Bintel 8x50 finderscopes

[kruscica]

Just wondering what people think of the Bintel / GS 8X50 Finderscopes. I will be getting one of the RA ones later this week. I had been planning to get the 9x50 Orion one because it is slightly bigger and I would think better quality but the stock isn't there and the price differential is large. I'm just wondering how good the standard finders are.
Since there isn't much evidence of changing them to larger or other manufacturers, they must be doing alright.
On other sites people talk of upgrading to 60 and 80mm finders. I can understand moving from a small view 6x30 to 8x50, but is there that much advantage to larger-and-narrower finders? Similarly, Andrews and other places offer the 9x50, meaning it is slightly narrower in the field. Is there much difference, and if so, wouldn't it be a negative?

One other thing I just worked out - To get 8x magnification on a 50mm f.l. scope, you'd need a 6.25mm eyepiece wouldn't you. A 5mm or 6mm eyepiece would tend to be a little small. How is the Eye Relief on this then?

[davidpretorius]

Mine is not right angled, but i have not ever had a problem with the mag (either too small or too big). I would not want to get any bigger. I have made a little cardboard dew shield for it and to be honest the guide scope simply works and i ihave never thought about upgrading it.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

I wouldnt sweat too much over finderscope quality, its just there to do a very basic job and its not like you are going to spend a lot of time viewing through it.
Both the Orion and the Bintel finderscopes are going to be very similar in quality being of the same design and comming from China. I would just buy whats cheaper.

One other thing I just worked out - To get 8x magnification on a 50mm f.l. scope, you'd need a 6.25mm eyepiece wouldn't you.

Actually, what you'll have is a 6.25mm exit pupil at the eyepiece, as the diameter of the finders objective is 50mm, not its focal length. Eye relief is a little tight on these finders

[asimov (John)]

If you get the time, do the cross-hair illuminator mod. It makes them so much user friendly!

[kruscica]

Thanks guys!

Asimov, that mod sounds doable and useful. I may well have to try it.

Geoff, I knew my math had an error somewhere.


Phil

[ving (David)]

yeah like geoff said, its a finder and you use it to find, not for viewing so quallity isnt reall that important.
I have the 8x50 RA GSO one and it work fine... no more sore neck for me