Recently my Minox 7x50s that I use at work went out of focus and are just about unusable. I think that they took a tumble at some stage and some lenses are out of alignment.
I thought about getting them serviced but the cost is going to be pretty high, especially in proportion to what I paid for the binoculars.
For a replacement pair, do I get another pair of Minox, they were good, no complaints and lasted 3-4 years. Or try something else new or get some vintage binoculars? The advantage of some old binos is that some of my colleagues would be more inclined to keep their dirty hands off!
Requirements:
- 7x50s. This is non-negotiable, the accepted standard for use at sea.
- Porro-prism preferred. Not having to focus saves time, especially at night.
- Good all-round performance for night and day.
- Do not want any of those gimmicky integrated compasses.
- Price wise, I would go up to about 350 quid but would prefer to spend less.
I have seen a lot of Carl Zeiss Jena Binoctems for sale on the flea bay, are they any good?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.