Binocular guide series#

One of the most amazing things about collecting vintage binoculars is how incredibly long lasting they are. They’re short, squat, and rarely offer more than 6X magnification, but remain as one of the most durable field glass designs of the era. Though their 6X magnification wasn’t as stunning as the German binocular models of WWII, their clarity and field of vision is legendary among binocular collectors.Įven older than both of these, but often not quite as pricey due to their larger production numbers, Bausch & Lomb binoculars from the WWI era are fairly easy to find. Navy Mk 42 binoculars are a notable collector’s item.

Today, these vintage binoculars are worth thousands of dollars if kept in good condition.įor American vintage binocular brands, the Sard U.S. The most famous of binoculars to make use of the newly-adopted Porro and roof prisms might be the 8×60 U-boat binoculars used by the German Kriegsmarine during World War II - a staple of the roaming “wolf packs” of German boats that gave incredible clarity and field of vision. Together, roof and porro prisms are used in nearly every version of modern binoculars from WWII onward. Similar to the porro prism, it allowed for collapsible binoculars with enhanced viewing capabilities. This invention would be accompanied by the roof prism design, patented by Carl Zeiss in 1905.

Binocular guide series#

By implementing a coordinated series of prisms, Porro could make binoculars that gave a wider field of vision, greater viewing depth, and clearer images. In 1854, Italian optician and inventor Ignazio Porro patented a reflecting prism design that would change the course of binoculars forever.

It wouldn’t be until the widespread adoption of a different prism style that military binoculars would be highly regarded for their efficacy. These field glasses were quite bulky, though, and prone to the same problems of a small field of vision that any Galilean telescope is plagued by. The turn of the century saw aluminum production come into its own, allowing for wider production of military field glasses - large Galilean binoculars with rugged construction that could magnify 5-6X. Once durable binoculars could be made affordably enough, European and American militaries quickly pounced on the tactical advantages given by enhanced vision capabilities. Combined with optical improvements that allowed for multiple ranges of magnification, this led to increases in efficiency that would be adopted for military use. Lemiére quickly improved on this design, offering an extra bridge that allowed for adjustable focusing.īy the late 1800s, widespread adoption of aluminum processing methods led to even lighter weight opera glasses, including folding and collapsible glasses. Voigtländer would go on to patent the combination of two spyglasses in 1823, connecting them with a metal bridge to allow for easy holding and double-eyed viewing. They would lay the foundation for the next step of binocular evolution: Opera glasses. Essentially a collapsible, handheld-sized telescope, the spyglass allowed for magnifications of 2-3X.