Holger Merlitz' book on binoculars, 2nd edition (2 Viewers)

[wllmspd]

Not too expensive.... >£€$100 would not be helpful, we are trying to spread knowledge and good practice, though of course the author deserves reward for all his considerable efforts. Being able to print on demand would hopefully ensure that we don’t suffer from those dreaded out of stock issues where the secondhand people look to charge mad money.

Peter

 

[Swissboy]

.........It occurred to me that perhaps one or the other English speaking forum member who does read some German texts might find an easier access to the book with these indexes, so you can find them here:
https://binocular.ch/tips-facts-figures/#toggle-id-6

(scroll down, then click on “E-D” or “D-E” to open, or right-click to download)

Canip

*these indexes are “unofficial” – Holger is aware of me creating them, but any errors, mistakes or omissions are entirely my responsibility. I have no commercial relationship with Holger Merlitz, nor any commercial interest in his book project.

Hi Canip,

This is great! Thank you very much. My English is actually excellent, but not when it comes to such technical terms. In fact, I sometimes find it harder to hit a correct German designation. (An example: I know the English IPD and ER, but for German, for both the term Augenabstand comes to mind first.) So I'm actually going to use the index in both directions. And thanks as well of promoting the Merlitz book. I have just ordered it. Looks like Holger gets a bit of a benefit anyway. :-O

Robert, another Swiss fellow

 

[Swissboy]

That sounds very strange to me. There are thousands of technical books available from publishers like Springer, Cambridge University Press, CRC Press, SPIE Press, Wiley, etc. I doubt that many of these specialized books have a large audience.
I think that this book could be a good project for Cambridge University Press for example. But I don't know the problem about the licensing conditions.

The audience is mostly libraries, I think. Many publishers specifically cater to that market. A reason why the books are usually hard cover.

 

[NDhunter]

Holger:

I was recently on vacation and met a small business owner here in the US, who told me about how he
wrote a book about his business story.

He said it was easy using Amazon and self publishing. They publish and print upon demand and send them out.

I am only passing along this information, so do some checking into this aspect into larger markets like the US. Some things you can find with a web search, are they can distribute globally, e books, kindle, and in multiple languages.

Good luck with the effort.

Jerry

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Holger:

I was recently on vacation and met a small business owner here in the US, who told me about how he
wrote a book about his business story.

He said it was easy using Amazon and self publishing. They publish and print upon demand and send them out.

I am only passing along this information, so do some checking into this aspect into larger markets like the US. Some things you can find with a web search, are they can distribute globally, e books, kindle, and in multiple languages.

Good luck with the effort.

Jerry

Hi Jerry,

Right, I could do that if other approaches would fail. Obviously, I would prefer to have a publisher who also helps with language and such. I will take my time and continue looking around before I take any further actions ...

Cheers,
Holger

 

[JerryLogan]

Your book seems like a natural fit to the Willmann-Bell catalog. Thank you for your generous and useful contributions - it would be nice to see you compensated for at least some of your effort.

Best,
Jerry

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Your book seems like a natural fit to the Willmann-Bell catalog. Thank you for your generous and useful contributions - it would be nice to see you compensated for at least some of your effort.

Best,
Jerry

Thank you for your kind words, Jerry! I have been in contact with Willmann-Bell, there has been interest even, but some license issues have been in the way. Maybe that can be solved, I haven't given up yet

Cheers
Holger

 

[Swissboy]

………………….
What did come out a few weeks ago is a much expanded and thoroughly revised 2nd edition of the German version. It again contains a plethora of practical tips for selecting and using binoculars ………………...

I had not known about the first edition, but I now have this second edition that I already cherish after only a few extended "glimpses" into it. I am particularly impressed by the large scope (pardon the pun) that even includes human physiology. It is definitely worth getting it even if your English is not very good. Many illustrations essentially speak for themselves. I have never seen a better compilation of the various types of prisms used in binoculars, and how they work. All understandable without needing the often also presented mathematics. Simply great!

And while I personally don't need an English version, I definitely think such an edition should me made available if at all possible. The book is simply too good to restrict its spread to German knowing readers only.

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Thank you Robert, I am happy to have another satisfied reader of my book! I truly appreciate and will continue working hard to get the English version ready!

Cheers,
Holger

 

[Swissboy]

……….. I am happy to have another satisfied reader of my book! I truly appreciate and will continue working hard to get the English version ready!

Cheers,
Holger

Holger, I also posted a link to this thread in the general book subforum. https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=375145
I think it might make a few more people aware of your book. If I had not been looking for binocular info in the last few weeks, I still would not know of your book. I'm not following the equipment forums all the time (I might be tempted to buy more than I can justify), but I always go through the posts on books in that multimedia subforum.

 

[Steve C]

Holger,

Personally, I'd pay up for an English version available as a download PDF online at your website.

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Holger, I also posted a link to this thread in the general book subforum. https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=375145
I think it might make a few more people aware of your book. If I had not been looking for binocular info in the last few weeks, I still would not know of your book. I'm not following the equipment forums all the time (I might be tempted to buy more than I can justify), but I always go through the posts on books in that multimedia subforum.

Hi Robert,

Thank you for mentioning my book in the general book subforum!

Cheers,
Holger

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Holger,

Personally, I'd pay up for an English version available as a download PDF online at your website.

Hi Steve,

Right, thanks for your encouragement! First step would be to get the entire thing translated, I only have three chapters yet

Cheers,
Holger

 

[Steve C]

Hi Steve,

Right, thanks for your encouragement! First step would be to get the entire thing translated, I only have three chapters yet

Cheers,
Holger

It is said that a journey starts with the first step. Since you have the first three steps, you are on your way! Good luck :t:

 

[HannahReed]

Great book

 

[jring]

Just checked it, and now I remember why I haven't approached SPIE: They only accept manuscripts written in Microsoft Word, and I have coded everything in LaTeX :-(

Cheers,
Holger

Hi,

ouch - that hurts... especially so from a publisher of science textbooks...

Joachim

 

[eronald]

Hi Steve,

Right, thanks for your encouragement! First step would be to get the entire thing translated, I only have three chapters yet

Cheers,
Holger

Unless you need the recognition, why don't you go self-published via Apple Books, Kindle etc? Print orders can be filled by print-on-demand by Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-summary-page.html?topic=200260520

Another advantage, if I may give you this idea, is that you could provide a running review of current binocular technical information, which you could progressively add to - eg. diagrams of the new Zeiss SF, RF designs and other novelties, maybe some current info like a list of third party repair facilities, places to order spare parts, etc.


Edmund

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Great book

Thank you, Hannah!


Holger

 

[Holger Merlitz]

Unless you need the recognition, why don't you go self-published via Apple Books, Kindle etc? Print orders can be filled by print-on-demand by Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/seller-account/mm-summary-page.html?topic=200260520

Another advantage, if I may give you this idea, is that you could provide a running review of current binocular technical information, which you could progressively add to - eg. diagrams of the new Zeiss SF, RF designs and other novelties, maybe some current info like a list of third party repair facilities, places to order spare parts, etc.


Edmund

That's certainly an alternative. Not straightforward, though, since my current publisher owns the copyright (including the right for translations) and I would have to get a kind of license to publish a translation. Anyway, I am currently too busy to follow up such a project, that would have to wait for calmer times

Cheers,
Holger

 

[wllmspd]

:-( so we need to wait some more? I wonder how well the phone “magic camera translations” would work on the technical vocabulary? Less trouble than asking the wife to read it to me... don’t think she knows much binocular vocabulary either!

Peter