Who Makes my Binoculars????

dieseldan

Well-Known Member
Who makes so called premuim optics?

This post is in response to those who think that a Hungarian Schmidt and bender is not as good as a German one, or that a Zeiss conquest is mince because it is assembled in the USA to avoid import duties and allow for them to be sold in direct opposition to Redfield and Leupold.

Kamakura Koki Ltd. has factories in China, Malasia and Korea. It has a research and development lab in Japan and makes optic for the following manufacturers under licence.


Alpen
Brunton
Bushnell
Burris
Celestron
Kahles
Leupold
Minolta
Minox
Nikon
Pentax
Steiner
Swift

Bushnell and Simmons are now the same company (both made by Koki).

so now you know Minox and Steiner are as German as Leupold.

http://www.saitama-bsc.jp/english/saitama_excellent_companies/imgs/SBSC-E 36.pdf

So to conclude.....Swarovski make their own glass and optics
Schmidt & Bender manufacture in Germany (dont know where the lenses originate) as do Zeiss and Docter

Meopta are Czech and IOR Romanian.
 
There's a very lucky man selling Kahles on eBay. Last week he sold a pair of 10 x 42s which were an unwanted gift and this week he's selling a pair of 8 x 42s which are apparently also an unwanted gift!! Oh for friends like his!!

Here's the link but I advise caution, feedback from the last sale has not been posted yet and the seller has only done 7 transactions.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Kahles-binoculars_W0QQitemZ220344876931QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Photography_Binoculars_ET?hash=item220344876931&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1301|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318
 
I understood that all the Schmidt & Bender lens are made in the Hungarian factory that S&B have owned for years.
 
Leica

Leica binoculars are very special

They are excellent and expensive, but justifibly so.

But the lenses come from America. FACT. (do some digging)

This is one of the reasons Leica are so expensive as the yanks cannot produce the glass cheaply.

So...... Leica are one of the optics to buy regardless of who makes what. So are S&B, Zeiss, Swaro, Docter, Maeopta and IOR, and if you are lucky PECAR.

The rest are NOT premium quality and you should think twice before paying an more than USA or ebay prices for this stuff

I am not saying it is CRAP, I am saying it is not value for money unless it is a bargain.
 
Minox use Scohott lens in their HG bins, Scohott glass is made in Germany. On the side of the binoculars it says made in Germany, is this a lie? if not it makes them pretty German to me. :confused:

Best rgds

Tahr
 
I love my Minox HGs. I would also love to have the cash for a pair of Swaros or what ever but that is impossible to justify. I paid £400 for the Minox and have seen them outperform Swaros in low light on a number of occasions now. Perhaps, Dieseldan you have a different view of value for money than me but having had the Minox for about 2 years now I certainly consider them value for money.

Minox use Schott lenses though I've no idea where they are assembled. I have an S&B scope and I believe they might also use Schott glass? My scope was manufactured in Hungary. Interestingly one stalker I was on the hill with recently, who was using Swaro binos, borrowed my rifle to watch the deer through the scope. He could no longer see the little spike antlers with his Swaros, though I could see them with my Minox and my S&B.

This certainly doesn't prove that the Minox is a better bino than the Swaro but for me it proves it is good enough to be value for money for my purposes and I think we have to recognise that different people are in different situations and so make different judgements relating to value.
 
Minox HG series

I think that all global Manufacturers have ranges of Binoculars and try to make a product for every pocket.

Schott optics are global and again make a range of lenses. Leica use Schott lenses as well.

You can see here that they have a plant in Jena beside Docter.

http://www.schott.com/advanced_opti...dex.html?PHPSESSID=mfhv56b0vm9hn4td9nr6sj7bu6


Sounds like the Minox HG are a good bet.

The topic was posted for information and to provoke discussion not to say they “My Binos are better than your Binos” kind of thing.

I have tried Minox and Steiner binos and thought they were excellent.

I have neither for a couple of reasons but that is the beauty of choice.

My first stalking binos were Bushnell Trophy 8x42 made in china and i still have them in the car as spares.

As long as the price is right anything can be a good buy. I just wanted to highlight the way some products are marketed being misleading.

To end this I would state that it is better to be out shooting using kit you can afford than to be sitting in the house saving up for a pair of binos or a scope.

In my opinion of course,

happy hunting with whatever you have.
 
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