22 replies to this topic

[Scanning4Comets]

Got my new 15x70 Oberwerks in the mail today !!!....got them off of the mart and they were packed immaculately and the shape of these are incredible!!!!....I only had a chance to peek out my back yard at some distant trees...I am so tired right now because it is very early and I need to try to get more sleep because I have only slept three hours!!! The collimation is perfect and I am very pleased with the way these look...wicked coatings and the weight isn't too heavy!!!...I will give a full first light report on these excellent binoculars!!!!....yeee hawww!!!!
--------------
Mark
12" Gso Scope 15x70 Obies now mine!!!

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Scanning4Comets]

I plan on using these mostly for handheld use on a lawnchair in the yard, or at a dark sky site. I will however try them on a mount just for those rock-steady views of the night sky!!!...I can't stop drooling over these!!!....heck , I'll prob get aperture fever with binos and end up with a 100mm or larger pair!!!...
---------------
Mark
12" Gso Scope
15x70 Oberwerks
10x50 Magnicons

[Glassthrower]

A pair of 15x70's is what ignited my aperture fever.

The only known cure is 100mm binos or more.

That said, much can be seen in a pair of 15x70's. I still use mine on occasion when dragging out the big 100mm guns is too much of a hassle.

MikeG

[Lionsden]

Hey Mark,
Congrats on the new binos! I'm kind in the same boat, received my new 15x70 Celestron Skymasters today!
First glances, they look great! Collimation looks perfect. Can't wait to try them out! Only problem is that it's 1:15 in the morning here and there's rain down for the night I'll let you know how I get on. Have you had a chance to try the Oberwerks yet?

[Scanning4Comets]

Hey Carpal, and hey Mike and Lionsden. First off, to carpal, I am in the midst of getting a good sturdy tripod of mine ready for the "L" bracket to mount these binocs. Then I can collimate them because it looks like they need it just a tad. I know this when I do that "blink-test" with them...the best way for me to collimate them would also be with the tripod happening, so I won't finish up the collimation until then. Second in line was Mike G...I'll probably "bust" one day and go for the 100mm bins too..."more light , more light!!!"...what is it like when using 100mm bins...can anybody describe it???...Last, but not least, Lionsden.
I did have a chance to try my new 15x70 Obies and so far so good...( I was observing in a lightly clouded sky, I can't wait to try them out when it is super-clear out).The image scale is way bigger than my 10x50's and M-13 stands out now like a sore thumb!!!....all I have to do is get them on a tripod and collimate them on a star or a planet to merge the image more precisely.
After I get this sorted out I'll be in binocular heaven !!!!
---------------
Mark

[Joad]

"what is it like when using 100mm bins...can anybody describe it???"

Only qualitatively (I'm not the guy to go into exit pupils, FOV, AFOV, or anything along that line). But I just came in from another look at the North America nebula with my Oberwerk 100mm triplets. These things just excel with larger nebulae, and looking at star fields with them in a bit like strolling down the star lanes. You just see powderings of bright stars all over. When looking at the moon you feel like you are hovering over the surface. Planets, globular clusters, and galaxies are not so exciting with these things (though I have seen Markarian's Chain, as well as the more famous galaxies). Open clusters just look like, well, jewels on velvet--as so many have said. The contrast is remarkable. Makes me wonder what the Fuji 150s are like. They must be something else.

[Glassthrower]

I only thing I would add to what Joad and NW said about 100mm glasses is this : while the objectives gather much more light than your typical astro-binocular (40-70mm), the FOV is correspondingly smaller. The FOV on my 100mm binocs is stated as 3.0° by Celestron. When in actuality it is closer to 2.45° (according to EdZ and others who have actually measured it with a good degree of accuracy). So don't expect those huge swaths of space you'll see in a smaller bino, in comparison your FOV will be much smaller.

BUT, having said that, the brute light gathering power of 100mm objectives will reveal open clusters to a dazzling degree. Unremarkable tiny smudges of light (in a 8X or 10X) bino open to reveal numerous stars as if someone blew a pinch of fairy-dust against a black velvet backdrop. It's quite breath-taking at times. Other than that, everything is on a much larger image scale than with 15x - the moon is huge and almost too bright to look at when approaching full, craters, ridges, and lots of other fine details are visible on the surface that lower power binos just can't resolve.

