I do not like green cast and ham - 10x alpha redux (1 Viewer)

[jring]

In fact, the dramatic loss of transmission of the EDF in the short-wavelength regime has hardly any impact on its effective (perceived) brightness, because the blue and violet parts of the spectrum have such a low weight. It is fascinating that, despite of the tiny contribution of the violet to the brightness, its absence causes a very visible color shift of the image. As a result, the image looks yellow, yet bright.

Hi Holger,

thanks for this enlightening post!
I think that the effect you describe above is easily explained by the fact that perceived brightness is usually interesting in low-light situations.

And in those, our eye only uses rods with a maximum sensitivity at 500nm and that is what a lot of binocular makers optimized for in binoculars for professional use - thus accepting a yellow tint (prominent examples are east bloc military bins and the infamous Swaro Blaubelag).

These bins with a strong tint (unlike the Zeiss FL and SF with their barely noticeable tint which this thread started about) are not so great for birding.

Joachim

 

[Binastro]

Hi Holger.
Cerium oxide came up when researching radioactive glass.
It was I thought used also to whiten glass, but I cannot remember the details.
In addition glass makers were unwilling to discuss radioactive glass, although some senior chemists helped.
The glass used for thick protective windows was also mentioned and heavy UV light was used to make it relatively clear again.

 

[Troubador]

Lee, post 136,
Which model SF did you buy.the Super Fuzzy, the Smart Fantasy or the one with incorporated illumination?

Gijs van Ginkel

Gijs
I don't remember which version I got and I can't read the carton because I am so dazzled by this yellow light that I have been exposed to ever since I got my FLs in November 2004. It is a terrible blow to find that I have been looking through rubbish binoculars all of this time and never noticed it!. I feel betrayed and let down. Oh well, there is always Meopta to run to.......

Lee

 

[Binastro]

Unfortunately the senior chemist may not be around any more.
The weak radioactivity of commercial grade cerium oxide used to treat glass in itself may contain thorium.
So it is difficult to be sure whether a low weight thorium glass is present or cerium oxide treated glass.

Does the 7x40 binocular show traces of radioactivity?

There is another chemist who I will ask also as to what cerium oxide was used for in glass making.

 

[Binastro]

The mile high club in Colorado may indeed be relevant.
It may be that the planet Mercury is seen as white in Colorado, where many see it as pink.
In England I see Mercury as pink.
In very clear overseas air it is white to me.

Most think it is pink.

 

[Binastro]

Hi Gijs,
Re. the Zeiss 10x50 single coated binocular.
60% transmission seems low. Is this because of transmission losses in the glass?

 

[Troubador]

But the point is some people don't like it.

Some people don't like Rolling Ball but Swarovski has persisted with it.
You don't see it so its not a problem for you.

I don't see a yellow tint in Zeisses.
Its not a problem for me.

Easy peasy.

Lee

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Here the spectra if everything goes according to plan,
Gijs

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Binastro, I had sent another reaction also, but that disappeard, so I will repeat it.
The Carl Zeiss 10x50 porro I have investigated is one of the very first ones made in Oberkochen and I think it is produced in the period 1957-1960, so before the DDR came into being. In post 1668 I have inserted spectra of different production years and of different companies, so you can compare. I have not dismantled the instruments, so I do not know how many optical components they each have.

Holger, pos 159,
Thank you for your calculations and added info, very informative.

For those who worry about the radioactivity in the cerium loaded optics of the 7x40 Aus Jena: it was supposed to be kept as a secret, but since this not an open source I can confess that we have used the binocular as the source of our own micro nuclear power plant, so we are completely independent for our energy supply, but do not tell anybody please, since there may come a run on the 7x40's.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[Binastro]

Thanks Gijs for the transmission details, and it is good to know you don't have to pay for energy supplies.

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

Lee, post 163,
Very wise to switch from the SF to one of the Meopta's. I did not dare to mention it on this forum, but you probably share the same experiences. We live in a rather rainy country and I always get wet when I use an open bridge binocular, some of the test secrets nobody wants to mention I guess. It is sometimes so bad that the whole world turns green and yellow for my eyes, but you undoubtedly know the experience.
So: lots of happiness with the watertight Meopta's, I will follow soon probably, especially with the rainy season coming.
Gijs van Ginkel.

 

[[email protected]]

Gijs
I don't remember which version I got and I can't read the carton because I am so dazzled by this yellow light that I have been exposed to ever since I got my FLs in November 2004. It is a terrible blow to find that I have been looking through rubbish binoculars all of this time and never noticed it!. I feel betrayed and let down. Oh well, there is always Meopta to run to.......

Lee

I tried a Meopta once and although I liked the optics I didn't really care for the ergonomics. They just felt kind of chunky compared to a Swaro or Zeiss. I should try one again. There are some pretty good buys on them now. You are not starting to like the Meopta better are you? I remember Frank really liked the Meopta's. I would like to try the 8x56 Meopta. I wonder if it could compete with the Swarovski 8x56 SLC?

 

[[email protected]]

Some people don't like Rolling Ball but Swarovski has persisted with it.
You don't see it so its not a problem for you.

I don't see a yellow tint in Zeisses.
Its not a problem for me.

Easy peasy.

