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Kasai Trading Stella-Bino 50 binoculars with night vision attached

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#1 revans

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Posted 03 September 2024 - 09:05 AM

My Kasai Trading Stella-Bino 50 binoculars with 200mm focal length arrived this morning.  I put my 15mm night vision eyepieces on them.  They barely achieve focus at a distance of 25 feet but should be fine for astronomy at infinity focus. The weight with night vision is comparable to my Oberwerk 15x70 deluxe, but they are longer and more unwieldy to hold than the Oberwerk pair. 

 

Tonight should be clear so I'll have a chance to use them in all likelihood.  Meanwhile, I turned the gain down to nearly zero and can use them to look around the yard and across town to the other side of the valley.  They achieve focus.  Should be interesting for astronomy.  A little unwieldy, but manageable.  Wonder what Messier objects will look like with them.  

 

I also got a mounting bracket to use them on a tripod, but I think it makes more sense to mostly use them handheld because I can put night vision on any of my bulky BTs.

 

Kasai Stella Bino 50 with nightvision Web

 

Rick


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#2 JoeFaz

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Posted 03 September 2024 - 09:20 AM

Good luck, I'm interested to hear how it goes. It looks to be about the most unwieldy contraption I've ever seen, but hopefully looks are deceiving!

 

Maybe if it works fairly well you could devise some sort of bridge support between the eyepieces, because it looks like it's in need of extra support.


Edited by JoeFaz, 03 September 2024 - 10:06 AM.

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#3 PEterW

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Posted 03 September 2024 - 11:21 AM

What is the image orientation. For prime focus they’ll probably need a c-mount adapter to reach focus. You might consider a bino NV “bridge” to help support the NV end

Peter

#4 sevenofnine

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Posted 03 September 2024 - 11:30 AM

Wow! That's a long bino-arrangement watching.gif  I'd probably put them on a sturdy monopod...my arms aren't long enough wink.gif



#5 jesse 3

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Posted 03 September 2024 - 11:36 AM

I have done the same. 40mm offers the brightest view and handheld stable. I had to add 1” extension to reach focus. Total weight is 4 lbs and 17” long. Center view with Ha filters is nice. I see coma (comet like) at edges (20% area) using IR filters (not issue with Ha). View is mirror imaged.

Not bad for $300 gadget. I will use it only as travel kit. 


Edited by jesse 3, 03 September 2024 - 11:48 AM.

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#6 revans

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Posted 03 September 2024 - 09:43 PM

Well, what a totally amazing evening coupling a pair of Televue 15mm Delite eyepieces to PVS-14 night vision monoculars and putting this night vision equipped eyepiece pair on the Kasai Stella-Bino 50 !

 

There is practically no deep sky object on the Collin's Atlas that is out of the reach of this setup, used handheld, in Bortle 6 with less than perfect transparency.  This was my first time out using this setup.  It takes a few minutes to focus and eliminate double vision by rotating the left barrel and locking it down.  Once that is done, stars are absolutely pinpoint.  The 50mm objectives of this binocular provide very sharp, crisp images.  And the FOV is much brighter than a normal prism binocular, even using regular eyepieces.

 

The only strange thing to a binocular user is that your FOV is upside down and backwards.... like an astronomical telescope view.  For some reason, I did not find this the least bit troublesome.  I spent a couple of hours looking at the sky and finding objects from memory, using this setup hand held. I observed and studied each of the following:  M22, the Lagoon and Trifid nebulas, the Omega and Eagle nebulas, M27, the Anglefish cluster, NGC 7331 the largest galaxy in the Deerlick group, M81, M82, M51, M101, the Heart nebula, the Soul nebula, the Wizard nebula, the Elephant trunk nebula, the North American nebula, the Pelican Nebula, M31 (amazing three dimensional view of the whole galaxy.... not just the core... and its two satellites... and so very three dimensional), plus many clusters with nebulosity that I didn't take the time to identify. 

 

And I'm in suburbia... Bortle 6.  The only thing in my favor was that there was no moon. 

