the Kern 8x30 army issue (1 Viewer)

Am wondering what binocular collectors think of the Kern 8x30 army issue? Not the latest rubber covered ones with filters, but the classic Zeiss porro type coming with a composite case. The optics were made by Leica but the rest is Swiss. Two types were made, one with slide up eye cups and the other with fold down rubber cups. My first introduction to the Kern was a really beat up pair I bought and disassembled. The oculars and objective lens were chipped and the chassis looked like it had been dragged behind a pickup on a gravel road. Yet it was still in colimation. For a non-rubber covered body, I would rate the Kern the toughest binocular I have ever seen. The prisms are both glued and strapped in. It is build to high Swiss standards. Folks have been turned off by the rangefinder (it can be removed - I have done it with a number of Kerns) and the IF feature, but the optics are excellent with a wide field. It sits in my pickup as an "emergency" glass. They came on ebay for reasonable prices in the past, but the supply seems to have dried up. I believe it is the best surplus 8x30 out there. Any comments from Kern users. John

John Dracon said:

Am wondering what binocular collectors think of the Kern 8x30 army issue... Any comments from Kern users.
John

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Hello John,

Indeed it is a good binocular but the IF is poor for bird watching. Although it is rugged, lack of multicoating certainly put it in the previous technological generation. For opitcs, wider field, brilliance and contrast, the Nikon EII, certainly is superior, if a bit more delicate.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

This type of Kern 8x30 was produced at a time, when Kern and Wild still were competing, definitively not cooperating. Wild, which later took over Kern, Leica and several other optical companies, finally dropped their original name in favor of Leica. Kern, sufficiently skilled, (having designed and produced special movie lenses ordered by NASA for the moon landings), certainly didn't need Leitz as supplier of optical components.

My Kern 8x30 Pizar (s/n 79614) is not a military model; it more resembles the ubiquitous Zeiss Jena 8x30 Jenoptem/Deltrintem of the post-WW2 period, or the Nikon E series, but is exquisitely finished in fine-grain leatherette and high-gloss hard black paint/lacquer. It oozes impeccable build quality, plain and simple but breathtaking, like a traditional Swiss watch. This may sound like hyperbole, but it really is wonderful to behold, and handle. I am not certain of its age, but would guess it's 1960s/1970s (if anyone can date it from the serial number, that would be nice). Even the case is classy: nothing fancy, just solid light brown leather with burgundy/brown lining. My example is mint and immaculate, as if it came from the factory yesterday. Focus is silky smooth with just the right resistance, the main hinge being firm. The optics are clear and clean, don't appear to be coated, at least not multi-coated, but render a sharp image probably on a par with Zeiss Jena 8x30 current at that time, but not quite up to my Nikon series A 7x35 (to my eyes). Anyone familiar with Kern camera lenses, supplied to top-end makers like Alpa and the Bolex cine range, will know what I mean. If the internals are anything like the external quality, they must be very good indeed. I admit this Kern is a collectable rather than a user, if only to preserve its pristine condition. The eye-cups and focus wheel are glossy bakelite, with everything else metal. Graphics are precision engraved, like a watch dial, including the Aarau 'crossbow' emblem. I've seen many old classic binoculars: Leitz, Hensoldt, Zeiss, Swarovski, Optolyth, Taylor Hobson; but in my opinion this Kern gives the impression of unmatched Swiss engineering, even though it's lightweight and elegant. It's also pretty rare, which enhances the pleasure of ownership. An extraordinary 'keeper'...

Arthur, Hans, and James - Sorry it has taken me so long to thank you for your responses on the Kern. At the time I started the thread, my only son, age 46, was in the throes of ideopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a fatal lung disease with no known etiology or treatment. He died in early March, and I'm just getting back into binocular chit chat.

I see few Kerns for sale. They really are beautifully made. John

Condolences

I am very sorry for your loss, John...Bro. Steve

Here is a link from below (Bird Forum) on them:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=73157

See Henry Link's comments. And Leica's version below.

http://www.deutscheoptik.com/catalo...d=474&osCsid=152ce56c998ca371950605057a3f4e84

Condolences,
Bob