Vintage and Classic Binoculars (1 Viewer)

Bencw · Feb 2, 2014

Omega 30x50

I had to buy this, only £8 so a bit of fun, but it's got me curious, on the plate you can see it says 30x50 with a 7.1 degree angle, 7.1 from a 30x50? Not arrived yet, probably not up to much, will be a tad dark I expect, but I have had an Omega 8x30 before, it was pretty good optically. Japanese made.

Binastro · Feb 2, 2014

. Hi Ben,
so the square root of three stars is 1.732 stars. So at least we have that clear.

Then we have to find out is if it is a 7 x 50 or a 30×50.
I'll take a guess that it might be a 10×50 binocular.

It will be interesting to see what it actually is.

OPTIC_NUT · Feb 3, 2014

30-50 , 7.1 degrees is truly bizarre given the very ordinary eyepieces.
They do a thing now in China where they claim 50 power but it's 7
and it's "area multiplication" instead of linear. But 30 is low for that.
Very interesting number.

Bencw · Feb 4, 2014

Binastro said:
. Hi Ben,
so the square root of three stars is 1.732 stars. So at least we have that clear.

Then we have to find out is if it is a 7 x 50 or a 30×50.
I'll take a guess that it might be a 10×50 binocular.

It will be interesting to see what it actually is.

Good guess Binastro,
They arrived today, bit dirty inside, the 7.1 degree field is about right, but to my eye they are 10x50 max, they might say 30x but they are nowhere near even 12x, where the hell does that come from I wonder.

OPTIC_NUT · Feb 11, 2014

7 degrees is very common for a 'wide' 10x50. I think you've got it pegged.
Omega with a square root sign....that might even be before 1948,
Occupied Japan or Japan Telescope Inst. The resolution could clean
up to extremely sharp.

I got a pair of 7x50s at auction that ramble on and on about a patented micro-pitch
focuser....etched into the chassis! I'm pretty psyched.
I think all their extolling fell on deaf eyes, though.
Fast focus was the rage. If only the world actually had gone to fine focus.

On the Kowas: if you see no debris inside, you can check for film on the prisms
by looking at a low-contrast target with a bright light a few degrees out of the field.
(~20-30 ft away) That exposes nicotine fogging or grease outgassing where direct
looking doesn't. Increases haze. Many old binoculars are still clean if
their storage was quiet (like under clothes with caps on in an indoor closet)...

Bencw · Mar 16, 2014

Worldstar Japanese Roof 8x30 + Boot sale bargain

I picked up this older roof binocular recently, I have never heard of worldstar? but it's Japanese and pretty much identical to the old Swift Trilyte model.
Nothing special but just as good as the Swift Trilyte 10x I have, so not bad either. Solid build, quite weighty.
Also, went to a Boot sale today, and I picked up an Optolyth Alpin for just £3.
Clean inside, no scratches on the glass, only thing is the button on the ocular end that gives the magnification is missing, it is certainly 50mm Objective, so comparing with others i'm guessing it's a 10x50. Not bad, but a very narrow FOV, still for £3 ok.

OPTIC_NUT · Mar 16, 2014

I'd say excellent for £3. Looks very clean. I have some small Selsi roofs
from the early 80s, and they are quite sparkly and sharp.
It's possible (maybe, especially with a narrow field).

Bencw · Mar 25, 2014

I just spotted this, I stress the ad is nothing to do with me, but read the text and it,s such a fascinating piece of history I thought I would post the link for anyone interested to see. The bins of course are no good for use now.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLC-germa...Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item3a8db77b78

Bencw · Mar 26, 2014

OPTICAL&FILM SUPPLY Co 7X50 WW11 ?

I'm full of questions today. I picked up this OPTICAL&FILM SUPPLY Co 7X50 cheap to restore, it's pretty dirty but sound and the glass is good, it has the military arrow and is in a very heavy,solid ,thick plastic case. Now, I would be grateful if any of you knowledgeable people can give me any information on this model and company. Optical&film supply NY are in Rohans list of WW11 as making the mark 10, but there is no specific mention of the company or what the MK10 is in his book itself, and I cant seem to find much about them. I am assuming it is a WW11 military binocular.
Thanks, Ben

typo · Mar 26, 2014

Ben,

I know I've read something somewhere about the company but can't find it now. A search only found a couple of fragments. On Peter Abraham's site in the Excel document at the end of the Binoculars section it mentions there was a M1 model 0 and 2 Marine and a M10 Army.
http://www.europa.com/~telscope/binotele.htm
Also found an auction listing for a M19.
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/optical-film-supply-company-maritime-272833079

David

Pinewood · Mar 26, 2014

Hello BenCW,

I think National Film may have made the Mark 32 model 1, as well as the model 5,for the USN. See
http://home.europa.com/~telscope/us44bnoc.txt
The same site gives the Mk 10, as made by the Naval Gun Factory.
I think that the case may be more rubber than plastic and was typical of USN binoculars. Check for the maker's name, Hood, on the case and strap.
Any number of binoculars were made by non-optical companies, as noted on the site, usually assembling parts made by B&L, and other proper optical companies. All those WWII 7x50 USN binoculars were very well made, solid and readily serviced.

