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Silvio
super member
Reged: 04/26/03
Posts: 166
Loc: Gilbert, Arizona.
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Well, you folks have really hooked me into binocular viewing and that is now giving me a headache!! I need some advice.
I recently acquired a pair of Tak 22x60's and I am now thirsting for the same quality views at somewhere between 30x and 40x, and I have between $2K and $3K to get there. I also have a Tak 152mm refractor with which I use a Tak Twin View binocular viewer, but this is a real beast to set up. I was looking for something very portable for use in my suburban Phoenix back yard for lunar, double stars and low power planet viewing.
I think that I have the following options:
1) Go for the 71mm Mayauchi's with the interchangeable eyepieces. This would make my Tak's redundant, and I am not sure that I would get the same high quality images.
2) Go for a Borg 102mm ED to use with my Twin View, with perhaps shaving a few inches off the OTA to get to focus. I can then use my existing eyepiece pairs. But I don't know if this would give good quality images, and I worry about the weight of the Twin View binding on the helical focusser.
3) I did try to push the primary mirror on my 6" f/6.6 reflector forward 5" to get the Twin View into focus but my secondary mirror is about half the diameter now required to accomodate the light cone. The images look horrible and I am not sure if I want to experiment any further (read "mess up") with a perfectly good 6" reflector.
4) Buy a dedicated 35x high quality binocular. If so, what's out there that is top quality?
5) Go after a Binoscope set up. I may be tempted to go this route but I think it'd have to be with a pair of 80mm achromats, because I don't think that I want to spend the $7K on a pair of 4" APO's and associated hardware.
6) Reconcile myself to the fact that I am chasing rainbows and just give up the ghost. I would then use the 6" reflector for quickie views, but then I'd be viewing in mono mode :-(.
This is all you guys' fault for getting me hooked on binoculars :-)
Can someone out there please put me out of my misery.....
Thx,
Silvio.
--------------------
TMB 115 LW Refractor
APM 80/480 CNC Refractor
8" F7 Reflector
Kowa 32x82 Highlander Fluorite Binoculars
Canon 18x50 IS Binoculars
Canon 12x36 IS Binoculars
Tasco 7x35 Widefield Binoculars
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
2) Go for a Borg 102mm ED to use with my Twin View, with perhaps shaving a few inches off the OTA to get to focus. I can then use my existing eyepiece pairs. But I don't know if this would give good quality images, and I worry about the weight of the Twin View binding on the helical focusser.
4) Buy a dedicated 35x high quality binocular. If so, what's out there that is top quality?
5) Go after a Binoscope set up. I may be tempted to go this route but I think it'd have to be with a pair of 80mm achromats, because I don't think that I want to spend the $7K on a pair of 4" APO's and associated hardware.
Thx,
Silvio.
As to #2:
http://www.sciencecenter.net/hutech/ftfocus/index.htm
As to #4:
http://www.kowascope.com
As to #5:
http://www.sciencecenter.net/hutech/binoscop/index.htm
Good luck.
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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That's a tough one. I have only begun my binocular astronomy so I lack some of the experience to give a sound advice, BUT I have heard that the 71mm Miyauchi's are quite nice. You might find the thread titled " Pop quiz: 22x100 Obe's or 20x77 Miyauchis" informative. Yes, it might be a little redundant given your Tak 22x60. Binoviewers can often be not so portable and very expensive. Again, it's a tough one.
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Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2573
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Silvio,
I know what you mean about the TAK 152mm. I spend over $1,600 for a Alt az mount and Quickset tripod(used) for my AP 6inF8 triplet last year. I have used it once in the last 4 month. When night time temp falls below freezing I have little desire to haul nearly 100 lb of equipment outside for 30 minute "quick looks"
Have you condsiered the 25/40X100 military binos? There are very few 100 mm binos besides the Myauchii 45deg 100 that can reach beyond 25X. I have always thought 25/40X a good combination for 100mm binos. You can enjoy 2.52 deg FOV at 25X and 1.5 deg(60 APFOV) at 40X. I don't expect the optical quality of the 25X100 to be as good as your Tak 22X60 but they do have longer F ration than typical 22/25X 100 binos and dual power EPs.
There are two things you should be aware of: 1) Wt of this monster is 26.5 lbs. 2)EYE RELIEF is only 14mm at 25X, 8.2mm at 40X.
Here is my minimalist approach to mounting these monsters:
Ultra binos: ~$1,400, 26.5 lb
15 deg offset tpd adapter: $ 140, 2 lb?
Bogen 3058 tripod $ 375, 17.5 lb
Total mounted $1915 46 lbs.
Note that Oberwerk has a photo showing Kevin B standing under the 25/40X100 and the 15 deg offset tripod adapter. The tripod shown is the Bogen 475($219) which is 8 lbs lighter than the Bogen 3058. However, rated capacity of the Bogen 475 is 26 lbs.... a wee bit lower than the bino wt.
I have seen binoscope set- ups at NEAF.(Hutech, Binoscope Co) They are HUGE. I would not consider any binoscope over 100mm to be portable. I don't know if everone considers 46 lb set ups PORTABLE either but it would be a lot eaiser to move around than a 152mm F8 refractor with 5 ft OTA.
Erik D
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