Hensoldt 8×56 Nacht-Dialyt

Specifications:

Objective diameter:  56 mm
Magnification:  8 x
Exit pupil: 7.0 mm
Useful eye relief (measured from rim of unfoldable eyecup): 8mm (!)
IPD: 59 – 72 mm
RFOV:  6.3  degrees = 110 m
AFOV (measured, rounded):  52 degrees
Focus type: CF (direction of rotation from close to infinity: < anticlockwise)
Range of diopter adjustment (estimate): +/- 3 dpt*
Excess travel of focus wheel beyond infinity position (estimate): 6 dpt*
Prism system:  Abbe-König
Waterproof: no
Weight (measured, with eyepiece cover and strap): 766 g
Made in: Germany
*range of diopter adjustment not affected by position of focus wheel

Remarks:

The name says it all: “Nacht-Dialyt” – a binocular for the night (or at least for dusk or dawn). Hensoldt, taken over by Zeiss in 1928 but until a few years ago continuing to produce under their own name, manufactured this fine instrument in the years between about 1933 and 1962; the sample here was probably made between 1953 and 1956 (to be verified). The design of this binocular was rated as “intelligent” because of its Abbe-König roof prisms and long focus length, which provided a bright image with good control of aberrations (anti-reflection coatings were already known, but became really effective only much later). And: there is no 8×56 binocular on the market today that weighs a mere 766g! The “Dialyt” label became later the name for a line of Zeiss binoculars, all of which have since been discontinued.

see also separate posts „Zeiss Dialyt 8×56 B/GA T“, https://binocular.ch/zeiss-dialyt-8×56-b-ga-t/ and „Zeiss Dialyt 7×42 T*P“, https://binocular.ch/zeiss-dialyt-7×42-tp/