Vintage Carl Zeiss 15x60s??? (1 Viewer)

C

comaderek

Member

• May 17, 2017

• #1

I inherited a pair of Carl Zeiss 15x60 binoculars. They come in a brown leather hard case. The also have "Made in Germany" and I think a serial number 613511 on the bottom of the focus dial.

Are these more astronomy or birding binoculars?

I think they might be from the 60s is that right?

Does anyone have an educated estimate of what they are worth today and what they may have originally sold for?

Any other info would help as well?

Thanks Derek

 

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WJC

Well-known member

• May 17, 2017

• #2

Are these more astronomy or birding binoculars?

Any bino CAN be used for ANYthing. But, the large aperture makes it more suitable for astronomy.

Bill

 

J

jring

Well-known member

• May 17, 2017

• #3

Hi,

despite the non-optimal images (the prism housing covers with the inscriptions and screws are the most interesting part), this looks like a Zeiss West 15x60. Probably nice for astro use on a tripod, hand-held for birding not so much.

Age is hard to say with Zeiss West, their serial numbers are not as easy as CZJ - you could mail Zeiss service or maybe the nice Zeiss employee on here chimes in...
But it certainly is an older example due to the hard eye cups and the Made in Germany inscription. Zeiss West used Made in West Germany after the London agreement (1972) with CZJ until the german reunification in 1990 and it's certainly not newer than that.

I don't know MSRP for these, but the last examples with rubber armour and T* coatings were taken over by a well known german optics merchant (Juelich in Bonn) and sold for 4150 DM or half that in Euros when Zeiss stopped production.

http://www.juelich-bonn.com/jForum/read.php?9,254102,254104#msg-254104

A search for sold pairs of the Zeiss 15x60 on german ebay showed 400-500€ for older examples like yours. Later rubber armoured examples with T* go for 700-1000€.

Joachim

 

garymh

Binocular Engineer

• May 17, 2017

• #4

Date of manufacture is 1968.

 

J

jring

Well-known member

• May 17, 2017

• #5

garymh said:

Date of manufacture is 1968.

Click to expand...

Thank you, Gary!

Joachim

 

B

Binastro

Well-known member

• May 17, 2017

• #6

This looks like my one.
Maybe £450 even £500 recently serviced by Zeiss. Less if unserviced.

My one gives a very good bright view even though single coatings.
It is considerably brighter than the Canon 18x50 IS, but the Canon of course outresolves it with IS on.
A later fully coated one would be nice, but heavy for me nowadays.
Excellent astro binocular.
I think the field size was about 4.4 degrees measured, but not sure.

Can be affected by moisture and fungus.

 

C

ceasar

Well-known member

• May 17, 2017

• #7

I've been looking at the photographs of the binocular and wondering how it focuses.

There is a diopter ring on the right objective and a center focus ring at the front end of the hinge. Is the latter used to focus in the left eye?

Bob

 

J

jring

Well-known member

• May 17, 2017

• #8

Hi,

I'd say it's a normal CF except that the focus wheel is at the front end of the bridge?

Joachim

 

C

comaderek

Member

• May 17, 2017

• #9

So I don't think I will give them to my 8 year old to run around to bird with.
So they are better suited for astronomy and best to have a tripod. Good to know.

Yes it is a centre focus with the wheel at the front.

Binastro stated serviced by Zeiss. What does servicing do and how much would that cost?

Does having the case add value?

 

B

Binastro

Well-known member

• May 17, 2017

• #10

Mine is 809xxx, so may be later.
If so, then an older recently serviced one might be worth £400 in the U.K.

Servicing would clean the optics, and collimate it correctly, if needed.

It probably is not worth it if all is in reasonable order, but I suspect that a film may have built up over the years, as it seems well used. This would reduce contrast and brightness.

No case might reduce value by 10%?

 

J

jring

Well-known member

• May 17, 2017

• #11

comaderek said:

So I don't think I will give them to my 8 year old to run around to bird with.

Click to expand...

Hi,

get a Leupold Yosemite / Kowa YF / Opticron Savanah 6x30 for your 8 year old. Much better suited for birding and kids. Or a Pentax Papilio II 6.5x21 for added fun watching bugs, if he/she takes good care of stuff... my goddaughter loves hers.

Joachim

 

B

Binastro

Well-known member

• May 18, 2017

• #12

Zeiss 15x60 weight.

1.3kg (1296g) (46 ounces).

Including case. 1940g (68 ounces).

 

C

comaderek

Member

• May 18, 2017

• #13

I bought a zeiss cleaning kit and cleaned the lenses. They are really clear to me but I am not that knowledgable when it comes to optics. Kind of see why zeiss are rated near the top for optics.