Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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It's hot and humid and the eyepieces fog up when I looked thru them in the last hour after the UPS guy delivered them so I will wait until later in the day to take them out again. They look great but the eyepieces are larger than 1.25" so you need a sleeve to use the 1.25" eyepieces. I am sure someone will make the sleeves so they fit. Here is a photo of them.
Cool skies, 
Joe
--------------------
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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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Looking forward to your impressions, they look nice!
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777Guy
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/11/03
Posts: 574
Loc: 48'29N 122'37W
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Joe,
They certainly look nice. Hope you are satisfied with the views. Please let us know how they perform.
Clear Skies,
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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I put the RA-88-SA's on my digital bathroom scale and the weight was 14 lbs so you will need a HD mount and my Unimount Light Deluxe or Unistar Light both have a 10 lb limit.  But my Giro 2 mount has a 22lb limit and I might make an adapter for it.
Joe
--------------------
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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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16419
Loc: Brooker, FL
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I'm very interested in these - please use 'em! 
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Please review 
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Wayne Parrish
sage
Reged: 02/23/04
Posts: 442
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Man,what you need those boogers on is one of Tim Hagens Hercules mounts.That mount wouldn't even know they were there. Wayne
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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The skies just cleared and I put them on my old Bogen 3040/3047 tripod/head setup and I think my Giro 2 will work great once I get a bracket made to attach to one of my spare Celestron/Vixen dovetail plates so it can attach to the Giro 2 Quick - exchange mounting plate for Vixen/Celestron Dovetails. From what I seen in the one hour I had them out they really work great and they will compliment my Denk II binoviewer setup with my scopes like the C9.25 and Meade 102ED. The 20x 52° and 32x 66° eyepieces are nice and sharp and from the short time I looked at the moon after the rain and clouds cleared it looked like it had less false color than my 20x80 Oberwerk Deluxe. I will do a side by side test tomorrow night. The main reason I purchased them is for the 90° angle view because when I use my big 20x80 and 25x100 on my Unimount Light Deluxe lying in by bino chair looking near the zenith I didn't like a 10 lb bino floating above my eyeballs. 
Joe
--------------------
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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Mad Matt
member
Reged: 05/20/03
Posts: 94
Loc: Frankfurt, Germany
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Hi Joe,
Thanks for the initial impression. I was wondering, if you have the time, if you could post a picture of the Objectives and a picture of the focusers without the eyepieces installes (so the prisms are visable).
I am just curious how the design differs from the Miyauchi and China 45° 26x100's
Thanks,
Matt
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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Quote:
Hi Joe,
Thanks for the initial impression. I was wondering, if you have the time, if you could post a picture of the Objectives and a picture of the focusers without the eyepieces installes (so the prisms are visable).
I am just curious how the design differs from the Miyauchi and China 45° 26x100's
Thanks,
Matt
--------------------
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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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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Last night I had them along side my C9.25 with Denk II's (PowerX Switch) with 20mm Pentax XW's (70°)and 20mm WideScan III's (84°) checking out the 1st Qtr moon . I also had my Apogee 25x100 binos on my Unimount Light Deluxe so it turned out to be a feast for the eyes. They have less false color than the 25x100's and during the daytime I checked them out against my 20x80 Oberwerk Deluxe and also my 20x60 Pentax binos and the RA-88-SA's had less color than them also so the Triplet Objectives do work well.
Joe
--------------------
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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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Optimal images 
How it is the image to 32x of the Moon, contrast, resolution?
Tasks that can be increases magnification to 60X-120x, with secondary eyepieces?
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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At 32x the moon had great contrast and resolution with no internal reflections. I stuck a 32mm Plossl in them and I got some vignetting but my 25mm Celestron X-Cel with 55° AFOV did not vignette so it works with up to a 24mm field stop eyepiece but will not focus on infinity unless you shorten the eyepiece to get all the optics inside the focuser like the 20x and 32x eyepieces. The 20x eyepiece looks like it has about 20mm eye relief and the 32x about 12mm usable ER.
Joe
--------------------
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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Anonymous
Unregistered
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They have said to me that model TS, sold from APM, has one equivalent focal of 480mm, confirmations?
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10163
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Joe,
Thanks for the informative comments.
It seems a pity about the problems with certain eyepieces , but all in all this 90 degree genuine "binocular" might well prove to be a "winner" with many , and hopefully shake a few other manufacturers into realisation that "user comfort" is a very important aspect of this hobby.
Clear skies , Kenny.
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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Quote:
They have said to me that model TS, sold from APM, has one equivalent focal of 480mm, confirmations?
If it has a 480mm FL then it would have a focal ratio of F5.455 and the 20x eyepiece would be a 24mm with 52° AFOV/2.6° FOV , the 26x would be an 18.5mm with 52° AFOV/2°FOV and the 32x would be like a 15mm Orion Expanse with 66° AFOV or 2.06 FOV.
