Older Zeiss 8x50 Binoculars (2 Viewers)

[starbritemoonlight]

Hi, I just won an auction for a pair of older Zeiss 8x50 binoculars and would like to learn more about them. Could some kind soul here help to educate me?

These are the West German version and not being the "B" version, they have the hard eyecups, not the rubber eyecups. They look to be in excellent condition. I fell in love with them and couldn't help myself when it came to bidding. I hope I didn't pay too much. With tax and shipping, they came in close to $300. Unfortunately, no case.

I am a sucker for German-made optics and have picked up a terrible addiction to binoculars. I also have a pair of Leitz Marisept binoculars which I love to pieces and a collection of inexpensive vintage Japanese binoculars with the 11-degree field of view (7x35 up to 10x50 with huge prisms and eye lenses which are really fun to use).

Some of my questions. Please don't feel you need to answer all of them (there are a lot, sorry), even the slightest bit of information you can offer will be so very much appreciated!

Is there any way to determine when these 8x50s were made?

Are these called Octarems?

Other than the different eyecups, what makes these different from the "B" version?

Did I overpay? What do they usually sell for?

Are there any good places that might have a spare Zeiss leather case I could buy for these? If not, I'll just buy caps from Agena Astro and put them in a nice case for protection.

What's the field of view for these?

What are the specifications?

What design are the eyepieces, erfles maybe?

Any information about the design and history?

Many thanks in advance for any info you can offer!

 

[Sebzwo]

AFAIK Octarems were the East German 8x50s. The west German 8x50 were pretty nice "flagship" ones back then. However said to be quite big and hard to handle with smaller hands. I'd say they are worth to keep.
The master himself compared them:
http://www.holgermerlitz.de/zeiss8x50.html

 

[starbritemoonlight]

Great link! Thank you Sebzwo!

If they're not called Octarems, what are they called so I know what to search for?

 

[Hermann]

Check Holger Merlitz' website: http://www.holgermerlitz.de/binoculars_english.html

Hermann

 

[Patudo]

I fell in love with them and couldn't help myself when it came to bidding.

...I am a sucker for German-made optics and have picked up a terrible addiction to binoculars.

... A dangerous combination - but here is a great place to bump up one's knowledge (though at the risk of worsening your binocular addition) ...

-------------------------

Is there any way to determine when these 8x50s were made? The best way would be to send a private message to Birdforum member garymh - note that Gary may take a while to respond because of work commitments.

Are these called Octarems? If yours are the West German versions (with the focus wheel at the far end), no. Octarems were made by the East German Zeiss factory (Carl Zeiss Jena).

Other than the different eyecups, what makes these different from the "B" version? Per the link Sebzwo posted (to Holger Merlitz's highly informative site), the optical design of the Zeiss West/Oberkochen 8x50 did not change after it came with rubber eyecups. The East German (Jena) 8x50Bs are larger than the Zeiss West 8x50/8x50B; one version has a wider field of view; and have multi-coated lenses and prisms.

Did I overpay? What do they usually sell for? They're already yours and you've already paid - rather than beating yourself up that you might have gotten it $20 or $25 cheaper (or not!), might as well focus on enjoying what is still a wonderful classic binocular...

Are there any good places that might have a spare Zeiss leather case I could buy for these? Ebay does sometimes have old leather cases come up, but be warned, these are noted haunts for fungus - I store my binoculars separately from their leather cases and only use the latter when taking my binoculars to where they'll be used.

What's the field of view for these? 130m/1000m

Any information about the design and history?

Besides the link in Sebzwo's post above, you'll find some interesting notes and photos here:
http://www.greatestbinoculars.com/allpages/reviews/vintage8x50/vintage8x50.html

Not many of us have used or even seen them but two that have are Hermann (post #4 above) and Altavista, who commented on it here: https://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=4032574&postcount=54


Best regards
patudo

 

[John A Roberts]

Some more info:

• the pre-B version, from a 1958 Zeiss West Germany catalogue

• the B version, from a 1964 Zeiss West Germany catalogue, and

• Kind, Hudemann et al’s classic reference table from: http://home.europa.com/~telscope/zeissbn2.txt

n.b. while the different eyecups provide a quick visual distinction between the two models,
the longer eye relief of the B version was achieved by using redesigned optics in the eye piece


John

 

[John A Roberts]

And two images regarding the B eyepiece, from a 1962 Zeiss West Germany catalogue
The pages are from the premier resource for old binocular pamphlets and catalogues - the Miniature Binoculars site -
at: https://www.miniaturebinoculars.com/part3/Page1464.htm


John

 

[james holdsworth]

Good examples usually “ask” at much higher prices....sale price is pretty variable but I would say you got a great deal if condition is excellent.

 

[mnich]

Hello,

https://forum.optyczne.pl/viewtopic.php?t=13133&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=14

 

[starbritemoonlight]

This is terrific mnich, thank you!