Zeiss Dialyt 10x40B - Current Equivilant????

[idahohunter8]

A very special friend who was a "Grandfather Figure" to me recently passed and left me his Zeiss Dialyt 10x40b Binoculars as his last gift to me. Optically they seemed pretty good and to honor him, I left my 10x42 Leicas Geovids at home last week and took these Zeiss out on a mule deer hunt.

I took a bad stumble on the mountain side and the binoculars went with me. The focus wheel jammed and wouldn't move. That night back at camp, i left them in my truck - as i do with all optics. The next morning when I got up, they were badly fogged internally and 100% unusable.

Now I guess I have two questions...
1. What is the current Zeiss Bino that is equivalent? I filled out the service form and am sending them in, but my concern is they may be unrepairable as I am guessing they are close to 25-30 years old. If so, and assuming zeiss offers to replace them, are these Conquest HD or Victory level? Terra HD?

2. I attached a picture, but can't find a serial number anywhere. Based on the picture, any guess as to approx. manufacturing year? What was the quality of these brand new? I know he paid a pretty good sum of money when he bought them new many years ago. I am assuming they were made in West Germany?

 

[c. schutte]

I'm not an expert on this but am a huge Zeiss fan. When these were made they were the best glass Zeiss was using. Phase coating was introduced in the 80's I believe so these may still hang with todays victories. They won't be quite the same, especially considering today's lead free glass and much better coatings but, well worth sending back for repairs. As far as today's standards, they are probably as good as the Conquest HD line up for sure minus the coatings.

 

[jezzolo]

Update?? Could they repair them?..