Telescope Reviews: Vintage and Classic Binoculars discussion (Part 2)

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Equipment Discussions >> Binoculars

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Simon S
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/07/07

Loc: Crawley West Sussex UK

Re: Russian Binocular new

[Re: SMark]
#5613131 - 01/09/13 04:21 AM

These old Russian binoculars are a good tough instrument, not particularly wide for a 7x35 and a bit yellow in colour. Fold the eyecups down to get the full frame helps. Focus is always sloppy on these binoculars.

Post Extras:

SMark
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/29/11

Loc: Atlanta, GA USA

Re: Russian Binocular new

[Re: Simon S]
#5613667 - 01/09/13 12:45 PM

Yeah, I'm used to having a very wide FOV in a 7x35, so 8.5° isn't really doing much for me, I must admit...

But I just noticed that these rubber eyecups do pull off pretty easily. With the eyecups removed I can actually get almost all of the 8.5° FOV with my glasses on. But I'm only nearsighted so I still prefer to observe with my glasses off.

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Robert A.
sage

Reged: 01/21/05

Loc: Milwaukee, WI Northern USA

Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: SMark]
#5625509 - 01/16/13 12:20 AM

My first revelation of truely fine vintage binocular was a Kowa Prominar 7x35. Even though it had a slight yellow bias, the Afov was huge. I had no idea that they made them that way. After that I began to collect Kowas. Unfortuneately for me, I usually kept it down to 50 dollars. So many binoculars have been bought out from me on the auctions.

Right now there is a 10x50 for sale on ebay for $250. At first it was owned by a different ebay seller who lowered it down to 200. Now it is being sold by Smartfinds. Smartfinds seems to be a person who knows vintage binoculars. They seem to aquire many that bring me to intrest and I put them on the watch list. I don't buy like I used to do.

So if one of you guys could buy it in my place--. You could tell me how it cleans up for you... Maybe you would sell it later for 150 or so...

Ebay page Kowa 10x50 Prominar It is a very good old binoculars! Is anybody interested?

Rob.

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brentwood
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/04/05

Loc: BC Canada

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Robert A.]
#5626725 - 01/16/13 06:15 PM

I had always thought that 'Sard' was an electrical company that made binoculars only during wartime along with other US companies. I have seen their 7x50 on quite a few occasions, and am still hoping to come across one day their 6x42 in a thrift store for $19.95 !
Today however I came across these on the Shopgoodwill site. How many Sard models are out there?

Post Extras:

FrankL
sage

Reged: 07/30/09

Loc: Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: brentwood]
#5626888 - 01/16/13 07:56 PM

Quote:

I had always thought that 'Sard' was an electrical company that made binoculars only during wartime along with other US companies. I have seen their 7x50 on quite a few occasions, and am still hoping to come across one day their 6x42 in a thrift store for $19.95 !
Today however I came across these on the Shopgoodwill site. How many Sard models are out there?

As far as I know that's it - the Navy 7X50, 6x42 and civilian 6X20.

Post Extras:

Simon S
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/07/07

Loc: Crawley West Sussex UK

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: FrankL]
#5650407 - 01/29/13 02:04 PM Attachment (27 downloads)

This late 1940's -1950's Nippon Kogaku skeleton binocular is one of Nikons more unusual models. Despite its tiny dimensions it makes a good pocket binocular, with central focus and wide fov. Image is sharp and fairly distortion free but in big hands it's a bit of a fiddle.

Post Extras:

Rich V.
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/02/05

Loc: Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, USA

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Simon S]
#5650418 - 01/29/13 02:08 PM

Those are beautiful, Simon. They remind me of the little 6x15 Japanese binos my grandparents gave me when I was a kid. They weren't Nikons, though, and were not center focus.

I believe Nikon still makes a similar model with modern coatings, IIRC.

Rich

Post Extras:

Simon S
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/07/07

Loc: Crawley West Sussex UK

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Rich V.]
#5650553 - 01/29/13 03:16 PM

Yes Rich you are correct. They are still listed as Nippon Kogaku and the examples I have seen are individual eye focus.

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brentwood
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 11/04/05

Loc: BC Canada

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Simon S]
#5650636 - 01/29/13 03:52 PM

They did remake these a few years ago and I was able to look through one. The images were exquisite. I also have a small poncy looking Nikon in the same size but in a moulded yellow body. I don't think the images are quite up to the 'naked' model.

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BillC
on a new path

Reged: 06/04/04

Loc: Lake Stevens, WA, USA

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: brentwood]
#5651083 - 01/29/13 08:17 PM

That was the first bino imported by David BUSHNELL and they were out of production for 50 years. They came back several years ago and, while I was at Captain's would sell them at Christmas like candy bars, along with the brother the 6x15. They would give pocket models by the big three a run for their money.

BillC

Post Extras:

Gordon Rayner
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/24/07

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Rich V.]
#5651235 - 01/29/13 09:52 PM

A distant memory says that something very similar to what Simon pictures were lableled Nippon Kogaku and also Mikron somewhere else on the body. I recall it to be a 6 x 15.

