R.E.L. Binoculars

Good day all! I have a shot at a pair of R.E.L. WWII binoculars with the case in overall very good condition (considering). Though I haven't had a chance to actually handle them, the lenses look OK. On an odd note, there is a secondary set of dials beside each eye piece with the letters "D G Y O". From my research, I'm given to understand that these are adjustable filters. I have 2 questions. Firstly, any idea of fair market value? Secondly, any idea what the letters designate? Any help would be most appreciated.

I think that you'll have to wait for much of answer until you have the bins and are able to post some photos. However, I do have a pair of REL 7X50 naval binoculars which only focus on each individual eye-piece; they don't have a centre focusing adjustment for both eye-pieces. If you are referring to this model of binocular then I believe it to be relatively common and not especially valuable. It's actual value will depend on it's condition when you get it, how well you can see through it and if you have "double vision" looking through it.

I once purchased a pair of vintage binoculars on a well known auction site that were supposed to be in good used condition. When they arrived it was like looking through a "Pee-Souper" of a fog, on a dark night and wearing sunglasses.

Now with images! They are 7X50, but the extra dials by the oculars are something I've never encountered.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lawrence_n

Now with images! They are 7X50, but the extra dials by the oculars are something I've never encountered.

---

They appear to have been rebuilt by Beaconing Optical & Precision Materials Co. Ltd.

http://home.europa.com/~telscope/Lee...noculars.2.pdf
BOP-REL Binocular - MLU FORUM
REL 7X50 with BOP Filter Modification (View 1) | Manufacture… | Flickr

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lee Enfield

They appear to have been rebuilt by Beaconing Optical & Precision Materials Co. Ltd.

http://home.europa.com/~telscope/Lee...noculars.2.pdf
BOP-REL Binocular - MLU FORUM
REL 7X50 with BOP Filter Modification (View 1) | Manufacture… | Flickr

---

Thank you! Some of the information I'd already found during my research, but you've added some most interesting info to the mix. Now, the questions remain as to scarcity (in good condition) and value. I don't want to rip off the seller, but neither do I wish to over-pay.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lawrence_n

They are 7X50, but the extra dials by the oculars are something I've never encountered.

---

I've not seen them for sale in the UK like that, either. I do have an original unmodified pair with good optics that I purchased a few years ago, without a case, for a little under £50.

In my opinion, it's up to the seller to come up with a price and do their research before putting the item on the market.

Some years ago I was interested in buying a militaria item off someone who didn't know what the item was worth. I thought that I was doing the right thing by suggesting that the seller get an independent valuation from a third party. The seller went and sold the item, without telling me, to the person who was supposed to be giving the valuation, cheap, at about half the amount that I was prepared to pay. To say that I was seething for months is an understatement.

I have a pair and have seen at least two go on ePay. One out of Alberta within the last year made over $400 IIRC. The previous instance attracted almost no interest for some reason. Believe I paid about $40 at the local flea market. There were some NOS sets of the prism covers and filters floating about years ago. Presumably made up for naval use. They were based on the standard REL 7x50 optics I believe.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Surpmil

I have a pair and have seen at least two go on ePay. One out of Alberta within the last year made over $400 IIRC. The previous instance attracted almost no interest for some reason. Believe I paid about $40 at the local flea market. There were some NOS sets of the prism covers and filters floating about years ago. Presumably made up for naval use. They were based on the standard REL 7x50 optics I believe.

---

Thank you. I bought them for what I think was a pretty good price. I looked at EBay, and the prices are all across the board but I couldn't find a pair with the filters and the R.E.L. marked leather case. I'm frankly at a loss as to what would constitute a fair price. There's one of the better local gun shows this Sunday and I know 2 very good militaria dealers who can give me a reasonable local market value.

It's a very handy design for marine use. I'm not sure why no binocular makers offer such a feature today. The yellow filter is also good for glare at night. If I could find a spare set of the filter housings I'd have them fitted to a cosmetically rough but optically superb old Zeiss Binoctar I have here!

