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Kahles helia 42 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter ofl0926
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PeterPS
Well-Known Member
There is plenty of info about them on the web, including several review articles and videos, for instance:
https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/Kahles-Helia-8x42-Binoculars-Review-229.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWfUK1q-fe0
https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/Kahles-Helia-8x42-Binoculars-Review-229.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWfUK1q-fe0
Appreciate that
Wish there was more info on them. Exactly where the glass is from? Is it just like the slc?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Allbinos formally reviewed the Kahles-Helia 10x42 in March 2017. It is ranked 29th out of 85 10x42 binoculars rated. See the link below for details.
https://www.allbinos.com/313-binoculars_review-Kahles_Helia_10x42.html
Allbinos lists a total of 8 Kahles binoculars in its data base 3 of which are Helia and 2 are Helia RF. The other 3 are earlier models. See their specifications in the link below.
https://www.allbinos.com/22-Kahles-binoculars.html
Kahles is an Austrian Corporation that seems to specialize in Rifle Scopes. Its binoculars are not manufactured in Austria.
I have the 8x32 version which was made in 2011. It has been reviewed by Allbinos and ranked 11th out of 31 8x32 binoculars. I think that is a fair ranking. It is very ruggedly constructed and its exterior is reminiscent of the original Leica Trinovid BA/BN binoculars. I believe that it was manufactured in Japan.
https://www.allbinos.com/181-binoculars_review-Kahles_8x32.html. Mine has a Green exterior rather than Camoflage.
Bob
https://www.allbinos.com/313-binoculars_review-Kahles_Helia_10x42.html
Allbinos lists a total of 8 Kahles binoculars in its data base 3 of which are Helia and 2 are Helia RF. The other 3 are earlier models. See their specifications in the link below.
https://www.allbinos.com/22-Kahles-binoculars.html
Kahles is an Austrian Corporation that seems to specialize in Rifle Scopes. Its binoculars are not manufactured in Austria.
I have the 8x32 version which was made in 2011. It has been reviewed by Allbinos and ranked 11th out of 31 8x32 binoculars. I think that is a fair ranking. It is very ruggedly constructed and its exterior is reminiscent of the original Leica Trinovid BA/BN binoculars. I believe that it was manufactured in Japan.
https://www.allbinos.com/181-binoculars_review-Kahles_8x32.html. Mine has a Green exterior rather than Camoflage.
Bob
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Kahles is part of the Swarovski Group and Mike Jensen used to work for the brand in the USA before joining Zeiss and latterly starting his own business under the name GPO USA.
Made in the Far East and priced as they are, I think of Kahles as the Swaro equivalent of Zeiss's Conquest or Leica's Trinovid, although unlike those two, Swaro markets the product via a separate company rather than simply a brand, but I have no experience of the binos.
Lee
Made in the Far East and priced as they are, I think of Kahles as the Swaro equivalent of Zeiss's Conquest or Leica's Trinovid, although unlike those two, Swaro markets the product via a separate company rather than simply a brand, but I have no experience of the binos.
Lee
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Lee,
Khales's serial numbering system is very similar to Swarovski's but since they don't make binoculars on a yearly basis like Swarovski does I haven't been able to decipher it although I know that my 8x32 was made in 2011. I also have an older 8x32 (possibly 8 years older; that is from the last previous year that they were made) which has the same inscrutable numbering system.
Bob
Khales's serial numbering system is very similar to Swarovski's but since they don't make binoculars on a yearly basis like Swarovski does I haven't been able to decipher it although I know that my 8x32 was made in 2011. I also have an older 8x32 (possibly 8 years older; that is from the last previous year that they were made) which has the same inscrutable numbering system.
Bob
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Bob I have no knowledge of their serial number system but it seems logical that they would issue their own serial numbers to the actual Far Eastern factory where the binos are made and if they use more than one factory they might each have different numbering systems so that they can immediately see from the serial number who manufactured the bino without having to search through a database. This could account for the inscrutability!
Lee
Lee
This is the info I have on the Kahles Helia:
„In 2016, Kahles started to sell a new line of binoculars, the Helia series. At first, it consisted of an 8×42 and a 10×42 model, complemented more recently with two range measuring binoculars (“RF”) of the same size. In 2018, an 8×56 model was added to the series. Unlike its earlier binoculars, not only is the Helia not produced in Austria anymore (although some steps of the manufacuring process may possibly still occur in Austria), the x42 line of binos also shares all their basic characteristics, except some external details, with same size binoculars from other brands, specifically the Belgian Kite Ibis and the German DDpotics EDX, both produced in Japan. This suggests that the Helia is also essentially produced in Japan, and there is no explicit mention in the catalogue of “made in Austria” which would contradict that (whether this is also true for the x56 model remains to be verified). Like the mentioned two models from Kite and DDoptics, the Helia is a nice upper middle class binocular with good allround performance. Kahles targets primarily the hunting market with it.“
So this is another „clone“ of a good Japan made bino from somebody like Kamakura who sells the same optics and mechanics to a number of brands.