The first time you see the Orion Nebula in a pair of 100mm binos, it will do two things :

1) Blow you away and make you stare in awe like a little kid.

2) Plant the thought in your head of cashing in the 401k and buying a pair of big Fujinon 150mm guns, much to the dismay of the wife....likely ending in divorce!

But don't let any of that big 100mm talk impune upon the useability of 70mm glasses. There is much that can be seen in those and everything I said in relation to 100mm vs. 70mm will basically hold true in respect to 40mm vs. 70mm. The 30mm gain in objective size and corresponding increase in magnification will lead to seeing more stars and more detail while cutting down the overall FOV size. If for example you have used a 8X40 pair of binos and now you can see the "jump" in image scale with a 15x70, take that same degree of image scale jump and apply it again to the 100mm and you have an idea of what to expect.

MikeG

[Swedpat]

Thank you Markus for the great close-up photos you send of the binocular!

I will encourage other to do the same; send photo of the objectives and oculars. Especially the oculars tell often much about the feeling and viewing comfort of a binocular.

Regards, Pattic

[Scanning4Comets]

WOW!!!!I had my 15x70 Oberwerks out for a brief 45 minutes and the sky was incredibly clear tonight!!!...I did a side by side test with my ,(not so expensive), 10x50 Magnicons and the difference in light gathering power and contrast was like night and day!!!!
I looked at M-45 and the difference was astonishing in the brightness of the stars and image scale. I also tried them out on the Double Cluster in Perseus, M-31 in Andromeda, M-27 in Vulpecula, and M-33 in Triangulum.
I didn't even think I would be able to see M-33 in Triangulum but there it was with averted vision upon the nice black velvety sky!!!!
M-31 was also a sight to behold being able to see the elongation almost fill the entire field of my 15x70 bins.
Even the Dumbell Nebula was a breeze in these light-swallowing binoculars!!!!!
I'm quite positive that I saw the ring nebula as a very small circle in these also.
Now I understand what you guys mean about getting teased with large-aperture binoculars....I want BIGGER!!!!!
Well that's about it for this brief but enjoyable first light report on the ever so wonderful Oberwerk 15x70 Binoculars !!!!!...Tomorrow night we are supposed to still have the cold front with a nice high pressure cell hanging over the great Lakes. I know where I will be all night....In my Backyard!!!!!! cheers ...and clear skies to all!!!!!
--------------------
Mark
12" Gso Scope
15x70 Oberwerks

[MaritimeSky]

Great to hear you're enjoying all that those 15x70's have to offer Mark!

I hear ya when you say you want larger... so do I! I have 15x70's, but I have a feeling I'll step up to 20x80's soon then maybe move on to something larger like 25x100's. Good thing I also have a telescope and some decent eyepieces to hold me over.

[Swedpat]

I guess I did a mistake to get the 11x70 instead of the 15x70. 15x will surely give more impressive view with the darker background and larger image scale. (Yes, the 11x70 is great at a dark sky). I intended to handhold the 11x70 but experience it's too heavy, long and uncomfortable in the most cases, so I think a 10x50 is better handheld. A 70mm model is best on tripod and then it's also better to have higher power than 11x.
Apart from that the 11x70 has too long ER. The question is if I will experience the 15x70 having too short? Maybe I will see, because I have the possiblity to order one in Sweden at a "satisfied or send back"-warranty.

Patric

[Craig Simmons]

I looked at M-45 and the difference was astonishing in the brightness of the stars and image scale. I also tried them out on the Double Cluster in Perseus, M-31 in Andromeda, M-27 in Vulpecula, and M-33 in Triangulum. I didn't even think I would be able to see M-33 in Triangulum but there it was with averted vision upon the nice black velvety sky!!!!
M-31 was also a sight to behold being able to see the elongation almost fill the entire field of my 15x70 bins.
Even the Dumbell Nebula was a breeze in these light-swallowing binoculars!!!!!
I'm quite positive that I saw the ring nebula as a very small circle in these also.
Now I understand what you guys mean about getting teased with large-aperture binoculars....I want BIGGER!!!!!