Joe
--------------------
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.
|
Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
|
|
Quote:
Joe,
Thanks for the informative comments.
It seems a pity about the problems with certain eyepieces , but all in all this 90 degree genuine "binocular" might well prove to be a "winner" with many , and hopefully shake a few other manufacturers into realisation that "user comfort" is a very important aspect of this hobby.
Clear skies , Kenny.
Kenny,
I took a pair of 20mm Orion Expanse eyepieces removed the 1.25" barrel's ,put some tape around the eyepieces and put winged eyeguards on and got them to focus about the same as the eyepieces that came with them. They vignette a little but it looks like I am getting 60° AFOV compared to the full 66° AFOV and they focused on the moon without a problem. They would give it 24x and 2.5° FOV.
Clear skies,
Joe
--------------------
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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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16419
Loc: Brooker, FL
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|
Stop it! You're about to cost me money! (Thanks) 
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 10163
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Perhaps not SO much a problem after all then ?
I like the photos by the way.
But what's THAT I see ? -- a lightweight tripod ?
regards , Kenny.
--------------------
If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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Quote:
Perhaps not SO much a problem after all then ?
I like the photos by the way.
But what's THAT I see ? -- a lightweight tripod ?
regards , Kenny.
Kenny,
With a wide-angle shot up close to the binos it makes the tripod look small but it's a HD Bogen 3046 with 26.5 lb capacity. I ordered the HD Bogen 516 fluid pan head that will replace the 3047 photo head so it should work much better. I do plan on getting the Bogen - Manfrotto 3068 Super Pro tripod with 40 lb capacity in few months. I have a Unimount Light Deluxe (shown with my Apogee 25x100's)and a Unistar Light (shown with my Oberwerk 20x80 Deluxe)that both will work but the RA-88-SA is at the limit with them.
Joe
--------------------
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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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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Quote:
Stop it! You're about to cost me money! (Thanks)
That's what I said to Barry Simon when he posted this photo of his Bogen 516 twin arm fluid pan head with is 20x100 binos . I ordered it the same day after seeing that photo. Here is another photo of the Bogen 516 head.
Joe
--------------------
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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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Many thanks for this review, this binoculars is much beautiful! 
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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16419
Loc: Brooker, FL
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I'm weakening.... 
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
|
|
I mounted them to my Unimount Light Deluxe and they work ok but the HD version would be a better match.
Joe
--------------------
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.
|
Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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|
Quote:
But what's THAT I see ? -- a lightweight tripod ?
Kenny,
Here is a photo of them on that Bogen 3046 tripod with the eyepieces at eyelevel and on the Unistar Light mount.
--------------------
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.
|
Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16419
Loc: Brooker, FL
|
|
Yer killin' me! 
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
Erik D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 2572
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Good Morning Joe,
Did you get in any observing time last night?
I just noticed your photos above do not show a finder. I have no experience using binos with either 45 or 90 deg angled EPs. Do you find it relatively easy to locate objects with the RA-88 without a finder? Up to what X?
I find it relatively easy to locate objects with ~3.2 deg FOV. It takes a little more practice with 2.5 deg FOV but it's do able. But that's with straight thru EPs. I think it would be more difficult for me with angled EPs.
Erik D
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
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Hi Erik,
I didn't get out last night but I was out a few nights this past week checking out the moon with my RA-88SA's,Canon 12x36 IS II's,Apogee 25x100's,Oberwerk Deluxe 20x80's and C9.25 with Denk II binoviewer. I am going to see if someone has a finder bracket that will fit the RA-88-SA's were the handle fits.
Joe
--------------------
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.
|
btschumy
Think Astronomy
Reged: 04/13/04
Posts: 1111
Loc: Austin, TX, USA
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Quote:
I didn't get out last night but I was out a few nights this past week checking out the moon with my RA-88SA's,Canon 12x36 IS II's,Apogee 25x100's,Oberwerk Deluxe 20x80's and C9.25 with Denk II binoviewer.
Can you give us some feeling for the sharpness of the RA-88's. How does on and off axis sharpness compare to your other binoculars/scopes?
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
|
|
It's about the same on axis as the binos and C9.25 (all sharp) I had out the other night and had better sharpness on the edge than the 20x80 and 25x100 binos with the 32x eyepiece and even better with the 20x eyepiece. In the daytime it had much less false color than the 25x100 and 20x80's and even beat my 20x60 Pentax with less false color.
--------------------
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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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3363
Loc: NJ USA
|
|
I cancelled my backordered Bogen 516 head and ordered the new Helix Mfg 12" Hercules Fork mount that should also work great with my Apogee 25x100's and Apex 127 5" Mak with Denk II's.
http://www.helix-mfg.com/hercules.htm
--------------------
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.
|
Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16419
Loc: Brooker, FL
|
Re: Apogee RA-88-SA/Finder?
| |
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