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tom r.
sage
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 467
Loc: Seattle, Washington, USA
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Just purchased these binoculars along with the Paragon Plus tripod w/parallelogram mount. First light was yesterday afternoon for some terrestrial viewing. My first impressions were spectacular! I'm a novice at bino viewing but the image through these bino's are very pleasing to the eye.
The Paragon Plus tripod w/parallelogram mount is the first I've used. It is very smooth in operation though the only complaint I have is the altitude adjustment feature. It seems to be either to tight to move smoothly or too loose and the bino's move when increased alt viewing above 45°. However, it is such a pleasure to have the bino's held there for you and be able to share the view of what I see with someone else who's is not the same height as me and vice versa.
Later, in the evening, I aligned Jupiter in the field of view. After refocusing the Little Giants I was curious if I was getting a little ghosting of the big planet. Or, if I was just not relexed or tired. Three moons were visible and upon further viewing a friend of mine thought that the closest moon to the west of Jupiter may actually be two moons. I agreed that I could just make out what appeared to be two, almost overlapping moons. Later, I verified that, indeed, we were seeing all four moons with the astronomy program, Starry Nights.
I spent another 45 minutes scanning the sky and admiring the view through these very nice binoculars. At 11 power, I wasn't quite sure what I'd be able to see. So, first stop was Alberio. I had to find my way there as Alberio wasn't visible to the naked eye. I spotted Altair and slowly scanned up until I found Alberio. There is was, absolutely gorgeous! The colors were beautiful and there was just enough power to split the two. By chance I came across the Coat Hanger cluster. I've seen it before in my ETX-125, but seeing it with these binoculars was even better.
It is so nice to have a set of binoculars to enhance the ETX.
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Learning is my passion, remembering what I've learned is my greatest challenge.
Seattle, WA
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Mark9473
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/21/05
Posts: 2781
Loc: 51°N 4°E
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congratulations on the purchase Tom, and welcome to this forum and to binocular astronomy.
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Mark
Leica 8x20; Vixen 8x42; Swift 8.5x44, 10x50 and 20x80; TS 7x50; Orion 15x63
WO Megrez II 80 FD + Baader 90° T2 Amici
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tom r.
sage
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 467
Loc: Seattle, Washington, USA
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I viewed Jupiter again, tonight, and am wondering if it is "normal" to get flaring with such a bright object? I am a little dissatisfied that I'm not getting a tack sharp image to look at.
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Learning is my passion, remembering what I've learned is my greatest challenge.
Seattle, WA
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Art Fritzson
sage
Reged: 01/29/05
Posts: 315
Loc: Northern Virginia, USA
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Quote:
I viewed Jupiter again, tonight, and am wondering if it is "normal" to get flaring with such a bright object? I am a little dissatisfied that I'm not getting a tack sharp image to look at.
Tom,
Yes, unfortunately "flaring" or "spiking" (we've called it various things in this forum) is "normal" for very bright objects with this class of binocular. You'll see it on planets and very bright stars - Sirius for sure, maybe Vega and others as well. I've never heard a really good explanation of why it's so, but it is. I've heard of upper end binocs that provide "flare-free" images of planets but have never seen through one first hand. See this thread for a more thorough discussion.
Quote:
It is very smooth in operation though the only complaint I have is the altitude adjustment feature. It seems to be either to tight to move smoothly or too loose and the bino's move when increased alt viewing above 45°.
Ah, this one maybe I can help you with. Most people balance their binocs in altitude in a horizontal position. Try rebalanceing them so that they normally are pointed between, say, 45 and 60 degrees up - in other words balance them so they're in about the middle of the range of altitudes you normally use. Once that's done it will take a lot less force to adjust and control them and they won't tend to climb in altitude on their own.
Good luck -
- Art
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patter1
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/19/05
Posts: 597
Loc: Canada
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It could be the quality of the optics that makes the differece in flaring, but it could also largely be the imperfections in your eyes, which are more pronounced on brighter stars & planets and with large exit pupils.
I've more or less given up trying to get sharp views of Jupiter with binocs. In fairness, most binocs aren't really meant for this anyway.
