Telescope Reviews: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100?

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Equipment Discussions >> Binoculars

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saemark30
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/21/12

Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

#5291737 - 06/27/12 03:09 PM

Where do you go from Celestron 15x70 to next binoculars?
Would the Celestron 25x100 binos make sense?
They would pull in more light and higher mag would make objects easier to see.
Do people actually use their 25x100 or put off by the excessive weight and just use 15x70s?

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edwincjones
Close Enough

Reged: 04/10/04

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: saemark30]
#5291809 - 06/27/12 04:13 PM

15x70 (or 10x70) went from main binoculars to grab and go
when I got 100mm binoculars for more serious/distant viewing
for objects that I could not see with the 70mms

then the 100s became grab and go
when I got the 25x150s
and 70s sold (a mistake that I still regret)

edj

Edited by edwincjones (06/27/12 04:15 PM)

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daniel_h
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/08/08

Loc: VIC, Australia

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: edwincjones]
#5291852 - 06/27/12 04:48 PM

15x70 is a sweet spot IMO n binoculars, 25x100 prob is the net step up (along with 20x90 or 22x85)
If you can mount thm easily & it doesn't take long to get the mount up you'll use them

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saemark30
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/21/12

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: daniel_h]
#5292028 - 06/27/12 06:29 PM

I can just hold on to the 15x70 and view through them.
Does anyone do that with 25x100, and not use a mount?
If a mount is necessary, what are the options?

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edwincjones
Close Enough

Reged: 04/10/04

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: saemark30]
#5292058 - 06/27/12 06:44 PM

a mount is necessary
-I use a bogen 475 with UA mount for my 13# miyauchis
-other 100mms are heavier, up to 25#

edj

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charen
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/28/05

Loc: New Zealand

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: edwincjones]
#5292738 - 06/28/12 05:22 AM

You need to realise that 25x100's are large and heavy binoculars that require a substantial mount. You CANNOT hand hold 25x100 binoculars. Yes, they give spectacular images you will certainly see more and deeper. I have a pair of the Oberwerks and also the Ultra 15x70's. I use the 15x70s far more then the 25x100's, which really is due to portability issues. As with Telescopes, your best binocular is the one you use the most.

Chris

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Tony Flanders
Postmaster

Reged: 05/18/06

Loc: Cambridge, MA, USA

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? [Re: saemark30]
#5292841 - 06/28/12 08:43 AM

25x100s are seriously specialized instruments. Personally, I wouldn't consider buying anything with a straight-through viewing angle in this size range -- too hard to mount, too uncomfortable to view through.

The obvious alternatives are a binocular telescope or a conventional refractor with a binoviewer. And of course, unless you're really passionate about two-eyed viewing, an old-fashioned telescope will be a lot cheaper and more versatile.

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saemark30
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/21/12

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: Tony Flanders]
#5293416 - 06/28/12 02:52 PM

I find stereo viewing to be more pleasant than with a conventional telescope or spotting scope. And I can see more.
100 is after all two 4" telescopes.

An alternative is 20x80 binoculars.
Does that make sense, I suppose it can be handheld if absolutely necessary.

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edwincjones
Close Enough

Reged: 04/10/04

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: saemark30]
#5293737 - 06/28/12 06:42 PM

from reading multiple threads,

the OB 45 degree BT100s, or simular, seem the most cost effective

edj

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saemark30
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/21/12

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: edwincjones]
#5296593 - 06/30/12 04:04 PM

Most people don't want to pay that much for BT binoculars.
I've got telescopes for higher power views and a binoviewer.

Just wondering if I should upgrade to 20x80 or even have 2 pairs.

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saemark30
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/21/12

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: saemark30]
#5300660 - 07/03/12 01:43 PM

Well I'm just wondering if you folks even use your 25x100 binoculars, most people have smaller binos such as Canon 15x45 IS and the amazing 15x70 for sweeping the milky way, but I rarely hear any reports using the 25x100.

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AGRigel
member

Reged: 07/13/12

Loc: Utah

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: saemark30]
#5320703 - 07/16/12 04:47 PM

I have a pair of Zhumell 25x100 Tachyon Binoculars. I have owned them for about a year and love them. I don't own a telescope (yet) so I use these fro star viewing. I am still surprised at all I can see with them. When viewing Jupiter, I am able to see 4 moons. I can even make out a few of the stars in the Trapezium in Orion's Nebula. With binoculars this size, they are too heavy to hold steady without a tripod. Like a few others have mentioned, it doesn't take long to set everything up and to be using them.

