No, I have never been in the jungle, so I don't have experience with Zeiss binos
there.

However, I own a pair of Zeiss 7x42 BGATs, a remarkably bright and crisp glass -
simply the best I have ever owned - and I've had a few.

But, the Zeiss 7x42s are a traditional external focus design - eyepiece housings
sliding over barrels extending from the body. By definition they are not water
resistant, or even moisture resistant. If I were going deep into the jungle, I
don't think I would take them.

I will add, however, that if the glasses have been sitting for a couple hours,
when you first pick them up and rotate the focus wheel, they feel very stiff the
first couple turns. That's because the eyepiece housings seal very well to the
barrels they slide on, and when left alone take an even tighter seal - a
testament to how well constructed the glasses are and how well Zeiss has
overcome the inherent weakness of the traditional design.

Zeiss has recently added some waterproof binos to their line - and advertises
them heavily. They are virtually ignored by birders because they are terribly
heavy, something like 42 ounces vs 28 ounces for the traditional Zeiss. ABA
Sales, for example, does not list them in their catalog. And everybody in
birding prays that Zeiss won't kill the old line.

(I for one would buy a second pair of 7x42 if Zeiss announced the demise of the
old line in favor of the new waterproof line. Come to think of it, they would
probably increase in value - as my old Nikon F2As camera body has more than
doubled in value.)

Now, maybe somebody here has taken Zeiss 7x42s into the jungle and had no
trouble. I would hope to hear that. My opinions are based purely on instinct.
And, of course, it depends on how hot, and how humid, and how rainy the
experience is. On a traditional commercial birding tour, where discomfort is
avoided at all cost, I'm sure they would be fine. But Indiana Jones should
probably select something else.

Zeiss also makes 10x42 and 8x30 BGAT glasses that have internal focus and are
considered "moisture resistant" and "fog proof." (The ABA catalog uses the same
words for the 7x42, applying them to the armoring, but I'm ~sure~ that's a
mistake. The Zeiss catalog doesn't even broach the subject for any of their
binos.)

Jerry


E-mail from: Jerry Blinn, 08-Oct-1996