Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums
Privacy Policy |
Please read our Terms
of Service | Signup and
Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User
PXR-5
super member
Reged: 03/28/08
Posts: 184
Loc: Monroe, NC
|
|
Hello All, I'm looking for a half way decent pair for quick grab and go. Like for use when walking dogs, taking out trash to view the night sky. I'm a newbie trying to learn my way around.
I have a couple of scopes, but want grab-n-go.
I have a cheap pair of 8x30, but find I cant hold real still
so I'm considering 7x50.
Im taking a train trip from NC to MT and have never seen REAL dark sky 
Any thoughts would be greatly apreciated 
Thanks!
--------------------
Jeff
------------------------
I hope you brought your credit card with you, and I hope you know how to
Drive on these long, lonely freeways and intersections we've got up
Here. We've got two cars in the garage, and
Drum-majorettes in white ankle socks and baton twirling on Sundays.
We've got stripes and the stars and Uncle Sam's on Mars....
|
Tad S.
super member
Reged: 08/28/06
Posts: 137
Loc: SW Virginia
|
|
Hi Jeff--
The most common recommendation for an all-around bino seems to be the 10x50. There are many models in this size range and you can see reviews for many of these on this site. These work well for rich field scanning, and also for terrestrial use, looking at birds and such. However, if the 8x30s that you have are proving hard to hold steady, the bigger lenses and magnification of 10x50s will not likely be any better.
To keep things more still, you might consider a smaller pair of the Canon IS (image stabilization) series, like their 10x30. These may be a little dim for astronomy, but many folks on this list feel that the high quality optics and image stabilization features out weigh the smallish objectives. They also have a 10x42 model, but these are serious cash and have Canon's high-end L series glass. The smallest in the IS line is the 8x25, but I am completely unfamiliar with these. I doubt they would be very useful for sky watching.
Another possibility for a small dog-walking bino would be the Pentax papilio. They come in 6.5x and 8.5x versions. They are very lightweight and the views are great, but the 21mm objectives rules out their use after twilight. I got a pair of these for father's day, and have not been able to put them down. The novelty of these is their 1.5 foot close focus ability, so they great for getting up-close views of things that are not very far away. They are pretty easy to hold steady on objects more than a several feet away (I have the 6.5x version), so they may work better than an 8x model for you around the neighborhood, but they are definitely not for astronomy.
Qualities that make binoculars good for astronomy, and qualities that are good for ease of use, portability, and cost are generally in opposition to each other, so one is stuck with a compromise. I am sure others will chime in with recommendations, but here are my  worth. Good luck,
--Tad
--------------------
Orion XT8i, Vixen ED80Sf, Oberwerk BT-80/45
20x80 Oberwerk Std., 12x50 Nikon AE,
10x42 Celestron Regal LX, 8x40 Pentax PCF WP
|
hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1537
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
|
|
Quote:
Any thoughts would be greatly apreciated
Thanks!
7x50mm, 8x56, 9x63, 10x50mm, 11x56mm should all do a pretty decent job under dark skies. These should have enough weight to assist you with handhshake problems.
Here are some entry level binoculars:
http://www.garrettoptical.com/category-s/28.htm
How much are you willing to spend?
--------------------
Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II asph FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP asph FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II asph FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant 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
|
PXR-5
super member
Reged: 03/28/08
Posts: 184
Loc: Monroe, NC
|
|
Well, I'm not going to say that $$ is not an issue, but when I buy something it's for keeps. Ive had my 8x30 for 20 years, so I want something that I don't want to throw away because its junk. I was hoping $80-150.
Whats happing is I get to "lazy" to set up the scope, Now I don't expect the same views of course, just something to help me learn my way about and portability for my upcomming trip.
--------------------
Jeff
------------------------
I hope you brought your credit card with you, and I hope you know how to
Drive on these long, lonely freeways and intersections we've got up
Here. We've got two cars in the garage, and
Drum-majorettes in white ankle socks and baton twirling on Sundays.
We've got stripes and the stars and Uncle Sam's on Mars....
|
starramus
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 1124
|
|
As a newbie you might very well appreciate the wider field of view of a 7X50. The Orion Ultraview at $169.95 might fit the bill. They have a 10 year warranty and i believe they may actually be manufactured in Japan. Not a pair that you would have to throw away next month.
www.telescope.com
|
Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5274
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
|
|
The Orion Ultraview 7x50 would be a fine choice.
The Orion Ultraview 8x42 would be a little less expensive and a little lighter weight, if you would be ok with 8x. They have a 5.25mm exit pupil.
|
hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1537
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
|
|
Take a look at this review:
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/509686/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
--------------------
Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II asph FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP asph FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II asph FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant 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
|
PXR-5
super member
Reged: 03/28/08
Posts: 184
Loc: Monroe, NC
|
|
Thanks for everybodys help!
I'm leaning toward 7x50's
I'll let you know 
--------------------
Jeff
------------------------
I hope you brought your credit card with you, and I hope you know how to
Drive on these long, lonely freeways and intersections we've got up
Here. We've got two cars in the garage, and
Drum-majorettes in white ankle socks and baton twirling on Sundays.
We've got stripes and the stars and Uncle Sam's on Mars....
|
Luigi
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 1719
Loc: Massachusetts
|
|
Nikon 10x50 Action Extreme. Very good for the price ~$150. But I think you'll find the shaking similar to your smaller bins.
--------------------
17.5" f/5 Discovery Truss
IM715 7" f/15 MCT, Eon-120ED refractor
CG5A coffee grinder, Orion Skyview Alt-AZ
35,19,15 Pans.9 Nag. Meade 24.5 4kSWA, 4.7 5kUWA.
BO-TMB 7mm planetary.
Zeiss Diascope 85
Zeiss, Leica, Canon IS, Fujinon, Nikon binos
|
hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1537
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
|
|
Quote:
I'm leaning toward 7x50's
You might find this interesting: http://www.adorama.com/NK750AE.html
--------------------
Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II asph FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP asph FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II asph FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant 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
Edited by hallelujah (06/22/08 08:01 PM)
|
|
8 registered and 39 anonymous users are browsing this forum.
Moderator: EdZ
Print Thread
|
Forum Permissions
You cannot start new topics
You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled
UBBCode is enabled
|
Thread views: 451
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
[Re: 