btschumy
Vendor - Southern Stars
Reged: 04/13/04
Posts: 1708
Loc: Longmont, CO, USA
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Quote:
How about these for a pair of Fuji beating binos.
http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=297719
Or these ones.
http://homepage.mac.com/martin_hopewell/PhotoAlbum10.html
I agree the first pair would be a Fujinon beater. However the second pair will have a right-left reversed image and that rules them out (for me) as a contender.
Now, where to come up with $21K.....
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Bill Tschumy
Southern Stars
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 17931
Loc: Oort Cloud 9
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I agree that having a nice parcel of land that is remote and far from city light pollution IS the ultimate investment. I'd much rather be viewing from a ranch in rural Montana with a dimestore pair of binocs, than live in a urban area like Los Angeles and have a $10,000 set of binocs.
There is still good cheap land available IF you do not have to worry about schools and work. Without children and being financially-secure, the options are wide open. Good land in areas of Montana and the Ozarks is selling for less than $1000.00 an acre. In contrast, swamp land here in Southern Louisiana is selling for 10 times that. Why? I have no idea since coastal erosion is ensuring that this over-priced land will be entirely underwater in 50 years or less. I've been eyeing a nice 20-acre parcel in NW Montana that is over 2 hours from the nearest Walmart : and that is my ultimate litmus test for land. If you can drive to a Walmart in less than 2 hours, then it's NOT remote enough.
BTW...
Quote:
How about these for a pair of Fuji beating binos.
http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=297719
Who buys this stuff? Seriously, who in the heck can afford to plunk down $21,000.00 for a pair of binos? That's almost criminal. Especially when you consider that the 20 acre parcel of land in Montana I am looking at costs LESS than those binos. I had no idea there were amateurs out there with access to this kind of equipment! Are they spending their kids college money on those or what? I'm not knocking them or people who buy them, I'm just shocked and blown away.
Mike
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
☄ ⒼⒶⓁⒶⒸⓉⒾⒸ ⓈⓉⓄⓃⒺ ☞ www.galactic-stone.com
Edited by Bebs (05/11/05 11:19 AM)
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Yes, those black flies can be nasty foes.
Hmmm, $21K. At that price you would need to have a "partnership" with some other astronomers. Split the cost, and time useage...kinda like a time share in the Caribbean. {where there are no black flies!}
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Mr. Bill
Postmaster
Reged: 02/09/05
Posts: 5219
Loc: Northeastern Cal
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Quote:
How about these for a pair of Fuji beating binos.
http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=297719
Who buys this stuff? Seriously, who in the heck can afford to plunk down $21,000.00 for a pair of binos? That's almost criminal. Especially when you consider that the 20 acre parcel of land in Montana I am looking at costs LESS than those binos. I had no idea there were amateurs out there with access to this kind of equipment! Are they spending their kids college money on those or what? I'm not knocking them or people who buy them, I'm just shocked and blown away.
Mike
You won't get an argument from me; I had to take a big "gulp" when I plunked down the cash for the straight-thru 150s. No regrets, worth every penny, and then some. If you really use the stuff you buy and get enjoyment from it, how much is it worth? As the ad says.... "Priceless."
OTOH, if you have money lying around, think of it as a long term lease. You can use them for several years, then turn around and get 80% of your money back when you sell them.
As far as spending $21K for binoculars, I wouldn't, but OTOH, I know people who spend much more on hobbies and recreation.
Next time your out on the road, see how many people are hauling around several ATVs and boats and snowmobiles and...
How much do they have wrapped up in that stuff? Do they NEED it? But just let someone spend $6000 on a MERE pair of binoculars, and the eyes start rolling.
Interesting how we can justify some things (especially if it has a motor) and view other toys as extravegent.
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The night sky is the palette....
My optics are the brushes....
The Milky Way is the masterpiece
Member IDA
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BillC
on a new path
Reged: 06/04/04
Posts: 4391
Loc: Lake Stevens, WA, USA
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Quote:
[it would be a pair I would like to own for the quality. And yet, I still haven't answered.
edz
[The wiley freelancer circles the bino geek, looking ever so stealthily for the quickest route to his soft underbelly. And then . . . ]
Okay, Do you want it for $275?
Cheers,
Bill
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William J. Cook, Chief Opticalman, USNR-Ret.
Ophthalmic Tech, Naval Station, Everett, WA
Optical Mechanic, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Founder, Amateur Telescope Making Journal
21-year Mgr., Optics Dept., Captain's Nautical Supplies
Optics Mechanic, Ft. Lewis, WA.