Pinac
„In 2016, Kahles started to sell a new line of binoculars, the Helia series. At first, it consisted of an 8×42 and a 10×42 model, complemented more recently with two range measuring binoculars (“RF”) of the same size. In 2018, an 8×56 model was added to the series. Unlike its earlier binoculars, not only is the Helia not produced in Austria anymore (although some steps of the manufacuring process may possibly still occur in Austria), the x42 line of binos also shares all their basic characteristics, except some external details, with same size binoculars from other brands, specifically the Belgian Kite Ibis and the German DDpotics EDX, both produced in Japan. This suggests that the Helia is also essentially produced in Japan, and there is no explicit mention in the catalogue of “made in Austria” which would contradict that (whether this is also true for the x56 model remains to be verified). Like the mentioned two models from Kite and DDoptics, the Helia is a nice upper middle class binocular with good allround performance. Kahles targets primarily the hunting market with it.“
So this is another „clone“ of a good Japan made bino from somebody like Kamakura who sells the same optics and mechanics to a number of brands.
Pinac
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
I have written a condensed history of Kahles and a test of two 42 models. The results can be found on the WEB-site of House of Outdoor under "Verrekijkers testen en vergelijken".
Gijs van Ginkel
Gijs van Ginkel
Thank you, Gijs.
Can you kindly provide the link (I found the nice July 2016 comparitive test of the Helia, but not the history)?
Tks Canip
John A Roberts
Well-known member
A 2002 press release details Kahles history - see the attached copy
And it's current website has additional detail in 'click through' form, see: https://www.kahles.at/en/since-1898/#c481
John
And it's current website has additional detail in 'click through' form, see: https://www.kahles.at/en/since-1898/#c481
John
Gijs van Ginkel
Well-known member
Canip, post 11,
The condensed history was part of the binocular test you refer to. It is essentially a short version of the paper referred to by John Roberts in post 12.
Gijs van Ginkel
The condensed history was part of the binocular test you refer to. It is essentially a short version of the paper referred to by John Roberts in post 12.
Gijs van Ginkel
John A Roberts
Well-known member
Some further information . . .
Kahles is - and always has been - primarily a producer of telescopic sights
However, they have also intermittently offered binoculars, dating back to around 1910,
there are some early models on Hans Leichtfried’s excellent website ‘fernglasmuseum’, at: http://www.fernglasmuseum.at/administrativ/museum_k.html
2 LINES OF ROOF PRISM BINOCULARS
A) the first line was introduced in 2000 in both 8x42 and 10x42, with an 8x32 model added some time after
see the attached table from a 2007 catalogue; the 8x32 appears to have used the 10x42 eyepiece - compare the AFOV and eye relief spec's
B) the more recent Helia line is from 2016 in 8x42 and 10x42, with an 8x56 model added in 2018
(there are also 2 Helia rangefinder models which were introduced in late 2017)
again see the attached table from a 2018 catalogue; and as can be seen, the basic optical specifications differ from the earlier x42 series
The site ‘Hunting Binoculars Blog’ has reviews of:
- the 8x42 Helia vs the 8x42 Noblex ED at: https://huntingbinoculars.net/2018/06/13/kahles-helia-8x42-vs-noblex-docter-8x42-ed/
- the 10x42 Helia vs the current 10x42 Leica Trinovid, at: https://huntingbinoculars.net/2018/03/06/leica-trinovid-10x42-hd-vs-kahles-helia-10x42/
(the latter review also has clear photos of the both the Kahles ‘Waldkauz’ carry strap/covers, and Leica’s optional neoprene carry harness)
WHERE MANUFACTURED?
