ZX12
super member
Reged: 12/29/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Rhode Island
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I just received my BT 125 binos on Tuesday this week. This model can use most 1.25" eyepieces. (some do not come to focus)
Initial impressions look great. Fit and finish are first rate and collimation is spot on up to 63x.(did not try any higher)
Saturn was impressive at this power with minimal color, Cassini was visible, with some banding seen on surface.
Contrast looks at least as good as the Oberwerk BT 100 (which I consider excellent,) and stars snap in to focus cleanly.
I will submit a full review in the next few weeks as I gather more data on them.
Mike
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AP 160 Starfire/AP 1200GTO
Stellarvue SV809D
Kowa Highlander Prominar
Vixen BT 125 HFT-MA
Oberwerk BT 100/45
Tak 22x60 Astronomer
Nikon 10x70 FMT-SX
Leica 8-12x42 Duovid
WO 66mm SD
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Joad
Wordsmith
Reged: 03/22/05
Posts: 18002
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Looking forward to it!
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MIKADO
member
Reged: 03/21/06
Posts: 52
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I am impatient to know your impressions
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Art Fritzson
sage
Reged: 01/29/05
Posts: 315
Loc: Northern Virginia, USA
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I'm with Mikado - tell us more, send pictures! It sounds like a very cool setup! 
Thanks -
- Art
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2006 "Bagging on a Budget" Award for Excellence in Binocular Astronomy
Garrett 25x100 IF, Oberwerk 15x70, Celestron Noble 10x50, Meade 10x50 and 8x42 Travelviews
William Optics Zenithstar II 80mm APO
Teleport 10" - an incredible all-in-one Planetary/DSO/"Grab and Go"
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5618
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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Congratulations Mike!
Thanks very much for the report.
Rich
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ZX12
super member
Reged: 12/29/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Rhode Island
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I have not had a lot of viewing time in on the BT 125, but can definitely say that they are better than what I was expecting. (false color is acceptable, collimation is excellent and can be fine tuned by rotating one eyepiece until perfect.
Viewing the moon at 42x and 63x produced a clear, sharp, and three dimensional image. There was only a thin purple/green fringe that to my eye was not distracting at all.
The most impressive object that I have seen through it so far was M35 at 63x with NGC 2158 very evident next to it. Again, it had a three dimensional appearance that I have not seen in a telescope.
I'll post some photos tomorrow evening.
Thanks for the interest! Mike
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AP 160 Starfire/AP 1200GTO
Stellarvue SV809D
Kowa Highlander Prominar
Vixen BT 125 HFT-MA
Oberwerk BT 100/45
Tak 22x60 Astronomer
Nikon 10x70 FMT-SX
Leica 8-12x42 Duovid
WO 66mm SD
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5618
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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Hi Mike,
They don't seem too bulky for the aperture. big enough to be useful and not so large that you would have second thoughts about taking out for a look at the night sky.
Thanks again,
Rich
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MIKADO
member
Reged: 03/21/06
Posts: 52
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Highly to know some more !!!
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ZX12
super member
Reged: 12/29/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Rhode Island
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Here are some photos of the BT 125 with a pair of Radians.
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AP 160 Starfire/AP 1200GTO
Stellarvue SV809D
Kowa Highlander Prominar
Vixen BT 125 HFT-MA
Oberwerk BT 100/45
Tak 22x60 Astronomer
Nikon 10x70 FMT-SX
Leica 8-12x42 Duovid
WO 66mm SD
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ZX12
super member
Reged: 12/29/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Rhode Island
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I think the file size is still too large. I will try compressing them and attempt to post in a few minutes.
--------------------
AP 160 Starfire/AP 1200GTO
Stellarvue SV809D
Kowa Highlander Prominar
Vixen BT 125 HFT-MA
Oberwerk BT 100/45
Tak 22x60 Astronomer
Nikon 10x70 FMT-SX
Leica 8-12x42 Duovid
WO 66mm SD
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ZX12
super member
Reged: 12/29/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Rhode Island
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I'll give it another try...
--------------------
AP 160 Starfire/AP 1200GTO
Stellarvue SV809D
Kowa Highlander Prominar
Vixen BT 125 HFT-MA
Oberwerk BT 100/45
Tak 22x60 Astronomer
Nikon 10x70 FMT-SX
Leica 8-12x42 Duovid
WO 66mm SD
|
ZX12
super member
Reged: 12/29/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Rhode Island
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The other side...
