7x26 help (1 Viewer)

I have recently purchased a pair of National Audubon 7x26 custom compacts,i can honestly say that they are without doubt a superbly built piece of kit,
The view through these little beauties is excellent..

My question....is it possible to obtain a rainguard for the bins,also does the Audubon Society connection give some indication to age.?

The diopter is of the click stop type if this is of any significance,

Thanks for any help/ideas.

Paul

driverpaul said:

I have recently purchased a pair of National Audubon 7x26 custom compacts,i can honestly say that they are without doubt a superbly built piece of kit,
The view through these little beauties is excellent..

My question....is it possible to obtain a rainguard for the bins,also does the Audubon Society connection give some indication to age.?

The diopter is of the click stop type if this is of any significance,

Thanks for any help/ideas.

Paul

Click to expand...

Nobody out there got any ideas .

driverpaul said:

I have recently purchased a pair of National Audubon 7x26 custom compacts,i can honestly say that they are without doubt a superbly built piece of kit,
The view through these little beauties is excellent..

My question....is it possible to obtain a rainguard for the bins,also does the Audubon Society connection give some indication to age.?

The diopter is of the click stop type if this is of any significance,

Thanks for any help/ideas.

Paul

Click to expand...

Paul,
I have a late model Bushnell 7 x 26 Custom from the Bushnell Birding Series. It does not have a Click Stop Diopter though. It has fold down Rubber Eye Cups. It has individual eye piece caps but does not have a rain guard. This model was recently improved. It is now known as the Elite Custom Compact. It has hard adjustable eye cups and, I believe, a click stop diopter and a protective plate in front of the objective lenses. If yours has these recent improvements it is quite new. See link below.

http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/bushnell/bushnell-elite-7x26-custom-compact-binocular

As far as I know, no rainguard is made for this binocular. I have never needed one for mine (and I never use the supplied eye piece caps because I would lose them promptly!) but, depending on your use, you may find one necessary. Maybe you could devise one from an old plastic milk carton?? Here is another link to a recent thread on these binoculars.

http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=163949

Bob

driverpaul said:

I have recently purchased a pair of National Audubon 7x26 custom compacts...does the Audubon Society connection give some indication to age?
The diopter is of the click stop type if this is of any significance,

Click to expand...

Apart from the NAS endorsement (which doesn't help much with determining its vintage), it should have a brand name--either Bausch & Lomb or Bushnell, and a model number. The latter will tell you (or us on birdforum) everything you need to know.

I don't have much experience with the most recent two versions of this binocular, branded Bushnell, but in my experience, the B&L models had click stop diopters. In the older B&L model (model 61-7261, which had a more "skeletal" body design), the clicks are very firm and one can actually hear them. In the newer B&L model (61-0726, with the bulbous plastic shell, similar in shape to the most current model) the diopter has a micro-clicks that are not as strong and are silent.

--AP

Well, further update.....the new model (Elite Custom) has the identical optical complement as previous B&L and Bushnell versions, but instead of click stop diopters, now has an adjustment ring with a small tit that lines up with a small hash mark indent on the body that is supposedly zero diopter (there are no other gradations or numbers). It is quite firm to turn to assure no movement once adjusted, a major flaw in the older models, where the whole ep turned for adj. Additonally, twist up eyecups, pivoting strapring attachments and a full magnesium body (no more polycarb).

But.....there is no external covering on the objective end. Those lenses still move to adj focus and there is no kind of weather sealing, despite the Rainguard coatings. (It would be a nice touch to add the coverings - ala Canon IS -, however).

As to the NAS endorsement, I believe that was dropped when B&L decided not to renew its agreement with Bushnell for use of the name, and Bushnell simply changed the design of the emblem a little and called it "The Birding Series", around 2004. That's when the polycarb model was released.

custom 7x26

Hi guys,

Thanks very much for your interesting replies,i have enclosed a few pictures to see if this throws a bit more light on the issue,the serial number WOO255 is the only number i could find.

Below the 'Japan' symbol is engraved 'BL'.

I appreciate any more feedback,these are the only 7x26 compacts i have seen in the UK.

Cheers....Paul

driverpaul said:

Hi guys,

Thanks very much for your interesting replies,i have enclosed a few pictures to see if this throws a bit more light on the issue,the serial number WOO255 is the only number i could find.

Below the 'Japan' symbol is engraved 'BL'.

I appreciate any more feedback,these are the only 7x26 compacts i have seen in the UK.

Cheers....Paul

Click to expand...

These are either a Bushnell branded equivalent of the older 1980s-early 1990s B&L model that I referenced above (did Bushnell use the B&L brand in all markets outside the USA?), or they are a near-equivalent predecessor (I'm not familiar with the more ancient B&L and Bushnell custom compact models, but I know they existed). From the look of it, your bin is probably nearly identical to the current model optically, but I'll guess, based on the similar looking B&L 61-7261 model, that yours focuses in the reverse direction (counter-clockwise to infinity), might have better close focus (~5 feet), and probably lacks full multicoating. My older B&L is partially multicoated, but if yours is a bit older it may simply be fully coated (check the reflections). It's a wonderful little binocular.

