Zeiss 8x30B Oberkochen Porro's, A Few Ergonomic Tips (1 Viewer)

[joejeweler]

I pointed out a couple of things I do to make use of my Zeiss 8x30B Oberkochen porro's as a response in another thread, but thought I should post in the Zeiss forum also, as that's where folks looking for tips on these might search.

These were initially a problem for me viewing, as I do wear eyeglasses, but NOT when viewing through a bino. The view is clearer for me, with no chance of scratching my eyeglass lenses a side benefit. I simply flip up my eyeglasses when using any binocular.

However, if not locked in somehow these 8x30B Oberkochen will tend to black out while viewing. They only have the hard plastic non-extendable eyecups readily available, but there is an easy way to secure them to something "solid".

Rather than having these flopping around and trying to maintain a viewable full image with them offset from my eyes, I simply hold them with both index fingers following the upper curve of the eyepieces, but creating a "spacer" between the eyecup and my eyebrows.

This effectively gives a very solid platform to lock in the correct distance to maintain a consistant view. You DO, however, require both fingers to be present! :-O Focusing is done using a middle finger, since both index fingers are occupied to space the eye relief for best view.

One other thing about most of the Zeiss 8x30B Oberkochen porros that can be a bit annoying is the strap connecting points. They are located at the center hinge, and tend to brush up against your nose while viewing. This is more than a bit distracting!

Zeiss later changed the strap mounting position, to the outside of the tubes as usually seen. However, the annoyance can be overcome on the original versions by using one of your thumbs to push the straps away from your nose while viewing. This works very well.......

.........so a well designed (optically) Zeiss 8x30B Oberkochen porro becomes much more user friendly without eyeglasses, so long as you make use of both index fingers,........ and a thumb. :t:

 

[james holdsworth]

I pointed out a couple of things I do to make use of my Zeiss 8x30B Oberkochen porro's as a response in another thread, but thought I should post in the Zeiss forum also, as that's where folks looking for tips on these might search.

These were initially a problem for me viewing, as I do wear eyeglasses but NOT when viewing through a bino. The view is clearer for me, with no chance of scratching my eyeglass lenses a side benefit. I simply flip up my glasses when using any binocular.

However, if not locked in somehow these 8x30B Oberkochen will tend to black out while viewing. They only have the hard plastic non-extendable eyecups readily available, but there is an easy way to secure them to something "solid".

Rather than having these flopping around and trying to maintain a viewable full image with them offset from my eyes, I simply hold them with both index fingers following the upper curve of the eyepieces, but creating a "spacer" between the eyecup and my eyebrows.

This effectively gives a very solid platform to lock in the correct distance to maintain a consistant view. You DO, however, require both fingers to be present! :-O Focusing is done using a middle finger, since both index fingers are occupied to space the eye relief for best view.

One other thing about most of the Zeiss 8x30B Oberkochen porros that can be a bit annoying is the strap connecting points. They are located at the center hinge, and tend to brush up against your nose while viewing. This is more than a bit distracting!

Zeiss later changed the strap mounting position, to the outside of the tubes as usually seen. However, the annoyance can be overcome on the original versions by using one of your thumbs to push the straps away from your nose while viewing. This works very well.......

.........so a well designed (optically) Zeiss 8x30B Oberkochen porro becomes much more user friendly without eyeglasses, so long as you make use of both index fingers,........ and a thumb. :t:

Interesting.

My 8x30 is later version [1973] and is the wide-angle model. If yours has hard eye-cups, it is not a ''B'', as that mark [B for''brille''] indicates fold down rubber eyecups for eyeglass wearers. My version has a very forgiving exit pupil - you can just about jam your eyes all the way in with no blackouts.

 

[joejeweler]

Interesting.

My 8x30 is later version [1973] and is the wide-angle model. If yours has hard eye-cups, it is not a ''B'', as that mark [B for''brille''] indicates fold down rubber eyecups for eyeglass wearers. My version has a very forgiving exit pupil - you can just about jam your eyes all the way in with no blackouts.

Well,....my example most definately IS marked 8x30 B , with the eye relief was set up for mainly eyeglass wearing use. (since the eyecups don't fold up.) Unlike you, I cannot " ....just about jam your eyes all the way in with no blackouts". The blackouts appear quite easily if the binos are not positioned in a fixed way.

Also, my understanding was the "B" (for "brille") simply means "glasses" (for eyeglasses),....making extended eye relief necessary, and not indicating the use of rubber in the eyecups. I confirmed that with a quick german to english google translation.

My example is as close to mint as you're likely to find, and was just serviced a few weeks ago by Zeiss to remove a little age related gassing on the internals as well as re-lubing and adjustment. (At NO charge BTW, ....Above & beyond Great Service for a 50 year old binocular bought used, with no reasonable expectation of warrantee coverage!)

Since my example appears to have seen so little actual use, and the Zeiss service reflecting nothing to address an incorrect eyecup set in place,.....I have to believe that's how some of them came originally. My use of index fingers spacing to lock the binoculars tight to the eyebrows works well enough to get around this problem, when using without eyeglasses as I prefer.

