Optolyth Binoculars. (1 Viewer)

Dear Members and readers,
Please could anyone give myself any interesting information regarding the once known, or should I say still well known optics company (Optolyth) please? Any information would be of considerable interest to myself due to myself never, ever having the pleasure of owning such binoculars.
However, I foolishly sold my Optolyth TSNB telescope for a particularly low price, "sorry, tell a lie ,I stupidly swapped it for for New Nat titles and some other Poyser books.
I would also be interested in obtaining a very good condition pair of bins, either porro or roof prism and also in the future i'd like to acquire an extendable spotting scope, the ones like they use for (Deerstalking) if one ever becomes available.
I'm not a person who knows much about their history and company history, however, they are known for producing outstanding and somewhat quality optics if used for birdwatching or hunting. Also of course if someone could enlighten myself on their customer service please of which is always an important aspect, especially when the sale of telescopes, Riflescopes or binoculars. Any information via the site correspondence or private mail would be warmly received and appreciated immensely .
My best wishes and best regards, Woodcock.

Hi Woodcock1965.

I don't think that Optolyth make any binoculars any more.
Only imported binoculars with their name on them.

The old 12x50 is I think actually only 12x42 with undersized prisms and light weight, but some users love them.

Binastro said:

Hi Woodcock1965.

I don't think that Optolyth make any binoculars any more.
Only imported binoculars with their name on them.

The old 12x50 is I think actually only 12x42 with undersized prisms and light weight, but some users love them.

Click to expand...

Their website says the spotting scopes are “100%” made in Germany and extends the claim to all of their other products.

Best,
Jerry

Hi Woodcock,

I happen to own 2 binos from Optolyth:

- Alpin Classic 10x40, Porro prisms, field of view 5.8 o = 101m, 591 grams (measured with eyecaps and strap)

- Royal 8x56, Abbe-König prisms, field of view 6.3 o = 110m, 1‘174 grams (with eyecaps and strap)

The Alpin Classic is optically okay, but nothing to write home about; quite lightweight for a 10x40, mechanically okay but not superb (bridge rocks just slightly).

The Royal is in many ways a „copy“ of the same size Zeiss Dialyt: same form, same size, almost same weight, very similar rubber armour, same field of view, etc. I heard a saying once that the Optolyth was „the poor man‘s Zeiss“, and I believe the reference was to this model (when I bought it, it was about half the price of the Dialyt).
The Royal is nicely finished, mechanically exellent, and optically good - just not quite as good as the Dialyt - with some nice details (two central focusing wheels, one at the front of the central hinge and one on the back, so the user can choose what he or she prefers). I like it.

I bought the two Optolyths (the Alpin at a reduced price) about 4 years ago when I realized that Optolyth seemed to withdraw from the Swiss market, at least the binocular side (I am not familiar with the riflescope side). I asked around, but did not get clear answers as to whether Optolyth was staying in the sports optics business longer term or not.
My feeling is that customer service might be an issue, but I could be wrong, so don‘t rely on this statement.

As far as I am aware, Optolyth’s spotting scopes have a good reputation among hunters, and they seem priced attractively.

Below is a picture of the Optolyth Royal next to the Zeiss Dialyt and the Hensoldt Nacht-Dialyt (the all share the same optical concept with Abbe-König prisms).

Canip

Canip,

Very nice glass, thanks for the descriptions on the Optolyth, I think Deutsche Optik used to sell these. I missed out on a nice 8X56 BT P Dialyt a short time ago because of work. The Dialyt 8X56 is tough to find in really good shape these days, it is more luck than anything in finding one.

Andy W.

Optolyth Sill Optics

Seems as though Optolyth are back in production but the parent company is called Sill Optics.

Sill Optics GmbH & Co. KG
Johann-Höllfritsch-Str. 13
DE-90530 Wendelstein
Germany

Phone: +49(0)9129/9023-20
Fax: +49(0)9129/9023-23
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: http://www.optolyth.de, http://www.silloptics.de

Very nice info 'Phillipe' :-O and a very nice photo.

