Leitz beh 10x50 "wide angle" binoculars

[Gumball]

I aquired a pair of beh binoculars with oversize occulars. I have been able to find very little about these glasses.

I was told that, late in the war, there was more of a request for a wider view, so, as glasses were returned to Leitz for repair, the prism plates and occulars were replaced with larger ones. They also have a reticle in the right eyepiece.

Any info on these would be very appreciated.

[wilddieb]

Hi Gumball,

can you please post a picture of the body from the binoculars?
Thanks.

[Sgt Bilko]

If you bought them recently from "up north" I think they came from a friend of mine.

I think they were made originally with the Leitz wider angle oculars - not returned for modification.

At one time it was thought they were made using spare 8x60 oculars but now that's believed to be untrue.

They're "Wide Angle" for Leitz (who traditionally went for less wide angle but greater resolution than Zeiss) but, having both the same one as you and the traditional Zeiss and blc 10x50 Dienstglas, I think I prefer the Zeiss .

An interesting and pleasant glass to have though - and fairly rare!

[Michael Downey]

This particular type of "wide angled" 10 x 50 beh binoculars that I have on file have a serial range of 462XXX - 472XXX. I do not doubt that there are earlier and later serial numbers out there relating to these wide angled variants. My records record other types of beh binoculars (e.g. 7 x 50 full rubber Kriegsmarine) that were issued that fall within the 462XXX - 472XXX serial range. So serial numbers are obviously not the last word.

The finish typically on the so called wide angles binoculars for the earlier serial range is rough black lacquer (the lacquer always falling off, no exceptions that I am aware of) and for the later serial range is black and tan (typically the base alloy is in a very corroded condition which really messes up the tan paint). I have also recorded finishes that differ from the rough black lacquer and the black and tan.

[Wpgbinocular]

They're "Wide Angle" for Leitz (who traditionally went for less wide angle but greater resolution than Zeiss) but, having both the same one as you and the traditional Zeiss and blc 10x50 Dienstglas, I think I prefer the Zeiss .

I recently acquired one of these too serial number 471627: https://www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/16093415939/
Optically it's a good binocular and a comparison with the Zeiss/blc 10x50 is interesting. I think both have about the same 7.3 degrees field of view but with the plastic eyecups in place the beh reveals more of the 7.3 degrees and as a result seems to have a wider field. But if you remove the plastic eyecups from the Zeiss/blc a lot more of the field of view becomes visible and it's about the same as the beh's. I think this is because the beh eyepieces have more eyerelief so the binocular can be more easily used by somebody wearing goggles or glasses. In this respect it is an improvement over the Zeiss/blc design, but otherwise, the Zeiss/blc is optically better because it has much better sharpness toward the edge of field than the beh and for this reason like Sgt. Bilko I too prefer the Zeiss (but I remove the eyecups when using it).

[Sgt Bilko]

I wonder if that's the reason that Zeiss/ blc 10x50 Dienstglas are sometimes found with much shallower eyecups?

[Stew]

This particular type of "wide angled" 10 x 50 beh binoculars that I have on file have a serial range of 462XXX - 472XXX. I do not doubt that there are earlier and later serial numbers out there relating to these wide angled variants. My records record other types of beh binoculars (e.g. 7 x 50 full rubber Kriegsmarine) that were issued that fall within the 462XXX - 472XXX serial range. So serial numbers are obviously not the last word.

The finish typically on the so called wide angles binoculars for the earlier serial range is rough black lacquer (the lacquer always falling off, no exceptions that I am aware of) and for the later serial range is black and tan (typically the base alloy is in a very corroded condition which really messes up the tan paint). I have also recorded finishes that differ from the rough black lacquer and the black and tan.

Hi Michael and all,

late war Dienstglas beh/E.Leitz Wetzlar production is an interest of mine.
My records on late war 10x50 and 7x50 beh serial numbers:
Dienstglas 10x50 (pre WA ocular) highest # 462593
Dienstglas 10x50 "WA" #462938 black lacquer body finish to #472629 tan body finish . The transition from black to tan was about #471107 (black) - tan #471627
......( within the above WA production range #468898 Dienstglas 7x50 with tan body)
From this serial # 472629 onwards the beh production seems to have been mainly limited to 7x50 variants that have the production features of the earlier Dienstglas 7x50, but have commercial E Leitz Wetzlar markings and thus do not appear to been made as Wehrmacht contract Dienstglas binoculars :
E Leitz Wetzlar 7x50 Marsept #473153 onwards
E Leitz Wetzlar also marked "Dienstglas beh + 7x50".............. #475614 - #477531. Collectors call these "double marked" and some of these have a reticle in the left occular . It is believed that the double marked 7x50 were made post occupation in April 1945
E Leitz Wetzlar # 478074 ......... 7x50 but not marked Marsept
E Leitz Wetzlar # 581 ............ 10x50 Mardix (indiv eye focus and not a Mardixit)
E Leitz Wetzlar # 478396 .............. 8x30 Binuxit (centre focus)

Other late war beh production :
Highest beh 7x50 (KM contract - armoured) #474367
Highest beh 8x60 (KM contract ) #458662
E Leitz Wetzlar 8x60 Maroctit (centre focus) commercial markings but serial # 436676 ( its seems that a small production run occurred here)

Highest # beh Dienstglas 6x30 # 452476
E Leitz Wetzlar 6x30 Bidox(indiv eye focus) # 493514

please feel free to contribute if you have serial numbers outside the above ranges that would appear to represent production in the 1944- 47 period.Also please let me have your views on the beh/E.Leitz serial numbers.
Thankyou.

[Michael Downey]

Stew,

Posted below are a couple of beh WA 10x50s that you may (or may not) have observed which are the last two serial numbers that I have recorded for the WA variant:

Grey painted - it may be that the grey was added post-war.

[Stew]

WA beh Dienstglas 10x50

Thank you Michael. I did not have a note of beh 10x50 Dienstglas #472297 (is it a 9 ?)This set is interesting because of its grey paint and the presence of the interocular disc. This disc was present in early war production Dienstglas binoculars.
Do you think the evidence supports the view that the beh Dienstglas 10x50 (WA) was beh's last Wehrmacht contract?

[Michael Downey]

rough dark grey lacquer finish

[Michael Downey]

rear view

[Michael Downey]

serial number, etc details

[Michael Downey]

close-up of lacquer finish:

[Michael Downey]

alloy appears to be anodised with a yellow finish

[Stew]

Hi Michael,
Dienstglas 10x50 #472664 seems to be the highest serial number to date of this late war Wehrmacht contract. It is interesting that its a departure from the established sand colour lacquer ......yet another beh mystery!!!