Binoculars.

[Strangely Brown]

My Father has been using the same set of Zeiss for 30+ years now without issues. My concern would be how well a new pair would compare to something built 40 years ago, regardless of what the manufacturers say things do change and not always for the better. I use Steiner, both civilian and military versions and they work well however the military are looking tatty these days. Will both last 50 years, possibly the civilian version yes.

I have been very disapointed in the build quality of Zeiss in the last 10 years; last year I supplied a pair (£2k) to a bird watching customer, he bought them back after 3 months as the focusing felt very rough & gritty.
To be fair they did replace the glass but you would not expect a £2k binocular to have problems of any sort!

[channel12]

Im still using my late father's Ross binoculars. I think they date back to the 1950's. I've had them since 1981.

[froggy]

+1 , My father has been using a pair of surplus Zeiss NVA 7x40 on his boat I got him for cheap in Berlin after the fall of the wall. Optic is very good & so far they resisted perfectly the exposure to the saline environment & the occasional bash.

[Christel]

Binoculars, scopes, anything glass, I prefer to go for old, my impression is that they just do not make them to the same quality as they used to.

I rate the Steiners we have here highly.

Slightly OT

http://www.army-store24.de/epages/61272 ... ageSize=30