Contributing Editor for Numerous Magazines
It's better to be a "has been" than a "never was." But only barely; the pay is about the same!
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BillC
on a new path
Reged: 06/04/04
Posts: 4391
Loc: Lake Stevens, WA, USA
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Quote:
Bill, I sincerely hope you are not right, at least not for the Famous Three! Carsten
I didn't say a thing about the three names you mentioned--nor will I. However, as for being wrong? Ask around the net how many times that has happened.
The net is full of folks who make a career out of speculation. I am not one.
Cheers,
Bill
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William J. Cook, Chief Opticalman, USNR-Ret.
Ophthalmic Tech, Naval Station, Everett, WA
Optical Mechanic, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Founder, Amateur Telescope Making Journal
21-year Mgr., Optics Dept., Captain's Nautical Supplies
Optics Mechanic, Ft. Lewis, WA.
Contributing Editor for Numerous Magazines
It's better to be a "has been" than a "never was." But only barely; the pay is about the same!
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 18806
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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see PM
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 17931
Loc: Oort Cloud 9
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Quote:
You won't get an argument from me; I had to take a big "gulp" when I plunked down the cash for the straight-thru 150s. No regrets, worth every penny, and then some. If you really use the stuff you buy and get enjoyment from it, how much is it worth? As the ad says.... "Priceless."
OTOH, if you have money lying around, think of it as a long term lease. You can use them for several years, then turn around and get 80% of your money back when you sell them.
As far as spending $21K for binoculars, I wouldn't, but OTOH, I know people who spend much more on hobbies and recreation.
Next time your out on the road, see how many people are hauling around several ATVs and boats and snowmobiles and...
How much do they have wrapped up in that stuff? Do they NEED it? But just let someone spend $6000 on a MERE pair of binoculars, and the eyes start rolling.
Interesting how we can justify some things (especially if it has a motor) and view other toys as extravegent.
You make valid points. Here in bayou country, the symbol of success is a $20,000 bass boat towed behind a $35,000 dually Ford truck. A $40,000 5th-wheel RV sits parked in driveway. Personally, I'd rather plunk down $20,000 for binocular-bling (I coined that, clever me!) than spend that much on a boat. I can have as much fun in a small canoe as I would in a speedboat. But I could get lost for years in a pair of binos like those (aren't they really two side-by-side telescopes?), if I had the means I would do it. And my wife would consider it a bargain if it keeps me out of her hair for several hours every other night or so. 
I just always assumed that the big money in amateur astronomy was in the telescope arena. Until now I didn't realize just how much hardcore equipment there is available to bino-astronomers. I'm hooked for life.
BTW, let me ask this, do you find your objects by "guestimation" like many bino-astronomers do or do those kind of high-end binos have a GoTo capability? Can they be adapted to find and track?
Mike
(...don't tell me wife yet, but I might have to put off the snow-mobile in Montana for a backyard observatory with some bino-bling in said desolate northern state...)
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
☄ ⒼⒶⓁⒶⒸⓉⒾⒸ ⓈⓉⓄⓃⒺ ☞ www.galactic-stone.com
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BillC
on a new path
Reged: 06/04/04
Posts: 4391
Loc: Lake Stevens, WA, USA
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Quote:
How about these for a pair of Fuji beating binos.
http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=297719
Or these ones.
http://homepage.mac.com/martin_hopewell/PhotoAlbum10.html
Every time my wife hears me say "Takahashi," she says "bless you," hands me a handkerchief, reminds me that I am supposed to be some great telescope MAKER, and that Washington in a "community property" state. 
--------------------
William J. Cook, Chief Opticalman, USNR-Ret.
Ophthalmic Tech, Naval Station, Everett, WA
Optical Mechanic, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Founder, Amateur Telescope Making Journal
21-year Mgr., Optics Dept., Captain's Nautical Supplies
Optics Mechanic, Ft. Lewis, WA.
Contributing Editor for Numerous Magazines
It's better to be a "has been" than a "never was." But only barely; the pay is about the same!
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 17931
Loc: Oort Cloud 9
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My wife has never heard the following words :
"Takahashi","Fujinon","Televue", or "Questar"
I strongly suspect that will change in the coming years...
Mike
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
☄ ⒼⒶⓁⒶⒸⓉⒾⒸ ⓈⓉⓄⓃⒺ ☞ www.galactic-stone.com
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Mr. Bill
Postmaster
Reged: 02/09/05
Posts: 5219
Loc: Northeastern Cal
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BTW, let me ask this, do you find your objects by "guestimation" like many bino-astronomers do or do those kind of high-end binos have a GoTo capability? Can they be adapted to find and track?
