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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10142
Loc: Lancashire UK
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While I'm in a "posting " mode I would like to mention that although the emphasis here on CN appears to be on BIG binos I want to say that I still get more enjoyment from looking through my 10 x 50 Swift Kestrels and even my Zeiss 7 x 42s than I do through 15 x 70s . I think the extra -wide fields of both these great binos is the MAIN reason , but overall quality of coatings etc also plays a part .
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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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rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
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Kenny;
Sometime less is more. I've been fighting the urge to go to a nnX80 or bigger and get something a bit smaller (but larger than 35mm). Those 70's can be fun but they're not as easy to live with as a smaller binoc. And a wider field of view would be even better. Thanks for bringing it up! It's confirming I'm not all that nuts for considering a small bino for a change.
Ron
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Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
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brocknroller
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/16/03
Posts: 1516
Loc: Liberal, Kansas
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Kenny,
I feel the same way about my 10X35 E2. Although I use big binos on my skywindow, I enjoy the wide 70* AFOV of the E2 for hanheld use better. It's very, very nice for star clusters and cruising the Milky Way, and the small exit pupil instead of being a detriment, works great for my moderately light polluted skies (background is almost black and stars stand out like jewels). I recently compared them with a Chinese widefield (5.7*) 12X60, and the Nikons were much sharper (pinpoint stars vs.spikes), with a lot better edge, and if there were more background stars in the 60mm, they were hardly noticeable because of less contrast.
The 10X50 I'm most interested in trying is not sold in the US, and may not be. When I told the techies at Fujinon USA about it, they had never heard of it! I'm speaking of the new Fujinon 10X50 FMT-SX2 -- 6.5* FOV, 19+mm ER, and much lighter than the 16X70. I recently sold my 6X30 FMTR-SX to fund big binoculars (12X60, 15X70, 20X80), but am having "seller's remorse." It was sharp almost to the very edge of the flat 8.5* FOV, and it had amazing depth of field for day use. From the review below, the 10X50 appears similar, but even better for astronomy:
http://de.geocities.com/holger_merlitz/fujinon10x50.html
It's available in Germany from APM for $600+.
Brock
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Oscar Zoroaster Diggs
"O.Z."
#########################################
"And remember, my sentimental friend....a heart is not judged by how much you love,
but by how much you are loved by others."
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I have a set of 11x70s on a skymount. Love 'em dearly!
I still take my little 8x25s with me around my neck. Handiest thing in the world for a quick look at something or backing up the red dot finder on the scope.
Binos are like scopes: The best ones are the ones you will use.
Edited by Heli Bass (11/11/03 03:22 PM)
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Stacy
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/15/02
Posts: 2076
Loc: The Great Northwest
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I love running around the yard with my 16x60s. Even better is kicking back in the chaise! If I hold really still, I can see the rings on Saturn. Can’t seem to stop the heartbeat jump though. I would hate to loose the freedom of handheld, but I think I need a pod of some sort. I got the telescoping squeegee that works great but the %$&! heartbeat still interferes. Oh well, at least I know I’m alive.
I miss my 10x50s. They were just Tasco WF, but nicely coated and bright and wide. I dropped them (well 12” onto the grass if you call that a drop) and their little glued on bak4 prisms got knocked out of alignment. Now they are finder scopes.
Stacy
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NS11-GPS-XLT, XT-8, 120ST, AEX-10X50
www.darksky.org
Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.
- HG Wells
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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How I envy all you folks that have clear skies. The weatherman is predicting that the temperature is going to drop into the 50's, soon, and I am hoping that means clear night skies. The cooler temps may also mean that the 'skeetoes will be less active at night (I hope, I hope, I hope).
I think back to Ed Z's article on limiting mag and am looking forward to pointing my 22x60's at the skies with renewed enthusiasm. It will also be my first opportunity to test the paralleogram mount that I made back in September.
Thanks for the encouragement. Nick
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Kenny has a point...lotsa times cosmos viewing is just more fun, easier and more rewarding with the minimum fuss of a good bino that u can hand-hold, rather than having to drag out a scope and mount, set it up, align, etc...same holds true with a bigeye bino. I could hand hold my 16x FMT-SX for a little while and get pretty good looks, but that gets tiring after about 10 mins. The 10x50 Swift Kestrel (actually that's a growth version of the highly regarded 8.5x44 Audobon) is truly one of the best 10x glasses out there...very underrated (probably 'cause it doesn't have all the latest "hot button" cosmetic features like armoring, rounded prism housings, flush-mount strap lugs, etc). Don't let the somewhat dated appearance fool you....the big Swift is a dandy for almost any use. Over the span of about 45 yrs I've been an avid bino user and have tried out or owned examples of just about everything available to the public. The Audobons (both of them) rate in the top 1pct or so of my faves. The wide field, comfortable handling, brightness and just easy, no-strain viewing makes it almost unbeatable...mine gave a very good star test, would resolve Jupiter to a perfectly round disc with no fringing, showed Saturn as a bright yellow egg and would take in whole clusters, etc. Stars were pinpoints and contrast was very good. While lunar views were also very detailed, there was some ghosting when the moon was getting near full, but other than that (and short eye relief), it was close to the ideal bino for astronomy, and almost everything else. Sold it to an ol' boy in NYC last spring and wish I hadn't. At the beginning of the year I had 8 binos and 2 spotting scopes...decided that was overkill (got to where I had trouble deciding which ones to take when I went out to a dark sky site or to the lake birding...often wound up taking the whole arsenal...spent more time switching units to tripods, uncasing things, etc, than I did viewing). So I sold 4 of the binos and one scope, and it was hard, 'cause they were all faves. Now it's a little easier to narrow down what to use for what, but still miss the ones I got rid of...Mamas, don't let yer babies grow up to be...optics junkies.