Mine is of the earlier type, with the shorter FOV than yours, and as mentioned odd placement of the strap lugs in the hinge area which you may not have on your example.

I suspect there have been various incarnations regarding the eyecup specs over the years it was produced.

 

[Hermann]

Since my example appears to have seen so little actual use, and the Zeiss service reflecting nothing to address an incorrect eyecup set in place,.....I have to believe that's how some of them came originally.

The 8x30B *never* came with hard eyecups. They always came with fold-down rubber eyecups that looked basically just like the ones used on the Classic series. However, I seem to remember reading somewhere that hard eyecups were available as an extra for people who wanted to use them exclusively without glasses.

If your pair is indeed a B-model (that can be verified easily, if it has a plane eyepiece lens it is the B-model), you should be able to get rubber eyecups from Zeiss. As far as I know they still have them.

Hermann

 

[james holdsworth]

The 8x30B *never* came with hard eyecups. They always came with fold-down rubber eyecups that looked basically just like the ones used on the Classic series. However, I seem to remember reading somewhere that hard eyecups were available as an extra for people who wanted to use them exclusively without glasses.

If your pair is indeed a B-model (that can be verified easily, if it has a plane eyepiece lens it is the B-model), you should be able to get rubber eyecups from Zeiss. As far as I know they still have them.

Hermann

Shouldn't it [the bin] also have a ''8x30B'' on the prism plate? Mine does BTW.

 

[John Dracon]

Joe - Those hard plastic eyecups are aftermarket stuff. You will see them on Ebay. My experience is that sometimes people remove the rubber fold down cups for personal use with other Zeiss B models or sell them for higher prices. Hermann' s comments
are accurate.

John

 

[Hermann]

Shouldn't it [the bin] also have a ''8x30B'' on the prism plate? Mine does BTW.

Sure. But I've seen at least two 8x30 porros with Erfle eyepieces that had a prism plate saying "8x30B". Presumably people had taken one from an 8x30B (possibly one that had been damaged beyond repair) to get a higher price for the 8x30 as an 8x30B always fetches higher prices than an 8x30. Especially the later version of the 8x30B is a sought-after collector's item, and some collectors don't really know all that much about what it is they're collecting ...

Hermann

 

[joejeweler]

Shouldn't it [the bin] also have a ''8x30B'' on the prism plate? Mine does BTW.

Yes,.....My Zeiss porro is marked 8x30B on the prism plate. The eye relief is definately OUT-Standing, as without my fingers spacing the distance out to my eyebrows I can't see sheeeeet! :-O

The 8x30B *never* came with hard eyecups. They always came with fold-down rubber eyecups that looked basically just like the ones used on the Classic series. However, I seem to remember reading somewhere that hard eyecups were available as an extra for people who wanted to use them exclusively without glasses.

If your pair is indeed a B-model (that can be verified easily, if it has a plane eyepiece lens it is the B-model), you should be able to get rubber eyecups from Zeiss. As far as I know they still have them.

Hermann

Joe - Those hard plastic eyecups are aftermarket stuff. You will see them on Ebay. My experience is that sometimes people remove the rubber fold down cups for personal use with other Zeiss B models or sell them for higher prices. Hermann' s comments
are accurate.

John

Thanks Hermann and John......

I suspect the previous owner wanted these for strictly eyeglass use, and changed the eyecups then. The eyepieces being hard plastic, I bet they they worked OK back then as most (if not all) eyeglasses were made from GLASS. Being much harder than the plastic eyepieces not a problem.

Today most everyone chooses plastic or acrylic lenses of some type to decrease the weight, and a hard eyepiece is going to impart scratches over time to the eyeglass lenses.

I'll check with Zeiss to see if they still have a supply of rubber eyepieces fitting the old Oberkochen's.

cheers,
Joe T

 

[Bencw]

The 8x30B *never* came with hard eyecups. They always came with fold-down rubber eyecups that looked basically just like the ones used on the Classic series. However, I seem to remember reading somewhere that hard eyecups were available as an extra for people who wanted to use them exclusively without glasses.
Hermann

My 8x30B Oberkochen is also mint and has the original rubber eye cups, it is the later one with the lanyard attached to each side. I do not use glasses with my binoculars, but find the eye relief fine with the rubber cups. I bought some hard plastic eye cups which fit the 8x30B, when I put them on I found straight off that I was getting blackouts that I don't get with the rubber cups.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95019762@N07/9322493318/

Regards,
Ben

 

[joejeweler]

My 8x30B Oberkochen is also mint and has the original rubber eye cups, it is the later one with the lanyard attached to each side. I do not use glasses with my binoculars, but find the eye relief fine with the rubber cups. I bought some hard plastic eye cups which fit the 8x30B, when I put them on I found straight off that I was getting blackouts that I don't get with the rubber cups.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95019762@N07/9322493318/

Regards,
Ben

Yes,....that is exactly what happens with me, using the short hard plastic eyecups. I always assumed that is how they came for this model, but now can followup with Zeiss to try and get a set of rubber ones.

The "technique" I described previously using your index fingers as a spacer is still worthwhile to know,.....since you never know what glass you may find set up this way. At least it can be used while searching out proper ones.