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seickhoff
newbie
Reged: 01/30/05
Posts: 2
Loc: Conception, MO
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I am seeking advice on choosing a pair of 10x50 binoculars.
This summer I am going on a trip to Bolivia and while the purpose of the trip is not astronomical in nature, I am not going to let that get in the way of seeing the southern hemisphere skies from a place with little light pollution and 10,000ft elevation. However, since I am limited in what I can take with me I can not bring any of my telescopes (not even my AT1010), so I am looking into bringing binoculars instead. They would be used for this trip both in a astronomical setting and sightseeing. That is why I do not want anything larger then a 10x50 since I might have to carry it over long distances and hold it without a tripod (though I do plan on bringing a small tripod with me). I can budget about 100 - 150 for this purchase.
Thanks,
Stephen Eickhoff
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Stephen Eickhoff
XT6
Stellarvue AT1010
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Tom L
Reged: 01/07/04
Posts: 29817
Loc: Sunny Oregon
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At that price, I would suggest you check out the Nikon 10x50 Action Extremes. They may be suitable for your purpose. A little big for hiking unless you toss them in a backpack, but for sightseeing and star seeing, they work very well and can handle getting wet.
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Tom 
Tele Vue 102mm f/8.6 on an EzTouch
Vixen 80mm f/5 A80SSWT on a grab-n-go mount
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Night Surfer
sage
Reged: 03/22/05
Posts: 342
Loc: Salem, Oregon
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I am far from an expert, and I know you said 10x50, but....
For that price range I would highly reccomend the Celestron Skymaster 15x70's. They are not THAT much bigger or heavier than my 10x50's. The quality of the views is, however, MUCH better. Not a noticible difference in image shake when handheld, either.
At about $85 they are, IMHO, by FAR the best deal out there.
Very happy w/mine.
Have a great trip!!!
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Tracy
Orion 12" XTI Dob
Hardin 6" DSH Dob
Celestron Skymaster 15X70
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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I'd recommend either the previously mentioned Nikon Action Extremes or Oberwerk 11x56 or 10x60M. I think most people can't hand hold 15x70 binos steady for more than a few seconds and they really require a tripod. I use Barska 15x70 and Stellarvue 15x63 and they both are not handholdable to me. A stable image is a sharper and deeper view.
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
Edited by Craig Simmons (04/01/05 12:39 PM)
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12599
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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I would agree with Craig. I would not consider 15x70 handholdable. You may be able to hold the weight but you should not expect to hold the magnification still. I won't say others cannot do this, some claim to be able to hold 20x80s. But hundreds claim the largest hand held is 10x50 or at most a 12x50, and that matches my own experience. So anything above that recommmendation puts you in the extreme minority.
The 10x50 Action Extreme is good.
I'd consider the 10x50 Pentax PCF-WP a little better than the Nikon AE, both weigh about the same 2#4oz.
The 10x60 Oberwerk Mariner is similar to the Pentax, gathers more light, but is a 14oz. heavier at 3#2oz. Could get heavy for hand held/carrying.
The Nikon AE has a 6.0° fov. the other two are closer to 5.0°
All three of these are waterproof.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
Edited by EdZ (04/01/05 01:36 PM)
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SaberScorpX
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/12/05
Posts: 4121
Loc: illinois, usa
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I'll throw-in a vote for the 10x50 OrionUVs. FMC, 6.5deg fov, 2lbs, and lots of eye relief.
Just a little over the OP's budget at $169.
Saber
Ready to tackle the Herschel 400?
http://www.geocities.com/saberscorpx/SGH400.html
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12599
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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The Orion Ultraview actually has a 6.0° Tfov and shorter eyerelief (only about 15mm) than all three I mentioned above. The Orion UV is one of those binoculars whose published specs and actual specs don't agree. Also in the Orion UV, the prisms protrude into the light path, so there is a 5-6% light blockage.
I used to consider my Orion Ultraviews my best small binocular, until I found so many others that I felt were better.
The $169 Orion Ultraview 10x50 is in line with the $139 Nikon AE 10x50.
Orion has better coatings and weighs the least. Nikon has no light cutoff, wider range of right diopter, longer eye relief, better on-axis resolution and identical sharpness across the fov.
The $189 Pentax PCF WP II 10x50 has better coatings than both of those and better resolution across the field, but only has a 5.0° fov.
The $159 Oberwerk Mariner 10x60 in in line with the Pentax 10x50, has larger aperture, has the largest prisms and the longest eyerelief, but weighs the most.
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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seickhoff
newbie
Reged: 01/30/05
Posts: 2
Loc: Conception, MO
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Thanks for your replies to my post. After reading through them I am thinking that the Nikon would best suit my needs.
Stephen Eickhoff
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Stephen Eickhoff
XT6
Stellarvue AT1010
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