For nearly 40 years I've owned a pair of green rubber armored Bushnell 8x30 Compact Wide Angle (446 ft. at 1000 yds.) binoculars. The original box and owner’s manual are long gone, so I've never really known exactly what I have. Several years ago I asked Bushnell for information and received a scan of an original catalog page (UK, circa 1981) that shows these binoculars are model #13-8330 from the Sportview Armoured Binoculars series. (The series included a 7x50 "Extra Bright" model.) The optical quality is quite good for a (presumably) low-priced binoculars.
The center post is embossed with "Japan J-B133" and stamped "Q. 2757" (presumably the serial number). Curiously, the badge on my pair has the name "BUSHNEL" (missing the final "L").
My questions:
Thanks!
The center post is embossed with "Japan J-B133" and stamped "Q. 2757" (presumably the serial number). Curiously, the badge on my pair has the name "BUSHNEL" (missing the final "L").
My questions:
- Is the "BUSHNEL" misspelling likely an odd factory error? Or could it indicate a fake/counterfeit? (There's room on the badge for another "L", if that's any clue.)
- If the model number is #13-8330, what does "J-B133" mean?
- Assuming these were sold in both the USA and UK, did Bushnell use different model numbers for different markets?
- Does the "Q. 2757" serial number help identify the year of manufacture?
- It's interesting that Bushnell's marketing blurb says these are "Zeiss styled binoculars" (presumably because the familiar porro prism design was long associated with the Zeiss name and, by inference, Zeiss quality). When did binocular company marketers stop comparing themselves to Zeiss?
Thanks!