On to my last question. Do you know what "D G Y O" stands for? Dark, Green, Yellow, Orange perhaps? Never having used optics with different coloured filters, I have no first hand knowledge as to their efficacy, but on an intellectual level, I could see the practical applications.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lawrence_n

Orange

---

I would suggest "Ordinary" or the normal position without any filtration because at least one position of the knob must be where there is no colour filtration.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lawrence_n

On to my last question. Do you know what "D G Y O" stands for? Dark, Green, Yellow, Orange perhaps? Never having used optics with different coloured filters, I have no first hand knowledge as to their efficacy, but on an intellectual level, I could see the practical applications.

---

Just dug my pair out and it's dark here now, but looking at the ceiling lights, "Dark/Day, Green/Grey (can't tell now!), definitely Yellow and Flying10Uk is probably right about the "O" being "Ordinary" or something similar. That last setting is the closest to clear.

Some photos off an old drive, and my pair.

Well! I finally got my hands on them, and I'm gobsmacked! The lenses are in very good condition with no cracks or chips an even very few micro scratches on the lenses, either ocular or objective. The eye cups are excellent as well. They adjust as they should and the filters work just fine with good positive click into position. There are no graduations on the reticle so I doubt they were artillery or infantry use, but what do I know? My brother speculates that they were perhaps naval glasses. There is no date on them and oddly enough, no military acceptance stamp that I can see, but I don't know if that's unusual. Could these have been made for the civilian market? Here are some pics I took today, so enjoy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lawrence_n

My brother speculates that they were perhaps naval glasses.

---

My understanding is that 7X50 is pretty much a standard size binocular for hand-held marine use binoculars. Anything with larger magnification would not really be suitable for "hand-held" marine use because of movement of the boat/ship and would need fitting to a base/support. Obviously 7X50 binoculars are not just used for marine use and can, of course, be used on dry land where 7X50 magnification is required.

Thank you all for your input. I had the good fortune to communicate with a VERY knowledgeable gentleman in Winnipeg and I've got it nailed down. These are indeed a '42-'43 R.E.L. made set of 7 X 50's that had the filter carousel retro-fitted by B.O.P. in the early '50's. According to the gentleman I was to-ing and fro-ing with, they were almost exclusively made for the Canadian Navy. They are in excellent condition as is the case. The optics are very clear and everything works as it should. From their condition, I'd venture to suggest that if they were issued, they saw very minimal use and definitely no abuse. All of my questions have been answered. All in all, a very nice piece of Canadian military history.

Yours have certainly seen much less use than many. One thing lacking from our knowledge is the anecdotal reports of those who actually used the. Must be plenty of officers from the 50's still around.

"Royal Canadian Navy" that is...! ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Surpmil

Yours have certainly seen much less use than many. One thing lacking from our knowledge is the anecdotal reports of those who actually used the. Must be plenty of officers from the 50's still around.

"Royal Canadian Navy" that is...! ;)

---

I posted these on the Canadiangunnutz website in the optics section. I had a gentleman respond who says he carried these with a graduated reticle in a land unit and had the retro-fitted filters. I have to re-read the article on the R.E.L. binos.

lawrence_n, I've been using almost the same binoculars, but only thermal type. I think it should be like model AGM Protector TM50-384 ( found it here: https://www.аgmglobalvision.com/thermal-imaging ). But the main question for me is - what is better, night vision scope or a thermal one? Did you use both of them simultaneously?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maxx777

lawrence_n, I've been using almost the same binoculars, but only thermal type. I think it should be like model AGM Protector TM50-384 ( found it here: https://www.аgmglobalvision.com/thermal-imaging ). But the main question for me is - what is better, night vision scope or a thermal one? Did you use both of them simultaneously?

---

I think you're comparing apples and oranges here. These binos are WWII/Korean war vintage so they long predate thermal or light-gathering optics. I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on the pros and cons for either system.

I'd have to say that I find the REL 7x50s to be decidedly underwhelming and I have a pair that are more or less new in the case. They are like the 6x30s a rework of a US design I believe.

Some enterprising outfit in the Far East should start making a marine binocular with a built-in compass and these filters. Glare and eye-damage from it is a real problem at sea.

Just read this rather late. With filters, the O is sort-of 'ordinary' bit is in fact OPEN, indicating an oped as opposed to filtered optical path. We used similar on gun sights