While not generally a survival necessity, decent binoculars can be useful at times and just plain fun to have in the bush, especially for wildlife observation. Good binoculars had been on my wish list for a long time. However, it took me quite a few years to actually stick my neck out and buy something better than what I had already (cheapo 10x20 pocket binoculars and somewhat better but still average at best Japanese Zeiss 8x40 knock-off).

Back in July I finally decided to get ex-East German military DF 7x40 binoculars, in used but very good condition and professionally refurbished with new front lenses and rubber armor by the German company Heger Optik, which seems to be "the" source for DF 7x40's these days: http://www.hegeroptik.de/shop/catalog/



(I'm too lazy to take pictures and upload them at the moment so I'm linking to one that's already online at Binofan's website.)

The DF 7x40 were originally made by Carl Zeiss, Jena. Most were manufactured in the 1970's with production ending some time around 1981. After the end of the East German regime these glasses were apparently used by the unified German armed forces until some years ago when they were finally phased out of service because they lack proper eye protection (laser filter).

Among those in the know, the DF 7x40 have something of a cult status, being arguably the best military binoculars ever produced in any quantity. This is reflected in the price. Used military issue DF's tend to be pretty expensive, starting from about $300 to well over $500 for a pair in good condition. At a price of 250 Euros + shipping the chance of getting cleaned and refurbished binocs at Heger Optik seemed almost too good to miss.

True enough, the postage (with compulsory insurance) was expensive but the package arrived quickly and safely thanks to some first-rate service by Heger Optik. While I'm far from an expert I nonetheless have a bit of experience with scopes and field glasses, and not just the very bottom-end cheap stuff either. So I was naturally very curious to see how the DF 7x40 would perform in real life.

My first impression was favorable. Right out of the box the binoculars looked very well made, showing almost no signs of former military service - really nothing worse than a few scratches on the plastic lens cover. I could tell right away optical performance was superb. However, I was somewhat intimidated by the size and weight of the binoculars. At well over 2lbs they're pretty heavy and certainly a lot more massive than any pocket binoculars.

Over the next weeks and months I began taking my new binoculars on treks, field trips and even longer travels. After a fair bit of relatively casual use I'm not only happy with my purchase but deeply impressed by the performance of these 30-or-so years old glasses. Looking through the DF 7x40's must be one of the most pleasing optical experiences I've ever seen. First, it's the clarity. There is about no perceptible distortion, which is all the more remarkable given the other specs. Mainly the very wide field of view, perfect for field observation whereas most other, especialy smaller binoculars are less useful because of the tunnel vision sort of.

As most other military binoculars out there the DF's are individual focus. You have to focus each lens individually, which is not quite as convenient as center focussing in theory. But in the case of the DF 7x40 depth perception is actually so good you barely need to adjust the focus at all, especially at longer ranges.

Another major advantage IMHO is the rangefinder reticle (in mils). I suppose it's a matter of taste but I've always had a preference for binoculars with a mil reticle and it's one of those things you can hardly ever find in civilian glasses. With a little basic math the reticle can be used to estimate distance to target or size of objects quite accurately.

Build quality is top notch. The binoculars are fully rubber armored and waterproof. The aluminum housing seems to be bomb-proof though obviously as with any other precision instrument it's better to handle any binoculars with care. Inside the ocular lens cover there are two small yellow filter lenses that are used as anti-glare protection. Very useful in strong sunlight, especially in an enviroment with lots of reflected light (sea, desert, snow).

Given the size and weight the DF 7x40 are definitely not the lightest binoculars around. For some people they may be too heavy to take on a hiking trip. However, at the expense of extra weight you get the benefit of heavy-duty construction and reasonably large lenses. Eye relief is long so using eye glasses is not a problem (though for me personally that's a non-issue). These binoculars are really comfortable to use despite the weight, even for an extended time. There seem to be no problems with eye strain associated with most optics.

Eastern Bloc optics were often regarded as excellent or at least very high performance for the money. The East German DF 7x40 may well have been the best of them all, with superior tolerances and high production standards not commonly found in comparable Soviet/Russian models. I have been able to try my DF's alongside Russian BPOs 7x30 (superb binoculars in their own right) and West German Hensoldt 8x30 (also known as great military binoculars). In terms of construction or optical quality, neither comes even close to the East German DF 7x40. IME you'd need to look very hard in the $1000+ range to find optically comparable binoculars but I don't think you could find that combination of optics and rugged construction in any price range.

