Go Back   IceInSpace > Equipment > Equipment Discussions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread
  #1  
Old 29-08-2021, 04:41 PM
dewo's Avatar
dewo (Dean)
Registered User

dewo is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 19
Better quality binoculars worth it?

Hi all,
I have a pair of 11x56 binoculars which have been ok (AOE branded). Being 11x they are a little tricky to keep steady so I'm thinking of getting something a little more manageable, 10x50s perhaps. I'm not interested using a tripod/mount.

My question is, all other things being equal (aperture, magnification) what noticeable differences do you get by spending more for higher quality/better brand binos? Is it just sharpness of stars? I've always wondered what people get when paying Swarovski prices!

Cheers,
Dean
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 29-08-2021, 06:32 PM
astro744
Registered User

astro744 is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,244
Binoculars are a very personal choice perhaps more so than eyepieces and yes the more expensive ones are made better but whether it’s worth it for you only you can answer. From the high end expect a bright, sharp, flat field with no chromatic aberration. I’ve never had the pleasure to look through Swarovski so I cannot comment on those. However there are many excellent binoculars in the low hundreds of dollars, perhaps too many to choose from.

My collection includes the following:

Vixen 7x42 Ultima. A beautiful small lightweight set for birding or astronomy. The colour is a unique warm tone I cannot fully explain other than I like it. Apparent field is 49 deg.

Orion 9x63 mini giant. Again beautiful flat 5 deg field. 45 deg apparent may not appear wide on paper but looking through these it is plenty. The image is bright even in daytime which puzzles me if your pupil is not at max in the day to match the 7mm offered by the binocular. Colours are neutral.

Celestron 15x70. Bought these used and have two glass solar filters for them. 15x is too much for me to hand hold. I use them so little I cannot even remember what the views are like but nothing bad.

Carson 10x42 3D Series ED. These are fantastic for birding and astronomy with a bit more power than my Vixen. Colours are neutral. Binoculars are very compact and come with a nice case that acts like lens covers. These are my only roof prism binoculars. Apparent field is 52 deg. which is nice and not only that is reasonably sharp. (Looks wider than 52 deg.).

10x25mm binoculars from Dick Smith store. Something for the glove box in the car. Images OK but too dim.

10x50 pair from AustraliaPost shop. I bought for my young daughter as she was interested in birding. I would have been better off buying something else. Firstly they have a blue tint to the image because of the coatings on the glass. Yuk! Secondly they came out of collimation. I let her use my Vixen when we go birding as she likes them a lot.

Others I’ve tried (shop front) but not used.

Steiner 7x50. (Not sure which model) about 1986. Always wanted a pair as the image was that memorable.

Bought and dropped breaking a prism.
OPSM 7x50. All I could afford when comparing to Steiner. Converted to home made straight through finder scopes. As a first binocular they served me well.

Last edited by astro744; 30-08-2021 at 04:25 PM. Reason: Corrected apparent field.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 29-08-2021, 11:54 PM
Renato1 (Renato)
Registered User

Renato1 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Frankston South
Posts: 1,262
If you are having trouble keeping your 11x56 steady, I'm not fond of sticking binoculars on tripods and sitting behind them either. But, if you stick them on a tripod and hold the binoculars via the tripod legs, you can use the binoculars like you always do (pointing anywhere), and they are steadier because of the extra mass.

I can't really answer your question about really expensive binoculars on the sky because I have astigmatism and there's a limit to how well I can see.

But many years back I went looking for better 10x50 binoculars than what I had at a store in Melbourne. The chap handed me a $200 Nikon pair and I looked across the street at people walking. Nice enough image.
Then he handed me a $400 Meade pair - looked at the people, nicer image.
Then he handed me a $1000 pair - looked at the people, even nicer image.
Then he handed me a $2400 pair of 10X40 Leicas - looked at the people, and I automatically dodged to the side because my brain interpretted the person walking into me as real, rather than as an image.

And so I finally knew why people were paying big buck for binoculars. I did try expensive Zeiss ones in another store, but didn't get the same effect.

There is one aspect of binoculars I do not understand though. Because of my astigmatism when I look through binoculars with a 5mm or 7mm exit pupil the stars have spikes unless I stick eyeglass corrector lenses on them.

So I have a pair of 7x50 Fujinons which I don't like much because of the spikes. But I have an earlier pair of 7X50 Fuji Meibos which I do like with less spikes.
And similarly, I have a then fairly expensive pair of Nikon 10x70s which I didn't like (had to put lens correctors on them) versus a pair of Orion 9x63 which are really good without correctors.

The closest pairs in terms of image quality to those Leica 10X40s I mentioned are my 10X40 Vanguard Endeavour IV ED which I bought from a chap here, and my 8X33 Minox HG.

