Scott K
Non-standard Title
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 2247
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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My wife was really way too nice this year and got me a pair of Miyauchi 22x71 Saturn II's, on a Bogen-Manfrotto 501-HDV Pro fluid head, and 055X PROB tripod.
I have to say - these binoculars really surpassed my expectations. We tried them out on the moon as it was rising this evening - wow. Even my wife, who really isn't interested in this stuff thought the view was incredible. We were out on the street in front of my house, so my opportunity to look at deepsky stuff was limited - M45 was pretty spectacular. M42 was basically visible if you knew what you were looking for. (I'm basically underneath streetlights no matter where we go here.) Mars was pretty obviously a disk - although at 22x no detail was really visible. (My guests wanted to see it anyway.)
The moon though - just incredible. The Miyauchi's were really crisp - especially along the terminator, and the shading across the surface of the moon was really obvious and just lovely. Everyone remarked on it. (For what it's worth, I've looked at the moon many, many times through every scope I've owned, and I was really impressed with these binoculars.)
Anyway, kind folks on this forum recommended these binoculars to me a few weeks back, and I just wanted to let y'all know that they did not disappoint!
The only negative I noticed about them was that the finder was somewhat difficult to use near the zenith, especially with a streetlight nearby - this really degraded the view through the finder.
I'm taking them with me to darker skies in oklahoma this weekend - dying to see what these things can do under much better conditions than my tiny house in Dallas.
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edwincjones
Close Enough
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 7980
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congratulations-sounds like a winner
see if you can see Comet 8P Tuttle this weekend in CAS
edj
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RichD
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/08/07
Posts: 1782
Loc: Derbyshire, UK
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Glad to hear you are enjoying those binos Scott! They are top notch instruments and i can often be found drooling over the Miyauchi section on the BigBinoculars website.
I think at your dark site M42 will be incredible in those.
Hope you got the wife something nice in return!
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So this cabbie says: "Know who I had in this cab last week? Bertrand Russell! Wisest man in the Western World. And I says to him 'Bertie, what's it all about?' And do you know, he couldn't tell me..."
Kenneth Williams
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CESDewar
GorillAstronomer
Reged: 01/16/05
Posts: 2085
Loc: Blue Ridge, GA, USA
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Congrats on the Miyauchis - you will indeed find them to be a great viewing instrument. Straight-through finders are difficult to use near the Zenith on almost any instrument - I use a laser on mine and that works magnificently as a finder, although I always bring the regular finder along in case using a laser disturbs others.
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Beg
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/23/04
Posts: 1418
Loc: Steamboat, CO
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Congrats Scott,
I very much enjoy mine. It's a total package ranging from the construction to the ease of use, to very sharp clear optics. I'm at a pretty dark sky site, and I'm very pleased with the total viewing experience that the 71's provide.
The 40x eyepieces take the viewing up another notch. But be warned that even with the folding eyecups, eye relief is to tight for my thin glasses. Luckily I can view without them. Just something to think about, as I see that you wear glasses. If I was not able to use the 40x eyepieces, I would probably go another route
I connected a red light finder to my finder bracket, and it works great.
Anyway, good luck and enjoy.
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Brian
Miyauchi Saturn II
Oberwerk 25x100 IF
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Rick M
member
Reged: 01/14/05
Posts: 78
Loc: Santa Clarita, CA
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Brian,
I too have the NBA Saturns and am very pleased with them. I have been contemplating getting the 40X EPs but I need to wear glasses for viewing so I'm hesitant due to the short eye relief. Are you able to comfortably see the moon when viewing through the 40X EPs with your glasses on?
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Rick M
William Optics 7x50ED
Fujinon 10x70
Garrett Optical 20x110 Signature
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edwincjones
Close Enough
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 7980
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I have the 3x12 finder on my miyauchi 22x60s-it is okay for daytime use, but inadequate for nighttime use due to limited FOV and light gathering ability.
I would recommend at least a reddot finder, or better a Rigel finder. A telrad would be good IF there is room and ability to balance.
I also have the 20x100 miyauchis and use the 26x ep 95% of the time. The 37x ep is okay, but I dislike the more narrow FOV and shorter ER (I do not wear glasses).
I use the Rigel finder on both my 20x100s and 25x150s-the finder's largest circle is very close to the binocular's FOV at 2.5-2.7 degrees.
edj
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Beg
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/23/04
Posts: 1418
Loc: Steamboat, CO
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Rick,
No, it is not comfortable. With my glasses on, I just get a little tunnel view in the very center of the FOV. With the glasses off, the EP's give an excellent view. Certainly consider them an important part of owning this instrument.
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Brian
Miyauchi Saturn II
Oberwerk 25x100 IF
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Jeff Morgan
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/28/03
Posts: 4018
Loc: Prescott, AZ
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Quote:
Rick,
No, it is not comfortable. With my glasses on, I just get a little tunnel view in the very center of the FOV. With the glasses off, the EP's give an excellent view. Certainly consider them an important part of owning this instrument.