Happy collecting,
Arthur :hi:

LPT · Mar 26, 2014

Bencw said:
I'm full of questions today. I picked up this OPTICAL&FILM SUPPLY Co 7X50 cheap to restore, it's pretty dirty but sound and the glass is good, it has the military arrow and is in a very heavy,solid ,thick plastic case. Now, I would be grateful if any of you knowledgeable people can give me any information on this model and company. Optical&film supply NY are in Rohans list of WW11 as making the mark 10, but there is no specific mention of the company or what the MK10 is in his book itself, and I cant seem to find much about them. I am assuming it is a WW11 military binocular.
Thanks, Ben

Is there a M10 marking on it? During WW II Optical Film and Supply made two differently designated but identical binoculars - the U.S. Army M10 7X50 and the U.S. Navy Mark I Mod 0 7X50. It is an early (1940) military incarnation of Bausch & Lomb's revolutionary 1930 civilian model 7X50 having a one piece body. It's very possible Bausch & Lomb supplied the optical glass for the the binocular.

LPT · Mar 27, 2014

You'll notice that through WW II, at least, U.S. Navy binoculars were given Mark or Mk designations (f.ex. Mark 43) while U.S. Army ones in WW II to current time were given M designations (f.ex. M17). If your binocular does not have either an M or Mark marking, it may be that it never had one because it was sent directly from Optical Film to Britain without ever being issued to the U.S. Army or Navy.

Bencw · Mar 27, 2014

Thank you all for this, very helpful.

David many thanks for the info and your efforts to find it, much appreciated. I am just about to look at the links.

[QuotePinwood:I think that the case may be more rubber than plastic and was typical of USN binoculars. Check for the maker's name, Hood, on the case and strap.}

Arthur, thanks for info and links, yes, the strap has hood stamped on it near the buckle end. There is a little pouch in the inside of the case lid with a strange small metal adapter, looks a bit like an old bicycle pump adapter.?

LPT said:
. If your binocular does not have either an M or Mark marking, it may be that it never had one because it was sent directly from Optical Film to Britain without ever being issued to the U.S. Army or Navy.]

LPT, Many thanks, yes, I think that it is likely it was sent straight to UK, as there are no M marks at all.

Are Optical & Film Supply Co common? I have not seen many.

LPT · Mar 27, 2014

Bencw said:
There is a little pouch in the inside of the case lid with a strange small metal adapter, looks a bit like an old bicycle pump adapter.?

Sounds like a dry air adapter such as this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46330704@N08/4630083912/in/photolist-849oCY-849pw9-7EkUz3
http://www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/4630086880/in/set-72157627847404830

Bencw · Mar 27, 2014

LPT said:
Sounds like a dry air adapter such as this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46330704@N08/4630083912/in/photolist-849oCY-849pw9-7EkUz3
http://www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/4630086880/in/set-72157627847404830

Yep, thats it, thanks LPT. Can't see any ports on this Binocular for it though.

Bencw · Apr 16, 2014

Canon Camera Co Inc 7x50 - 1960s

I am pleased with this addition. This Canon 7x50 is as new, never used. It came boxed, all packaging, with the brochure from 1967/8, and the original price tags still on it, 31 pounds and 15 shillings old sterling. Not a mark on it, the case and all leather straps as new. Not quite as good as the Swift Storm King I recently bought, but smaller and lighter at 38oz, and still a cracking vintage 7x50.

Binastro · Apr 16, 2014

Hi Ben,
The Optomax 500mm f/8 mirror lens was amazingly good.
Split epsilon Lyrae visually at 150x using 3x barlow and monocular converter on Slik 88 tripod. Both doubles split. About 2.5 arc seconds each.

Bencw · Apr 16, 2014

Binastro said:
Hi Ben,
The Optomax 500mm f/8 mirror lens was amazingly good.
Split epsilon Lyrae visually at 150x using 3x barlow and monocular converter on Slik 88 tripod. Both doubles split. About 2.5 arc seconds each.

Hi Binastro,

The Optomax binoculars in the brochure look to be a bargain price at the time looking back now.

Bencw · Apr 21, 2014

Vintage Meopta 8x30

I picked this up for £10 at a boot sale this morning. It's in good shape, the lenses all good, just a bit dirty, and a little ding on one objective cap, if I can replace that cap its near perfect. All metal body, no leather, just a textured finish, and the glass has a blueish tint. It views about the same as the DDR Jenoptem, the guy selling said it is Russian, but I know Meopta are Cheq, but then when this was made (guessing 1960s?) there might be little distinction, being all soviet bloc.
Other than that don't know much about them so any info from anyone welcome. You can see it has a metal seal attached to the bar, with the word duane, no idea if this is significant or whether to remove it.

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