Older Zeiss 8x30B monocular - opinions wanted (1 Viewer)

[Russ Jones]

Hi,

I’ve found an old 8x30B monocular for sale that looks to be in good shape. Since it’s not local Incant try it out, so I’m wondering if anyone here has used it and has any thoughts, opinions and/or insight they would be willing to share. Thanks for any help you can give. Here are some pics of the monocular.

 

[John A Roberts]

Hi Russ,

Mainly some history . . .

It was long usual for the main European optics manufacturers to offer monoculars in addition to their binocular lines e.g. series production of Porro prism binoculars commenced with Zeiss in 1894, and by 1896 they were offering monocular versions of the full range. See a page from the English language version of the 1896 catalogue. Various Zeiss catalogues from 1894 to 1905(?) can be found at: zeisshistoricasociety Publisher Publications - Issuu

However, after WWII, Zeiss West Germany only offered Porro monoculars in 8x30 until their main Porro binocular production ceased in the 1970’s. Additionally, towards the end of the period, they made an 8x30B photo-monocular that could be mounted on fixed lens 35mm cameras for use as a tele-extender. It featured a focusable objective, as seen in the example from a 1964 catalogue (so 'analogue-era digiscoping') *

Similarly, when Swarovski commenced commercial binocular production in 1948, they also offered a range of monoculars corresponding to the Porro binocular line; and later also photo-monoculars in both 8x30 and 10x40. The regular monoculars were offered until at least the mid-1980’s.

By convention both with Zeiss and others, a Porro monocular was what would have been the right hand barrel of a binocular pair.
(And in addition, Hensoldt both before and after WWII, offered monocular versions of its full range of Abbe-Koenig roof prism binoculars).


* For some idea of the quality possible, see images by Jan Vogelaar using a Zeiss 8x30B on a Fuji X-Pro 1 at: "The performance of Carl Zeiss: Super Tele lenses and Digiscoping up to 1620 mm on the X-Pro1" by Jan Vogelaar - Fuji Rumors

- - - -
Interestingly, your Zeiss monocular is a roof prism model. Zeiss introduced it’s first post-WWII roof prism binocular the Schmidt-Pechan prism 8x30B Dialyt in 1967. Focusing was by moving the objective lenses, as seen in the cut away images at: Optical design of 1980s Dialyt 8x30

Your Dialyt-Mono followed the next year, and was offered until 1986. See some basic data complied by Kind, Hudemann et al, from: http://home.europa.com/~telscope/zeissbn2.txt

It appears that a later version of the Dialyt-Mono had the focusing objective ring calibrated, to aid in use as a photo-monocular, as shown in the two images from: ZEISS MONOCULAR DIALYT 8x30B with EYEPIECE and ADAPTER giving 400mm on CONTAFLEX | #1772674249

And in terms of the optical performance of your model, see some comments about the binocular version at: Swarovski 8x30 SLC NEU vs Zeiss 8x30B T* Dialyt


John

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

In 2017 I published a study about multifuntional binoculars, it is published on the WEB-site of House of Outdoor as a powerpoint of a presentation for the Binocular History Society. It shows that there are quite a few monoculars and binoculars used as telephotolenses in the past two centuries.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[John A Roberts]

Of particular interest in Gijs’ study is page 76. It both shows the Zeiss Dialyt-Mono and also includes a cross-section of the optics.

In comparison to the later binocular versions, the objective pair is shown as being air-spaced. Compare the image to the ones of the binoculars at:
Optical design of 1980s Dialyt 8x30 *

It also makes clear that the external pattern of the lens groups in the eyepiece, was used in both the Porro and roof prism 8x30B designs
(though in terms of detail, the first group in the Dialyt-Mono consists of a single lens rather than a doublet).

The caption for the cross-section "Light path 8x30 B first and third version" raises the question as to what was the second version?
Seemingly it’s the second 8x30B version of the Porro line. See the cross-section images of the three post-WWII 8x30 Porro designs in post #5 at: Zeiss 8X30s


John


* And since we don't have an image of the optical construction to the first version of the 8x30B Dialyt binocular (the long bodied version),
it may be that it's objective was air-spaced like that of the Dialyt-Mono (and the earlier Porro 8x30 designs).

 

[fazalmajid]

They look far better constructed than the current plasticky Zeiss monoculars.