Anonymous
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Seen an advert for these 'Breaker' 13x70 binoculars and wondered if anyone has had any experience of them? They seem cheap (perhaps too cheap?), and ideal for binocular astronomy. Any thoughts?
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Anonymous
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They do look a little cheap. But whose to say from a picture, but then again, you get what you pay for.
"These are the largest binoculars you can easily use without using a tripod." Recent discussions may disagree with that claim.
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Anonymous
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Some of what's in that auctions does look a bit grandiose!
And you're right, I always thought that realistically the best binos to have before they start getting to shaky to be of any use are either 10x50s or 8x40s
I've really enjoyed the views that my current 8x42s have given me. I can see myself getting quite a lot into binocular astronomy! and when I have a little more money I'm tempted by a pair of 15x70s, but I think I'll need some kind of tripod for those, won't I?
Edited by Smeghead (08/20/04 01:46 PM)
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Anonymous
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Binocular astronomy is simply amazing...and expensive relative to telescopic astronomy once you start getting near 80mm apertures.
Yep, you would need a tripod. Definitely.
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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Those appear to be ruby coatings and not very good for astronomical usage from what I understand.
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12581
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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A cheap eyepiece cost more than that!
Please keep in mind the saying, You get what you pay for!
You could not hold these for astronomy.
Ruby coatings are to be avoided.
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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Anonymous
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Thanks for the advice. I think I'll start saving for a pair of Helios 15x70s. Any other recommendations for astronomical binoculars, and decent but cheap tripods for them? Would a standard camera tripod (with a bino adapter, of course!) do?
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12581
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Not to disuade others from giving any more advice BUT
You must absolutely pay a visit to the two threads pinned at the top of this forum, one titled "Best Of" and the other titled "Mini Reviews." All the advice and reviews on binoculars and tripods that has been previously given in these forums has been linked from those two threads.
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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BluewaterObserva
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/04
Posts: 4763
Loc: Zuni Mtns, NM
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Yeah, I regularly use 11x80's hand held. I love them for that. 25x100's mounted.
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Anonymous
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(im slightly off the subject here I know)
I regularly use my Obie 11x70s hand held, for a quick look they are great. BUT the views are MUCH better mounted.
In my experience, once you mount ANY binocular and see the difference it makes...its hard to be satisfied with hand held views.
Edited by Tpalmer (08/20/04 06:03 PM)
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Anonymous
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Had a look at the review for the Helios 15x70s, very tempted!
Sounds like they can resolve objects or a similar mag to some telescopes. If I did take the plunge with a large set of binos I'd get some kind of tripod with them too, sounds like I would get some rewarding views through the large binos on a mount!
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werewolf6977
Lord High Smasher
Reged: 12/15/03
Posts: 7444
Loc: Hanover, Ohio
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I can use my 15X70 Skymasters handheld. I'd rather use them on a tripod. Pete 
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Pete
6" Apogee/LXD55 - "The Beast"
Starhopper 6" Dob - "Shiva"
Spaceprobe 130 EQ - "Spacey"
Bushnell Fatboy
The Abomination
Sun Pak Pro 7500 Platinum Edition
10X25 Bushnell Camo Roofies
7X35 Tasco Classic Plastic (good views though)
7X42 Tasco Rare Bird
10X50 Nikon Actions (Type 7)
15X70 Skymasters - "DroolMeisters"
One ratty old IBM 600E LapTop
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10146
Loc: Lancashire UK
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I've actually held the Breaker 13 x 70s in my hand and took a look through them.
They are indeed , TERRIBLE binoculars in every way.
Optically and mechanically one of the worst I've ever had the misfortune to try.
You will be FAR FAR FAR better off with the Helios 15 x 70, which I own too , but beware if you wear glasses , as the eye -relief is barely 8mm.
Regards , Kenny.
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
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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Thanks for that, Kenny. It seems all those 'testimonials' listed on that auction were either exaggerated or fake then!
I do indeed wear glasses - would this eye-relief problem affect most observation binoculars like this, or just this particular model? Is there a model that could be recommended for glasses wearers?
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10146
Loc: Lancashire UK
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The 8mm eye -relief with the Helios is the shortest I know of in the 15 x 70 class.
It's a very serious consideration for anyone having to wear glasses to use them. It cuts down the TFOV to no more than 3 degrees , which is just TOO narrow for 15x magnification.
Others in the UK have imported Oberwerk 15 x 70s and been happy with them. At least they have decent eye -relief.
If you are struck on 15 x 70s ,there are others ( Chinese ) now readily available here which were not until recently.
Don't forget that you WILL need to mount giant binoculars to get the best from them , so you might consider going for 20 x 80s instead. BUT -- at least most people can hold 15 x 70s for short periods , and there is a great difference in physical size and weight between 70mm and 80mm models.
Regards , Kenny.
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
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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sftonkin
sage
Reged: 02/25/04
Posts: 395
Loc: Kent, UK
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Smeghead wrote:
>I do indeed wear glasses - would this eye-relief problem affect most
>observation binoculars like this, or just this particular model? Is there a
>model that could be recommended for glasses wearers?
If you need to wear spectacles when using binoculars (unnecessary for
myopia, hypermetropia (hyperopia) and presbyopia providing the binocular
has sufficient focus range; may be necessary with astigmatism unless
astigmatism is mild and exit pupil is sufficiently small that the astigmatism
is unnoticeable), the amount of eye relief you need depends upon how far
your specs are from your cornea, which in turn depends upon how deep-
set your eyes are and how prominent the bridge of your nose is. As an
example, I can just get away with 16mm.
Do not rely on amount of eye relief cited by manufacturers, particularly at
the "economy" end of the market, as it is often over-stated.
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Stephen
Hindsight: The only truly diffraction-limited system
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I could probably get away with taking my glasses off to view through the binoculars, as my with short-sightedness I can still see sharply and clearly through binoculars after readjusting the focus and the dioptre adjustment.
The problem would be finding what I want to view - would I do that with my specs on with the smaller field of view, or without - when everything's blurry?
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10146
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Smeghead,
If , as you say , " everything's blurry" without glasses , then it might be a good idea to wear glasses all the time.
I notice you already own Olympus 8 x 42 binoculars, and wonder , do you wear glasses when using those ?
regards , Kenny.
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
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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I do with the Olympus binocs, although they have an 8.2 degree field of view. I was thinking it would be hard to find what I'd be looking for in a pair of binoculars with a comparatively narrow FOV whilst wearing glasses, and if I took them off to observe something, I wouldn't be able to find whatever it was I was looking for! 
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10146
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Well , it is certainly true that there is a VAST difference between using a 8 degree TFOV and a 4 degree TFOV.
Another good reason perhaps to stick with 15 x 70 as opposed to 20 x 80 etc.
The fact that you DO wear glasses leads me to thinking you would be better off with a unit with longer eye -relief than that provided by the Helios / Orion Little Giant.
The TFOV of the Oberwerk ( at 4.3 degrees stated ) is about as good as it gets with 15 x 70s.
Regards , Kenny.
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
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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