BinoViewer Opinions

[TheFacelessMen]

Hi All,

I was considering buying a Binoviewer for my Mewlon.

Main ones I am looking at are the Denk II Premium or the Baader Mark V.

I have never used them before so was hoping someone here could provide some feedback on their experiences & opinions with these and which one is better (if any).

Cheers

[rmcconachy]

I've never seen the Baader Mark V but reputedly it is as good as anything else available (Google Roland Christen's comments about it and read some of Tamiji Homma (http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showprofile.php?Cat=0&User=23717&what=login)'s posts about them on CloudyNights). I do have hands on experience with the Denk II and Denkmeier PowerSwitch system. The short version is that I like them very much! I generally do not see the 3D effect that some people describe when using binoviewers (I do when looking at the Moon but not when observing any other object). I find observing with two eyes considerably more comfortable than mono viewing and this is important because the longer I look at something, the more detail I tend to see. The Denkmeier PowerSwitch works well and is a convenient way to obtain multiple different magnifications with the same pair of eyepieces.

Now for two quick general binoviewer suggestions:

(1) Try to look through a binoviewer before you buy one (even a cheap one will do). Some people just cannot get the hang of merging the two images and you'd hate to spend lots of money and find that you are one of them!

(2) I recommend using mid to long focal length eyepieces (>=10mm) with a binoviewer. If you want higher powers then use some kind of Barlow type lens system (whether it be a Barlow, an OCS lens from the binoviewer kit or the Denkmeier PowerSwitch system) to increase the magnification further. Doing this makes life easier for the binoviewer (because less amplification is happening within the device itself) and makes merging the two images easier. I use three pairs of eyepieces with focal lengths between 12mm and 21mm with my Denk II.

So far I've used my binoviewer with a couple of different refractors and I love it for the Moon, planets and brighter DSOs.

[skies2clear]

That's pretty good advice. I think you are on the right track with either Baader Mk V or Denk II, with the former being THE one, if you can afford it along with all the accessories you need. Cheap BV'ers need not apply in this company!

You need to ask yourself what you expect to use it for. If for brighter objects, that's fine, but for the really faint stuff, you may be dissappointed. As the previous post stated, try and look through some first if possible.

If you are expecting to use for really high powers such as planetary viewing, I honestly believe you have no choice but to get the best you can, otherwise the image quality suffers too much with the extra optical components in the light path. How much of an issue this is depends on a few things, one being how much of a purist you are and the quality of views you expect to achieve.

Clear skies.