Telescope Reviews: The end of the binoculars (optical) in the XXI

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We pasted here the text that I put on my blog.
If anyone knows the Italian can help me to correct some errors in my translation ... thanks

Traslate ..with Google but with my changes and corrections ... to automatic translation.

object:
The sunset of the binocular optical signals in the XXI century.

For a romantic collector of binoculars, like me, you do not suffer from any of the considerations and pessimistic thoughts that I intend to do in this article-my little note.

Indeed, for the same reasons that I shall give later on, maybe the collection will be even more happy and honored to have among the hands, and his eyes, binoculars vintage.

They do not even have a problem who do not agree with my idea on the future development of binoculars, at least for what remains of binoculars, defined as optical instrument itself.

Will be glad to see someone who loves the news and new technology, always and everywhere, as a necessary good, and impervious to any kind of reflection or homesickness.

Recently, the german expert Dr Holger Merlitz, with whom I had the opportunity to exchange a few messages on C.P.Goerz binoculars, wrote a web page (http://www.holgermerlitz.de/digitalbino.html) which describes the new scenario evolution of that instrument, which according to his idea, yet a little, we will call binoculars.

I am not here to repeat what Dr. Merlitz lists and explains, so well ,but I prefer to make a historical reflection mei then introduce the final conclusions.

Beginning with the state the date of birth the first binoculars in the world, at least what is considered the official start of the use of two coupled Galilean.

In 1823, the optician Viennese Johann F. Voigtlander, invented the first binoculars in the world with his invention was opened in human history and its relationship with nature, war, sport, science, security and entertainment pure and simple, a key chapter of the man-tool a bit like it was prehistoric humans, the discovery of weapons and tools.

For the entire nineteenth century, the genius of inventors and scientists, to name but three names on many, Porro, Abbe, Hoegh ... gradually brought within 70 years (since the invention of Voigtlander) to achieve a model of which reached top quality binoculars optical quality and ease of use and portability.

Before the nineteenth over, there was the invention of the roof prism (and the pentaprism), a pioneer in optics, Moritz Hensoldt, who invented and patented by the company that still bears his name in 1898, are still a milestone in the construction of high-end binoculars and superior optical quality.

Without this tiny premise historical necessity, the development of binoculars in 900', I believe, has experienced changes of minor technical importance but still worthy of note (anti-reflective coating, improved over the FOV eyepieces, water resistance, brightness, compactness and lightness) but in return greatly confirmed its usefulness as optical instrument indispensable to some human activities, but especially in the first and second World Wars.

I have hundreds of historic photographs of soldiers who have neck or a pair of binoculars that are using the deck of a ship or a submarine or tank.

Gone are the sad times of war, the binoculars of the 900 ', is back to being a playmate and entertainment (sports and theater) and has maintained a scientific importance (birdwatching and astronomy) and sea rescue and research.

Naturally, the amount of optical binoculars that have gone into the military supply remained significant, but much more specialized. Among the most famous military binoculars, remain the Hensoldt rubber and waterproof (distributed by Zeiss).

Towards the end of the twentieth century the most important technological innovations have been directed to increased stability of the observation, by gyroscopes and electronic stabilizing, compasses and cameras and then incorporated.

We have come now to the great technological leap that perhaps will change its name to the binocular optics.

With the advent of CCD and the miniaturization of cameras and electronic equipment, tubes of old binoculars, we can imagine, that can no longer ocular prism and achromatic doublets but microcameras stabilized with a single small button allows the magnification or the effect angle variable and adapts quickly to low light.

In short, Oversimplified, there will be a leap forward similar to that which led to the sensors and electronics in cameras, making it instantly obsolete and useless films and mechanical shutter.

More than anything else to beat the new name of this "tool" could be "BinoCCD" or "Binovision" and remove it faster than half the fun of keeping his hands a binocular optical-mechanical, prisms and eyepieces designed with the great genius of the sigg.Abbe or Hoegh.

Fortunately for us old bino nostalgic man, the batteries will fade and visions goodbye! Hi!! Hi!! Hi!!

Returning to more serious things, progress must not stop but emotions will not change for those who will always have the pleasure of challenging a Zeiss, Voigtlander, Busch, Goerz, Leitz, Hensoldt, Dollond, Ross, Kershaw, Baush & Lomb, Barr & Stroud, Krauss. .. and I will stop here!

Unfortunately we have to resign .. the end of optical glasses is close ... but will in human history and the optics of the last two centuries XIX and XX, perhaps even more than the telescope, as it also had a huge popularity that the tens of millions of binoculars in the world bear witness ..

Edited by Bensi (10/16/09 05:44 AM)