Mike Lynch
sage
Reged: 04/07/06
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Supercharged binoviewers?
#5324853 - 07/19/12 11:29 AM
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Anybody had binoviewers supercharged by Harry Siebert?
Care to tell us about your "before" and "after" experience with them?
Mike Lynch
Frankfort KY USA
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dakota
super member
Reged: 12/11/11
Loc: SD (God's Country)
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: Mike Lynch]
#5325482 - 07/19/12 05:32 PM
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I tell you when I get my WO's back from Harry. Just shipped them off yesterday. He said it would be around 3 weeks turnaround.
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SUN RA KAT
super member
Reged: 09/10/11
Loc: Centerville, Ohio USA
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: dakota]
#5327357 - 07/20/12 07:10 PM
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I had my William Optics Binoviewer supercharged by Harry Siebert earlier this year. It took 2 months to get it back - Harry is a one man operation - he originally told me it would probably be a two week turnaround. Harry is a great guy to talk to about a variety of subjects.
I had done a lot of reading here and sort of knew what to expect with enlarging the Clear Aperture with my eyepieces. When I got my BV back it performed exactly like I had expected and I was extremely happy with the results. I have no problem with endorsing Harry's supercharging service.
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dakota
super member
Reged: 12/11/11
Loc: SD (God's Country)
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: SUN RA KAT]
#5327448 - 07/20/12 08:41 PM
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When I got my BV back it performed exactly like I had expected and I was extremely happy with the results. I have no problem with endorsing Harry's supercharging service.
That's good to hear. Hopefully it won't take 2 months.
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Scott in NC
Mad Hatter
Reged: 03/05/05
Loc: NC
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: SUN RA KAT]
#5327547 - 07/20/12 10:03 PM
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I had done a lot of reading here and sort of knew what to expect with enlarging the Clear Aperture with my eyepieces. When I got my BV back it performed exactly like I had expected and I was extremely happy with the results. I have no problem with endorsing Harry's supercharging service.
That's great to hear. I may consider having that done with my SV binoviewers (which are very similar to your WO binoviewers) one day. Did you just have the basic supercharge with the clear aperture enlargement and prism adjustment, or did you get Harry's new self-centering diopters added on?
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mikey cee
Postmaster
Reged: 01/18/07
Loc: bellevue ne.
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: Scott in NC]
#5327554 - 07/20/12 10:08 PM
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Sorry Harry but I can't go 2 months much less 2 weeks without my binoviewers!  Mike
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SUN RA KAT
super member
Reged: 09/10/11
Loc: Centerville, Ohio USA
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: Scott in NC]
#5327633 - 07/20/12 11:18 PM
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My WO BV did not have any problems with centering my newly purchased Explore Scientific eyepieces so I didn't upgrade to Harry's eyepiece holders. My ES 82* 14mm eyepieces work great, but atmospheric conditions limit their use on my C14. My ES 68* 20mm eyepieces now have a view out to the field stop where before the view stopped before getting to the field stop. I read here that the Televue 68* 254mm Panoptic eyepieces vignetted even with the larger much more expensive BV's. My ES 68* 24mm eyepieces went from being unacceptably vignetted to very acceptable barely vignetted and sharp to the edge of the field.
I tried my ES eyepieces in matched pairs in my WO BV and turned them in random angles and the images were very easy to merge no matter what I did which would indicate the prisms in the WO BV were aligned pretty well to begin with.
It was the opening up of the Clear Aperture that made the huge difference.
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Scott in NC
Mad Hatter
Reged: 03/05/05
Loc: NC
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: SUN RA KAT]
#5327846 - 07/21/12 06:49 AM
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Thanks for the info, Kenny. The self-centering diopters on my SV BVer seem to work very well without any issues, so I'll likely keep them and just get the clear aperture upgrade.
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Mike Lynch
sage
Reged: 04/07/06
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: SUN RA KAT]
#5328258 - 07/21/12 01:05 PM
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Thanks for the replies. Looking forward to reports of other supercharged binoviewers.
No doubt, Harry is a trustworthy guy!
I was particularly interested in the effects of enlarging the opening from the prisms to the eyepiece holders. If the first surface of the eyepieces is physically smaller than the existing opening from the prisms, will opening that window from the prisms itself make any difference for that particular set of eyepieces? I'm thinking in particular of my 9mm and 6mm Expanse eyepieces with their fairly small first lens....
Mike Lynch
Frankfort KY USA
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Scott in NC
Mad Hatter
Reged: 03/05/05
Loc: NC
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: Mike Lynch]
#5328313 - 07/21/12 01:40 PM
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I was particularly interested in the effects of enlarging the opening from the prisms to the eyepiece holders. If the first surface of the eyepieces is physically smaller than the existing opening from the prisms, will opening that window from the prisms itself make any difference for that particular set of eyepieces?
Mike, as long as the field stop diameter of any given EP is narrower than the clear aperture of the prism baffles, then widening this clear aperture will make no difference in what you see through the EP. The advantage of widening the clear aperture is that it allows you to use EPs with wider field stop diameters in order to gain more TFOV at lower magnifications, without vignetting.
