cpsTN
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/26/07
Posts: 1199
Loc: Murfreesboro, TN 37129
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I already have a pair of 10x50s. All else being equal, are the gains in brightness and magnitude worth getting a pair of 15x70s for astronomy, or should I just stay with the 10x50s? For astronomy, I will be mounting either pair I use. I am not getting rid of the 50s even if I get a pair of 70s.
Will the gains be worth buying the 70s when viewing comets, asteroids, OCs and the Milky Way, for example?
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Charles P. Sands
Observing since 12/29/86
8" f/5.9 dobsonian (Zhumell DSH-8), with 8x50 RACI
70mm f/5 achromatic refractor (Orion GoScope)
GSO plossls (12 15 20 40), Orion barlows (2x 3x)
10x50 bushnell binos
15x70 Celestron StarMaster binos
S&T's POCKET SKY ATLAS
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The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth His handywork
Psalm 19:1
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Tony Flanders
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 3455
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
Will the gains be worth buying the 70s when viewing comets, asteroids, OCs and the Milky Way, for example?
In one word -- yes. If you're planning to mount them anyway, it's a no-brainer.
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Tony Flanders
First and foremost observing love: naked eye.
Second, binoculars.
Last but not least, telescopes.
And I sometimes dabble with cameras.
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14712
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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I agree.
edz
Go read the Best Of thread titled What Can be Seen with Various Sizes.
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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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cpsTN
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/26/07
Posts: 1199
Loc: Murfreesboro, TN 37129
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Thanks guys.
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Charles P. Sands
Observing since 12/29/86
8" f/5.9 dobsonian (Zhumell DSH-8), with 8x50 RACI
70mm f/5 achromatic refractor (Orion GoScope)
GSO plossls (12 15 20 40), Orion barlows (2x 3x)
10x50 bushnell binos
15x70 Celestron StarMaster binos
S&T's POCKET SKY ATLAS
--------------------
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth His handywork
Psalm 19:1
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edwincjones
Postmaster
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 5655
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it is not often that one gets complete agreement here-on anything
edj
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n w arkansas
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Mike Rapchak
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/17/06
Posts: 568
Loc: Indiana, USA
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Charles,
Yes, there is definitely a difference. Objects are larger and brighter in the 70mm model. The downside (depending on which 10x50 you own) is a narrower field of view.
I have a pair of Celestron 10x50s and a pair of Vixen ARK 16x80s. The difference between them is - I'll say "pronounced" (I was going to say "amazing" but that sounds like hyperbole). 
Mike Rapchak Jr.
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mwedel
super member
Reged: 12/16/07
Posts: 183
Loc: Claremont, CA
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Just about a week ago I did a head-to-head between my 10x50s and 15x70s. It wasn't even close. I _love_ my 10x50s and they have given me a lot of enjoyment, both here in town and out under dark skies. But now on any given night I have to use them before I pick up the 15x70s, because I can't go back.
In fact, the 15x70s are real pigs. Not only have they outcompeted my other binoculars, they're also stealing time from my scopes. Watch out!
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Orion XT6 "Shaft"
Little Maks: Orion Apex 90, Celestron orange tube C90, Synta MC90
Edmund Astroscan "Baby Red"
76mm ongoing ATM experiment
Celestron UpClose 10x50
Celestron SkyMaster 15x70
10 Minute Astronomy
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ronharper
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/14/06
Posts: 1276
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A 15x70 will eat a 10x50 alive. No household should be without one.
But that said, although my 16x70, my largest binocular, most definitely gets used, it is actually my least used. How I can spend evenings on end with a 7x50, knowing full well there are doubles unsplit, clusters uncracked, and galaxies unseen, I cannot explain. But compared to large telescopes, even with the largest binoculars, binocular observing is sort of a minimalist aesthetic, rather than sheer information-driven.
Ron
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Tony Flanders
Post Laureate
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 3455
Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA
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Quote:
A 15x70 will eat a 10x50 alive. No household should be without one ...
How I can spend evenings on end with a 7x50 ... binocular observing is sort of a minimalist aesthetic.
Agree on all points but one. I *do* believe (quite literally) that all households should own hand-holdable binoculars with magnification in the 7X to 10X range. But 15x70s are a specialized tool that I wouldn't recommend for most astronomers, let alone most households.
In particular, I think that point about minimalist aesthetic is critical. For most people who do binocular astronomy, the quest for bigger apertures and more detailed views can get self-defeating fairly quickly. Each step undermines the three things that I (for one) find appealing about binocular astronomy:
- wide field of view
- simplicity
- convenience
Just where you draw the line is a matter of individual choice. As far as I'm concerned, once binoculars are mounted, they start to lose a good deal of their appeal. But if someone has accepted that level of complexity and incovenience, it seems a little silly to stop at 10x50s.
As for field of view, the 4 degree FOV of typical 15x binoculars still seems pretty wide to me, but it's near the ragged edge. Much higher magnifications, and I start wondering why I'm not using my vastly more capable 7-inch Dob, with its 2.5-degree FOV.
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Tony Flanders
First and foremost observing love: naked eye.
Second, binoculars.
Last but not least, telescopes.
And I sometimes dabble with cameras.
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Luigi
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 4933
Loc: MA
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I agree with the last two guys.
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17.5" f/5 Dob. IM-715 MCT. 120ED. Lunt 60mm Ha.
Zeiss, Leica, Fujinon, Nikon, Pentax, Bushnell bins
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 12885
Loc: Lancashire UK
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There is no doubt that 15x opens up many doors that remain closed through 10x binoculars .