--------------------
AP 160 Starfire/AP 1200GTO
Stellarvue SV809D
Kowa Highlander Prominar
Vixen BT 125 HFT-MA
Oberwerk BT 100/45
Tak 22x60 Astronomer
Nikon 10x70 FMT-SX
Leica 8-12x42 Duovid
WO 66mm SD
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pcad
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/17/05
Posts: 2447
Loc: Connecticut
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Mike,
Great looking setup. Should keep you happy for quite a while.
I've got the same mount. I see you don't need a bracket with the 125's. Mounts right to the side of the tubes. Sweet.
Peter
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Peter
Telescopes 25 - 318 mm
Binoculars 12 - 100 mm
Microscope 50x - 1000x
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Art Fritzson
sage
Reged: 01/29/05
Posts: 315
Loc: Northern Virginia, USA
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Whoa....that is some beautiful setup. I'm in awe.
Please keep us regaled with tales of your viewing.
Thanks -
- Art
--------------------
2006 "Bagging on a Budget" Award for Excellence in Binocular Astronomy
Garrett 25x100 IF, Oberwerk 15x70, Celestron Noble 10x50, Meade 10x50 and 8x42 Travelviews
William Optics Zenithstar II 80mm APO
Teleport 10" - an incredible all-in-one Planetary/DSO/"Grab and Go"
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Joad
Wordsmith
Reged: 03/22/05
Posts: 18002
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5618
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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Thanks for the pictures! Great looking binocular.
Rich
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HfxObserver
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/12/04
Posts: 1150
Loc: Regina, SK, Canada
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Where did you obtain these new?
I thought they were out of production.
Sweet rig what's the Focal Length?
What Radians are your using and what powers do they provide?
-Chris
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Chris
7X50 Vixen, 10X70 Nikon "Astroluxe",22X100 Antares
80mm William Optics Megrez II ED
Santel MK6
Borg 125SD f6 (Pentax/Oasis version)
Tak-Lapides, Micro-Star
Pentax XW's 40,20,14,10,7,3.5, 5mm XO,3.8XP, Speers 5-8, 30mm Widescan III
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MIKADO
member
Reged: 03/21/06
Posts: 52
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Superb material !!!!
Which RADIAN used you?
I am very happy for you.
I think that all await like me the account of your first observations and impressions. 
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DenisY
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/10/04
Posts: 2048
Loc: Canada / Montréal
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Those are really impressive setup, i just which i could get one myself.
--------------------
Denis
I wonder how would the world be different if
Einstein had never lived?
Visit my web site at...
My Astronomical Logbook
Check out
My Astronomical Gear
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ZX12
super member
Reged: 12/29/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Rhode Island
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Thank you all for the feedback.
I called Vixen back in January this year and asked if they were going to bring the BT 125 back, and was told that this new model had just started production in Japan.
They intended to import five units into the U. S. (I guess to test the market) and that if I contacted one of their distributors (I picked Anacortes,) I could get a pair by late March/early April).
I had just bought the Oberwerk BT 100/45 in December (another great giant bino), so it did not look promising to put more money into an instrument that is twice the cost.
So I decided that all of my telescopes and equipment that were collecting dust after buying the BT 100 could be used to fund the Vixen.
It was a risk, but in the end it worked out better than planned.
According to Vixen North America, this pair is the only one that made it into the U.S.
The eyepieces that I am currently using are 12mm and 18mm Radians, and also the Oberwerk 24 mm's that came with the BT 100. The 18mm does not come to focus as set up from Televue. Approx. 2mm's (.080") must be machined off the end of the barrel to allow it to drop in deeper. I did this in my machine shop after talking to Al Nagler at Televue (I actually got him on the phone!) It worked perfectly.
This is the only issue that has come up so far with Vixen BT 125. They do not have nearly as much focus travel as the Oberwerk's.
I plan on trying a set of 24mm Panoptics this weekend at a local shop.
I think owners of the BT 100 would be happy to know that it really holds it's own against the Vixen, especially since there are so many owners of the Oberwerk's out there.
If the skies allow me, I will start a more in depth comparison of the two giant binos to see their attributes and drawbacks.
--------------------
AP 160 Starfire/AP 1200GTO
Stellarvue SV809D
Kowa Highlander Prominar
Vixen BT 125 HFT-MA
Oberwerk BT 100/45
Tak 22x60 Astronomer
Nikon 10x70 FMT-SX
Leica 8-12x42 Duovid
WO 66mm SD
|
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