278 replies to this topic

[Ant1]

Hi

 

Already been inside and measured prism aperture to be 21.5mm (cf post #132 above)

There is no scope for inserting additional lenses between prism and eyepiece, the picture below makes it clear - collimation grub screws are pointed by red arrows and align between housing and prism cluster, and eyepiece threads protrude all the way to the prism face (blue distance).

 

Regards,

Ant1

 

[patta]

In the meantime (2019) I went for holiday in China and dropped by at the ZC factory near Kunming, one that makes the 5x25.

 

It surprised me that there is no "mega manufacturing plant"; ZC was actually run by less than a dozen people. The manufacturing process works more or less like this:

The local "producer" (like in the movie industry) gets an order from mr. Visionking for 1000 or so binoculars (of known design); he then scrambles around to other small factories to order the pieces - lenses, coatings, body castings, rubbers. This coordination process involves a series of car trips, teas, heavy lunches and toasts with cheap brandy. Once all components have arrived, a couple of workers (maybe also the producer itself) sit patiently for a couple of weeks to assemble the 1000 binoculars. Voila'.

Edited by patta, 11 October 2020 - 03:54 AM.

[Rich V.]

That's a very interesting account; in this case more of a "cottage industry".

 

I suspect this takes place even on a larger scale with the likes of Kunming United Optical (APM, et al) and Yunnan Optical (Oberwerk) who make binoculars that appear very similar and perhaps share many similar parts/designs that may come from a network of local mfgrs in the Kunming area.

 

Rich

[ihf]

It reminds me of the accounts of the Japanese bino cottage industry after WWII. It also explains some of the observed variance from run to run. Not sure why the 5x25 is a relatively good design, and some others so aweful. It sounds like there is not much room in the process for higher price/quality custom work though, which is sad. A small run of Stargazing boxes might find a market, just like the Orion 2x54.

[Swedpat]

I miss my Bushnell X-wide 5x25 which became water damaged. I just placed an order for a VisionKing 5x25. 45 GBP including shipping.

 

I don't know how I missed to report my thoughts about this binocular. So I do it now. I still have it and like it. The (sharp part of) the image is significantly sharper than Bushnell X-wide. The eye relief is very short and even without eyeglasses I have the eyecups just slightly raised from the bottom position. While I otherwise make the demand of binoculars to provide satisfying open view with eyeglasses this isn't a big issue with this model. With such a huge TFOV there is not close as big importance to remove the binoculars from the eyes in order to locate, as with "normal" binocular with half the TFOV. The FOV roughly covers 4 times the area of an average binocular, so in many cases I can hold the binocular more or less constant to the eyes.

This binocular has its shortcomings. Estimatedly only 25% of the field area is sharp(but the sharp part is impressively sharp). And there are some significant inner reflexions and glares. But for the price it's more than worth the money and with its unique character it's a keeper!

Edited by Swedpat, 13 October 2020 - 01:21 PM.

[Rich V.]

 Estimatedly only 25% of the field area is sharp(but the sharp part is impressively sharp). And there are some significant inner reflexions and glares. But for the price it's more than worth the money and with its unique character it's a keeper!

That was also my observation with the 5x25s as well; field sharpness falls off very quickly.  It's not just field curvature but a mixture of aberrations.  I found the useable FOV of my 8x30EIIs to be about the same as the 5x25s so the rest of the aberrated area of the FOV only supplied some context.  8x shows a lot more stars, anyhow.

 

I ended up giving the 5x25s to my then 11 year old grandson since they are steadier for youngsters to hold and the wide field makes finding things easier.

 

Rich

[Swedpat]

That was also my observation with the 5x25s as well; field sharpness falls off very quickly.  It's not just field curvature but a mixture of aberrations.  I found the useable FOV of my 8x30EIIs to be about the same as the 5x25s so the rest of the aberrated area of the FOV only supplied some context.  8x shows a lot more stars, anyhow.

 

I ended up giving the 5x25s to my then 11 year old grandson since they are steadier for youngsters to hold and the wide field makes finding things easier.

 

Rich

 

Yes, I think it's well suited for children! By the way: imagine a Swarovski NL PURE 5X25...  Just dreaming!

[Mr. Bill]

For astronomy, not so good.....I use mine for terrestrial gazing.

[ihf]

Yes, I think it's well suited for children! By the way: imagine a Swarovski NL PURE 5X25...  Just dreaming!

While we are dreaming, a Nikon WX 5x35 and 7x35...

[PEterW]

Having an ultrawide(80degree field)/flat/sharp set of binoculars with 7mm exit pupil from 2x to 30x would be good to explore the sky with.

I got the 5x25 for my youngest, his friend managed to use them with no instruction, so they do the job nicely.

PEter

[Enkidu]

I bought them ~18 months ago. Within a few weeks, six members of our astronomy club had them, including astrophotographers and people who collect premium eyepieces. The price is extremely friendly for what you get, and I think they're the widest Keplerian bino in production (but correct me if I'm wrong). They're often the first thing I reach for when starting a session.

[Jae]

I'm way late to this thread but just curious what people think now of this 5x25 - still own it, use it ?

[Swedpat]

I'm way late to this thread but just curious what people think now of this 5x25 - still own it, use it ?

 

I use it now and then when I want to enjoy a very wide and stable view. Still definitely a keeper, despite its shortcomings when it comes to optical quality and performance. I just imagine how great such a binocular is for, for example watching athletics or a football match! Well; at least if you are not wearing eyeglasses.

Edited by Swedpat, 26 September 2021 - 12:03 PM.

[Jae]

I use it now and then when I want to enjoy a very wide and stable view. Still definitely a keeper, despite its shortcomings when it comes to optical quality and performance. I just imagine how great such a binocular is for, for example watching athletics or a football match! Well; at least if you are not wearing eyeglasses.

