9 replies to this topic

[MrsM75]

HighPoint Zhumell 20x80 huge binocular $129 free shipping too.

 

80 I assume it 80mm aperature? It bigger than my 70mm Mak

Should I try one? Seem like a good deal. 

 

https://www.highpoin...ical-binoculars

 

[RichA]

Inexpensive enough, not much of a risk if they aren't very good, This pair on Canada Amazon is around $110 U.S. (converted from Can) so the price isn't radical.

 

https://www.amazon.c...=1&gad_source=1

[Mike Q]

I had the Orion branded version of that bino, the lasted about a year and something on the inside let loose.  I replaced them with a bino from Oberwerk.  Yes they cost more but they were worth the extra coin. 

[harbinjer]

Also, many of the cheaper 80mm binos have reduced effective aperture in the 72-75mm range. Maybe that's changed in the last few years but it was common 10 years ago. If you do get them, use the flashlight test(make sure it's 12 inches away from eyepiece at least) to check their effective aperture.

[revans]

My main worry with these would be that they either might not arrive in good collimation due to transport or that collimation would not hold over time.  Also, they are too heavy to use handheld and really need to be mounted on a tripod.

 

Rick

[pat in los angeles basin]

I really hope they didn't use plastic in the eyepiece shells and the objective tubes. I have a bigger  (18x80) astro bino that has the plastic tubes- a bit too flexible to me. The plastic eyepiece shells are more more vulnerable to smaller impact damages than a metal shell would be. I understand they are built to a price point- it's just that the price point isn't necessarily apparent until you need repair, not replacement and that latter is the only option (outside of buying a donor). Pat

[MrsM75]

Thank you so much for your inputs.

 

I think it a great deal.

[Barlowbill]

I have a hard time believing this product is worth the effort.  

[Chuck2]

I owned a Zhumell 20x80mm ‘plastic body’ bino that I ‘won’ in an office Christmas party raffle. They were lightweight, easy to hand hold, the center of the FOV was sharp with no color aberration on the moon; however, the outer edges were ‘soft’ with CA chromatic aberration. The views of Jupiter’s moons, comets, and M42 Orion were spectacular. A 20x80mm magnification bino (actually measured at 19x77mm) can give you a little more ‘reach’ and contrast, even spotting the tiny and elusive M57 ring nebulae or M51 Whirlpool from dark skies.

 

Key point to share, trash cheap carry cases. I purchased a $30 HD carry case from Harbor Freight (applied their coupon) with pluck foam inside to protect them from accidental bumps when transporting to observing or camping sites. I used them for many years camping, at public outreach programs, and in my own backyard…all without issue. After 4-5 years of use, I did need to conditionally re-collimate them using the instructions posted on Oberwerk’s website.

 

The cheaper binos were replaced when my wife gifted me with Oberwerk 20x80mm Deluxe III for Christmas. The Obies are built noticeably better, like a tank, with metal body, quality improved prism design and vastly better contrast, sharpness and CA control across the FOV…even the carry case is built like a tank (note: heavier construction for hand-held). After using the inexpensive $100 binos for years, I could really appreciate the value of a $400 bino. My old ‘plastic bodied’ pair I gifted to a contractor working on our home, hopefully for many more years of use.

 

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Edited by Chuck2, 19 May 2025 - 08:03 PM.

[pmoos]

My two cents...

The price is great to try out some big astro binoculars. But keep in mind, (if you don't own a tripod) you will spend another $100 or more buying a tripod and mounting system. Binos this big need a solid tripod and mount.  I use a Manfrotto 475B tripod for similar binos; if I put my 20x80's on my more lightweight Manfrotto tripod, they vibrate more and I worry more about them tipping over.

 

High Point is well regarded business but I have never had to return something to them - but probably bit more involved to return than with Amazon (others may know better than me).  With Amazon there is always a significant chance that one will be shipped a previously returned (damage or misalligned) item, I would expect the High Point would not do that.

 

This winter, I bought an identical looking pair (different brand name) of 20x80 for roughly $150. I ended up returning them because one side (e.g. one of the two 'telescopes') was not sharp enough even at its best focus - the other side was great.  The build of the binos seemed quite solid at this price point, but had less than rigid plastic parts in the focusing system. These binos came with a well padded, well designed case - much better than what I see in the Zhumell advertisement.  I ended up buying a pair of 'SCOK' branded 30x80 binos from Amazon, $169 right now. These I really like; they are brighter and sharper than the previous Zhumell-like 20x80. They may be closer to 25x than 30x but that's fine with me.  They came with a firm thickly padded case that was fitted to the binos. The same non-rigid type of plastic in the focuser is a flaw, but they are certainly worth giving a try.  It's Amazon...

 

Also, I bought a pair of Zhumell 12x70 binos last fall on Amazon ($49, 'used' but the binos and packaging seemed brand new - $89 new right now).  They are my most used pair for looking at the sky. The build is a step above the very low end stuff, they have been dropped and survived fine, and the optics in my pair are really quite good.  I cannot succesfully hand hold these for astro use, but they work well on a lightweight photo tripod, and also using a monopod - which means I can pick them up and walk around the yard or even down the street to some nearby open space.  My 20x80's mounted on a heavier tripod can get moved, but more carefully and certainly not walking down the street. 

 

I will probably end up spending bigger bucks sometime on some Oberwerks 20x80, but I couldn't afford them, and I have had so many great viewing sessions with my cheaper ones that wouldn't have happened if I waited until I could afford the higher end ones.