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Rccarruth
member
Reged: 06/28/08
Posts: 21
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Hello, all. A brand new astronomer here looking at getting my first pair of bins. At this point, I am trying to learn the sky and some astronomy basics. I also would like to buy a pair that have some terrestrial use. I am taking a very small step into this hobby as I get started.
After extensive reading, I am leaning towards some Nikon AE 8x40s. They did very well in the posted reviews here for just about everything. I think they'll have great astronomy views, terrestrial views, and they're pretty lightweight and compact.
Howeeeever, I remember using bins in the past(pre-adulthood) and everything skyward being very blurry. These will be shared at times with my son and girlfriend, neither of whom is particularly steady. The Canon 8x25 with IS are close enough in price to be a possibility.
The Canons should also provide nice views with their very high quality optics. They are also pretty lightweight and relatively compact. Finally, the IS feature has near fanatical advocates.
Is the aperture difference enough to push the Nikons over the top? Or as a new astronomer am I unlikely to be looking at(i.e., successfully locating) faint enough objects for it to matter? Or does IS and superior edge of field flatness push Canon into the winner's circle? Please help this newbie with analysis paralysis. Thanks!
-Clark
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hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1660
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
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25mm aperture is too small for serious stargazing.
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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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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10146
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Clark ,
While the 8 x 25 ticks a lot of boxes for your requirements , astronomy is not one of them .
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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Rccarruth
member
Reged: 06/28/08
Posts: 21
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Thank you, gentlemen. I searched and searched for any reviews of the Canons here. I guess I now know why I didn't find them. 
-Clark
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Wes James
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 2457
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The Canon IS models are great- but for astro use you'd need to pick a model with a little more aperture. Which would also meet the rest of your requirements for terrestial use, however cost a little more. They are, indeed, wonderful.
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Wes
Atlantic Beach, FL
Some bino’s from Miyauchi 5x32 Binon's up through Garrett 20x110 Signature's,
Some telescopes from a Stellarvue 80mm NHNG up through a couple of 8” reflectors…
And a wonderful 4.25" Delmarva Shiefspiegler!
Some good friends, made here on C/N.
Oh- several cats and a wonderful wife!
Anyone want a cat???? :-O
"When your work speaks for itself- Don't Interrupt" -Gamble Rogers
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edcannon
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/19/03
Posts: 679
Loc: Austin, Texas
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Someone maybe 3 years ago mentioned having and liking the Canon 8x25, but that is a small aperture for astronomy. If you get an 8x that's nice for wide-field, handheld astronomy, it will be good in the daytime as well. If you or son or girlfriend will wear glasses (or sunglasses in the daytime) when using the binocular, long eye relief is a requirement, and the Nikon AE qualifies on that as well as other aspects. I just wish they were fully multicoated.
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Ed Cannon - Austin, Texas, USA
As of 23 August 2008 - Celestron Skymaster 12x60
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Rccarruth
member
Reged: 06/28/08
Posts: 21
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Thanks, Ed. I was a little worried about the coatings but they don't seem to have much negative effect on the views according to Edz's tests. I went ahead and ordered the Nikons. The sad part about all this is that I get a 30% discount at REI but I couldn't seem to find anything there I really wanted. I ordered from Amazon.
On a side note, I'm also in Austin. Were you at Austin Under the Stars by any chance?
-Clark
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hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1660
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
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Quote:
I went ahead and ordered the Nikons. I ordered from Amazon.
-Clark
Good choice! Nikon 8x40mm's
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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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viperbob
sage
Reged: 08/20/07
Posts: 375
Loc: New Jersey
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I own the Nikon Action 8x40's and for me there great. I've small hands and they fit well. Since I only care about the middle 50 to 60%, they work well. Not to heavy and cost under $100 with a very nice warrenty. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do mine.
VB
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VB
40 25'N 74 11'W
LX-90 8"SCT
William Optics Binoviewer
8x40 Nikon Action
Nikon 12x50 AE's
Nagler 12mm Type 2
Panoptic 15mm
Nagler 20mm Type 2
Orion Epic ED-2 22mm
Televue Plossl's 25mm,32mm
Panoptic 27mm
GSO SuperView 30mm & 42mm
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edcannon
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/19/03
Posts: 679
Loc: Austin, Texas
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Quote:
... On a side note, I'm also in Austin. Were you at Austin Under the Stars by any chance?
-Clark
Yes, I was at the south end with handheld binoculars, and my fellow satellite observer Mike with 8-inch dob. (At events like these, for the guests he points his scope at astronomical objects as well as satellites.)
For others here, Austin Under The Stars is a public event co-hosted by the Austin Astronomical Society and St. Stephens School, a private school with an impressive observatory (from reports, as I haven't seen it yet; has a 10-inch refractor) and a highly competent science teacher who loves astronomy. We have had two of these so far this year. They are held on the school's football field. It's a suburban location, so the sky isn't awful. Observing instruments go from my 8x42 (and maybe some smaller models around) to, this time, a 20-inch Obsession. There were a dozen to twenty scopes, plus binoculars, and the crowd was estimated at up to 400 people. At events like this I enjoy letting folks look through my binoculars.
Skip Orrell posted about this event on the beginners forum a week or so ago.
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Ed Cannon - Austin, Texas, USA
As of 23 August 2008 - Celestron Skymaster 12x60
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Rccarruth
member
Reged: 06/28/08
Posts: 21
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Well, it's a small e-world. My girlfriend, son and I spent a while at Mike's scope. I'm a guy with a shaved head and thick-rimmed glasses. We were there at the point you spotted two satellites running together. Thanks again. My son, Robbie, said seeing satellites was his favorite part. Before we got to you guys he had said, "Why is everyone pointing at Saturn?" 
-Clark
Edited by Rccarruth (07/09/08 10:47 AM)
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