Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Binoculars Previous   Index   Next   Flat   EdZ Professor EdZ Reged: 02/15/02 Posts: 12599 Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W In Pursuit of Cheap Binoculars. What to Expect.       12/30/04 12:07 PM Edit   Reply   Quote   Quick Reply:   From time to time we go through this. It is generally a hard lesson for people to learn, but with few exceptions the results are usually the same. You get what you pay for. Don't expect much from an $11 or $29 pair of binoculars when that cost is not much more than what it might really cost to just produce the objective lenses. When you think about it, binoculars are a complex instrument comprised of aligning the light path from the objective thru a pair of prisms on each side and keeping it all aligned as it passes thru two eyepieces and enters two eyes. How many of you purchase $11 eyepieces for your telescopes? So just to remind you of the "you get what you pay for" mantra, here a a few of the recent adventures of some on this forum. Are you feeling lucky? edz Meade TravelView for $24.99 just remember to keep your receipt! Barska 15x70 Nightmare a deal is not always what it seems. good price on Meade Tarvelview not when they end up in the garbage! Mixed opinions about these from various users More on the Meade Travelviews. Some won't go this route at all but a few people who have done so got lucky and are happy. Meade Travelview 12x50 for $19.99 any thoughts? Most users thoughts are, if you don't expect much you won't be disappointed. As some who have gone this route point out, it's pretty much hit or miss. Super Zoom 20-125x binoculars ! Cheap zoom binculars? "would they be any use"? "Oh definitely -- as paperweights, window ornaments, something to hurl at the neighbour's dog when it attempts to foul your lawn ... but not as an optical instrument". Stephen "AND, if they very expensive ZOOM binoculars, just expect them to be expensive junk". Bill Things to watch out for in cheap binoculars Post Extras       Entire thread Subject Posted by Posted on "BEST OF" the Binocular Forum - Start Here EdZ 01/24/04 07:51 AM GOOD STUFF FOR BEGINNERS EdZ   01/26/07 01:48 PM First Binocular Purchase? Questions? EdZ   01/26/07 01:47 PM Binoviewer - Scope - Binocular Equivalents EdZ   01/26/07 01:46 PM Surface Brightness of Extended Objects EdZ   03/17/06 04:00 PM Polish Binocular Tests and Reviews EdZ   03/07/06 09:52 AM Writing a Binocular Review EdZ   10/29/05 12:29 PM Limiting Magnitude and NELM EdZ   10/29/05 12:28 PM Resolution Testing and USAF Res Charts EdZ   10/29/05 12:27 PM Chromatic Aberration, Triplets, Semi-Apo, Apo EdZ   10/29/05 11:41 AM Dark Adaptation, Eye Pupils, Lights EdZ   08/25/05 10:50 AM BOOKS for Binocular Observers EdZ   06/02/05 07:46 PM Binocular Deep Magnitude Observing Charts EdZ   05/03/05 07:45 PM Binocular Photo Gallery EdZ   03/28/05 11:05 AM Binocular Vision Summation - Two Eyes vs One Eye EdZ   02/10/05 11:53 AM POLLS in Binocular Forum - take a poll EdZ   02/10/05 11:52 AM Testing Binoculars in the Store Before Buying EdZ   01/15/05 09:29 PM In Pursuit of Cheap Binoculars. What to Expect. EdZ   12/30/04 12:07 PM Handheld Binocular Observing EdZ   12/29/04 07:30 AM Fixed Focus Binoculars EdZ   12/16/04 12:08 PM BINOCULAR OBSERVING REPORTS AND TARGET LISTS EdZ   12/10/04 06:42 PM Depth of Field and 3D or not 3D! EdZ   12/10/04 06:36 PM What can be Seen in Various Sizes Binoculars EdZ   09/19/04 06:21 PM Philosophy and Binocular Ownership by Bill Cook EdZ   09/12/04 03:30 PM Affect of Eye Pupil on Binocular Aperture EdZ   07/22/04 11:38 AM Favorite Binoculars in Various Sizes EdZ   07/22/04 11:37 AM Best binocular overall or in a given price range EdZ   07/22/04 11:36 AM MEASURING / TESTING Optical Aspects of Binoculars EdZ   03/21/04 03:30 PM Contrast EdZ   03/20/04 08:48 PM Need Binocular Collimation or Repair? EdZ   03/17/04 12:08 PM Cleaning Lenses - Binoc Repair Eyeguards - Caps EdZ   03/15/04 09:36 AM If They Look the Same, What Could be Different? EdZ   03/15/04 07:06 AM Binocular Articles over on the Reviews side of CN EdZ   03/03/04 10:55 PM ABERRATIONS AND DEFICIENCIES EdZ   03/02/04 06:49 AM How to Focus Binoculars EdZ   02/07/04 10:18 AM Binocular Mounts - Tripods - Adapters - Motions - Homemade EdZ   02/07/04 10:17 AM PRISMS - BaK 4 vs BK 7 - Roof vs Porro EdZ   02/06/04 11:49 AM Edge Performance - Sharpness of Field EdZ   02/06/04 11:48 AM Terrestrial Viewing EdZ   02/05/04 06:23 AM Resolution and Visual Acuity EdZ   02/03/04 09:10 PM Aperture / Magnification relationship - Exit Pupil EdZ   02/03/04 09:04 PM Coatings EdZ   01/25/04 09:31 PM Zoom Binocular Cautions! EdZ   01/25/04 08:58 PM Exit Pupils 5mm vs 7mm EdZ   01/25/04 07:50 AM AFOV vs. TFOV and Separations for Measuring EdZ   01/24/04 01:48 PM Twilight Factor - Visibility - Binoc Index EdZ   01/24/04 01:43 PM Extra information 11 registered and 37 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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