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10142
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Well friends , it's over 6 months since I posted my basic thoughts about my 10 x50s and suddenly there is a little cluster of interesting and agreeable comments.
Co-incidentally only a couple of days ago I wrote elsewhere to someone apparantly hell bent on treating himself to a pair of decent waterproof , fog proof roof prisms that I spent the best part of the long summer trying out.
I tried many binos ranging in price from £50 UK porros to £1000 UK roofs .
I've still to find a 7x or 8x bino at ANY price that beats my Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT and although most I looked at would look better on a catwalk than my 10 x 50 Swift Audubon Kestrel Porros , only very few 10x roof models at £850 plus would tempt me to swap for any of them.
One bino that I WOULD swap it for and part with some cash also to make up the difference is the similarly aesthetically challenged Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E .
The 12 x 50 SE would probably be just as desireable but they're as rare as rocking -horse droppings here in the UK.
Recently I've started wearing glasses to correct astigmatism and short - sightedness in both eyes and as a result the eye -relief is right on the limit with the Swifts now -- even with cups rolled back.
I still think there's a hell of a lot to be said for a good pair of 10 x 50s Porros. In fact , quite surprisingly there is almost a DEARTH of such instruments of any quality to be found anywhere these days.
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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
Edited by KennyJ (11/11/03 04:16 PM)
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Kenny;
When I went looking for an upgrade set of Binos, I read several of the different Bino review sites. I wanted a set of 10x50s, the Orion Ultraviews in particular. Being the thrifty (ok, cheap  ) person I am I wanted to find a set on Astromart. Kept looking,none! I finally decided to buy the next pair of 10-12 power, 50-70mm, binos with long eye relief, that were on the Todd Gross recommended list that came up on astromart or ebay at the approx $100 mark. That is how I wound up with the Prooptic's. I love looking through them on my parallellagram mount.
I still want a set of 10x50s that are waterproof and have long eye relief, to carry around.  I may upgrade the 11x70s to 15s or 16s then.  This is as bad as eyepiece lust.
Oh well, as my wife says, I have champagne tastes and a Koolaid budget. 
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10142
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Hi Heli Bass
We have more in common than just a lust for binoculars !
I'm a guitarist -- ex semi -pro bass but a lifelong rytham guitar
specialist -- 10 years ago tonight I was playing TEA CHEST Bass with a 10 piece Fijian band to a crowd of V.I.Ps
That really is what I call "jammin'" and playin' by ear !
A fretless bass is one thing but having to gauge just the right amount of torque or bow several times a second , spontaneously , along to a piece of music you haven't heard before , in front of a discerning audience , looking like your'e having great fun at the same time --is a real test of
character as much as of musical skill .
It will live in my memory until the day I die . Brilliant !
Anyway back to the binos -- Koolaid budgets are fast becoming the biggest problem with bino lovers IMHO.
I'm far from being a wealthy man but get SO frustrated reading of people looking for "great" binos for $100 WHEN that same person has a stack of astro gear worth $1000s that I can only DREAM about !
There are SOME decent relatively low -cost binos for sure and for waterproof etc I think the Pentax 10 x 43 DCF WP take some beating for value for money.
However , in the 10 x 50 class I've yet to see better than those offerings from the usual suspects Leica and Swarovski.
Unfortunately we ae talking BIG bucks here !
Get saving ! -- 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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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
However , in the 10 x 50 class I've yet to see better than those offerings from the usual suspects Leica and Swarovski.
Unfortunately we ae talking BIG bucks here !
Get saving ! -- regards -Kenny.
I concur, Swarovski produces the best field glasses money can buy.
And, if you can't afford the best, save your money till you can.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Kenny;
Guitar is my first love, Acoustic in particular. I have a couple of electrics also, but they are for playing in the worship band at church. Flat pick or Fingerstyle acoustic for me.
Upright bass is a late addition. I am learning Arco style (bowing) but primarily I play in a Gospel Bluegrass Band. It is a cool instrument. I saw a picture of a Teachest bass somewhere on the net a while back. Pretty cool looking. 
Well, on my Koolaid budget I did manage a Stellarvue Nighthawk. It was more than I had budgeted, but it seems like a keeper. Very well made. (mostly paid for by bass playing). I usually try to help the budget by buying used and paying cash. Actally the Binos I use the most are a set of Pentax 8x25s. They hang around my neck and I use them for confirming the dim stuff as I align the scope. Very handy.
One of the major reasons for the Binos on a mount is to have something to use while my other half gets her share of scope time and vice versa.
"usual suspects Leica and Swarovski" that would be Champagne! 
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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The Swift Audubon 8.5x44 are a sweet second best until you can afford those big dog binocs. They can be had for under $300. My koolaid budget is currently watered down so I live with my little Nikon 8x40s. They are ok but you do get what you pay for.
Gospel Blue Grass...Keith, you belong in the south!
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I'm kinda in "southern WA" 
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