Telescope Reviews: Zhumell Tachyon 25x100???

Richard,

$200 for a 25x100 is awfully tempting. However... I can't guarantee that you'd get a lemon first try, but it's possiblle. Be prepared for multiple exchanges until you get a good one (if you ever do) as this model, like the Celestron 25x100s, is on the lower end of the quality scale of Chinese-manufactured binos.

Not to knock Binoculars.com. I've ordered 3 different binos from them. They're courteous, responsive, and very helpful. My 1st order just happened to be one of the Zhummel 25x100s. It had problems (I believe it was with the eyepieces and not the objectives). Then came the debate with self on whether to exchange them for another pair or put them towards something else. I swapped them (plus $$) for a pair of Vixen 12x80s. Wonderful binos, these! Then I decided I wanted more magnification so I swapped them (plus some more $$) for a pair of the Vixen 16x80s. Out of these 3 pair the 16s are the keepers; performance-wise they're beautiful, both mechanically and visually. They're also much more enjoyable to use as they weigh only half what the Zhummels weigh and, being shorter, are much more manageable. I noticed thay I didn't give up much in the way of light-gathering power, either. Images in the Vixens are somewhat brighter than in the Zs - no doubt at least in part because of the 5mm exit pupil vs, 4mm for the Zs, and possibly superior coatings. FOV is a bit over 4 degrees, too, which is very nice.

I also ended up with a nice version of that other absolute essential: a solid, sturdy head/tripod combo. It easily supported the Z's 10 lb weight, and performs effortlesslly with the 5 lb Vixens. This tripod (purhased in late 2006 with the Zs) listed for $250. Binoculars.com was out of the $200 model I wanted, so they let me have the more expensive one for $200. Really nice of them!

Although most bino folks here would probably opt for a premium Garrett or Oberwerk model in the 80mm range as they're considerbaly less costly than the Vixens and they've earned a pretty good reputation, I used the Vixens here since that's what I own. Also, when I returned the Zs I noticed that Binoculars.com didn't carry Garretts; otherwise I might have gone with the 15x- or 22x85s rather than the Vixens. Be that as it may, I have absolutely no complaints about the Vixens; to me they're more than worth their relatively high price.

So, if you have nice, dark skies, don't mind the weight and ungainliness of the big 100mms, have the cash for a substantial head/tripod combo, and are willing to gamble on a first-time keeper or play the return/exchange game, you may well be happy with the big Zs. Otherwise - and this is just me opinion based on personal experience - you may well be more satisfied with an instrument in the 80-85mm range. Then again there's the added caution of actual objective size/magnification vs advertised as recently desrcibed here by Ed Zarenksi - a real eye-opener of a report, I might add.

Hopefully this will help you out some and not just confuse the issue more (after proof-reading I see that this message reads more like a Vixen ad than I intended).

Mike Rapchak Jr.