While the first series of RP binoculars was prominently marked ‘Austria’ on the focuser cover - there is no clear indication that any of the RP production was manufactured by Kahles
- as opposed to being assembled and tested in Austria *
A) the Allbinos review of the Kahles 8x32 makes clear that it is strikingly ‘similar’ to the Minox HG 8x33 - see the last photograph in the review (post #4 above provides a link to the review)
[and as indicated in the Minox sub-Forum on this website, there are various indications that Minox components are manufactured outside Germany;
also Minox catalogues carefully refer to German design, and German components (Schott glass), without ever claiming German manufacture]
B) the quote that Canip provided in post #9 indicates a similar situation in relation to the current Helia production
In contrast, Kahles main product lines of telescopic sights are both manufactured and assembled in Austria
* EDIT: see the 2002 History of Kahles document included in my previous post. In the 3rd and 2nd last paragraphs, it:
- describes in detail the manufacture of telescopic sights, and then;
- notes that the 8x42 and 10x42 binoculars are also assembled at the Vienna plant
John
Kahles is - and always has been - primarily a producer of telescopic sights
However, they have also intermittently offered binoculars, dating back to around 1910,
there are some early models on Hans Leichtfried’s excellent website ‘fernglasmuseum’, at: http://www.fernglasmuseum.at/administrativ/museum_k.html
2 LINES OF ROOF PRISM BINOCULARS
A) the first line was introduced in 2000 in both 8x42 and 10x42, with an 8x32 model added some time after
see the attached table from a 2007 catalogue; the 8x32 appears to have used the 10x42 eyepiece - compare the AFOV and eye relief spec's
B) the more recent Helia line is from 2016 in 8x42 and 10x42, with an 8x56 model added in 2018
(there are also 2 Helia rangefinder models which were introduced in late 2017)
again see the attached table from a 2018 catalogue; and as can be seen, the basic optical specifications differ from the earlier x42 series
The site ‘Hunting Binoculars Blog’ has reviews of:
- the 8x42 Helia vs the 8x42 Noblex ED at: https://huntingbinoculars.net/2018/06/13/kahles-helia-8x42-vs-noblex-docter-8x42-ed/
- the 10x42 Helia vs the current 10x42 Leica Trinovid, at: https://huntingbinoculars.net/2018/03/06/leica-trinovid-10x42-hd-vs-kahles-helia-10x42/
(the latter review also has clear photos of the both the Kahles ‘Waldkauz’ carry strap/covers, and Leica’s optional neoprene carry harness)
WHERE MANUFACTURED?
While the first series of RP binoculars was prominently marked ‘Austria’ on the focuser cover - there is no clear indication that any of the RP production was manufactured by Kahles
- as opposed to being assembled and tested in Austria *
A) the Allbinos review of the Kahles 8x32 makes clear that it is strikingly ‘similar’ to the Minox HG 8x33 - see the last photograph in the review (post #4 above provides a link to the review)
[and as indicated in the Minox sub-Forum on this website, there are various indications that Minox components are manufactured outside Germany;
also Minox catalogues carefully refer to German design, and German components (Schott glass), without ever claiming German manufacture]
B) the quote that Canip provided in post #9 indicates a similar situation in relation to the current Helia production
In contrast, Kahles main product lines of telescopic sights are both manufactured and assembled in Austria
* EDIT: see the 2002 History of Kahles document included in my previous post. In the 3rd and 2nd last paragraphs, it:
- describes in detail the manufacture of telescopic sights, and then;
- notes that the 8x42 and 10x42 binoculars are also assembled at the Vienna plant
John
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NDhunter
Experienced observer
I had an 8x42 Kahles binocular, one of the earlier models, and it was of high quality all around, but was limited by a smaller FOV, and offered very nice optics. I also have experience with their scopes.
If you want to research Kahles, it has been all about rifle scopes, they were at the forefront of the development, being the oldest riflescope mfr. in the world, since 1898.
They still are a sister company of Swarovski, and are located in the same building in Absam, Tirol, Austria.
Kahles tried to branch out on their own for repair in the US some years ago, but now all of that goes to Swarovski, in Cranston RI.
For Kahles, riflescopes continues to be their main product line. All of very high quality, and they often mesh with Swarovski, so their products don't compete with themselves, with models sold in the same size.
I think the current Kahles binocular models are a good thing, look at the quality, the smart case ideas and more.
This is a way for Swarovski to offer some nice optics in the midrange.
Jerry
If you want to research Kahles, it has been all about rifle scopes, they were at the forefront of the development, being the oldest riflescope mfr. in the world, since 1898.
They still are a sister company of Swarovski, and are located in the same building in Absam, Tirol, Austria.
Kahles tried to branch out on their own for repair in the US some years ago, but now all of that goes to Swarovski, in Cranston RI.
For Kahles, riflescopes continues to be their main product line. All of very high quality, and they often mesh with Swarovski, so their products don't compete with themselves, with models sold in the same size.
I think the current Kahles binocular models are a good thing, look at the quality, the smart case ideas and more.
This is a way for Swarovski to offer some nice optics in the midrange.
Jerry
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Steve C
Well-known member
This Helia 42 looks to be a dead ringer for the Leupold BX-5 Santiam series. The BX-5 is an excellent binocular.
Another thing to keep in mind is that (unless recently changed) EU law stated that only 10% of the work needs be done in the parent country for it to be perfectly legal to carry the "Made in Germany" (or wherever) label. This has been brought up here several times before.
If I were prone to betting, I'd lay my money on Kamakura.
Another thing to keep in mind is that (unless recently changed) EU law stated that only 10% of the work needs be done in the parent country for it to be perfectly legal to carry the "Made in Germany" (or wherever) label. This has been brought up here several times before.
If I were prone to betting, I'd lay my money on Kamakura.
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WJC
Well-known member
When I sold Kahles, the bino came in a box marked “Made in Austria.” And it was ... the BOX I mean. It was a “dead ringer” for the Celestron Nobel—made in Japan—but cost considerably more. Even so, it was a bino for a lifetime. :cat:
Bill
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