Interesting beh 10*50 "Widefield"

[Sgt Bilko]

For Michael Downey who notes;

prism covers had only anodised finish, they were never painted

My black one has painted covers on the left side with anodised plates on the right and anodised knurled ocular barrels (but painted scale rings below).

For Wpgbinocular - comparing my one with a blc 10x50, I think you're right - the beh has (despite my earlier post) a similar FOV. Whether it was worth the extra glass involved (the right field lens protrudes 8mm out of the mount) is another matter.

Maybe (as some have suggested) Leitz was indeed using up old stock - the field lens on the left side protrudes less and has an alloy band not present on the right one.

[Michael Downey]

For Michael Downey who notes;

prism covers had only anodised finish, they were never painted

My black one has painted covers on the left side with anodised plates on the right and anodised knurled ocular barrels (but painted scale rings below).

For Wpgbinocular - comparing my one with a blc 10x50, I think you're right - the beh has (despite my earlier post) a similar FOV. Whether it was worth the extra glass involved (the right field lens protrudes 8mm out of the mount) is another matter.

Maybe (as some have suggested) Leitz was indeed using up old stock - the field lens on the left side protrudes less and has an alloy band not present on the right one.

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Well anything is possible I suppose. But typically the anodised finish was often not uniform in colour. In many cases prism covers for the large ocular types were coated in deep ruby red/black anodised finish and in other cases coated in an anodised jet black finish. In many instances prism covers featured deep ruby red/black anodised finish on one side and jet black anodised finish on the other side.

Now I am not suggesting that one side of your prism plate is not painted, but the jet black anodised finish (if in good original condition) is very difficult to distinguish from a black paint finish.




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[Sgt Bilko]

Hi Michael - I've checked in daylight and you're right - there's a dark anodised finish and a lighter anodised finish present - the bottom plate is the darker anodised you mention (not painted as I previously thought).

But the top plate is definitely factory painted over anodised finish. There's a paint chip at the back edge near the engraved focus line on the ocular tube. The chip extends onto the tube and reveals it to be painted over anodised too.

[Sgt Bilko]

I meant to add - I've a friend with three of these "wide field" beh 10x50's and, looking at pictures he sent, I notice he has one that's all black (or anodised) apart from the objective tubes which are tan.

[Gumball]

"wide angle"

Wide angle or not, I have a pair of these (Ser. 471197)
When I discovered them, the paint was almost entirely gone, and needed cleaning.
That done (properly), I consider the optics one of the best of the WW2 German glasses - almost equal to my Zeiss "gasmask".

Just my $.02

[Wpgbinocular]

"...almost equal to my Zeiss "gasmask"."

The truly unique feature of this 10x50 binocular is not its wide angle view - Zeiss and Busch 10x50's had fields just as wide - but its relatively high eye relief when compared to other 10x50's made to date. It can be a lot more comfortably used by users wearing eyeglasses or goggles (or gasmasks for that matter) than any other 10x50's made during this time. I note that while Zeiss produced 6x30, 7x50, 8x30 and 8x40 gasmask model binoculars they did not make any 10x50's. Why? Perhaps Leitz designed this binocular to meet that need.

[Sgt Bilko]

A good theory but the gasmask designs all originate from the 30's when gas was considered a likely threat -these were a decade later.

For use with sunglasses against a bright sky seems plausible - but the normal Wehrmacht reticle fitted rules out an AA role.

Maybe it was merely Leitz producing a wider (for them) FOV 10x50 Dienstglas - especially as there was no provision to alter the distance to the eye (like a sliding rubber or Bakelite eyecup)?

[Gumball]

the "gas mask" designs might have originated in the '30's, but Zeiss continued to manufacture them until the end of the war.

[Wpgbinocular]

How do we know that the "gasmask" binoculars made by Zeiss were designed primarily for use with gasmasks? It seems logical that this is correct, but is there any first source documentary evidence confirming it? I expect Seeger would have discussed this in his new green book so any German reader members of this forum who have the book may be able to answer the question. Also, although use of this type binocular was not confined to the KM, it seems that the great majority were suggesting that it was valued most for the improved fields of view it afforded all users but in particular those wearing sunglasses or goggles.

[Stew]

As has been already noted the binos on offer that you link to eBay are a recognised Leitz variant issued late war (and perhaps in part post-war).

The binos you reference look to have be repainted and refurbished at some time:

a. the paint should be tan (not rough black lacquer) in this serial range;

b. prism covers had only anodised finish, they were never painted

c. serial number and other markings were never highlighted in white paint.


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I attach a couple of pix of a group of late war beh Dienstglas 10x50. One is from the the last of the 10x50 Dienstglas "standard"series and others are examples of the "wide angle' 10x50 Dienstglas.
The pix show the variations in unpainted prism covers referred to in Michael Downey's email.

And in terms of performance - (all examples have been serviced) the "standard" beh 10x50 has marginally better definition compared to the beh "wide angle" 10x50.It is not easy to reach this conclusion....but the "wide angle" beh clearly has a wider FOV than the "standard " 10x50 beh

[Michael Downey]

Stew, nice to see the rough black lacquer, transitional rough black lacquer and tan and then finally tan lined up in what I believe should be an ascending serial sequence.

[Stew]

Hi Michael,
here is the team back again in the same ascending order - this time showing serial numbers...
The binocular on the right is a "standard " beh Dienstglas 10x50, and on its left are 4x "wideangle" beh Dienstglas 10x50

[Michael Downey]

Hi Michael,
here is the team back again in the same ascending order - this time showing serial numbers...
The binocular on the right is a "standard " beh Dienstglas 10x50, and on its left are 4x "wideangle" beh Dienstglas 10x50

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Many thanks for confirming and posting the serial numbers Stew.


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