 

I mean this is a 50mm prismless binocular... used handheld... and not only could I see each of the targets listed above... I could see a great deal of detail in each of them.  My eyepiece pair provided about 13x which is about right.  Objects are easy to find and the magnification is sufficient for a good view.  I've literally never seen anything like it.  True, I've used night vision with the same eyepiece pair in my BTs mounted... but that is a slow experience... with these 50mm binos used hand held you can cover the whole sky freely and pop from target to target in short order.... it is a completely different experience.

 

I found it helpful to hold them by the ends of the barrels, resting the eyepieces on my orbits.  I used both a zero gravity chair (for zenith objects) and a regular chair for the other objects.  I think I wasn't confused by the orientation of the FOV because I didn't particularly use the FOV to direct my steering.  I steered independently of the FOV, making the necessary arm motions to bring the binocular to where I wanted it.  And I learned to look at a point in the sky and bring the binoculars up to my eyes... and voila... that area appeared in the FOV.  It takes a little practice.

 

So, I hope I have conveyed some of the experience of using these Kasai Stella-Bino 50 binoculars equipped with night vision.  The only thing I want to add is that to get my Televue 15mm Delite eyepieces to focus, I had to pull them up 3/8" (i.e. so that the bottom 3/8" of the barrel showed above the turrets.... and lock them in place with the thumbscrews).  The weight of the binoculars in your hands isn't very different from my Oberwerk 15x70 Deluxe binos.  I would guess the setup weighs roughly 4 lbs.  I could hold them for a reasonable amount of time without a rest.  I didn't have any issues with shaking or tremor of the FOV at 13x. Finally I need to add that I used a 12nm H alpha filter on one eyepiece and a 684nm IR pass filter on the other eyepiece.

 

Rick


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#7 aznuge

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Posted 03 September 2024 - 10:03 PM

Thanks for sharing this!  I read your report with great interest.  Were your PVS-14s set at near focus before insertion into Stella-Bino 50s?  Is the eyepiece locking mechanism on the binos a simple thumb screw, or also a ring collar?

 

I wonder if the TV Plossl 40s or 32s would fair any better in terms of coming to focus fully inserted, all else the same...



#8 revans

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Posted 03 September 2024 - 10:39 PM

Thanks for sharing this!  I read your report with great interest.  Were your PVS-14s set at near focus before insertion into Stella-Bino 50s?  Is the eyepiece locking mechanism on the binos a simple thumb screw, or also a ring collar?

 

I wonder if the TV Plossl 40s or 32s would fair any better in terms of coming to focus fully inserted, all else the same...

I leave the PVS-14s permanently coupled to the Televue 15mm Delite eyepieces.  I can't remember now if when I first attached them I rotated to near or far focus points.  I remember turning them until I could see the eyepiece view, which ever way that was.  I think it is just a rotating collar.  I find that it is best to leave the setup alone and not change eyepieces with the PVS-14, although you could of course.  For me, they are grab and go.... either on my BTs or one of my telescopes, or now onto these Kasai binos.  I think taking the adapters on and off a lot to change eyepieces could potentially lead to a sloppy fit that doesn't grip well enough.  So, I just leave them attached and I don't use the monoculars by themselves without the coupled eyepieces. 

 

I think 15mm is about right.  You want to see some detail in your DSOs.  If you go to a 32mm or 40mm eyepiece only the largest targets like the orion nebula are going to benefit.  The 15mm seems the best compromise for most targets to me.  There is nothing I couldn't find with them (although the helix is still in my trees and I couldn't check to see if I could finally find my unseen nemesis with NV).

 

Rick


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#9 aznuge

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Posted 04 September 2024 - 12:30 AM

I leave the PVS-14s permanently coupled to the Televue 15mm Delite eyepieces.  I can't remember now if when I first attached them I rotated to near or far focus points.  I remember turning them until I could see the eyepiece view, which ever way that was.  I think it is just a rotating collar.  I find that it is best to leave the setup alone and not change eyepieces with the PVS-14, although you could of course.  For me, they are grab and go.... either on my BTs or one of my telescopes, or now onto these Kasai binos.  I think taking the adapters on and off a lot to change eyepieces could potentially lead to a sloppy fit that doesn't grip well enough.  So, I just leave them attached and I don't use the monoculars by themselves without the coupled eyepieces. 

