8x50 dow marked binocular

[Michael Downey]

As far as I am aware dow marked binoculars are normally only encountered in 6x30 configuration.

A 8x50 dow marked variant has been reported. Is there any consensus whether this variant is a one off (experimental or low production item?) or is it a Transylvanian Frankenstein? I have no view either way. I would be interested to hear members' views.
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[Sgt Bilko]

I've seen this one before and it looks odd initially. But the mix of Zeiss parts ("gasmask" oculars) and Srb and Stys parts (body and flip up eyecups) suggest it's genuine to me - (Czech parts and Zeiss parts).

One thing that puzzles me though - if it's got normal Zeiss Gasmask oculars and normal Srb and Stys objectives, it would still give 7x - so something must be different to give 8x....

[Mikedenmark]

I have seen similar white-washed numbers like those on the left on other wartime german binoculars.
Very often on binoculars in almost new condition. I relate such markings to german binoculars sold recently in the UK, but I have seen some on german ebay as well.
I don´t know who made that kind of markings.

I think, I have seen at least one starting with Gew. meaning, probably, gewicht, german for weight.
That could indicate they were marked by germans. But that could easily have been done by german personnel at an allied facility after the war.

Is the 911 a serial number, or a postwar east european factory designation ?
If more than one is known that should be possible to clear up easily.

[Gumball]

According to my notes, "dow" referrs to "Opticotechna GmbH, Prerau or Optitechna, Brerau" in Czechoslovakia. Was that a Zeiss subsidiary?

As for the large occulars, I have a pair of Leitz beh "wide angle" 10x50 which has similar eyepieces. Is it possible that Zeiss was doing the same thing??

[Stew]

Hi Gumball,
I cannot add to the discussion on the 8x50 dow binoculars posted by Michael Downey. However,my comments below relate to the ownership of dow during the period 1939-1945
Optikotechna Company was established in Prerov in 1933. From 1939-1945 during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia this company produced German contract optical equipment . Mostly Wehrmacht contracts.At this point the German name was Opticotechna GmbH,Prerau and from about 1941 its code was dow.After WW2 a number of Czech optical companies including Optikotechna Company were nationalised under the name Meopta.
Carl Zeiss ,Jena owned Feinapparate-Bau GmbH,Werk , Thurn - (Thurn is now Teplice in the Czech Republic). This Carl Zeiss company was established in 1939 and in 1944 produced the flm marked 25x100 binoculars . The 25x100 were designed for use on top of large rangefinders and was marked Carl Zeiss , blc and rln during its production life during WW2.
After the Warsaw uprising in August 1944 the eug factory machinery was shipped to flm at Thurn.

Apparently after WW2 a number of binoculars not delivered to the Wehrmacht were modified for civilian use and sold under the name Somet and later Meopta.

flm was nationalised after the end of WW2 and I assume this meant being absorbed into Meopta.

In my view the 8x50 dow binoculars could have been produced post war but prior to the nationalisation of the Czech companies into Meopta.

An interesting article of the 25x100 flm and Somet was published by Anna and Terry Vacani. (just Google "Somet 25x100")

[Sgt Bilko]

the 8x50 dow binoculars could have been produced post war


You may be right but I think it unlikely that in the small window between wars end and nationalisation any company would have developed a unique (8x50) product.

To me it seems more likely to be a prototype - 8x50 can only be achieved with different oculars or different objectives to the gasmask 7x50.

An interesting conundrum!

[benutzer]

here is one too

Nice bino

[doherty123]

Please drop copyright

Please feel free to copy photos of any of my binoculars. I am not sure where copyright labels came from, but they did not come from me. I believe that sharing photos is one of the best ways we can learn from one another. Best Regards Frank Doherty