pcad
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/17/05
Posts: 1500
Loc: Connecticut
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Hi all,
I know Ed is aware that Roland Christen of Astro-Physics has been hinting that he may start selling binoculars. Well, he had two samples with him at NEAF this year.
Both are 70mm binos. He had a 10.5x and a 15x sample. They seemed to be sturdy, well built instruments. They are in appearence very similar to units sold by APM. Other people report seeing similar samples at the Williams Optics booth.
I asked Roland about if and when they would be available. He said the price would be in the ballpark of ~ $350 and to watch the A-P website for any introductory information. There was a thread a while back on AM about this with more detail about what Roland was looking for in binoculars.
http://www.astromart.com/forums/viewpost.asp?forum_post_id=414576&poll_id=&news_id=&page=
While he didn't say he was definately going to market them, I got the impression that he will.
Many of us have used various 15x70 or 16x70 binos so we have some idea what to expect. He pointed out that the 10.5x model, while having a larger exit pupil (6.67mm), also has a lot more eyerelief than the 15x, and may appeal to eyeglass users. I would expect the 10.5x to be slightly easier to handhold than the 15x. But we all know that mounting either of these 70mm binos is preferable.
Are they worth it? I don't know. I'm not going to claim that I did anything more than peek through them and drool a lot. Yes, the views were good. They put my poor cataract simulator to shame. Rolands reputation for quality products will go a long way in reassuring prospective buyers. I think the big question is how will they compare to the equivalent Fujinon products?
Are these similar to the binos offered or shown by other companies? Similar, probably, but how many times have we seen obvious differences in similar looking products? We have no idea if the optics are the same or if the coatings are similar. We just have to wait and see.
Excuse me while I mop my floor.
Peter
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Peter
Telescopes 25 - 318 mm
Binoculars 15 - 88 mm
Microscope 50x - 1000x
Edited by pcad (05/10/06 12:31 AM)
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holger_merlitz
sage
Reged: 02/08/04
Posts: 282
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Peter,
Wow that's amazing! Astro Physics is going to sell China made binoculars. These seem to be the United Optics MS series binoculars (sold in Germany by APM and TS). They must be quite impressive if even Roland Christen considers selling them. On the United web-page, they have already announced the 15x85MS, 22x85MS, 20x110MS and 28x110MS version of the same binocular.
Best,
Holger
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pcad
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/17/05
Posts: 1500
Loc: Connecticut
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Holger,
I should have guessed that you'd be able to track these down. Thanks for the detective work. Here's the link.
http://www.united-optics.com/products/ast-series/astr-s-8/astr-s-8.htm
Peter
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Peter
Telescopes 25 - 318 mm
Binoculars 15 - 88 mm
Microscope 50x - 1000x
Edited by pcad (05/10/06 02:10 AM)
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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I would be more excited about them if Roland was making the lenses with his micro grinding machines.
Rich
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pcad
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/17/05
Posts: 1500
Loc: Connecticut
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Rich,
At an estimated price of $350, I'd say that's doubtful, but you never know. I'd like to think that he found a good product that he would buy himself and is making it available to us at a reasonable cost.
I guess the thread title sounded like he was making binoculars out of his apo refractors. Shucks.
Peter
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Peter
Telescopes 25 - 318 mm
Binoculars 15 - 88 mm
Microscope 50x - 1000x
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12565
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Peter,
There have been a number of discussions here over the past few months about these various binoculars. Most of the discussions have centered around the 7x50, specifically the WO7x50ED similarity to the European 7x50. Someone else here showed the same 7x50 (sorry I forget who). If you recall back at the time, I commented if WO would sell a 10x50 instead of a 7x50, this would be an outstanding binocular for astronomy. I think Holger has used the 10x50. Roland is pointing to the 70mm models. All these that we seeare all Kunming Optical, which by the way, has been under the umbrella name of United optics for a while now.
I think the general public would be surprised how many of the currently available optical products are coming from here. Just look around, the 2" dielectric diagonals, the Meade binoculars, the everybody else binoculars, the Papillio, all or at least some of those new roofs that everyone is discussing, all or at least most of the clones in the other thread, spotting scopes, the 45° and 90° big bincos all brands, some of the current crop of wide angle eyepieces. What we don't know is if that is the same people Roland is talking too.
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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ngc6475
Fearless Spectator
Reged: 03/02/02
Posts: 4790
Loc: Northern Sierra Foothills
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If Roland adds a step or two on his end that improves the inspection and quality control process, the 10.5x model would be a very attractive binocular at a very impressive price. I have a lot of respect for Roland and I think if he is willing to apend the Astro Physics name to a product, it is likely to be a top quality item.
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Walter
"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
-Mark Twain
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Alan French
Night Owl
Reged: 01/28/05
Posts: 1484
Loc: Upstate NY
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My newest pair of glasses is smaller than my previous pair, and sits closer to my eye. It has allowed me to take advantage of binoculars with somewhat shorter eye relief, and I could just see the field stop in the 15x70s. With the 10.5x70s my eye would always be acting as a stop.
