Leitz Greenkat kestrel (1 Viewer)

[lozninja]

Hi guys I've just brought some of these . There 8.5x50 Porro prism .

They are very nice indeed but I can't seem to even find a pair on the World Wide Web .

I'd like to know if any body could assist there immaculate condition and don't look that old .

Has any body seen a pair similar or age or coating etc..

Many thanks

 

[Binastro]

Hi there,
you seem to be mixing up three different names.
Greenkat is a well-known name for wide-angle Porro prism binoculars, usually with small eye relief and severe pincushion distortion.
I think kestrel maybe usually by Swift.
And Leitz is something else.
If it actually says all of these it sounds like a fake or somebody with a good imagination writing this on the binocular.

Could you please post some photographs if you are able.

 

[lozninja]

Yes that's what I thought too

But these do exist

Greenkat is the label with a big picture of a large cat on the dial

Then badge on the right says kestral and 8.5x50 then Leitz - eigertrum

It's optics are too good to be a fake or copy


Many thanks

I'll try get some pictures up later

 

[Binastro]

I will bet you a pint of beer that it is not a Leitz binocular

Can you measure the clear aperture of the front objectives?
Also are you able to measure the size of the exit pupil?

 

[Kammerdiner]

Just do a google image search for Leitz greenkat and you'll find pictures, possibly of the one you purchased.

Can't help with the ID though.

Mark

PS: isn't that a Japanese inspection sticker on the center post?

Here's a link:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/181757172863

 

[lozninja]

A whole pint

Tee hee

I'll post some better pictures when I get in tonight

Says made in Germany

 

[Binastro]

. A half pint of beer is fine.

I think that you will find that in Poland there are experts at engraving cameras purported to be by Leitz, but are in fact Russian or Soviet rather. Some are goldplated, lizard skin etc. Very nice fakes until you open them up.

The binocular is in fact a Greenkat binocular. But someone with a good sense of humour has I think engraved the Leitz markings.

It is purported to have multicoated objectives. What colour are the coatings on the objectives? Are they single blue coating?

I'm not sure which Leitz Porro prism binoculars have multicoated objectives.

I do have a Greenkat '10' 8×40 binocular, which is marked as having a 10° field. It is actually nearer 9°.
The Greenkat markings are indeed correct on your binocular.

A Japanese Porro prism binocular of that period may indeed be very good.

Are there Japanese engravings on the front of the hinge or nearby?

I suppose somebody could argue that they put Leitz 50 mm objectives into a one-off Japanese binocular, but I doubt it.

 

[Binastro]

. What are the numbers and letters on the Japanese sticker? I may be able to date it for you.

I hope you didn't pay more than £60. If you did and it is a fake you should get the difference in money back.

The binocular seems to be in good condition. The binocular case seems to be also in good condition and typically Japanese. It wouldn't surprise me if it says made in Japan on the bottom or have a Japanese sticker.

The eyepieces seem to be the typical Greenkat three element eyepieces, which have been stretched to the maximum field. Does it have a lot of pincushion distortion and short eye relief. I suppose it could be using a more sophisticated eyepiece?

 

[lozninja]

No stickers on it all

Apart from the one on the focus dial spindle

 

[lozninja]

On closer look

It actually says made in Japan but that's just on tripod mount

 

[Binastro]

. Hi there,
What are the full markings on the sticker?

If you look at the front of the binocular is there a faint engraving in the metal. Maybe near the bottom of the hinge.

Are there any markings on the bottom of the binocular case or inside the binocular case or at the back of the binocular case? Maybe also on the metal clasp?

 

[Binastro]

. Looking at the photographs on the link, it might say on the surround of the tripod socket, the code of the Japanese maker. The image is not good enough for me to make it out.

If you could take a close-up photograph of this ring around the tripod socket it would be easier to make out what it says.

Also what is the colour of the coatings of the objectives from white light?

 

[lozninja]

The sticker in the middle of the focus

Spindle it its like one of those inpection sticker it says

7 passed
Jt11

Other than that all the writing is on the top metal plate .
The focus is very crisp
They are very bright optics
The colours of everything is neutral
There is a massive sweet spot
Very close focus just over a metre
The optics look multi coated

 

[lozninja]

Lens

Pic of lens

 

[lozninja]

Trod adapter ring

Picture

 

[Binastro]

. It probably says JT I I, which probably means Japanese Telescope Inspection Institute.
Possibly 1977 ?

If you look up Greenkat 8.5×50 binoculars, you will find several sold recently.
One last month admittedly in rather poor cosmetic condition sold for £28.
Others mentioned that the field is 9°.

There seem to be at least two different cosmetic versions.

I'm surprised it focuses as close as 1 m.

The blue colour of reflected light in the eyepieces suggests that it is single coated there.

However, it is possible that the objectives are multicoated.

 

[lozninja]

Bit better picture of the fronts

Pic





Again many thanks

 

[Binastro]

. JB 133 is the Japanese makers code.

If you look up Japanese binocular codes you will find the name of the maker.

The objective seem to be multicoated.

There is also the serial number on the ring.

I don't know what R- means.

 

[Binastro]

Possibly 5 element Erfle eyepieces?

R-8694 is the serial number probably.

Elementary, my dear Watson.


Talking about drinks.
Tommy Cooper took a journey in a London black cab and when he paid he put something in the cabbies jacket top pocket.

He said ' Have a drink on me'.

When Tommy Cooper had gone the cabbie pulled out the tip. It was a teabag!

 

[lozninja]

obviously have to take it back

As it was shop brought too .

im just trying to find the evidence of the same binocular .