Excellent targets for these sized binos. M31 especially. Did you catch M32 and M110, it's satelliete companions? My best view of M31 is in my SV 15x63mm. The targets you observed really display well in the 15x70 sizes. Even though I have the similar sized SV 15x63s, I'm tempted to pick up a pair of the Obies just because they're such a good value and bino.

[Joad]

WOW!!!!I had my 15x70 Oberwerks out for a brief 45 minutes and the sky was incredibly clear tonight!!!...I did a side by side test with my ,(not so expensive), 10x50 Magnicons and the difference in light gathering power and contrast was like night and day!!!!
I looked at M-45 and the difference was astonishing in the brightness of the stars and image scale. I also tried them out on the Double Cluster in Perseus, M-31 in Andromeda, M-27 in Vulpecula, and M-33 in Triangulum.
I didn't even think I would be able to see M-33 in Triangulum but there it was with averted vision upon the nice black velvety sky!!!!
M-31 was also a sight to behold being able to see the elongation almost fill the entire field of my 15x70 bins.
Even the Dumbell Nebula was a breeze in these light-swallowing binoculars!!!!!
I'm quite positive that I saw the ring nebula as a very small circle in these also.
Now I understand what you guys mean about getting teased with large-aperture binoculars....I want BIGGER!!!!!
Well that's about it for this brief but enjoyable first light report on the ever so wonderful Oberwerk 15x70 Binoculars !!!!!...Tomorrow night we are supposed to still have the cold front with a nice high pressure cell hanging over the great Lakes. I know where I will be all night....In my Backyard!!!!!! cheers ...and clear skies to all!!!!!
--------------------
Mark
12" Gso Scope
15x70 Oberwerks

A nice thing to remember is what you are getting with those Oberwerk 70 mm's. What do they cost? A couple of hundred dollars? The 100 mm. triplets that night watch, I, and number of others on the forum have cost $1500 and up--quite worth it for what you get, but just think of the bang for the buck you're getting with your set!

[Craig Simmons]

These size binos on a mount are very light and portable. I've been using them on a Bogen 3046/UA Microstar while seated on a drum throne and found it to be a comfortable and flexible arrangement. The legs on the tripod will adjust so my knees clear the bracing hardware for the elevator column. It's easy to pick up the entire mount and spin to a different part of the sky.

[Mark9473]

send photo of the objectives and oculars. Especially the oculars tell often much about the feeling and viewing comfort of a binocular.

Regards, Pattic

Patric, my own experience tells this to be true, yet I've never been able to quantify or measure this. Probably something simple, but it can't just be eye relief and AFOV. Just what is it that makes some binoculars much more comfortable to look into than others?

[Scanning4Comets]

Hey Joad....I payed $100.00 U.S. for my 15x70 Obies...(off of the Mart), shipped right to my door here in Canada !!!! woohoo...and these babies were MINT!!!!
--------------
Mark

[Swedpat]

Mark9473,

What makes a binocular comfortable to use for the eyes is several factors. Apart from ER and AFOV it's also the optical precision which prevent eye strain, and that the optics don't have disturbing inner reflections. This is a matter which really belongs to EdZ however. I think he can give a more detailed answer.

Regards, Patric

[william]

I guess I did a mistake to get the 11x70 instead of the 15x70. 15x will surely give more impressive view with the darker background and larger image scale. (Yes, the 11x70 is great at a dark sky). I intended to handhold the 11x70 but experience it's too heavy, long and uncomfortable in the most cases, so I think a 10x50 is better handheld. A 70mm model is best on tripod and then it's also better to have higher power than 11x.
Apart from that the 11x70 has too long ER. The question is if I will experience the 15x70 having too short? Maybe I will see, because I have the possiblity to order one in Sweden at a "satisfied or send back"-warranty.

Patric

Patric,
I did the same thing, I got the Oberwerk 15x60, and wish that I had the 15x70. I waited to long to make an exchange, but plan to get either the 15x70 or 20x80 .

William
---------
Burgess 127/8
Oberwerk 15x60