Telescope Reviews: Best binocs from Cabela's under $50/$100/$150

The Leupold 6X30 has been suggested as a fine binocular for young children numerous times. I am sure it is. But I also have mixed feelings about selecting astro equipment based on what we "think" very young children will or will not enjoy.

Today's pre schooler will be in high school before we know it.

I have had a life long fascination with optics since I was very young: magnifying glass, microscopes, binoculars, telescopes. I loved them all. Spent hours each week reading over ads in Sky and Telescope and product reviews since I was in high school. My oldest niece is 10 years older than my daughter. I gave her my 9-30X40 mm spotting scope when she was 6. Later I purchased a 20-60X 60mm spotting scope for her and her younger sister. She gave them back to me when she left for college.

My own children are 18 and 15 this year. The older one just started college in Aug. I have a house full of high end binoculars and telescopes. Some of them I couldn't even dream of owning when I was young. I introduced my children to astronomy when they were in kindergarten. None of them developed special interest in optics or astronomy. They are too busy with swimming, tennis, music lessons, face book, "Chatting" with their friend's on line...

I have a pair of Russian SWA 6X30s with ~12.5 deg FOV. They were ~$120 when I first saw them at a dealer web site in 2001. Purchased them on clearance for about $50 a few years back. Their min IPD can be adjusted down to ~48mm. The last time I took them out for astronomy was about a year ago. Right after I purchased a pair of vintage 7X35s with 11 deg FOV. I wanted to compare the view. I was looking for M31 from my suburban back yard. ~ mag 4-4.5 on a dark night. I knew exactly where to look but couldn't find it. Took out my 12X50s and found it at the exact spot I was looking for. Just needed higher X and light grasp to detect it. After that I can see M 31 in my 6X30s too. Just barely....I put them back in the case after that.

My favorite binocular objects, M45, the Double cluster, looks totally unimpressive in my EWA 7X50s with 10 deg FOV. Many of us do not have sufficiently dark skies to take advantage of the wide FOV of lower power binoculars. I need higher magnification to enjoy DSOs from my backyard. 10X is OK, 12X+ better. Viewing 100 sq deg of mostly empty gray skies with a few bright stars here and there at 6 or 7X is not very interesting. Not to me anyway.

I purchased my Miyauchi Saturn III 100mm F7.5 binocular from some one at a hefty discount in Apr. 2006, a mere 3 month after the seller bought them. He had the Miyauchi Saturn II 71mm F8 and sold them too. He bought both pairs with the intention of sharing the joy of binocular astronomy with his young daughter. (I think he sold a Tak 130mm APO to purchase the Miyauchis) Told me his daughter had difficulty merging images in the binoculars so he was going back to a smaller APO scope. I could not be happier with my Saturn III purchase! I use a pair of 20X80 LW often, but can get rid my other pairs of 20X80 and 25X100 Japanese binos and not miss them at all.

6X30 binos fill a special niche. They maybe good for small children for nature studies, sporting events. Marginal as optical aid for astronomy for me. Your wants and needs may be different.

If you are obsessed with binoculars like I am you won't mind having a dozen or two, each for a special need, or just for the pleasure of having a collection. The Leupold 6X30 doesn't cost that much anyway. But If you only want one or two pairs for all around use, for the Whole family, a pair of 7X35 , 8X42s or even a pair of compact 10X42 roofs may be a better choice. I have carried 7X26, 8X21, 8X25 and 8X32 binos afield many times. Found myself wanting more magnification than 8X often. Never once did I wish I for lower magnification.

I still remember clearly the day my daughter started kindergarten 13 years ago. She was so tiny she couldn't climb the first step to get on the school bus by herself. The bus driver assigned another young boy to give her a hand every morning. Children grow up really fast..... Just my 2 pennies. ;-))

ERik D