firestar
Born to be Mild
Reged: 10/18/06
Posts: 3942
Loc: Cleveland Ohio USA
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looking for the best deal on a big pair of binoculars.
looking at the $149 obies.
anything better while being cheaper?
thanks in advance for your help. 
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Eastlake Ohio
Lots of cheap Asian glass  
Antares 12" Dob,Antares 8" Dob
Meade 8" SCT, Celestron C8 SCT
Zhumell 152 mm F8,Antares 127 mm f9.4
Orion short tube 90 F5.6,Celestron 80 ED F7.5
Imaging Source DMK 21AU04 ccd camera
Stellarvue bv3's with 32,26,23,21,9 mm pairs
Olivon 42,35,28mm,siebert 21,12.5,7mm,GSO superview 20mm,Meade swa 13.8mm,Hyperion 13mm
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hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1660
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
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Garrett Optical Gemini 15x70LW at $129.95 
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Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 20x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 30x80mm MEGAView FMC/JAPAN
Barska 30x80mm X-Trail LW FC
Burgess Optical Series II 20x90mm FMC/WP/FP
Handel's Messiah**Hallelujah! For the LORD God Omnipotent Reigneth
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Sellick
super member
Reged: 03/08/06
Posts: 117
Loc: Union,Oregon
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Anttlers Sky Sweeper 15x70 $119.00 and they have 20x70 on sale for $99.00 
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Celestron NexStar 8SE
10" DSO RACI & Rigel Quikfinder
Meade 114NT on DIY base
Celestron 20x80 SkyMasters
6mm Expanse Wide-Field
8mm Stratus Wide-Field
14mm MaxView Wide-Field
17mm Stratus Wide-field
32mm Scopetronix Plossl
30mm GSO 2" superview
40mm ScopeTronix Plossl
Celestron 8x24 Zoom
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Garrett Optical Gemini 15x70LW 
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firestar
Born to be Mild
Reged: 10/18/06
Posts: 3942
Loc: Cleveland Ohio USA
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Thanks again,both look like nice binoculars.
The garrett's are the first one I seen in this price range which are fully multi coated.nice.
keep them coming! 
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Eastlake Ohio
Lots of cheap Asian glass
Antares 12" Dob,Antares 8" Dob
Meade 8" SCT, Celestron C8 SCT
Zhumell 152 mm F8,Antares 127 mm f9.4
Orion short tube 90 F5.6,Celestron 80 ED F7.5
Imaging Source DMK 21AU04 ccd camera
Stellarvue bv3's with 32,26,23,21,9 mm pairs
Olivon 42,35,28mm,siebert 21,12.5,7mm,GSO superview 20mm,Meade swa 13.8mm,Hyperion 13mm
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NairB
member
Reged: 11/11/06
Posts: 49
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Quote:
Garrett Optical Gemini 15x70LW
I have the Strathspey version of the above and AGREE
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Strathspey 15x70's FMC - Amazing cheap bino for the price. Bright, natural color/contrast, sharp, and well collimated. Best for Daytime viewing 
Celestron Skymaster 15x70's MC - Field of view has a Smoky/Brown tint making them less bright during daytime viewing BUT this doesn't seem to affect night time viewing...Testing against the Strath's continues!!!
Oberwerk Lightweight 20x80mm FMC - Arrived - Had to collimate them. Undergoing tests.
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camvan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/02/05
Posts: 2086
Loc: British Columbia
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Quote:
Anttlers Sky Sweeper 15x70 $119.00 and they have 20x70 on sale for $99.00
what's this about 20x70's??? I think I'm interested! any word on quality? 
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Cameron
"Aperture can only be replaced by even more aperture. Dark transparent skies cannot be replaced by anything else." - Stathis Kafalis
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firestar
Born to be Mild
Reged: 10/18/06
Posts: 3942
Loc: Cleveland Ohio USA
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http://binoculars.com/products/barska-15x70-x-trail-32851.html
Anyone know about these?
They look like a clone of the zhumell.
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Eastlake Ohio
Lots of cheap Asian glass
Antares 12" Dob,Antares 8" Dob
Meade 8" SCT, Celestron C8 SCT
Zhumell 152 mm F8,Antares 127 mm f9.4
Orion short tube 90 F5.6,Celestron 80 ED F7.5
Imaging Source DMK 21AU04 ccd camera
Stellarvue bv3's with 32,26,23,21,9 mm pairs
Olivon 42,35,28mm,siebert 21,12.5,7mm,GSO superview 20mm,Meade swa 13.8mm,Hyperion 13mm
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12565
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Read this
These Binoculars Look the Same. Are They?
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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firestar
Born to be Mild
Reged: 10/18/06
Posts: 3942
Loc: Cleveland Ohio USA
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Ya,I saw that one coming. 
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Eastlake Ohio
Lots of cheap Asian glass
Antares 12" Dob,Antares 8" Dob
Meade 8" SCT, Celestron C8 SCT
Zhumell 152 mm F8,Antares 127 mm f9.4
Orion short tube 90 F5.6,Celestron 80 ED F7.5
Imaging Source DMK 21AU04 ccd camera
Stellarvue bv3's with 32,26,23,21,9 mm pairs
Olivon 42,35,28mm,siebert 21,12.5,7mm,GSO superview 20mm,Meade swa 13.8mm,Hyperion 13mm
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Bob W6PU
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/23/04
Posts: 2191
Loc: Springer-N.E.NM
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Firestar, just get the 15x70 Obbies and don't look back, it'll be the best $149 you've spent! 
