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Message: <blockquote data-quote="James Bean" data-source="post: 1444094" data-attributes="member: 64331"><p>sammyboy: subject to condition, £115 looks like a bargain. Googling appears to indicate the Zeiss 8x30B Dialyt was produced from April 1964; the rubber-armoured version (GA) from June 1968; the T* from August 1983; P* added in 1988. Seems yours is from the late 1960s. Dalat's comment that it "of course can't compare with any modern binocular" is perhaps too sweeping, although I 'get the drift'; some of the 1960s stuff, despite not having multi-coating, can be surprisingly good optically and sufficiently satisfying in use. Remember the likes of Leitz, Nikon and Zeiss were making superb camera lenses back in the Swingin' Sixties, the Zeiss Contarex lenses being legendary. On a test bench the old lenses are demonstrably inferior to modern T*/P*/SMC/ED optics, but that doesn't mean the 'oldies' can't do a satisfactory job such as birdwatching. One thing's for sure: build quality of the old Dialyt is 'dialytful': just compare it with (say) a modern Conquest; they are both nice but, as dalat rightly says, the Dialyt is beautiful, elegant even, though not quite as svelte perhaps as the old Leitz Trinovids. The Dialyt is fairly well sealed against moisture but I'd advise judicious use of a 'damp cloth'. A silicone shoe-shine pad/sponge works wonders on the binocular's leatherette covering and case, almost like new! As to the rubber eye-cups, you may be able to obtain replacements from Zeiss (worth a try).</p></blockquote><p></p>

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