is ridiculously small for a 10×50 binocular at 721 g.
There is pincushion distortion which is not particularly bad.
The collimation is very good may be perfect.
There is some haze in both barrels with the left side being noticeably dimmer than the right side.
It comes with 4 lens caps and a quite good black square Japanese case which still has a silica gel small packet inside.
The exit pupils are some of the squarest I have ever seen. The prisms seem to be undersize. In fact the binocular is probably actually a 10×42 or 10×40 rather than 10×50.
There are rubber eyecups and rubber protectors around the front cells.
Although nowadays such a binocular would not sell but 50 years ago it was probably a justified cheap binocular.
In fact I've seen brand-new Bresser 10×50 binoculars purportedly German, which have worse performance than this and probably made in China. It is unlikely these will be around in 50 years time and they will more likely be filling up landfill sites.
. These star images in the tecnar 10×50 are surprisingly good.
The field of view is about 6.8° although 7.0° is claimed.
During the day there is a small amount of chromatic aberration visible on axis.
The resolution is reasonably good.
The contrast is low probably because of the haze on the optics and also the almost complete lack of coating.
At the extreme edge there is just a blur but this improves quite quickly away from the edge.
The main problem with this binocular is the useless focusing wheel.
I don't know if using heavy grease would solve this problem, but it is impossible to maintain focus.
If you see a tecnar binocular by Swift make sure it has a normal focuser and not a rapid focus wheel as this binocular is more or less useless at the moment.
It is anyway a budget binocular and much better binoculars are available second hand for not a lot of money.
The field of view is about 6.8° although 7.0° is claimed.
During the day there is a small amount of chromatic aberration visible on axis.
The resolution is reasonably good.
The contrast is low probably because of the haze on the optics and also the almost complete lack of coating.
At the extreme edge there is just a blur but this improves quite quickly away from the edge.
The main problem with this binocular is the useless focusing wheel.
I don't know if using heavy grease would solve this problem, but it is impossible to maintain focus.
If you see a tecnar binocular by Swift make sure it has a normal focuser and not a rapid focus wheel as this binocular is more or less useless at the moment.
It is anyway a budget binocular and much better binoculars are available second hand for not a lot of money.