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Brian
Miyauchi Saturn II
Oberwerk 25x100 IF
So, I guess the 115x eyepieces would be a little too much of a good thing?
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Jeff Morgan
Prescott, AZ
Wile E. Coyote School of Telescope Making
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DeepSpace67
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/13/06
Posts: 552
Loc: Prairie Village, KS, USA
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Quote:
So, I guess the 115x eyepieces would be a little too much of a good thing?
115x EPs won't come to focus on stellar targets, they’re only for closer terrestrial use.
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Matthew
CPC800 with Fastar
Astronomy Technologies 72mm refractor
MallinCam, Watec 3.5" LCD, and Green Laser
William Optics Binoviewer
Pentax 20x60 PCF WP II binoculars
Garrett Gemini Lightweight 11x56 binoculars
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Scott K
Non-standard Title
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 2247
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Thanks CESD & Brian - I'll look and see if I can get quick-finder or something similar installed on the binoculars. That would make them massively easier to use.
I don't wear glasses anymore - I guess I need to update my photo. I switched to contacts. These have their own unique issues, but they are definitely easier to deal with at the eyepiece.
Now if only the sky would clear now that I'm someplace where it actually gets sorta dark at night... 
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CESDewar
GorillAstronomer
Reged: 01/16/05
Posts: 2085
Loc: Blue Ridge, GA, USA
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Quote:
115x EPs won't come to focus on stellar targets, they’re only for closer terrestrial use.
That surprises me. I have the identical eyepieces, which create 150x, on my Saturn III's and they certainly come to focus just fine. I do know of a Saturn II owner who indicated they came to focus. Of course the image is soft as this is really too much magnification, but since there is nothing between 54x and 150x on the Saturn III's, they do serve a useful purpose.
I think Wayne also had the 115x EP's for his Saturn II's and might comment on whether they at least came to focus in his S2's.
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DeepSpace67
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/13/06
Posts: 552
Loc: Prairie Village, KS, USA
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Quote:
That surprises me. I have the identical eyepieces, which create 150x, on my Saturn III's and they certainly come to focus just fine. I do know of a Saturn II owner who indicated they came to focus. Of course the image is soft as this is really too much magnification, but since there is nothing between 54x and 150x on the Saturn III's, they do serve a useful purpose.
I think Wayne also had the 115x EP's for his Saturn II's and might comment on whether they at least came to focus in his S2's.
Another CN member commented about not being able to focus at infinity, post #782087.
At one time was looking at the Saturn II before buying the Apogee 88RA (aperture, mount cost/flexibility, and 90 degree oculars were winning factors), believe Kevin confirmed that the 115x EPs did not focus at infinity. Perhaps there are different EP versions, but a call to Kevin would clear it up.
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Matthew
CPC800 with Fastar
Astronomy Technologies 72mm refractor
MallinCam, Watec 3.5" LCD, and Green Laser
William Optics Binoviewer
Pentax 20x60 PCF WP II binoculars
Garrett Gemini Lightweight 11x56 binoculars
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Scott K
Non-standard Title
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 2247
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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Alright, I got a chance to properly test the Saturn II's a couple of nights this last week in Oklahoma.
Wow!
I saw comet holmes very easily - it was a nice sight in the Miyauchis!
M31 was spectacular.
I saw comet tuttle near M33.
M42 was really incredible - this really wasn't like view through binoculars, it really felt like a view through a small telescope.
M78 & M79 were both pretty obvious.
The flame nebula was visible. It wasn't exactly bright, and I really couldn't get Alnitak out of the field of view, but the central dark lane was quite obvious.
M35 was glorious, as you might expect.
I found M1 readily enough - no detail, of course, but there it was.
These binoculars do NOT disappoint!
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Sergio E
member
Reged: 06/10/06
Posts: 68
Loc: Italy Roceja TO
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Hi Scott,
I've also a Saturn II and the same tripod and head.
I've also the eyepieces 14mm 40x and 5mm 115x, they reach focus in every field, terrestrial, and sky.
Please just for a statistics how is the number code of your Saturn II (near the handle). The mine is 00278.
Many tanks in advance.
Sergio
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Rick M
member
Reged: 01/14/05
Posts: 78
Loc: Santa Clarita, CA
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Sergio,
Mine is S/N 00273.
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Rick M
William Optics 7x50ED
Fujinon 10x70
Garrett Optical 20x110 Signature
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Wayne Parrish
sage
Reged: 02/23/04
Posts: 443
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Hey guys.YES,my Sat II did come to focus with the 115x ep's without a problem. I would send the Sat II's back to Kevin and let him check them out if I were you. Something is amiss ! Wayne
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