Karl Kaps (1 Viewer)

[Risveden]

Anyone here that has binocular from the German company Karl Kaps? I’m curious to hear how they are compared to other midrange priced binoculars.

 

[Binastro]

Hi and welcome.

Looking at the Kaps binoculars offered they seem to me to be Japanese or Chinese made.

Although Kaps seem to manufacture a range of medical and other optics in their own facilities, I have my doubts about the binoculars.

They seem, without having seen them, to be variations of standard binoculars supplied by other binocular companies in Germany and worldwide.

If anyone knows differently please correct me.

If they are made outside Germany, I hope that Kaps tests each one to avoid the sample variation so obvious in binoculars by other suppliers.

Regards,
B.

 

[Risveden]

Made in Japan what I heard. Would be interesting if anyone did a review of them.

 

[Ignatius]

I have contacted them about how waterproof the binos are, where they are made and about the exact nature of the high transmission values they mention in their flyer.

 

[Binocollector]

Made in Japan what I heard. Would be interesting if anyone did a review of them.

Looking at the prices I very much doubt that.
One of the cheapest "Made in Japan" roof prism binoculars currently is the Fujinon HC at around 850€. Most others start at around 1,000€. A binocular for 169€ is with almost 100% certainty not made in Japan.
A quick look in a German forum only came up with the info about the targeting scopes (which are much more expensive than the binoculars on the website) being made in Germany. The binos certainly are neither made in Germany nor Japan. It's just not possible for the prices.

 

[Mike Crawley]

I couldn’t resist looking at the website.
On looking up the prices the 8x32 were 449€ reduced to 169€

interestingly, they list 8x56 binoculars for those who like low light observation

 

[Binocollector]

On looking up the prices the 8x32 were 449€ reduced to 169€

Looks like what we call "moon prices" in Germany. Inflated prices that are seemingly reduced to imply a good deal that never really existed because the product in question was never really sold for the "normal" price in the first place.
Not even the material of the binoculars is mentioned, so I assume plastic. I think everything points to China as the likely origin. And a plastic body China bino can be found any day of the week for those prices.
I could be wrong of course and those binos are the deal of the year but I doubt it.

 

[Binastro]

What I don't like is that they say high German quality, as do many other binocular outlets for products made elsewhere.

This is at best misleading, but actually being untruthful.

Why can't binocular outlets just state things as they are, rather than make La La land claims?

Regards,
B.

 

[Risveden]

Looks like what we call "moon prices" in Germany. Inflated prices that are seemingly reduced to imply a good deal that never really existed because the product in question was never really sold for the "normal" price in the first place.
Not even the material of the binoculars is mentioned, so I assume plastic. I think everything points to China as the likely origin. And a plastic body China bino can be found any day of the week for those prices.
I could be wrong of course and those binos are the deal of the year but I doubt it.

About moon prices you are wrong. I have seen them for full price several years on the website. If they are a good quality binocular from Japan or some shit from china I don't know, that's why I started the tread.

 

[Binocollector]

It's still moon prices because it is way too high for what they are (plastic, no mention of ED-glass, magnesium body or any other selling point that would justify the price).
And if those were made in Japan it certainly would have been mentioned on the website or anywhere on the bino. And the binos would cost neither 169€ nor 450€ but about 1,000€.
They don't need to be bad quality in any case. A cheapo China bino can be quite fine (as long as you don't look through anything better). But I would buy it elsewhere and not on this website for the reasons you mentioned.
Being as vague as possible about the origin of products seems to be the go-to strategy of bino-resellers btw. And that is nothing new but has been done for decades.
I'd stick to brands like Opticron, Hawke, etc. if you want something in this price range. If you wanna spend the "regular" price of 450€ -- get something else.
Finding a "hidden gem" (like a modern day binocular made in Japan for 169€!) is more than unlikely when it comes to binoculars.
Anyway -- I'm out of this thread. If you don't believe my advice -- buy them and let us know how they are.

 

[Ignatius]

I think they are subtly trying to trade on where they are located ... nr. Wetzlar:
"Copyright © 2023 Karl Kaps GmbH & Co. KG • Schulstraße 57 • 35614 Asslar/Wetzlar "
(Hensoldt, Leitz, Leica, Zeiss, Kellner, Seibert, Oculus, ... the list of famous names connected to Wtzlar is long)