Sard Mark43 (1 Viewer)

[Sommer1943]

Sard Mark43--Extra-wide-angle binoculars carried and used by U.S. Navy carrier-based aircraft or bombers during WWII.

 

[Sommer1943]

Hello everyone!They are my favorite, I use them almost every day, I wish all of you a harvest of your favorite binoculars, thank you!

 

[Foss]

If there were a Hall of Fame for binoculars, the Mk 43 6x42 would certainly be there. Along with the Mk41.

 

[Patudo]

What do you look at with them, and how does the image compare to more modern binoculars?

NB. I recall seeing a pic in Cloudynights showing a Sard 6x42 that looked very much like its lenses had been coated (and multi-coated at that - pinkish reflections). I wonder how this was achieved and what were the costs etc...

 

[Sommer1943]

What do you look at with them, and how does the image compare to more modern binoculars?

NB. I recall seeing a pic in Cloudynights showing a Sard 6x42 that looked very much like its lenses had been coated (and multi-coated at that - pinkish reflections). I wonder how this was achieved and what were the costs etc...

Hello!I often use MK43 to observe the scenery near my residence. I only have Pentax 6x25 (11*wide angle) and skyline7x35 (12*wide angle) in my hand for comparison. I think using MK43 is a super enjoyment. Its clarity, exit pupil, depth of field and three-dimensional sense far exceed these modern binoculars.Both MK43 were purchased in China, and they both came indirectly from the United States.They are more expensive in China, with a price of about 1,500 U.S. dollars each.But if you buy directly from eBay, the price after adding international freight and customs duties is not cheap.

 

[Patudo]

Which part of the PRC do you live in, Sommer1943? I've seen photos of some amazing landscapes in China (Guilin, Hunan, Sichuan) that would be amazing to view with something like the Sard. Your binoculars have a much easier life now than in their first job, that's for sure... Even with the low magnification and large exit pupil, I can't imagine how challenging it would be to scan from an aircraft, particularly a World War II era one. I've seen the Lancaster bomber from the RAF memorial flight pass by a couple of times, and could almost feel the vibrations from where I was. I've used binoculars from a small boat while tuna fishing (spotting flocks of seabirds) and that was challenging enough.

From memory, the Skyline 7x35 isn't that modern (I guess it's modern compared to the Sard, but...) - I think it's from the 1950s/60s era when a lot of wide angle binoculars were made in Japan. It would be interesting to see how the best of those (eg 7x35 Rangemaster) compare to the Sard.

 

[Sommer1943]

Which part of the PRC do you live in, Sommer1943? I've seen photos of some amazing landscapes in China (Guilin, Hunan, Sichuan) that would be amazing to view with something like the Sard. Your binoculars have a much easier life now than in their first job, that's for sure... Even with the low magnification and large exit pupil, I can't imagine how challenging it would be to scan from an aircraft, particularly a World War II era one. I've seen the Lancaster bomber from the RAF memorial flight pass by a couple of times, and could almost feel the vibrations from where I was. I've used binoculars from a small boat while tuna fishing (spotting flocks of seabirds) and that was challenging enough.

From memory, the Skyline 7x35 isn't that modern (I guess it's modern compared to the Sard, but...) - I think it's from the 1950s/60s era when a lot of wide angle binoculars were made in Japan. It would be interesting to see how the best of those (eg 7x35 Rangemaster) compare to the Sard.

Hello!I live in northern China, more than 100 kilometers away from Beijing.Yes, MK43 is no longer a soldier, they enjoy the treatment of veterans.My Chinese friend compared MK43 with Nikon WX10x50 and Zeiss U-boat 8x60. The conclusion is that the performance is comparable. Even my friend said that he thinks MK43 ranks first in three-dimensional sense and has no opponents.

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Your friend is nicely equipped with the MK43, Nikon WX10x50 and Zeiss U-boat 8x60. For a while, I have used the Zeiss 8x60 (a loan from Hans Seeger) along with my Nikon 10x50 WX and also a 7x50 WX (loan from Nikon). If the 8x60 had modern coatings, it would certainly be a great competitor, although in terms of edge-sharpness Nikon would still be ahead. Similarly the MK43, which I had used for a while, but eventually gave up because the contrast and colors were lacking when compared to binoculars with modern coatings. It is getting time for some manufacturers to think about making such amazing binoculars again, with modern glasses and coatings.

Cheers,
Holger

 

[Sommer1943]

Your friend is nicely equipped with the MK43, Nikon WX10x50 and Zeiss U-boat 8x60. For a while, I have used the Zeiss 8x60 (a loan from Hans Seeger) along with my Nikon 10x50 WX and also a 7x50 WX (loan from Nikon). If the 8x60 had modern coatings, it would certainly be a great competitor, although in terms of edge-sharpness Nikon would still be ahead. Similarly the MK43, which I had used for a while, but eventually gave up because the contrast and colors were lacking when compared to binoculars with modern coatings. It is getting time for some manufacturers to think about making such amazing binoculars again, with modern glasses and coatings.

Cheers,
Holger

Hello!I agree with your comments on modern technology. The glass and coating used 80 years ago are indeed not as good as binoculars made with modern technology. However, many binoculars enthusiasts I know in China love it very much after trying the Sard 6x42. They even gave up buying Nikon WX or Zeiss and Swarovski in order to buy MK43.This shows from another perspective that the SARD 6x42 is a very successful ultra-wide-angle military binocular in history.Many people are waiting to imitate this outstanding binoculars with modern technology.