BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE!

Register for an account to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pinewood" data-source="post: 3161671" data-attributes="member: 10255">Hello Steve,Balcote was the proprietary name for B&L MgFl coating, which they started using, during WWII on military binoculars, and then on the civilian models, after WWII.  Just before WWII, some optical companies, like Kodak for its Extra camera lenses, were using a soft coating, on internal surfaces, only.  Multi-coating developed in the very late 70's, if I recall correctly.So your 8x30 Zephyr probably has single coating, which makes a huge difference.  Many binoculars did not have coating on their prisms, from 1946 until 1965, or so.  My Leica Binuxit, made in 1953, probably does not have coated prisms according to Dr. Merlitz.Happy bird watching,Arthur :hi:</blockquote>