--AP

Alexis Powell said:

These are either a Bushnell branded equivalent of the older 1980s-early 1990s B&L model that I referenced above (did Bushnell use the B&L brand in all markets outside the USA?), or they are a near-equivalent predecessor (I'm not familiar with the more ancient B&L and Bushnell custom compact models, but I know they existed). From the look of it, your bin is probably nearly identical to the current model optically, but I'll guess, based on the similar looking B&L 61-7261 model, that yours focuses in the reverse direction (counter-clockwise to infinity), might have better close focus (~5 feet), and probably lacks full multicoating. My older B&L is partially multicoated, but if yours is a bit older it may simply be fully coated (check the reflections). It's a wonderful little binocular.

--AP

Click to expand...

Thanks again Alexis,
You are spot on about the reverse focus on the bins and yes they do focus down to about 5 feet which will be really useful for close ups on butterflies.

On close inspection the object lenses do have a green tinge to them suggesting they are coated but as you state maybe not fully.
what an interesting binocular these are and for their day must have have been streets ahead of their rivals.

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Best wishes.............Paul

Say Paul.....does yours have the diopter adj on the left ep?

Oh, and Alexis....what happened to the Jayhawks last nite? I was downtown at the Ford Center for the game.....I've never seen so many stunned folks when we were leaving, me included. Jaws dropped, looks of incredulity, low murmuring (except the UNI folks, who were beside themselves).....that wasn't sposta happen, and it's really gonna upset the brackets now. Oh well.....

I have a pair of those, B&L 7x26 Audubon Customs.
Yeah, still probably the best compact, optically speaking.
It is a reverse porro design from the mid-1980's (that is when i got mine.).
When it came out, it was one of 3 binos in line of "Audubon Customs".
The other 2 porros were the 8x36 (a good glass) and a 10x40 (good, but narrow FOV).

spyglass said:

Say Paul.....does yours have the diopter adj on the left ep?

Click to expand...

Hi Spyglass,

The diopter adjustment is on the left eyepiece,is this of some significance or is it on the other side on the later models?

Paul

Well, that model (metal body w/stippled covering) is the only cf bino I've ever had that didn't have it on the right side. When the fully armored model came out around '99 or so, it was moved to the right.

As an aside, the most likely place for moisture to enter on this model is at the obj end, where the whole assy is external and moves to focus, rather than the ep bridge assy. As compact as it is, the best idea is probably to just slip it into a handy pocket if things get too damp.....

Slightly off topic: the only other left side diopter change I've seen is the Leupold Cascades porro that has a central diopter setting but changes the left barrel. That confused me for a while!

It's not too common.

Oh, forgot in my post; I too am not aware of any rain guard for these. Like others have said though, given their small size, if the weather is iffy, you will probably have some clothing layer to put them uder.

The latest model Swift HHS Audubon 828 also has a left eye diopter operated from the center focus knob.
http://www.swift-sportoptics.com/audubon.htm
Bob

Paul - regarding a rain guard and your Japanese made reverse porro 7x26, I can share some information which may be helpful. These were made by Bushnell and later under the B & L label. They have undergone a number of modifications since first introduced - also a 6 x 25 model was made. Bushnell called them their Custom Compact. The picture in post # 6 shows their general configuation. However, the original model did not have rubber eyecups. Instead a pull out rim accommodated non eye glass wearers and was simply pushed down for full view with glasses. The diopter has always been on the left ocular. They weighed 11 ounces.

Regarding a rain guard, Bushnell did make an accessory rubber slide on outer body which did help protect against bumps and helped a little in the rain but it didn't cover the oculars. I had the covers but they interfered with the objectives moving in and out and actually created a focusing problem when installed

The first custom compact was designed to be a pocket binocular. The first generation had no provisions for a neck strap. I had one. Evidently complaints were made and the next generation came with screwed in eye lets to accommodate a cord. Bow hunters took a liking to them because they could be tucked down in the shirt out of harm's way and quickly retrieved when needed. The optical quality was and is still excellent.

They were made in the mid 1960s and were selected by NASA for their Gemini program. The construction met NASA's needs for a special secondary sighting system for Gemini spacecraft. The Custom Compacts also featured what Bushnell called Squint-Pruf filters
(ultra violet) for water, sand, snow, and haze. Over 40 years ago they sold for 69.50 and 64.50, the 6x25 model the least expensive. The 6x25 model had an 8 degree field
or 420 feet at 1,000 yards. The seven power had a 368 foot field.

When they appeared under the B & L brand (still Bushnell), the objective barrels were better protected by an outside cover. Still made, they are a quality miniature, probably with improved coatings.

I still have old style 7x26 and 6x25 models. Good glasses.

John