Lee

I have the Royal 10x45 phase coated Abbe-Konig prisms along w/two focus wheels & rubber style armour/BGA. The rainguard is wonderfull as very pliable. Raised Optolyth on the outside w/Made in Germany within a circle on the inside. A bit much of focus travel though most is at closer ranges. No objective covers or tripod mount.

Works for me. I have an old thread up:

https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=319397

Here's a review of the Royal 8x56 & the colour/markings are identical to mine.

https://www.allbinos.com/178-binoculars_review-Optolyth_Royal_8x56_BGA.html

In the documentation I could find I reconstructed the following history of Optolyth:
In 1856 Johann Georg Silll established in Nurnberg, Germany an optical company in which he made especially lenses for magic lanterns and lenses for other companies. After his death his daughter Maria Roth-Sill continued the company until 1918. Her only remaing son (the other one was killed in WW-1) Ernst Casimir Roth took charge of the company. He establsihed in 1922 the Optical Glasgrinding Emil Casimir Roth, where simple Holland binoculars (the Lipperheij type now often wrongly indicated as Galilean glasses), telescopes etc. were made. In 1939 he bought in the village Oed a building in which had glass grinding facilities.
After WW-2 he startd there together with his son Walther Roth production of magnifying glasses and cheap binoculars. The Optolyth Osiris binoculars were an early series. The company also made binoculars and lenses for Hans Hensoldt (that is not the other branch of the family Moritz Hensoldt and sons, which became later part of the Zeiss concern) in Wetzlar. Through Hans Hensoldt the name Optolyth Optik came into life. In 1965 production of a fairly large production range of binoculars and telescopes under the name Optolyth started. Well known are the Optolyth Alpin porro-1 binoculars and the roof prism binoculars Touring, Sporting and Royal. Optolyth had and still has a fairly large programme of different types of telescopes. In 2004 Optolyth Optics was bought by Sill Optics from Nurnberg and the production facility was transferred from Oed to Wendelstein near Nurnberg. In 2008 Optolyth merged with Sill Optics and it now exists only as Sill Optics. Assembly of optical products takes place in the company in Sorg-Wendelstein.
Test reports of some of the Optolyth telescopes and binoculars can be found on the WEB-site of House of Outdoor.
Gijs van Ginkel

Gijs
Thank you indeed for this fascinating history. Does the current Sill Optics, Nurnberg, have any connection to the Roth-Sill family? If not then it is a strange coincidence to have a Hensoldt that is not the Zeiss-Hensoldt and a Sill that is not connected to the original family.

Lee

Lee, post 11,
I really do not know, but that can be found undoubtedly.
Optolyth has made in the course of time a large binocular and telescope programme as I will try to show below.
- Optolyth pocket 8x22 both binocular as monocular, FOV 115m/1000m

Optolyt Osiris porro-1 (3 types with or withour rubber armor).
- Osiris 8x30 350g (GA 360g) FOV 125m/1000m
- Osiris 8x40 440g (GA 450g) FOV 100m/1000m
- Osiris 10x40 440g (GA450g), FOV 95m/1000m
No name porro 1:
- 8x30 and 8x30 WW, 430/440g, FOV 120m/1000m or 150m/1000m
- 10x50, 630 g, FOV 88m/1000m
- 7x40, 630g, FOV 90m/1000m
- 12x50, 630g, FOV80m/1000m

Optolyth Royal series 1 without and with Rubber Armor (GA), (SP roof prisms?)
- 8x30,620g (GA 630g), FOV 130m/1000m
- 10x40, 800g (GA 810 g), FOV 105m/1000m