Lee

I didn't see a yellow tint in Zeiss's either. In fact I didn't see a green tint in the Zeiss SF in Cabella's. I would still be willing to try a pair if you send me the money even after all this talk of a green tint. I still like the ergonomics on them and the focus.

 

[cycleguy]

The mile high club in Colorado may indeed be relevant.
It may be that the planet Mercury is seen as white in Colorado, where many see it as pink.
In England I see Mercury as pink.
In very clear overseas air it is white to me.

Most think it is pink.

Psychedelic colors and a whiter shade of pale are what many experience here in the mile high... peace!!!:smoke:

CG

 

[perterra]

I tried a Meopta once and although I liked the optics I didn't really care for the ergonomics. They just felt kind of chunky compared to a Swaro or Zeiss. I should try one again. There are some pretty good buys on them now. You are not starting to like the Meopta better are you? I remember Frank really liked the Meopta's. I would like to try the 8x56 Meopta. I wonder if it could compete with the Swarovski 8x56 SLC?

This is the part I struggle with, if you enjoy the Swaro, why look constantly to replace them?

 

[[email protected]]

Because I just like to try different binoculars. You really only need one good pair of binoculars for birding but I LIKE binoculars. I don't need three pair of Swarovski's but I like them. That is the trouble with humans we are never satisfied. We are always searching and exploring for something better. It is the grass is always greener syndrome. That is partly why we are struggling with pollution of the environment and global warming. We get restless. That is why Columbus discovered America. We are constantly searching beyond our horizon. That is why we went to the moon when there is really no reason to. I am a good example of that character trait. I like optics ,as well as, I do birding and I love to try different optics and binoculars. It started when I had an Amateur Astronomy in college. For some weird reason telescopes and optics really interested me and I have been buying and selling and using telescopes and binoculars ever since. The physics and the math just interested me. You know the bigger the aperture the more light that is collected. That sort of stuff. The stars and night sky interest me also.

 

[Troubador]

I tried a Meopta once and although I liked the optics I didn't really care for the ergonomics. They just felt kind of chunky compared to a Swaro or Zeiss. I should try one again. There are some pretty good buys on them now. You are not starting to like the Meopta better are you? I remember Frank really liked the Meopta's. I would like to try the 8x56 Meopta. I wonder if it could compete with the Swarovski 8x56 SLC?

Look Dennis, I know I stand up for Zeiss all the time but I its very rare that I don't like other bins that I try. But having tried other brands in the past like Swift (1), Leica (2) and Swarovski (1) I just prefer Zeiss.

Now Meopta is a new brand for me to try and I am testing an 8x32 right now and although I think I know what you mean by chunky, I find that it handles and functions really sweetly. So actually it is the ergonomics that I found really nice and the optics are great too. Even Troubadoris likes it and normally she just sticks to her Leicas.

Lee

 

[Troubador]

Because I just like to try different binoculars. You really only need one good pair of binoculars for birding but I LIKE binoculars. I don't need three pair of Swarovski's but I like them. That is the trouble with humans we are never satisfied. We are always searching and exploring for something better. It is the grass is always greener syndrome. That is partly why we are struggling with pollution of the environment and global warming. We get restless. That is why Columbus discovered America. We are constantly searching beyond our horizon. That is why we went to the moon when there is really no reason to.

Dennis

You should get this set to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and turned into a Broadway musical.

And I am only joking a little bit, its quite a poetic evocation of why we try new things.

Lee

 

[perterra]

Because I just like to try different binoculars. You really only need one good pair of binoculars for birding but I LIKE binoculars. I don't need three pair of Swarovski's but I like them. That is the trouble with humans we are never satisfied. We are always searching and exploring for something better. It is the grass is always greener syndrome. That is partly why we are struggling with pollution of the environment and global warming. We get restless. That is why Columbus discovered America. We are constantly searching beyond our horizon. That is why we went to the moon when there is really no reason to. I am a good example of that character trait. I like optics ,as well as, I do birding and I love to try different optics and binoculars. It started when I had an Amateur Astronomy in college. For some weird reason telescopes and optics really interested me and I have been buying and selling and using telescopes and binoculars ever since. The physics and the math just interested me. You know the bigger the aperture the more light that is collected. That sort of stuff. The stars and night sky interest me also.

Not everyone, I'm perfectly happy with the Conquest HD, drive a 10 year old Toyota Tacoma, and drink cheap beer, I carry a 20 year old Spyderco pocket knife given to me by a friend, I have better knives, but they rarely leave the shoebox. Because when I look at the Spyderco, I think of my compadre. I find something that works well for me, and then go about making memories with it. I can look at dings, worn paint and scratches on everything I own, and I can tell you what I was doing when it happened.

The objects are tools to do what I want to, or need to. Good tools are really great, but I have found the very best in anything is only a slight improvement from very good.

 

[Troubador]

This is so true. The Seiko watch I am wearing just now was a cheap one and it is so scratched you wouldn't believe, but those scratches we all made when we have been rock-pooling and taking photos of inter-tidal marine life. When we are back home I like to look at the scratches and remember how they got there.

This last week I had to replace my DSLR camera and the new one (same model) came with a new strap but I put the strap on from my old camera. Its the same design but its been places and we've seen stuff and photo'd it so I figure the old strap has a bit of my life invested in it and will bring me a bit of luck down the line with the new camera. OK its crazy voodoo but its just a bit of sentimental foolishness.

Lee