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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jonathan B." data-source="post: 1620003" data-attributes="member: 4633">How true.Many BF posters are so hung up on the latest and greatest developments that they ignore the great binoculars of the past. Sometimes it is actually enjoyable to bird with something like a 7x35 B&L Zephyr, which was introduced in the 1930s and, except for the addition of antireflective coatings, remained in production practically unchanged into the 1970s. Despite its limitations, the Zephyr is remarkably sharp, contrasty, and bright. I'm sure the same is true of the Zeiss 8x30s and many other binoculars. Using one is like driving a vintage automobile, except that the experience is counterintuitive. One comes to realize that despite the tremendous advances in optics since the 1930s--at least the ones with which many of us are obsessed--the improvements in imaging have been relatively minor.</blockquote>