Cameras and Lenses

Konrad Siel at Swaro on "Progress in Binocular Design" in 1991



I posted this paper deep on the CamerlandNY Mystery bin thread but I've posted this up here too so more people see it.

The paper is "Progress in Binocular Design" from Konrad Siel at Swaro in 1991. Very interesting and not too technical read on the state of binocular design in 1991 (just at the transition to phase correction in roof prism bins).

What he says is still relevant today!

http://www.optics.arizona.edu/optom...Seil%201991.pdf

One of my favorite quotes:

quote:
Where compactness is a dominant criterion we found that the Schmidt-Pechan prism systems the best choice. In all the other cases we use Porro prisms.




He talks about how to mount prisms, how prisms (like thick plates) increase aberrations off axis, the effect of the quality of prism glass, how multilayer AR coatings reduce contrast in Schmidt-Pechan prisms systems(!) and how phase coatings work (and what impact they have when they aren't used).

It's interesting to get an insight into the number of compromises that you need to make to get a binocular. I'm not surprised we can't agree on the "best" bin.

Conclusion:

quote:
The basic condition to achieve high quality binoculars are an adequate lens design and production of optical and mechanical components with very narrow tolerances. For optimum performance the mounting of prisms and lenses, the quality of the glass and the different coatings of the prisms are essential.


That was written 17 years ago in Austria. But it's pretty much a guide to what the Chinese optical industry has been doing recently to make better binoculars:


Odd!
The link supplied won't download for me in this thread but will in the "Mystery binocular" thread.
Bob


I can't download it either, but would like to read it.


Click here to read entire thread and the replies to this message!

Back to Home Page!