 

I think 15mm is about right.  You want to see some detail in your DSOs.  If you go to a 32mm or 40mm eyepiece only the largest targets like the orion nebula are going to benefit.  The 15mm seems the best compromise for most targets to me.  There is nothing I couldn't find with them (although the helix is still in my trees and I couldn't check to see if I could finally find my unseen nemesis with NV).

 

Rick

Thank you Rick,much appreciated!  Seems like an awesome set up with the Stella-Bino 50.


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#10 PEterW

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Posted 04 September 2024 - 01:11 AM

I would have expected the use of a longer focal length eyepiece to give a brighter view. I assume you were using an h-alpha filter to increase the nebulae visibility? I tried handheld with an inverted view and it made me feel sick, was hard to find stuff too.

Peter

#11 revans

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Posted 04 September 2024 - 06:02 AM

I would have expected the use of a longer focal length eyepiece to give a brighter view. I assume you were using an h-alpha filter to increase the nebulae visibility? I tried handheld with an inverted view and it made me feel sick, was hard to find stuff too.

Peter

I know exactly what you mean.  If you try to translate the FOV orientation you get with the Kasai Stella-Bino 50 into a normal  chart or traditional binocular orientation then you are going to feel sick and disorientated.  For me, the key is not to do that at all.  Instead do a combination of  1) looking with eyes alone at where your target should be and then bring the Stella-Bino up to your eyes, and surprisingly it will work or you will be very close.  I hold the objective ends of the Stella-Bino with my hands and rest the eyepieces on my orbits.  It is important to be sitting or reclining when you do this until you get used to doing it at least. And... 2) Without particularly paying attention to the orientation of the FOV, simply move your hands in the correct chart direction towards your target. Simply use the FOV in the Stella-Bino to look for your target or perhaps to identify a key "sky landscape" element like a little star asterism or a brighter star near your target.  

 

Using this approach, and not translating orientations mentally, I easily found all of the targets I wanted to see last night without getting the least bit dizzy or feeling sick. 

 

Yes, I used an Halpha filter on one barrel and a 684nm IR pass filter on the other barrel.  You could also just put a red filter on one of the barrels instead and it would work pretty well. 

 

The target views that you get are really amazing once you are on your DSO of interest. I mean incredibly amazing for a 50mm bino.  Night vision turns your 50mm bino into a huge aperture telescope view.  There practically is no object in the Collins Sky Atlas that you can't go after with confidence as long as the subject size isn't isn't incredibly small or the subject incredibly faint (like a 2x2 arc minute 13th magnitude galaxy).  Otherwise, you will see just about everything.

 

Rick


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#12 Random2310

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Posted 06 September 2024 - 11:45 AM

The use of night vision eyepieces interests me. For your PVS-14s, do you prefer white phosphorous over green for aesthetic reasons? Also, if I was interested in purely astronomical use, is there a minimum FOM you recommend? 



#13 revans

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Posted 06 September 2024 - 12:01 PM

The use of night vision eyepieces interests me. For your PVS-14s, do you prefer white phosphorous over green for aesthetic reasons? Also, if I was interested in purely astronomical use, is there a minimum FOM you recommend? 

I prefer L3 white phosphor.  I didn't consider FOM.  I went over all of the available tubes and hand picked the one I wanted based mostly on the sensor images provided so that I got one without defects.  I had to pay a few hundred more for the one I wanted.

 

Rick



#14 LoveWillSteerTheStars

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Posted 07 September 2024 - 10:09 PM

How much were the NV devices?  Doesn't the resolution of the NV degrade the image?



#15 revans

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Posted 08 September 2024 - 05:52 AM

How much were the NV devices?  Doesn't the resolution of the NV degrade the image?

NV monoculars typically go for somewhere between $3K and $4.5K depending on quality.  You can get them cheaper, and I think I've seen some less exciting models somewhere in the $2K range.  I never thought much about resolution but they do resolve globulars into hundreds of pinpoint stars if your optics are good.  Putting night vision on a 50mm scope doesn't resolve very many stars in a globular cluster but by 82mm a great many stars are resolved.

 

Rick




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