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dakota
super member
Reged: 12/11/11
Loc: SD (God's Country)
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: Mike Lynch]
#5387202 - 08/25/12 11:17 PM
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I received my WO binoviewer back from Harry today. In addition to the normal 'supercharge' I also had Harry add his Self Centering Diopters and I bought 2 of his 24mm SWA Ultra eyepieces. I was planning on testing them out this evening but unfortunately the conditions were poor at best. Hazzy and humid. Not the conditions I'd like to do an honest analysis.
I can say that just by looking at the binoviewer it appears that Harry did a great job. My work schedule is such that I only get to observe on weekends, so will try again next weekend and report my findings and opinions.
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angusb1
member
Reged: 06/14/10
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: dakota]
#5402590 - 09/04/12 09:43 AM
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Hans, did you get the chance to try out your newly supercharged binoviewer yet?
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dakota
super member
Reged: 12/11/11
Loc: SD (God's Country)
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: angusb1]
#5403141 - 09/04/12 02:40 PM
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Had them out for a short time Sunday night. High thin clouds and then of course the full moon lighting things up. I spent most of my time gazing at the moon. The WOW factor comes into play and a definite 3-D effect. I was in awe and could have spent the entire night viewing it and this was when the moon was still low on the horizon and thermals were still coming into play. I could definitely notice the larger aperture and its effect on viewing.
My suggestion to anyone thinking about the 'Supercharge' is to make sure that binoviewing is for you. I enjoy it and it was money well spent. I just had a hard time justifying the cost of MKV's or Denks.
I also had Harry install his diopters which opens up my choice of future eyepieces.
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angusb1
member
Reged: 06/14/10
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: dakota]
#5403277 - 09/04/12 03:35 PM
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I just got a pair of "chinoviewers" secondhand and am waiting for them to arrive. If I like binoviewing I may get them supercharged but I want to see how I get on with them first, I heard some people have trouble with binoviewing generally. MKVs or Denks are out of my price range but I could stretch to supercharging if I get on with binoviewing.
Thanks for letting me know how you found them.
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teskridg
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/15/08
Loc: PA
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: angusb1]
#5404545 - 09/05/12 09:36 AM
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What is the total cost of a Chinese binoviewer plus Supercharging? I ask this because a Big Easy package is $549 and that already includes a 26mm clear aperture and adjustable collimation with superb backup by the company. Tim
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herrointment
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/12/11
Loc: North of Hwy. 64
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: teskridg]
#5409037 - 09/07/12 08:08 PM
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If I'm not mistaken the "Big Easy" package has been discontinued.
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dakota
super member
Reged: 12/11/11
Loc: SD (God's Country)
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: herrointment]
#5409109 - 09/07/12 09:04 PM
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Based on Denk's website, they have been discontinued.
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angusb1
member
Reged: 06/14/10
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: teskridg]
#5411145 - 09/09/12 04:14 AM
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What is the total cost of a Chinese binoviewer plus Supercharging?
Siebert charge $449 for a pair of "Black Night 25mm Super FMC Binoviewers" which have a 100mm optical path and 24.5mm clear aperture at the eyepiece, so are directly comparable to the Big Easy with its 26mm clear aperture as the optical path of the Big Easy is longer. Harry Siebert's offering is collimatable and has self-centring eyepiece holders. The price of a new pair of TS Binoviewers with self-centring eyepiece holders is 165 euros/£135/$210 and the supercharging service is $250, so unless you get a pair of binoviewers second hand you may as well get the "Black Night 25mm Super FMC Binoviewer".
I can't comment on aftersales support as I have no experience of either company.
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Scott in NC
Mad Hatter
Reged: 03/05/05
Loc: NC
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: angusb1]
#5412455 - 09/09/12 10:21 PM
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...so unless you get a pair of binoviewers second hand you may as well get the "Black Night 25mm Super FMC Binoviewer".
I agree. I wouldn't go out and buy a pair of new Chinese binoviewers with the express intent of sending them right away to Siebert for modification. However, for those of us who already own a pair, it sounds like a pretty good deal, esp. for people like me who managed to pick one up off the used market several years ago. I'm considering getting mine modified one day, as I'd really like to try binoviewing with my 32mm TV Plossls.
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gcfboulder
member
Reged: 09/27/07
Loc: CO
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Re: Supercharged binoviewers?
[Re: Scott in NC]
#5435312 - 09/23/12 12:15 AM
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...so unless you get a pair of binoviewers second hand you may as well get the "Black Night 25mm Super FMC Binoviewer".
I agree. I wouldn't go out and buy a pair of new Chinese binoviewers with the express intent of sending them right away to Siebert for modification. However, for those of us who already own a pair, it sounds like a pretty good deal, esp. for people like me who managed to pick one up off the used market several years ago. I'm considering getting mine modified one day, as I'd really like to try binoviewing with my 32mm TV Plossls.
I agree, too. That's what I ended up doing. In fact, the Blacknight BV is only $399 if you're buying accessories to go with it. I sold my WO BV for $150 to help pay for it, so for me, it was a more efficient use of funds than supercharging the WO BV but then also needing to pay for the improved diopters, in order to get something close to being as good as the Blacknight - which by the way - is pretty awesome.
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