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There's a Vixen 30X80 ARK, not inexpensive, but I bet a nice binocular.

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I purchased one and sent it back, because of different defects (Poor Quality Control)

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All the pictures are of the 20-50x80 zoom. Anyone know where a picture of the 30.5x or 40x can be found?

-- Jeff.

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Tried to find the Docter 40x80 for sale, however, I think they stopped making them. Anyone see these around or a Chinese version.

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Hi Joe,

the ultimate bino looks realy great, it seems to have 10 inch lenses or so. Do have more information? were did you find the
nice picture.

Thomas

p.s. my dream bino would be something like a 160 f/6 or 200 f/5 with apo lenses, total weight below 15 kg ( if possible)

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Joe,

You seem to have a few IS bins and the Garrett 28x100 Signature, would you prefer another IS at a heigher mag or a 40x100 bin to add to your collection.

BB

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Small exit pupils, for example 2 mm, have little interest in binoculars : a refractor with a binoviewer is better for high magnifications.

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As close as I could get were the 100mm Miyauchi Saturns. They are good for DSOs even below the 2mm exit pupil threshold you mention-- even at 75x many objects look very good. I don't see why a 100mm binocular can't provide a satisfying view at 50x; it is not what I consider "high magnification". Many DSOs are best in this mag. range, IMO.

With f7.5 achro objectives the Moon and planets above 75x leave something to be desired in the Miyas-- too much CA for my tastes. Higher mag. lunar/ planetary use requires a lot from binoculars. Terrestrial views above 33x suffer from CA as well. I would LOVE to swap the objectives with well corrected f7.5 ED doublets to see how that combo would perform. I don't know how much image degradation would be caused by the prisms at higher magnifications, however, so this could be an issue clouding the "dream".

The other downside of the Miyauchi design is the use of proprietary eyepieces but now I understand better why this might be so. To keep the weight down the prism clusters had to be kept compact. A longer focal length objective helps prevent prism vignette (like the f5.3 GT 100/45 displays) but the prism design still requires the field stop of the eyepiece to be very close to the front of the eyepiece barrel, hence the proprietary eyepieces (as I see it). With the longer FL objectives, the lowest magnifications/widest fields are sacrificed; 33x with 66° AFOV is as low as they go. Lower mags with wide field eyepieces would require bigger prisms and greater weight.

Knowing this now, I can see how the "dream binocular" would have to somehow work around all the compromises required of binocular design. I guess that's why they will likely remain a "dream"!

Rich V

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- true apo objective lenses, with the same quality as astronomical refractors
- f/6 focal ratio
- 45° angled focusers
- correctly oriented image in both vertical and horizontal directions, like in all binoculars
- 1.25" focusers, compatible with astronomical eyepieces

....I don't expect a low price for such binoculars.

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OK Jean-Charles, how about this:

TEC140ED f/7 + Baader T-2 Amici diagonal + MkV Binoviewer

Using 24Pan's equivalent to:

40x100 apo binocular
correct image
3.4mm exit pupil
1.6° TFOV
Image quality superior to any conventional binocular

You can get the magnification down to 25x and exit pupil up to 5.7mm using 40mm Plossl's but TFOV will remain the same. The bonus: You also own a world-class apochromatic refractor.

Total price new: USD$7,208.00 (not including eyepieces)

Milt

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Stan,

How did you get that new binocular in the house past your wife?

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Shirley,

My older sister's hubby passed away last Dec. and out of his entire collection of hunting binoculars I aksed her to send me the Revue 10x50, plus a Bushnell 7x50. The Bushnell turned out to be an old clunker, so I gave it away.

I recently also acquired a Bushnell 7x35WA from a local garage sale, for only $7.
It is an older inexpensive model , but, surprisingly gives decent views at night, for stargazing.
Excellent views during the daytime when looking at thunderhead clouds.
I may have to keep it around for awhile.

How many electric binoculars do you own?

Are you above ground or under water?
Stan

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You mentioned The Garrett GT100/45°... I wondered just how good the ED glass would be in the new APM 100/45°? I have the GT100/45°and find them very good for the price point.

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Glen,

For the price point, as you mentioned, I don't doubt they are very good. But if you consider 100 mm ED refractors available on the market, you will find they cost nearly the same price as the GT 100/45°. The GT 100/45° is basically a double 100 mm refractor, with a rather complex system of prisms. So there are necessarily some compromises in quality to maintain a very reasonable cost.

The reviews I have read in various places confirm that there is room for optical improvement.
Remember we are talking here about "dream binoculars".

Jean-Charles

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Small exit pupils, for example 2 mm, have little interest in binoculars : a refractor with a binoviewer is better for high magnifications.

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As close as I could get were the 100mm Miyauchi Saturns. They are good for DSOs even below the 2mm exit pupil threshold you mention-- even at 75x many objects look very good. I don't see why a 100mm binocular can't provide a satisfying view at 50x; it is not what I consider "high magnification". Many DSOs are best in this mag. range, IMO.

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OK Jean-Charles, how about this:

TEC140ED f/7 + Baader T-2 Amici diagonal + MkV Binoviewer

Using 24Pan's equivalent to:

40x100 apo binocular
correct image
3.4mm exit pupil
1.6° TFOV
Image quality superior to any conventional binocular

You can get the magnification down to 25x and exit pupil up to 5.7mm using 40mm Plossl's but TFOV will remain the same. The bonus: You also own a world-class apochromatic refractor.

Total price new: USD$7,208.00 (not including eyepieces)

Milt

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I think there are several issues about the available back focus, the distance between the reducer and the focal plane, and perhaps also the image quality

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Stan - 30x80 are still on my list, however, Jupiter keeps haunting me every clear night out my third floor kitchen window and I have the bug to see it better than at 66.2mag with the GBT.

Beachchairbill

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