Binoculars help please

**hirsca** · 08-28-2019, 03:53 AM

Recent find. I'll let the pictures do the talking. Any information you can give about these binoculars is much appreciated. Exit(?) lenses are 30mm. Thanks, Al

**Nick Komiya** · 08-28-2019, 11:06 AM

As the lid says, "Type 93 Special" 4 x 40 Binos introduced in 1933 for issue to army NCOs. Developed from around 1930, anticipating a coming war in China, through special collaboration between army technical HQ and Nikon to achieve low cost without using prisms. The production cost target was 30 Yen at a time when a Type 38 rifle was costing 40 Yen a piece.

Example here appears to be marked for 1942 production.

Monthly production towards the end of the war reached 7500.

**hirsca** · 08-28-2019, 11:39 AM

Thank you Nick. What does the 1.5 stand for? It seems to me that they are more powerful than a 1.5 magnification--like 4 or 6 power. Also, if I can provide better close ups of the writing on the strap, canse and frame, would you be able to translate for me? Again, many thanks for your valuable information. v/r, Al

P.S. The objective lenses measure 30mm, not the exit pupils.

**Nick Komiya** · 08-28-2019, 01:00 PM

Added some more info to my original post. Nothing more to say about markings, sorry.

**hirsca** · 08-28-2019, 06:05 PM

Again, thank you Nick for the very useful information.

v/r Al

**monkeyboy** · 08-29-2019, 09:11 PM

I suspect the "Special 93" marked cases all originally housed T93 field glasses made without the rangefinder. Otherwise there isn't anything "special" about them other than the lack of rangefinders.

Al, can you confirm whether or not your pair has a rangefinder? Also can you please list the serial number? It's too hard to see in your pic.

Thank you for your time, Jon

**Nick Komiya** · 08-30-2019, 10:20 AM

Here some other examples of "93 Special" marked examples. The Type 93 also underwent many spec changes over time and the last ditch change involved switching the material of the objective lense from lense spec glass to mirror spec glass, due to shortage of supply. The Special may be referring to such performance affecting changes, as the Special marked examples are all post 1942 production.

**hirsca** · 08-30-2019, 10:15 PM

Jon--Thanks for your info. No rangefinder. S/N is 130272.

Nick--thank you for the continued information.

I also acquired a larger pair along with this one. 7x49mm. I will post pictures this weekend. They do have a rangefinder in the right optics.

V/R Al