Post Extras:

Jae
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 04/13/06

Loc: New England

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Simon S]
#5651357 - 01/29/13 11:15 PM

Quote:

This late 1940's -1950's Nippon Kogaku skeleton binocular is one of Nikons more unusual models. Despite its tiny dimensions it makes a good pocket binocular, with central focus and wide fov. Image is sharp and fairly distortion free but in big hands it's a bit of a fiddle.

I love these. I also have the 5x15 version, center focus and the 6x15 which are IF. They come with a super little leather case that you can say - they don't make 'em like that any more! They have tiny rotating rings for collimation!

Simon, the modern ones are as nicely made with better coatings, not as nice but still leather case. Super sharp.

Jae

Post Extras:

Simon S
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/07/07

Loc: Crawley West Sussex UK

Re: Kowa vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Jae]
#5652769 - 01/30/13 04:59 PM

Quote:

Quote:

This late 1940's -1950's Nippon Kogaku skeleton binocular is one of Nikons more unusual models. Despite its tiny dimensions it makes a good pocket binocular, with central focus and wide fov. Image is sharp and fairly distortion free but in big hands it's a bit of a fiddle.

I love these. I also have the 5x15 version, center focus and the 6x15 which are IF. They come with a super little leather case that you can say - they don't make 'em like that any more! They have tiny rotating rings for collimation!

Simon, the modern ones are as nicely made with better coatings, not as nice but still leather case. Super sharp.

Jae

Are they all nippon Kogaku / Nikon's?

Post Extras:

Jae
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 04/13/06

Loc: New England

Re: nikon vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Simon S]
#5653390 - 01/30/13 10:57 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

This late 1940's -1950's Nippon Kogaku skeleton binocular is one of Nikons more unusual models. Despite its tiny dimensions it makes a good pocket binocular, with central focus and wide fov. Image is sharp and fairly distortion free but in big hands it's a bit of a fiddle.

I love these. I also have the 5x15 version, center focus and the 6x15 which are IF. They come with a super little leather case that you can say - they don't make 'em like that any more! They have tiny rotating rings for collimation!

Simon, the modern ones are as nicely made with better coatings, not as nice but still leather case. Super sharp.

Jae

Are they all nippon Kogaku / Nikon's?

Yes! The older 6x15 is also labeled Mikron and the new ones are Nikon with the 6x15 cf in silver and the 7x15 in black.

I'll take some pics this weekend and post them all.

Post Extras:

Jae
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 04/13/06

Loc: New England

Re: nikon vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Simon S]
#5653391 - 01/30/13 10:57 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

This late 1940's -1950's Nippon Kogaku skeleton binocular is one of Nikons more unusual models. Despite its tiny dimensions it makes a good pocket binocular, with central focus and wide fov. Image is sharp and fairly distortion free but in big hands it's a bit of a fiddle.

I love these. I also have the 5x15 version, center focus and the 6x15 which are IF. They come with a super little leather case that you can say - they don't make 'em like that any more! They have tiny rotating rings for collimation!

Simon, the modern ones are as nicely made with better coatings, not as nice but still leather case. Super sharp.

Jae

Are they all nippon Kogaku / Nikon's?

Yes! The older 6x15 is also labeled Mikron and the new ones are Nikon with the 6x15 cf in silver and the 7x15 in black.

I'll take some pics this weekend and post them all.

Post Extras:

plyscope
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 11/23/06

Loc: Perth, West Australia

Re: nikon vintage binoculars. new

[Re: Jae]
#5653538 - 01/31/13 02:19 AM

Heres a 6x15 that just came up for sale in Australia.

web page

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rydberg
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/25/04

Loc: Richmond, KY, USA

I think this is a Zeiss, but help me make sure. new

[Re: plyscope]
#5658388 - 02/02/13 03:47 PM Attachment (19 downloads)

Hello everyone.
Here's what I have:
7x50, CF, with focus wheel from -5 (infinity) to + 5 (up close). Right eye diopter adjust. Serial number between barrels 2762210
Bought it almost sight unseen, but for $ 20 (including shipping) that's ok.
The binoculars are not in great shape: someone painted the back plates with a roughly applied black enamel (to cover rust I think) and the right prism has a couple of chips.
Marking on the right back plate say M and 7x50 (see picture 1 below). The one on the left I can only see Jena and the a circle with a vertical bar and the symbol ~ underneath (see pictures below). Perfectly collimated, and very sharp to my eyes (at least in daytime). I don't think it is coated. Any info?
Thanks!
Marco

Post Extras:

rydberg
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/25/04

Loc: Richmond, KY, USA

Re: I think this is a Zeiss, but help me make sure. new

[Re: rydberg]
#5658391 - 02/02/13 03:47 PM Attachment (17 downloads)

Another Photo.

Post Extras:

rydberg
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/25/04

Loc: Richmond, KY, USA

Re: I think this is a Zeiss, but help me make sure. [Re: rydberg]
#5658392 - 02/02/13 03:48 PM Attachment (19 downloads)

The last one

Post Extras:

FrankL
sage

Reged: 07/30/09

Loc: Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada

Re: I think this is a Zeiss, but help me make sure. [Re: rydberg]
#5658699 - 02/02/13 06:31 PM

Here is a good discussion about these M marked Jena binoculars on Birdforum a while ago: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=189055

Post Extras:

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