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AGRigel
member

Reged: 07/13/12

Loc: Utah

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: AGRigel]
#5320714 - 07/16/12 04:52 PM

I also forgot to mention that I bought some solar filters for these binoculars and I am able to see sunspots. I also watched the eclipse in May and the Venus Transit in June with these and they worked great. I think I might have had more people looking through my binoculars at the Venus Transit then there were people that wanted to look through the telescopes that were also present.

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SMark
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/29/11

Loc: Atlanta, GA USA

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: AGRigel]
#5321112 - 07/16/12 10:21 PM

My 25x100 is the "big gun" among all my binoculars, so I only use it when I have the time to get it setup and spend some time with it. My 16x80 is less than half the total weight and is just so much easier to use from start to finish, so it often gets grabbed instead of the 25x100. And if I have only a little time then I use my 15x50 IS which has become my most used binocular. But I am happy to have the 25x100 just because it is sometimes very rewarding to use when I have the time to spend with it.

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gmazza
sage

Reged: 03/10/09

Loc: RS, Brazil, 29S 51W

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: AGRigel]
#5321131 - 07/16/12 10:36 PM

Before a decision making purchase is wise to visit again the "best of" in this forum and read the binocular vision and collimation articles. A bigger, high magnification binocular is not only more demanding on mount, the additional magnification is more demanding on collimation too.

Going above 15 to 20 magnification is already a compromise when you think in binocular vision terms, and because of this most people follow the "small telescope with low power eyepiece" route for this magnification range.

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Rich V.
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/02/05

Loc: Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, USA

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: gmazza]
#5321343 - 07/17/12 01:54 AM

Quote:

Going above 15 to 20 magnification is already a compromise when you think in binocular vision terms, and because of this most people follow the "small telescope with low power eyepiece" route for this magnification range.

Binocular vision's benefits are real at 10x or 25x or 50x or whatever; I don't see how greater magnification alone compromises the benefit.

If you choose to make the jump up from 15x to 25x, obviously the collimation precision must increase proportionally. If the 25x bino is only built to the same mechanical standard as the 15x bino is, expect a greater likelihood of having problems right out of the box.

A properly designed and executed 100mm binocular can give a brighter, higher contrast and more detailed view than a "small telescope with low power eyepiece", just because of binocular summation. That's why we like binoculars so much around here.

You just have to accept that "bargain priced" high mag. binoculars may not be such a bargain after all...you usually have to pay for the required level of precision.

Rich

Edited by Rich V. (07/17/12 01:57 AM)

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gmazza
sage

Reged: 03/10/09

Loc: RS, Brazil, 29S 51W

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: Rich V.]
#5324262 - 07/18/12 10:56 PM

Quote:

If you choose to make the jump up from 15x to 25x, obviously the collimation precision must increase proportionally. If the 25x bino is only built to the same mechanical standard as the 15x bino is, expect a greater likelihood of having problems right out of the box.

I think with this you answer the initial question of the topic, or at least add more decision making info.

He is asking about the magnification increase of 15 to 25x among models with almost same construction.

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Friendly Giant
super member

Reged: 12/11/07

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: gmazza]
#5329481 - 07/22/12 09:22 AM

If you decide to buy 25x100 binoculars, I strongly encourage you to NOT sell your 15x70 binoculars. I see them as two different instruments - one should not replace the other.

The 15x70s are wonderfully versatile. I think they give a great balance between magnification and rich FOV. I have three scopes and I still use my 15x70s a lot for panning around the sky to find things or to simply have a quick peek with a rich view. A pair of 25x100s do provide higher magnification, but do not allow quite the same spontaneity because they are more bulky and require a tripod. The 25x100s also present a narrower view. I'm convinced you'll miss those wide view panoramas if you sell the 15x70s.

Bottom line: Add the larger binoculars if you want, but don't sell the 15x70s. Just my 2 cents worth.

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Joe Ogiba
Postmaster

Reged: 02/14/02

Loc: NJ USA

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: Friendly Giant]
#5329566 - 07/22/12 10:26 AM

I agree, 15x70s are a great companion to 25x100s.

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contrailmaker
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/02/09

Re: Upgrading From 15x70 to 25x100? new

[Re: Joe Ogiba]
#5333128 - 07/24/12 01:38 PM

I have the Oberwerk 25x100D binoculars and I do use them a lot. They ride very nicely on an older version of the Orion Versa-go mount, very stable and it was inexpensive to boot. If you get the 100s you may not get to use the 70s so much. Definitely worth the purchase IMHO.

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