Mike
(...don't tell me wife yet, but I might have to put off the snow-mobile in Montana for a backyard observatory with some bino-bling in said desolate northern state...)
Low tech...
Just shoot from the hip. That's part of the fun using binos.
I generally sweep starfields left to right, raising the binoculars a field and sweep back the opposite direction.
When I find something I don't know, I look it up on the charts. Kind of backwards.
Maybe one of these days I'll find something not on the charts. Actually,I've "discovered" three Linear comets that way. Can be quite exciting, especially if you are in the middle of nowhere and don't have a way to check.
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The night sky is the palette....
My optics are the brushes....
The Milky Way is the masterpiece
Member IDA
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edwincjones
Close Enough
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 7980
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I have never heard of a go to with binoculars (except that 8 meter binocular telescope in Chile/Hawaii ?) but you can add DSCs with some of the mounts. But why? For me the appeal of binoculars is simplicity-just point and look. The wide FOV makes it fairly easly to find objects, the lower magification limits one to the brighter objects, and the views are more of the forest than the trees. For me the best aspect of binoculars is the natural look-up is up and left is left.
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edwincjones
Close Enough
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 7980
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Why do we usually get to money when discussing premium binouclars, but not telescopes? I just came from the Starmaster Telescope site. The SM20" is a simular price to the 25x150 with mount, their SM 28" is $14-15,000 with $4000 more for go to and other add ons; but you rarely see price mentioned on the telescope discussion sites.
Are telescopes viewed as a basic need, but binoculars just a frill?
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 18806
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Quote:
Every time my wife hears me say "Takahashi," she says "bless you," hands me a handkerchief, reminds me that I am supposed to be some great telescope MAKER, and that Washington in a "community property" state.
priceless
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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It seems to me Edwin that once you start talking about bins greater than 80mm, and the cost that comes with them, telescopes from a cost perspective start to look better and better as the bin objective size increases.
BTW, I love my BT100. It was worth it! 
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Mr. Bill
Postmaster
Reged: 02/09/05
Posts: 5219
Loc: Northeastern Cal
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Quote:
Why do we usually get to money when discussing premium binouclars, but not telescopes? I just came from the Starmaster Telescope site. The SM20" is a simular price to the 25x150 with mount, their SM 28" is $14-15,000 with $4000 more for go to and other add ons; but you rarely see price mentioned on the telescope discussion sites.
Are telescopes viewed as a basic need, but binoculars just a frill?
Bingo!! You hit the ol' proverbial nail on the head.
--------------------
The night sky is the palette....
My optics are the brushes....
The Milky Way is the masterpiece
Member IDA
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 18806
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Quote:
I have never heard of a go to with binoculars (except that 8 meter binocular telescope in Chile/Hawaii ?) but you can add DSCs with some of the mounts. But why? For me the appeal of binoculars is simplicity-just point and look. The wide FOV makes it fairly easly to find objects, the lower magification limits one to the brighter objects, and the views are more of the forest than the trees. For me the best aspect of binoculars is the natural look-up is up and left is left.
Barry Simon has GoTo encoders on his LightSpeed Wagon, a monstrous mount.
Some of the newer styles of mounts coming out of Universal Astronomics are manufactured to be capable of GoTo.
I believe Helix new mount i9s GoTo capable.
I'm used to a simpler method myself.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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A GOTO binocular mount-- what is this hobby coming to?
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 17931
Loc: Oort Cloud 9
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Quote:
A GOTO binocular mount-- what is this hobby coming to?
Stranger things have happened.
Mike
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
☄ ⒼⒶⓁⒶⒸⓉⒾⒸ ⓈⓉⓄⓃⒺ ☞ www.galactic-stone.com
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Mr. Bill
Postmaster
Reged: 02/09/05
Posts: 5219
Loc: Northeastern Cal
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Quote:
Why do we usually get to money when discussing premium binouclars, but not telescopes? I just came from the Starmaster Telescope site. The SM20" is a simular price to the 25x150 with mount, their SM 28" is $14-15,000 with $4000 more for go to and other add ons; but you rarely see price mentioned on the telescope discussion sites.
Are telescopes viewed as a basic need, but binoculars just a frill?
Another thought is that telescopes ARE more flexible then fixed power binocs such as the 150s...
A lot of people ses binocs as "one trick ponies."
OTOH, the 150s are superb for that one trick.
--------------------
The night sky is the palette....
My optics are the brushes....
The Milky Way is the masterpiece
Member IDA
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