BUT -- the field of view that I can actually see through my 15 x 70 is probably closer to 3.0 degrees than the stated 4.0 degrees .
When looking at Orion's belt , I can JUST about get the middle star and either one of it's main flank star in the same field of view . with a tiny bit of sky at either side.
The separation between the two stars is less than 3.0 degrees ( around 2.7 degrees in fact ) .
Apart from around half the image of area seen through the binoculars being distinctly UNsharp , the actual total area covered is almost exactly the same as that seen through my 76mm TeleVue with a 32mm Plossl , which I KNOW to yield 15x magnification with a TFOV of only 3.2 degrees .
That is a tremendously small area of sky compared to the 8.6 degrees I can see through my 7 x 42 , the 7 degrees I see through my 7 x 50 , or even the 6 degrees I see through my 10 x 42 -- so small that for me it makes trying to navigate via star hopping a little frustrating .
Add to this the fact that whilst 10x is just about within the comfort range of avoiding dancing stars whilst hand - holding , 15x requires stable support , usually in the form of tripods and heads that cost more than most 15 x 70 binoculars currently available .
I am also not sure that any binoculars that are literally specified as 15 x 70 that are actually as good in every single aspect of build and image quality as are the very best 10 x 50s available -- such as Fujinon FMTSX , Swarovski SLC or Leica HD Ultravid .
Kenny
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RichD
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/08/07
Posts: 561
Loc: Derbyshire, UK
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Yes, a 15x70 is a very noticeable increase in performance from a 10x50. A good 15x70 is really like a pair of low-powered telescopes (like having a Televue Pronto for each eye!) and from a dark sky will show you an astonishing amount of objects.
Ron - Like you I keep scanning the skies with my 10x50 and 7x50 knowing i'm missing out on stuff that my 16x70 will show! As for the 30x100, it barely gets a look in these days! is this reverse aperture fever?
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Clear skies
Rich
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14712
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Kenny,
Quote:
When looking at Orion's belt , I can JUST about get the middle star and either one of it's main flank star in the same field of view . with a tiny bit of sky at either side.
The separation between the two stars is less than 3.0 degrees ( around 2.7 degrees in fact ) .
if you don't mind, try this again please.
The THREE stars that form the Belt of Orion span about 2.8°
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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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 12885
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Sorry Ed ,
I meant all three !
Kenny
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RichD
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/08/07
Posts: 561
Loc: Derbyshire, UK
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Ahh the Helios Stellar,you still have those Kenny or did you exchange them for that tin of meatballs over on S+S?!
I recently sold mine on eBay for a very fair price!
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Clear skies
Rich
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 12885
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Hi Rich ,
The tin of meatballs turned out to only have a TFOV of 2 degrees , so I swapped back ! :-)
Kenny
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F.Meiresonne
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 3359
Loc: Eeklo,Belgium
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Quote:
There is no doubt that 15x opens up many doors that remain closed through 10x binoculars .
BUT -- the field of view that I can actually see through my 15 x 70 is probably closer to 3.0 degrees than the stated 4.0 degrees .
When looking at Orion's belt , I can JUST about get the middle star and either one of it's main flank star in the same field of view . with a tiny bit of sky at either side.
The separation between the two stars is less than 3.0 degrees ( around 2.7 degrees in fact ) .
Kenny
Then you are due for a new 15x70, Kenny.
I have absolutely no problem to see the 3 stars and sky around in my 15x70.And that view is even the outer edge still rather well.
Actually i am quite please with the 4° (even a bit more) in a 15x70. IMO this is still truly a 'bino field'. From then on it start to go downhill fast concerning FOV. That's why i probably never buy 100 mm bino's. FOV starts to get narrow and i do have 2° in m OO with my pan 24...
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Freddy Meiresonne
Obsession 18 inch #1638
Orion Optics 8 inch F/4.5 -1/8 wave optics -Vixen GP-E
20x80 Helios Stellar Binos
15x70 TS Marine (=Obie Ultra)
10x60 Helios Quantum 4(= Obie Mariner)
10x50 Helios Nature sport plus
8x40 Helios Nature sport plus
Eyepieces in use :Pan 35,24,19, N13T6, Pentax 10 XW, N9T6, Ultrascopic 7.5, TV2, baader ortho 12.5 and 9 mm
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GlennLeDrew
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/18/08
Posts: 1250
Loc: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Freddy,
I got around the field limitation of my Celestron 25X100 (2.4 deg.) by installing a pair of 85 deg. AFoV eyepieces. So it's now a 26X100 offering a respectable 3.5 deg. Most enjoyable!
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Home-made 11X50 right angle bino, 8.1 deg. FOV
Modified 26X100 bino, 3.5 deg. FOV
Home-made Mk II RA bino, using interchangeable objectives and eyepieces
My Gallery
Mediocre minds discuss people. Good minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.
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cpsTN
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/26/07
Posts: 1199
Loc: Murfreesboro, TN 37129
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Thanks to everyone. I didn't want to kill my wallet on my first useable pair so I bought a pair of 15x70 SkyMasters (Celestron) from Adoroma today (11/02/09) for $71 including shipping. Should be here with a week or so. They should be interesting to compare to the 10x50s!
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Charles P. Sands
Observing since 12/29/86
8" f/5.9 dobsonian (Zhumell DSH-8), with 8x50 RACI
70mm f/5 achromatic refractor (Orion GoScope)
GSO plossls (12 15 20 40), Orion barlows (2x 3x)
10x50 bushnell binos
15x70 Celestron StarMaster binos
S&T's POCKET SKY ATLAS
--------------------
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth His handywork
Psalm 19:1
|
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