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Advantages of 6 x 30 Binoculars 
By JOHN HELMER 
Ir YOU ARE USING 6 x 30 military type binoculars and wish you could afford 
one of our favorite German 7x 35’s, you need not feel too bad about it. 
There is much less difference than you think. 
Optically, a 7x 35 is superior only in having the one-sixth greater magni- 
fication. Otherwise the advantage is all with the 6 x 30. It has a wider field 
of view, is smaller and lighter, and there is no difference in brightness. 
Few 6x 30s are being sold because the 7x35 has been widely advertised 
as the best all-purpose size, yet it is fair to say the two sizes are about 
equal in overall performance. There are many situations where the lower 
magnification and wider field can give better results, as when observing a 
bird in fiight, or when the binoculars are unsteady in a wind. 
Mechanically there is more of a problem, because the military binoculars 
all have individually focusing eyepieces. For young people this is no ob- 
jection at all. With their young eyes they can see as close as about 25 feet 
without needing a change of focus, but this eye “accommodation” lessens 
as we grow older and then we find the center focus more efficient and con- 
venient. Bird watching seems to be about the only common use that calls 
for repeated changes of focus at short distances. Can you think of any other? 
Except for close-ups, the army style individual focus (I.F.) has every 
advantage over center focus (C.F.). It is much more rugged, more dust 
and moisture proof. Having no center screw mechanism with sliding eye- 
piece assembly, it is much less subject to damage and mechanical failure. 
It is quicker and more accurate to use at ordinary distances, and this is 
something not generally appreciated. For example, with C.F. you might be 
having trouble in a dull light or against a bright sky so you run the focus 
back and forth trying to improve the image when it just can’t be done. But 
with I.F. you know your exact eyepiece settings, you check them at a glance, 
and that is all — no waste of time or extra eye strain, no annoying un- 
certainty. 
So it comes down to this, we think, that the 6x 30 I.F. is the ideal glass 
for young people and except for bird watching it is satisfactory for older 
members of the family. It is perfect at the races! As a family glass or all- 
weather companion glass for the more expensive 7x 35 C.F., it can be ex- 
tremely useful and should not be underrated. 
Wartime binoculars carry the names of Bausch & Lomb, Universal, 
Westinghouse and Nash Kelvinator, also the German ‘“Dienstglas.” An 
average price, depending on condition and whether coated or uncoated, 
would be about $25.00. For economy these binoculars are far superior to 
the cheap imports now flooding the market, and if you know of any for 
sale or are interested in buying, let us hear from you. 
847 Ridge Ave., Evanston 
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