Edited by patter1 (08/19/06 10:30 AM)
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12783
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Last night I was experiencing some flares on objects. In my case it was the precision of focus. When I took the time to precisely focus the binocular, the image improved immensely.
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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tom r.
sage
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 467
Loc: Seattle, Washington, USA
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I appreciate everyone's input on my query. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep them as I immediately caught apmag fever. Currently the Garrett Optical Gemini 20 x 80's are beckoning. The Oberwerk's of same are also on my short list. Are they appealing to those of you out there or anyone with experience using them?
tom
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Learning is my passion, remembering what I've learned is my greatest challenge.
Seattle, WA
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Mark9473
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/21/05
Posts: 2781
Loc: 51°N 4°E
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You will not be disappointed with a move to 20x80s, I have a pair and I think they're the perfect compromise between performance and field of view. Both models you mention are listed in the mini-reviews thread on this forum.
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Mark
Leica 8x20; Vixen 8x42; Swift 8.5x44, 10x50 and 20x80; TS 7x50; Orion 15x63
WO Megrez II 80 FD + Baader 90° T2 Amici
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tom r.
sage
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 467
Loc: Seattle, Washington, USA
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After much consideration, research and forum feedback, I am happily keeping the Orion Little Giant II's. I may, in the future, aquire the more powerful 25x100 Garrett or Oberwerk's, but after observing with the Little Giants these past few days I can say they are real keepers. And the fact that they are still light enough to hand hold for daytime/bird watching with extremely gorgeous, crisp views, is another factor that I considered.
At 11 power, I was able to discern the double Mizar with almost perceivable resolution, not full resolution, but definitely that there is another star there from heavily light polluted urban Seattle last night.
My favorite viewing object, so far, is the Coat Hanger Cluster. This beautiful arrangement of stars fits perfectly in the FOV on the Little Giant II's. I also viewed M31, though without any discernible shape, just a smudge of fuzz. I tried M13, but I don't know the sky well enough and I didn't have my laptop with me to help find it. Maybe tonight I'll get a chance, though clouds are moving in as I type this.
I am very satisfied with these binoculars and understand the limitations of viewing objects, such as Jupiter, and other bright stars. I will hold off on recommending them as I will gain more observing time before doing so. As of now, however, I know that I like them, they provide dual purpose roles, and the views are a delight!
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Learning is my passion, remembering what I've learned is my greatest challenge.
Seattle, WA
Edited by tom r. (08/21/06 08:36 PM)
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Joad
Wordsmith
Reged: 03/22/05
Posts: 12022
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Well, I've been working on that Morton Salt scale model of the Milky Way Galaxy, and man, this is going to be some project! 
But as I take a break from that labor, I'll share the fact that in my experience, Jupiter is tough to focus. With great care I can eliminate most, if not all, "flaring" (spiking, light sticking out away from the disk, halo effect, whatever the heck it is), but Jupiter just ain't an easy binocular target. Star clusters are just the berries for low power viewing, though. If you are getting nice bright, sharp images of star clusters with your Orions, you are going to be very happy with them.
Now, where did I put those boxes of salt? 
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tom r.
sage
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 467
Loc: Seattle, Washington, USA
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i've got to be honest about the scale model of the Milky Way. I did get around to placing the first grain of salt.................
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Learning is my passion, remembering what I've learned is my greatest challenge.
Seattle, WA
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Littlegreenman
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/09/05
Posts: 1056
Loc: Southern California
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Quote:
i've got to be honest about the scale model of the Milky Way. I did get around to placing the first grain of salt.................
Enjoy your binoculars. You can see a lot with them. Don't do what I do: obsessivley read this forum and get depressed when somebody expresses and opinion such that I don't have the best equipment out there....  *
By the way, if the Milkey Way is 30 feet long then the disc is an inch thick? Something like that.
*I should probably write an article on that subject for my new, virtual magazine, Popular Elitism. (Ow! I think my tongue just pierced my cheek).
Littlegreenman
Two opinions are better than one.
Stellarvue 15x63
Celestron 11x80
Orion 25x100 (Japan)
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