Bob
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camvan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/02/05
Posts: 2086
Loc: British Columbia
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Edz, what are your thoughts on those Anttlers 20x70's? they have fully broadband multi-coated prisms and primaries. the introductory price is pretty darn good...
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Cameron
"Aperture can only be replaced by even more aperture. Dark transparent skies cannot be replaced by anything else." - Stathis Kafalis
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10142
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Cam ,
I'm almost certain Ed has never looked at nor through these 20 x 70s , and Ed being Ed , I'm sure he would be the LAST person to SPECULATE , or be overly swayed by stated technical specifications .
The only 20 x 70s I ever saw had terribly inadequate eye relief , but I agree that ON PAPER at least , it is a magnification / aperture combination with exciting prospects for many binocular users .
Regards , Kenny
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Two eyes and a preference to use both
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12565
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Good morning Kenny,
you are correct that I would prefer not to speculate. But at the least I can say; they look like the 15x70 with different power eyepieces; generally 20x eyepieces with a 70° fov, at least the ones I've tried, tend to be fairly distorted in the outer field. Also, you'd need to think about your use for these binoculars, since the 3.5mm exit pupil would be 25% less bright than a 20x80 and 45% less bright than a 15x70.
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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Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2551
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Quote:
http://binoculars.com/products/barska-15x70-x-trail-32851.html
Anyone know about these?
They look like a clone of the zhumell.
If you are shopping for a 15X70 based on low price alone you can find lower price here: Barska 15X70 X Trail
Note the ratings given on amazon.com. On the binoculars.com link above one person gave 3/5, the other rated 5/5 but he is not an owner, gave a pair to a friend...."thinking about getting a pair"
Wait long enough you may find "factory refurbished" or "2nds" on sale at Sportsman's Guide or Surplus Shed for $29!
Most of us expect to pay more than $60 for a pair of prescription eye glasses but for some reason we keep hoping we can find superior optics in a pair of low priced giant binos.....
Here's another data point: Barska vs. Oberwerk
Erik D
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johnno
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 807
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Hi EDZ,
Owning a 20x60 with only a 3mm exit pupil,
I also found Dissapointment,with the brightness level,I would imagine,a 3.5mm exit pupil would not be much better.
My 15x70,and 20x80's are waay brighter.INMHO
Regards.John
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upsguy
Uff da
Reged: 10/01/05
Posts: 3104
Loc: schaumburg, il.
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erik d's link to the amazon site is where i bought my barskas. i'm very happy with them even though they are considered "cheapies".
the barskas have got to be the best bang for the buck 15x70's. the only thing i don't like about them is the focuser, it doesn't give you any fine tuning.
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Jim
Meade lx90 8" uhtc
Meade 80mm refractor
Orion 70mm refractor
Barska 15x70
Obies 11x56
Canon 400D
Canon SX100IS
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davaid
journeyman
Reged: 11/09/06
Posts: 9
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Hi, I am also interested in buying 15X70 BINOS, I am looking at Barska or (and specially the) Celestron Skymaster 15X70.
My requirments are to casually watch the city, ships in the sea, aircrafts when landing, people moving in the park and the top of the tall buildings we have in city, and maybe starring at the moon at night.
I am intrested of something that is bright and the vision doesn't get deteriorated at night and valued under $100 (like the celestron).
I so interested in the celestron 15X70 bions; but I need first to hear the opinions of those people who already owns them and how do they perform within the context of my requirments.....
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Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2551
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Quote:
Hi, I am also interested in buying 15X70 BINOS, I am looking at Barska or (and specially the) Celestron Skymaster 15X70.
I am intrested of something that is bright and the vision doesn't get deteriorated at night and valued under $100 (like the celestron).
I so interested in the celestron 15X70 bions; but I need first to hear the opinions of those people who already owns them and how do they perform within the context of my requirments.....
There are two reviews of the Celestron Skymaster 15X70 in bino review section at the top of the bino forum, you can find more reviews at the amazon.com web site:
CN Bino Mini Review Section
More recent comments from the UK: 4 Pairs of Celestron 15X70
People have very different ideas about what they expect from a pair of low cost 70mm binos. "Performance" needs to evaluated in the context of YOUR expectation and depends on the quality optics you already own. Comparing factors such as light transmisson, edge sharpness, collimation, baffeling, anti-reflection coating to a $99 80mm F5 the Celestron 15X70 may be judged to have excellent performance. Compared to a 80mm F7.5 ED much less so.
At the under $100 price point 70mm binos seem to have more sample to sample variation. One sample may earn 5/5 ratiing from one reviewer and a 3/5 from the next. Spend just $29.95 more and you can have a bino that has the highest level of broadband multi coating, collimation checked by laser collimator and 14 point optical mechanical inspection.
Erik D
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reflector74
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/05
Posts: 1249
Loc: Milky Way Galaxy, Orion Arm
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I'm coming to believe the $29 extra will be more than worth it for that binocular from Garret.
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Two eyes and a preference to use both
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