5 replies to this topic

[vintageair]

I found these 3D printable adapters that fit on my 20x80 binoculars. They slip over the eyecups and on the face have a raised camera viewfinder shaped window that can accept a 90 degree finder. 

 

I was wondering if anyone had tried anything like this because the cheapest right angle viewers I can find are about $50 each. If it would work it would make it much more pleasant to view things high overhead.

[ngc7319_20]

I can only comment from theoretical perspective that it will be challenging to keep the two images collimated, so there is no "double vision" effect.  There is both "tip / tilt" effect and also rotation of the two 90 degree viewers on the binos to keep adjusted.

 

Another approach is to put a first surface mirror in front of the bino... but the large good-quality flat mirror for an 80mm bino will not be cheap.

 

There are also 90 degree binos, which are not cheap either.

 

You can make a holder to mount them on a zero-G law chair -- that is probably cheapest solution.

Edited by ngc7319_20, 20 April 2025 - 10:16 PM.

[sevenofnine]

Right angled mirrored viewers have been mostly discontinued because of the high cost good first surface mirrors. They are also difficult to use in practice. I had one and it was OK in a dark location for just scanning the Milky Way. However, trying to actually find something was a real chore. Let's see...angle of incidence equals angle of reflection...right? I recommend this astronomy tall tripod instead. It's worked really well for me. Good luck! 

 

https://oberwerk.com...ies-tripodhead/.

 

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[vintageair]

Okay I guess I'll give up on the idea. I suppose if it worked there would be a bunch of them available but since there aren't it's probably already been figured out that it doesn't work.

 

Thanks

[Boki]

I had an idea when i was checking the size of my 8x32 binos. I noticed that the size of objectives closely matches the size of 1,25" prism. And maybe in some future i will 3d print an adapter to go over the barrels of the binos and allow to istall the 90 degree diagonals. To make them parallel it would require manual setting or some more thinkong to create a good solution.

cs, Borut

[petertinkerer]

I think any right angle viewer added to straight through binoculars would lead to all sorts of image merging issues.   I have used these 9 X 50 with a 6 degree field as a finder for some time and they are very comfortable to use.  I can help anyone with a 3D printer build these just send me a PM.  The basic design can be reviewed at petertinkerer.com

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