Some more specs:
http://www.holgermerlitz.de/kronos8x40.html
http://www.holgermerlitz.de/six7x40.html
http://binofan.home.att.net/zjena7x40.htm

I EDC a small Brunton monocular. It comes in very handy, especially in downtown areas of cities and better than nothing when out and about in open areas.

My go to optic is my Stiener 10x50 military binoculars. I could not do the same justice to that review as you did so well above.

In the end a good set of peeper is a good idea.

Glad you are happy with your new toy.

If you win the lottery - these guys' products are truly amazing, nothing else comes close
http://www.swarovskioptik.com/en/products

Nice review, Tom. Certainly seems like a wonderful set of binoculars.

One question that is bugging me--can't figure out what that short strap with the slit is supposed to be for. Did yours come with that?

Very nice review. 7x is a great magnification for binoculars.

If you haven't tried it yet, you have to take those things out at night. I have a similar pair of 7x, but of lesser quality, and they are simply amazing at night.

To secure them to a uniform button when they are hanging round your neck?

Exactly. Also, the DF 7x40 has a couple of other weird accessories. In the left tube there is a specially treated element that serves as an IR detector. Slide it into the field of view by turning a knob and if you happen to be looking at an active IR source (eg. IR lamp or active night scope) at night you'll supposedly see a glowing spot. Haven't tried it out yet and I'm not sure the detector still works at all because of the limited shelf life. But it's there.

#2, on the right tube there's a dovetail attachment with a small glass window for a special illuminator. Basically a tiny flashlight made specifically for the DF 7x40. When attached to the binoculars you can use it to illuminate the reticle.

All in all, those may be some fairly useless features these days, at least from a civilian point of view, but back in the 1970's it must've been state-of-the-art technology.

Zeiss always was famous for their optics.
There might be better ones available now but you would be paying an awful lot more for them and they are not enough better to justify the extra cost for most of us.
You have made a good buy with those ones.

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I have used the very small and compact binoculars. They are OK if the lighting is good but they don't gather enough light to see into shadows and don't work well at dusk. It is because the objective lenses are just too small.

After you get over 10x power it becomes hard to hold a set of binoculars steady enough for seeing well.

My favourite binos at the moment are a pair of Bausch & Lomb 7x50.

Yes they are a bit heavy for go light back packing, but they are great for seeing with. They are reasonably easy to hold steady and gather a lot of light.

I would love to have a new pair of Steiner or Swarovski binoculars, but I could never justify the price of them.

At night, a large objective lens is what makes binoculars amazing or inadequate. The exit pupil is determined by dividing the obj lens diameter by the power. 40/7=5.7 vs 50/7=7.1
A 7mm exit pupil vs slightly less than 6mm exit pupil. Given the same glass, 7x50's will beat 7x40's every time. For brightness always go with a big lens up front. My 15x80 Steiners only have a 5.3mm exit pupil, but that 5.3mm contains a lot of light.

Great review. Those Carl Zeiss DF 7x40s look excellent and appear to be solidly built. Hopefully they should last a lifetime and more. A great piece of 'Red Dawn' history and very collectible and its good to see that they are actually being used rather than being kept in the back drawer of a collectors cupboard.

What I find quite amazing today though is the that the quality of even the cheapest binoculars are very good and may well have BAK4 prisms and multicoated optics.

Last year I picked up a new pair of Bresser 10x50 high definition binoculars for £14 or around $22 from a local discount supermarket. They are actually very good with very good optics, with good colour rendition, sharp and clear focus and are reasonably lightweight for a 10x50 pair. The only downside is some barrel distortion around the periphery view.

http://www.bresseroptics.co.uk/details.php?id=351

I find that I take these el cheapo binoculars out more often than a more expensive pair simply because if they get lost or damaged then it really is not a big deal.

Charity and second hand shops are also another way to find the occasional binocular gem for only a few dollars. That is what happened to my grandfathers Swift Audubons after he passed away. My grandmother gave them to a charity shop, apparently unaware that the top end Audubons had cost so much when my grandfather bought them in the early 1980s for birdwatching after he had retired. She wasn't impressed when I told here how much my grandfather had actually paid for them.