article in September 1955 shows Bushnell 7×50 binoculars used as a telephoto lens
Toronto. This article in one of the fall of 1955 issues of Popular Mechanics magazine is a puff piece for Bushnell binoculars.
The article notes how the binoculars can be attached to a camera as a telephoto lens creating a ‘560mm’ equivalent lens. The article states that “ordinary binoculars cannot be used because of their low relative-light efficiency”.
I imagine the low efficiency comes from older or cheaper binoculars without coated lenses. Around the same year 7×50 coated lenses binoculars made in a small German factory were attached to a Minox camera with an adapter and worked quite well.
Regardless of the promotion of the Bushnell brand, the idea of using binoculars as a telephoto lens via an adapter was a terrific idea back in the days of prime lenses and film. It was a wonderful alternate use for binoculars.
My thanks to my good friend George Dunbar for spotting and sharing this article. PS: I still have my 7×50 binoculars but the Minox is long gone, swapped for a screw mount Leica.
