Binocular Descriptive lettering..... ( BA8 )

[Charic]

Often you'll see reference to binoculars like Kunming Optical BA8 Series

Is there a chart or data sheet explaining the various codes in use, I've not been able to locate one yet! 

Its my understanding that BA8 merely refers to the fact that these particular optics have an overall body protective rubber coating with eyecups designed to be more suitable for spectacle wearers, oh! and the 8?  just the version number! 

Is it really that simple or does BA8 have any more significance. 

[Stub Mandrel]

BaK8 and BaK7 are types of glass used in optics.

BA8 may just be a way of making you think they use quality glass?

 

Edit: the website seems to us BW for waterproof, MA for marine, MS for 'military series', BF for 'full size', BZ for zoom and BA for the 'giant' series so perhaps BA stands for 'Binocular Awesome'?

[Ruud]

BA8 is a model specifications from manufacturer Kunming united optics. The prisms are BAK4

Characteristics of BA8 are oversized prisms, flat field, good edge performance, high transmission coatings, shockproof, waterproof. They are sold under many brand names. My BA8 7x50s are identical to Fujinon's, but cost half the price. I think Fujinon was not happy at all that everybody could find their identical twins.

I suppose William Optics wasn't happy either (not only their BA8 model, but also the UWAN eyepieces are Kunming UO), and quite a few other brands must have been unhappy as well. 

The Kunming site used to list all their binoculars, eyepieces and telescopes, but now it only shows a tiny subset. 

BUT

On the Wayback Machine you can find older incarnations of Kunming United Optics website: https://web.archive.org/web/20120515000000*/www.united-optics.com

On the 2012 Kunming UO website, for instance, you can still see the BA8 line: https://web.archive.org/web/20120414004210/http://www.united-optics.com:80/Products/Binoculars/Giant_Binoculars/BA8_Series/BA8_Series.html

(EDIT - I repaired the second link. Hope it works now)

[Charic]

1 hour ago, Ruud said:

My BA8 7x50s are identical to Fujinon's, but cost half the price.

I've heard this referenced a few times already.
I had the briefest play with the Helios Apollo BA8, but not long enough to fully evaluate if they will suit me? but now my interest lies with the Oberwerk Brand, specifically the 15x70 Ultra, although this time, I would like to try them  first before I buy them ( if they suit ). Not sure their easily obtainable over here!
There's a very good report on the model by Ed Zarenski, over on the Cloudy Nights forum.
Just like my BST eyepieces, there are many  BA8 brands to choose from, effectively providing the same product, I  just feel the need for an  Oberwerk model.
 

[Ruud]

Oberwerk 15x70 are BA8. They're good, but so heavy! 2.5 kg if I'm right.

There's a new line out that @BinocularSkywrote about. Maybe you can find it on his website.

[Charic]

2.5Kg about the same as the Apollo's. 

I think Steve favours the Lunt 15x70 over the Apollo's, but I'll check to see if there's more.

[Ruud]

Found the ones I remember Steve writing about. They're the LightQuest line. Probably also United Optics. Here are the reviews:

http://binocularsky.com/binoc_reviews.php (the four on top)

[Charic]

On 17/03/2018 at 15:13, Charic said:

I've not been able to locate one yet!  ( a list )

Although I have seen this list before, I did not recall that Steve Tonkin added that there might not be an industry standard after all ?http://binocularsky.com/binoc_abbreviations.php

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I had the Helios Apollo 15x70s (BA-8, and identical specs to the Oberwerk, although there may be differences in coatings, or even optical glass, I am not sure). I now have the Helios LightQuest 16x80, and these are clearly better, and weight roughly the same as the Helios Apollo. Eye relief is better than the Helios Apollo (although apparently the 20x80 have less eye relief), they gather 30 % more light, and are just as easy (or difficult) to hand hold.

[BinocularSky]

On 18/03/2018 at 15:30, Charic said:

Although I have seen this list before, I did not recall that Steve Tonkin added that there might not be an industry standard after all ?http://binocularsky.com/binoc_abbreviations.php

The United Optics model lettering does not, as far as I can see, bear any than accidental relationship to the abbreviations in that list. For example, none of the BF series is of "Bausch & Lomb" construction (B)  and the BF3 series do not meet the alternative use of B, long eye relief. I'll leave the flat field technology (F) as an exercise for the interested reader

[Stub Mandrel]

I think letters on Bins are more likely to be dreamed up by either marketeers (let's face it BX-94ZZ bins have to be better than a B-UM pair...) or are just some semi-random mnemonic so a manufacturer/supplier can easily tell which is which when they are comparing costs and sales on a graph. remember the days when every car had its spec spelled out in chrome letters  - each system was unique to each manufacturer - then they realised putting 'XR3i' on an Escort was more helpful to joy-riders than the owners.