I have quite a few CZJ, Docter and Jenoptik binoculars. They are amongst my favoites. The 8x30s Barry bought were made in the mid 80s when CJZ had their multicoatings perfected and they often multicoated thoughout the entire lens and prism light path. Since he didn't mention whether they were Jenoptem or Deltrintem models I find the 8x30 Deltrintem to be heavier and a bit sharper to the edge with large eye lenses so they are easier to use when wearing glasses. I've also seen a pair of 8x30 Jenoptiks made in the Jena region of Germany. They were great and their lightweight housing made them really handy to carry. Their coating technology seemed a bit older-tech but they were very good anyway.
I also have the 7x50 Jenoptem W and the 7x50 Binoctar both by CZJ and in this case the Jenoptem W is lighter and has a wider field but isn't as sharp and contrasty as the Binoctar. Yukon makes a copy of the Jenotem W 7x50 based on CZJ tooling they took as war reparations after WW2 and they are spectacular. So it is possible to get a sharp image from the Jenoptem design especially utilizing modern coatings.
I have 3 pairs of the Dekarem 10x50s, one from the late 70s and two from the mid 80s. From the Jenoptem 10x50s I've seen, it seems like the Old design of the Dekarems became the Jenoptem. The eye lenses are obviously different on the 2 eras of Dekarems I have (oddly enough the older model also has twist up eye cups and the later era ones don't). I have 2 pairs of the mid-80s Dekarem and have yet to find any 10x50 that is as sharp and contrasty especially in the middle of the field. The Docter 10x50 Nobilem Wide angle 10x50s had more stamped parts in them than the Dekarems and they didn't seem to hold up as well even if the optics were the same.
Everyone I know is stunned by the quality of image possible with the CZJ and Docter binoculars. The same is true for people who first see a Yukon, Tento, KOMZ, Berkut, Foton or Baigish binocular. Vacations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland are generally less expensive than vacations to similar places in Germany or Austria, and CZJ binocs are still available there NIB (as are all the other brands I mentioned), there are some great deals on optics available out there. Most of the CZJ binoculars were built using machined steel parts designed to last a lifetime or longer. They will seem heavy to many people now used to lightweight plastic housing roof prism binoculars. The plastic body Jenoptic 8x30 and 10x40 binoculars although porros, are very light. So if the visual image is more important than the weight, then Docter and CZJ binocs are incredible values. In the Russion models the KOMZ, Berkut and Tento binocs are heavy and the Baigish and Yukon models are relatively lighter, and the Foton roof prisms are very light in spite of using metal tubes for the housings.
