Sunday 20 October 2013

HARTMANN Porlerim 8X30

8X30 Porlerim was introduced after WW II in 1948. Therefore this Hartmann model is not so old in design. Its best features are clear image quality and neutral colours. Its light transmission could compete very well with top brands.  It also has a few interesting internal mechanical solutions. It has sharp wide field of view and is well build. Maybe a little too heavy. Excellent pair of binoculars!





Second opinion: Simon Spiers

WRAY Clearvu 8X30

Another Englishman in my collection. It has the most unusual finish I've ever had in my hands. Very rough prism housing with other parts in glossy black. Also markings in a beautiful typography. That's it. The view is clear but too sandy-yellow, not so bright and rather narrow.






Saturday 19 October 2013

BARR & STROUD C.F. 24 8X30

It is built like a tank and is very heavy, despite having a bakelite prism housing covers. If you can get an optically clean C.F. 24 it should be very bright and sharp. It is worth to have it professionally cleaned. It can easily compete with the best German optics (will not win the gold medal : ) but it's definitely better than Deltrintem/Jenoptem brothers. It's drawback is its minimum focus distance - only about 8 m. Great Britain binoculars are very interesting because they have a wide range of design and built approaches. This one has an interesting strap fitting.






Second opinion: Simon SpiersWpgBinocular