Until radar became commonplace on naval ships, Japan in WW2 had a huge advantage in night fighting with their "big eye" binoculars, which was one of the reasons they had such stunning successes in the early stages of the war.
This picture doesn't do anything to convey the scale, you could fit your entire head inside either aperture. They funnelled ~~d~~so much light inside that their spotters were able to spot ships on moonless nights from 20 miles away. And they're nothing more than very large, very powerful binoculars.
Engagements like the Battle of the Java Sea, Battle of Savo Island and Battle of Tassafaronga were defined by the Imperial Japanese Navy's superior night spotting and fighting techniques.