Good to know, thanks.

[Patowl]

I've just unpacked these 5x25. I would have never know about these if I didn't read so much interesting reviews here.
I must say I'm really impressed by the build quality for the price.
The field is huge, fitting the whole Cassiopea constellation, or barely Hyades and Pleiades together, kind of a novelty binocular sight for me.
Instantly felt in love with them, being able to steady hand hold them with one hand, while sweeping around the sky.
Double cluster area was such impressive with this field, felt like discovering again these objects in context after years of binocular gazing.
Definitely a keeper.

Clear skies

[Pinac]

Here is another first impression of the Visionking - I had been reading about it for some time, but only recently came across it:
 

These cheap “Super Wide Angle” binoculars made by Visionking Optical Technology Co. Ltd. have been on the market since a couple of years, similar or even identical models are being sold under a number of different brand names via ebay, amazon, aliexpress and other internet shops.

They are marked “multicoated” (note: NOT “fully multicoated”), “5×25” and “Field 15.8 Degrees”, and I took the liberty of measuring a few of these values and – surprise, surprise – came up with slightly different ones.

Instead of a 5×25, this is in fact a 4.7 x 24 instrument, and its field is not 15.8, but only 14.7 degrees. Still impressive compared to "regular" binoculars today.

 

Don't expect anyting like “edge sharpness”. Sharpness is only satisfactory in a small area around the center of the image; nevertheless, I have much more fun using this "gadget" during the day or at night than I would have anticipated

For such a low price instrument, CA correction,  color fidelity and stray-light control are really okay. Thanks to the relatively wide field (AFOV somewhere around 70 degrees) and the great depth of field (only 5x magnification) landscape observations can be quite nice, and even the views of the night sky are impressive, despite the lousy off-axis sharpness. Just don’t let your eyes wander too much, instead keep looking at the center of the image while moving the binocular.

 

In the Visionking, objects such as e.g. the Pleiades appear much more brilliant to me than in any of the low mag starfield binos such as Kasai, Vixen, Omegon or Orion. So despite the narrower FOV, compared to the 2x/2.1x/3x starfield binos, and the quite small sweet spot, the Visionking is indeed a keeper, as Patowl wrote - more than worth its modest price in my view.

 

Pinac

Edited by Pinac, 05 January 2022 - 02:48 PM.

[Astronoob76]

@Pinac
Thanks for your impressions. I think that moves them up to the top spot on my wish list. Would be a nice addition to my growing "wide angle collection".

[Stevenkelby]

I got these delivered yesterday, fantastic wide field! Obviously very cheaply made, materials quality is awful! But build quality is good enough, and optically they're almost excellent! Off axis is bad but to me, that's just for peripheral vision anyway and the center of the field is very good. Minimal CA, good sharpness, bright, accurate etc. 

 

They've got the widest afov and true of any binoculars I've looked through. But I've never tried Galileans. The field pretty much fills all of my peripheral vision.

 

Also, they are easier to hold steady and are more stable than any other non-is binoculars I've tried thanks to the lower than 5x magnification.

 

I guess it's easy to build a decent binocular with low mag! 

[ihf]

I guess it's easy to build a decent binocular with low mag! 

Maybe. I wish. I tried a bunch of other low mag binos and most were <censored by CloudyNights message board software>. The VisionKing 5x25 somehow sticks out. I wish there was a 10x as expensive version of it.

Edited by ihf, 13 January 2022 - 07:09 AM.

[dries1]

Where is the best site to order these from, since a bit concerned about sample variation, I am looking for a good sample.

[Far-Out]

Looks like Ebay has them, all shipping from China.

Amazon has them at a good price direct from Visionking, also shipped from China. Seems no USA distribution. They have extended delivery. I would order from Amazon, because of their return policy. Good luck.

[Rich V.]

I found the 5x25s disappointing, myself.  Sure, they were only $70. or thereabouts, but an "ultra wide field" isn't really much help if half of the FOV is blurry from aberrations.  Perhaps if all you're looking for is "context" without detail in the outer FOV, they may fill the bill. 

 

My grandson liked them because they're easy to hold steady and find objects at 5x and they're relatively bright for a 25mm bino due to their low mag. Build quality was actually surprisingly good for such a low price.  My grandson was happy, anyhow.  

 

Rich

 

 

[ihf]

The Kowa 6.5x32 is a premium bino in comparison - including its hotly debated prisms. The VisionKing is more of a working draft of what a wide field could feel like, if only it was implemented well. It smears out faint stars. But in a light polluted area that doesn't matter. Due to the wide field it does allow cruising the constellations in the city better than the Kowa. Both allow me to wear glasses, but for most the VisionKing would be too tight for glass wearers. But because of that I much prefer the VisionKing over the Galileans, which completely don't work for me.

[SMark]

I found the 5x25s disappointing, myself.  Sure, they were only $70. or thereabouts, but an "ultra wide field" isn't really much help if half of the FOV is blurry from aberrations.  Perhaps if all you're looking for is "context" without detail in the outer FOV, they may fill the bill. 

 

My grandson liked them because they're easy to hold steady and find objects at 5x and they're relatively bright for a 25mm bino due to their low mag. Build quality was actually surprisingly good for such a low price.  My grandson was happy, anyhow.  

 

Rich

I likewise gave my VisionKing 5x25 to my granddaughter. The lacking quality makes me not want to use it, and my granddaughter shouldn't see those details. I do still have my Bushnell 13° 5x25 which I still like very much and has been my preferred binocular in almost every case over the VisionKing when needing something really small and wide.

[Ant1]

Hi

 

The VisionKing may be lacking a lot compared to other instruments. However it is readily available and for a bargain price so enjoy it while you can.

 

Regards

Ant1