I took the 15x70s outside for a while. I was quite impressed with them. I looked at the sun glinting off some chrome on a car and found lateral color was quite well controlled until I got quite close to the field stop. There was also a conveniently placed Red-tailed Hawk, and he looked very nice.
Clear skies, Alan
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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This is one of the few products with Astro-Physics on the label I'm likely not to buy.
Rich
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Phil Wheeler
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/31/05
Posts: 1192
Loc: Los Angeles Beach Area
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Quote:
This is one of the few products with Astro-Physics on the label I'm likely not to buy.
There are a whole bunch of others I won't buy due to: 1) Price; an/or 2) Wait time. But binos from A-P are one of their products I would be least interested in having if one of their products arrived on my doorstep tomorrow 
Phil
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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Hi Phil,
I don't think of this binocular as an Astro-Physics binocular. Much like the 80mm guide scope I bought from AP. It was not made by AP. It is a nice telescope, but...
You could just buy an Astro-Physics sticker and put it on your chair.
Rich
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photonovore
Moonatic
Reged: 12/24/04
Posts: 2472
Loc: tacoma wa
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What is really amazing is the difference between what these Chinese made products actaully wholesale for (considering their plentiful dollar-a-day skilled labor) and what some western companies are selling this stuff for. Some of the markups puts Nike to shame IMO.
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Mardi
4" achromat, ETX-70.
Whitepeak Lunar Observatory Website
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Jeff Morgan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/28/03
Posts: 1531
Loc: Prescott, AZ
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Quote:
I would be more excited about them if Roland was making the lenses with his micro grinding machines.
Rich
And more excited yet if they were a qualilty right-angle bino.
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Jeff Morgan
Prescott, AZ
Wile E. Coyote School of Telescope Making
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3358
Loc: NJ USA
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Quote:
What is really amazing is the difference between what these Chinese made products actaully wholesale for (considering their plentiful dollar-a-day skilled labor) and what some western companies are selling this stuff for. Some of the markups puts Nike to shame IMO.
I paid $59 for my 15x70 Galileo binoculars so what would be wholesale on it ? $10 ? $5 ? I don't think sellers of Chinese binoculars are getting rich and I don't think the markup is a as large as some think it is.
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Pentax PF-80ED
Meade 102ED APO
Orion EON 72
120ST
Apex 127
C6 XLT
CR150
C9.25
XT10
Zeiss 7x42 FL
Canon 10x42L IS WP
15x50 IS
12x36 IS II
Garrett Optical 28x110 HD-WP Signature Series
Oberwerk BT-80 45
Apogee RA-88-SA
Denk II Power x Switch binoviewer w/13mm Ethos, 20mm Pentax XW's, 20mm Widescan III's.
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BillC
on a new path
Reged: 06/04/04
Posts: 2109
Loc: Washington, USA
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If Roland starts putting his name on Chinese binos, it will be one of the biggest branding blunders ever. If he wants to sell that stuff, great. However, he should do it under a different name and distance the Astro-Physics name as much as possible.
Just my 2 cents.
Bill
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William J. Cook, Chief Opticalman, USNR-Ret.
Founding Editor, Amateur Telescope Making Journal
20-year vet. of Captain's Nautical Supplies, Optics Dept. Mgr.
Optics Machanic, WG11-3306, Ft. Lewis, Tacoma,WA
Yata, Yata, Yata . . .
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edwincjones
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 4419
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where can you buy the Astro-Physics stickers?
edj
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n w arkansas
Binocular, Solar, General Amateur Astronomy
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Rick
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/12/05
Posts: 2573
Loc: Tokyo, Japan
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Quote:
If Roland starts putting his name on Chinese binos, it will be one of the biggest branding blunders ever. If he wants to sell that stuff, great. However, he should do it under a different name and distance the Astro-Physics name as much as possible.
Just my 2 cents.
Bill
I totally agree. I would not expect any bino's selling for just $350 would get much of his hands on attention. I don't have a clue as to the economics of his business, but it would seem to me that increasing his production of telescopes would do more to increase profits and satisfy customers than selling lots of cheap binos.
clear skies,
Rick
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www.japanastro.com
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Alan French
Night Owl
Reged: 01/28/05
Posts: 1484
Loc: Upstate NY
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Is there anyone in the United States that still makes binoculars, including the optics, here?
Clear skies, Alan
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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Quote:
Quote:
I would be more excited about them if Roland was making the lenses with his micro grinding machines.
Rich
And more excited yet if they were a qualilty right-angle bino.
Yes, a right angled bino can be used reasonably well on a photo tripod and video head.
Rich
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btschumy
Think Astronomy
Reged: 04/13/04
Posts: 1110
Loc: Austin, TX, USA
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Quote:
Is there anyone in the United States that still makes binoculars, including the optics, here?
Clear skies, Alan
Last year Bill C. bet that the group that no one could come up with a U.S. company that made binoculars in-house. He has yet to have to pay.
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Bill Tschumy
Where is M13? Freeware -- Add a new dimension to your observing.
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