Optolyth binoculars some of them later named Royal (With AK prims?)
- 7x42 GA, 820g, FOV 120m/1000m
- 7x50 GA, 860g, FOV 120m/1000m
- 8x56 GA, 960g, FOV 110m/1000m
- 8x63 GA, 1040g, FOV 100m/1000m
-9x63 GA, 1060G, FOV 105m/1000m
- 8x56 GA/S (simplified version, cheaper), 920 g, FOV 110m/1000m
- 12x63 GA, 1060 g, FOV 90m/1000m

-Optolyth Sporting and Optolyth Touring (with SP prims)
- Touring 8x32 GA, 590 g, FOV 135m/1000m
- Touring 10x40 GA, 685 g, FOV 110m/1000m
- Touring 7x42 BGA, 810g, FOV 140m/1000m

-Sporting 8X22B, 180g, 118m/10000m
- Sporting 8x24BGA, 220g, 110m/1000m
- Sporting 10x25 B, 200g, FOV 1000m/1000m
- Sporting 10x28BGA, 245g, FOV 88m/1000m
- Sporting 12x30BGA, 270g, FOV 75m/1000m

Probably most known is their Alpin Porro-1 series consisting of the Classic series, 8x30, 8x40, 10x40, 7x42, 10x50 and 12x50. These binoculars were supplied with a hard rubber black armor.
The same Alpins were also available with a smooth black armor (Alpin NG series). Both series had almost the same specifications apart form weight: the Classic series was lighter.
- Alpin 8x30, 450 g (475g), FOV 130m/1000m
- Alpin 8x40, 565 g (585g), FOV 110m/1000m
-Alpin 10x40, 575 g (590g), FOV102m/1000m
- Alpin 7x42 , 565 g (585g), FOV 110m/1000m
- Alpin 10x50, 720 g (785g), FOV 89m/1000m
- Alpin 12x50, 730 g (790g), FOV 85m/1000m

Furthermore Optolyth carried a large number of draw tube telescopes like the 30x75 GA, 30x80 BGA/WW and the same one with fluorit objective, the TB 80GA with interchangeable eyepieces 20xWW, 30xWW, 70x WW and zoom 20-60x.
Optolyth also carries four very compact draw tube telescopes: 25x70, 25x70 extra small, 30x80 and 15-45x80.
Other tescopes:
TBS 80 GA and TBS 80GA/HDF
TBS 100 APO/HDF, TBG 100 APO/HDF
(HDF stands for High Definition Fluotite Glasses.
Compact G 80 and Compact G 80 APO/HD BOTH ANGLED AND STRAIGT VERSIONS AVAILABLE.
With the telescopes a camera adapter different didi adapters and an astro adapter are avilable.
Alltogether Optolyth has made an impressive optical programme.
Gijs van Ginkel

In addition to my post 12: I have investigated some Optolyth binoculars and telescopes, the results are published on the WEB-site of House of Outdoor.
Gijs van Ginkel

Gijs
Thank you for this tremendous listing.

My only Optolyth (which I guess should be pronounced Opto-lit) was the 30x75 GA draw-tube which was a very nice instrument.

Lee

I have one of Optolyth's compact 25x70 Draw Tube Telescopes. It is handy and easy to set up. I've even used it (carefully) on a Polecat Monopod.

Bob

Hi Gijs,
Post 12.

Were all the optics made in house or were some like the small Sporting imported?

Regards,
B

Binastro, post 16,
To my knowledge all optical instruments were made in house except for the Sporting series.
The list in my post 12 does not include the present production programme, that can be found on the Optolyth WEB-site.
Gijs van Ginkel

Here is what is left at Deutsche Optik in Yerrington, Nevada. I received it in my e-mail today.

https://deutscheoptik.com/binoculars-optics-instruments/

Bob

13 C-notes for a Royal 9x63 BGA. YIKES!

I still find it odd that my Royal BGA 10x45, or the 8x45 for that matter, is rarely listed; save the Outdoor Life 2000 gear test. Occasionally I'll run across an individual online that owned one or the other.

His prices, how should I say..... somewhat elevated?

Andy W.