Karl Stein 6X30 Binocular (1 Viewer)

[stol2004]

Hi!
I have bought today from flea market an ''new'' old binocular and I would like to know more about it because I wasn't able to find any info in internet.
The image quality is very good. I compared to CZ 6X30 and I couldn't tell the difference. Compared it to a Swarovski 7X50 and ofc the Swarovski was brighter and it seemed more sharper and better contrast. The Karl Stein was full of dust when I compared and after I cleaned it home the iq got even better. I payed 20€ and it came with a Swarovski leather case. I have no idea if is original.
Does anybody know anything about this brand? Any info would be very helpful
Thank you!

 

[perterra]

I seem to recall reading that Karl Stein was the first incarnation of Steiner. Triple tested sounds like the old Bushnell logo

 

[Binastro]

I have a nice 6×25 Karl Stein chrome and black extra wide-angle micro-binocular.
It is of course Japanese and was imported and sold by the original Steiner company before they went over to calling the company Steiner.
It says KARL STEIN TAG-NACHT coated optics, on the left outer prism cover.
On the right side it says, 6×25 Field 11.5° No. 142xxx.
They are partly coated. Two rather pale blue coated surfaces, perhaps one or maybe several unusual but distinct pale gold coatings and all the other surfaces are uncoated.
It easily goes in my pocket but it has a lot of pincushion distortion near the edges and the edge performance is not very good.
The clear giveaway stamped into the bottom of the body in the black part is JB 93.
It is in excellent condition and seems to have come from a Scottish estate.

It is not a bad binocular even nowadays as it fits easily in the pocket. But the performance is not up to modern medium to good quality binocular standards.

I think that in the early days some or many of the binoculars sold with this name were imports, with the company name engraved on them and in this case in more than one language.

 

[Bencw]

Hi there,

I don't know much about the binocular, sorry, but just to say the Swarovski Optik case and rain guard are a bargain at that price, the rain guard alone is probably worth more than the 20€ you paid. Nice find.

 

[peatmoss]

Here is a Karl Stein that is currently on ebay. Pic 5 shows a hint of a J-B code, which of course signifies a Japanese product...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KARL-STEIN-...pt=Binocular&hash=item3ce4a8cccd#ht_186wt_888

 

[stol2004]

Here is a Karl Stein that is currently on ebay. Pic 5 shows a hint of a J-B code, which of course signifies a Japanese product...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KARL-STEIN-...pt=Binocular&hash=item3ce4a8cccd#ht_186wt_888

thank you! made in japan is a good or a bad thing for binoculars?
I know for sure that in DSLR world the optics made in Japan are the best .
I have checked the marking on the same spot on my binocular and it is written EBL, as the image shows.
Maybe the other marking helps with something...

 

[peatmoss]

Japanese binoculars of that vintage can be quite good. However, whether they are of Asian origin or European origin can affect their resale value. Nevertheless, if you feel as though they are as good as your Zeiss, than you ought to go ahead and use them!

 

[Binastro]

. Even more revealing on the images of the 7×35 extra wide-angle, 11° claimed field, is the word JAPAN in the centre.
Also, does it say JE 17?
This binocular might be quite good with the extra wide-angle field and looks similar to other Japanese products that are often found in the USA, but unfortunately not so often in the UK.

 

[OPTIC_NUT]

A Decent wide-angled 6x is extremely rare. Nice find!

 

[Binastro]

. Yes it is a nice binocular the 6×25 Karl Stein. I was pleased to get it, especially as it is really an early Steiner binocular, even though Japanese made.
It is centre focus.
It cost £25 including a six months shop guarantee, which of course it didn't need.
It didn't come with its case, just the strap, and I just put it in my pocket if I want to use it.
It is probably as good as new except that the focusing is a bit stiff but not badly so.
It has a curved field, so somebody younger with more accommodation might find the edge performance better.

It has a bit of nostalgia for me, as my first binocular was a 7×23 similar but not particularly wide angle micro binocular, which travelled extensively with me for many years. Eventually the chrome became pitted with slight rust as I used to leave it in my car in its case, and it also eventually went out of collimation, which I never fixed. So this 6×25 is most welcome. It might even fit the old case for the 7×23 but I haven't tried it because then it would be too large to go in my pocket.
Considering that the 7×23 cost from memory about £15 new in the early 1960s, then £25 nowadays is a bargain if one takes inflation into account. Strangely enough, the 7×23 also came from Scotland and was bought from Charles Frank of Glasgow and had their own brand name on it, namely Nipole. So clearly if you bought them wholesale you could have whatever name you wanted on them. Just the same as nowadays. Although the specifications were a lot more honest than some of the fiction you read on some modern binoculars.

 

[bigfield]

I am very sure that these are Japanese made binoculars having nothing to do with the German firm Steiner-Optik Gmbh or it's founder Carl Steiner. Prior to Japanese optics being recognized on their own merits, it was quite common for distributors to make up their own Germanic sounding "brand" markings to invoke German brands like "Carl Zeiss, Jena" and "E. Leitz, Wetzlar". So I have seen Japanese binoculars marked Carl Wetzler, Karl Heitz, Karl Siez, Carl Seitz, Carl Seitz Berlin, Karl Weiz, Carl Wetzlar Jenar, Carl Dietz Jana, and do have a pair of Japanese made Karl Stein binoculars. The museum website www.miniaturebinoculars.com has a section on these mimics, and Hans Seeger's new Zeiss book mentions them. None of these have anything to do with the German firms of Carl Zeiss, E. Leitz or Steiner-Optik, (regardless of seller's claims) and I heard if the names got too close or too many sold the real firms sometimes took legal action against the importers if they could find them. It was not outright deceit:the importers were just making up names to make the products sell better. None of the names were really brands, never trademarked, nothing to do with the manufacturer. By the way, in the case of Carl Wetzlar Japanese binoculars imported into Canada the importer who made the name up was W. Carsen Co Ltd.

 

[WJC]

I am very sure that these are Japanese made binoculars having nothing to do with the German firm Steiner-Optik Gmbh or it's founder Carl Steiner. Prior to Japanese optics being recognized on their own merits, it was quite common for distributors to make up their own Germanic sounding "brand" markings to invoke German brands like "Carl Zeiss, Jena" and "E. Leitz, Wetzlar". So I have seen Japanese binoculars marked Carl Wetzler, Karl Heitz, Karl Siez, Carl Seitz, Carl Seitz Berlin, Karl Weiz, Carl Wetzlar Jenar, Carl Dietz Jana, and do have a pair of Japanese made Karl Stein binoculars. The museum website www.miniaturebinoculars.com has a section on these mimics, and Hans Seeger's new Zeiss book mentions them. None of these have anything to do with the German firms of Carl Zeiss, E. Leitz or Steiner-Optik, (regardless of seller's claims) and I heard if the names got too close or too many sold the real firms sometimes took legal action against the importers if they could find them. It was not outright deceit:the importers were just making up names to make the products sell better. None of the names were really brands, never trademarked, nothing to do with the manufacturer. By the way, in the case of Carl Wetzlar Japanese binoculars imported into Canada the importer who made the name up was W. Carsen Co Ltd.

At Captain's, we sold an Emory & Douglas clock. It was made to resemble a fine old English company although it was a product of Japan or China. The name . . . pulled from the air by the marketing department. :cat:

Cheers,

Bill