That said, the pair I often use here, and nearly all the time when on vacation in Europe, is my Celestron 15X70s - but I don't have much trouble hand holding them.
Regards,
Renato

Last edited by Renato1; 30-08-2021 at 03:38 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 30-08-2021, 02:21 AM
RogerLightyear (Roger)
Registered User

RogerLightyear is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 9
I have pair of Bushnell Legend L Series 10x42 which I use for birds and a little sky watching if I can hold still. I got them for a bit under $300 and I think those or a similar competitor model were on sale not long after for closer to $200. They've been great but I'm telescope shopping for astro
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-09-2021, 03:20 PM
dewo's Avatar
dewo (Dean)
Registered User

dewo is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by astro744 View Post
Binoculars are a very personal choice perhaps more so than eyepieces and yes the more expensive ones are made better but whether it’s worth it for you only you can answer. From the high end expect a bright, sharp, flat field with no chromatic aberration. I’ve never had the pleasure to look through Swarovski so I cannot comment on those. However there are many excellent binoculars in the low hundreds of dollars, perhaps too many to choose from.
That's quite a collection you have there! Thanks for the detailed post, what a great overview of various models.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-09-2021, 03:22 PM
dewo's Avatar
dewo (Dean)
Registered User

dewo is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 19
Quote:
Originally Posted by Renato1 View Post
...if you stick them on a tripod and hold the binoculars via the tripod legs, you can use the binoculars like you always do (pointing anywhere), and they are steadier because of the extra mass.
That's a great tip, I will definitely try it! So it does seem that more money = better optics = better views. Might have to try that in a shop someday myself, when that becomes possible again! Thanks.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-09-2021, 05:02 PM
Rainmaker's Avatar
Rainmaker (Matt)
Strictly Visual......

Rainmaker is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Canberra
Posts: 581
I only have a couple of binoculars these days, the Miyauchi EXLD 8x42ED and Nikon Monarch7. Both have nice optics, but not quite the same as my previous Swarovski binos.

The key to astro use of binoculars is being able to keep them steady, I like to use tall monopod.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-09-2021, 10:08 PM
ausastronomer (John Bambury)
Registered User

ausastronomer is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Shoalhaven Heads, NSW
Posts: 2,618
I have had the privilege of using binoculars over many years that cover the full spectrum, from tiny tots to absolute monsters, from Cheap Chinese dogs do do, to the creme de la creme. I can go from the 8 x 32 Nikon SE, which are an exquisite small binocular for birdwatching, to the 22"/F5 Binocular telescope we have as part of our 3RF arsenal in storage at Peter Reads SDM telescopes. We currently have in active use (pre COVID) as part of our 3RF kit a 12"/F5 binocular telescope and a pair of 25 x 150 Fujinons mounted on an electric powered star chair, which is a $20k piece of kit, with matching quality views. I can't hand hold either of those.

I much prefer to hand hold smaller binoculars and I have found 2 things are critical to hand holding binoculars comfortably for longer periods.

1. The correct technique and this is absolutely critical. Over 50% of people who use binoculars for astronomy aren't aware of the best techniques to enable them to be hand held more easily. I'll expand on this later!

2. The design and weight of the binoculars is really important, as is the magnification, but the aperture is not so important. For instance a well designed 12 x 60 that weighs 800 gms can be far easier to hand hold than a 10 x 50 that weighs 1.2kg.

I can easily hand hold my Pentax 16 x 60 PCF WP and a friends Pentax 20 x 60 PCF WP. The 16 x 60 Pentax's weigh about 1.3kg, so they are pretty light for what they are and very well designed ergonomically.

I have had the good fortune and the despair, of having spent quite a while one evening with a pair of Zeiss 20 x 60 Image Stabilised binoculars. These are worth North of $14k and are optically the best binoculars I have ever used, and the list includes some pretty good ones. They are also the most frustrating binoculars I have ever used, as they are built like everything German made (think Tank) and weigh almost 3kg. You could drive nails in with them and not break them, but the downside is that Arnold Schwarzenegger could not hand hold them for more than 20 seconds and he would struggle to keep them still for 5 seconds.

There are a couple of techniques to hand holding binoculars. I've found the best method is hold your elbows together, under the binoculars and pulled back into your belly. This reduces the leverage that the binoculars have on the stable part of your body by half. In addition, don't hold them by the prism housings, which is usually the first place everyone tries to hold them. Hold them toward the end of the lens barrel housing, just behind the lenses. This works for me. One of my long time friends and noted author on binocular astronomy, Phil Harrington recommended this to me many years ago and it works very well for me. It may not work for everyone. There's a couple of other methods which include wrapping the strap up and using that for stability and also using both hands on the one lens barrel, one under and one over.

Experiment with some different techniques before you dump those 11 x 56 binos. With a change of technique they may well be suitable. As an aside, for many years I used a pair of 10 x 50's as my "spotter" binos when out with the telescope, but in recent years I have downsized to pair of Japanese made 10 x 42 Leupold's, which I really love.

Cheers
John B
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-09-2021, 08:07 PM
Renato1 (Renato)
Registered User

Renato1 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Frankston South
Posts: 1,262
Quote:
Originally Posted by dewo View Post
That's a great tip, I will definitely try it! So it does seem that more money = better optics = better views. Might have to try that in a shop someday myself, when that becomes possible again! Thanks.
Maybe you can do the in-the-shop binocular exercise when our vaccination rate hits 120 or 130%.

Viewing through binoculars sitting behind a tripod is definitely good for when objects aren't too far overhead. When I do indeed do that, I actually mount the binoculars backwards so that the panning handle is aimed away from me, rather than it digging into my chest.

And having done that, I then pick the tripod up and look at where all the other interesting things are over head.
Regards,
Renato
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-09-2021, 08:51 PM
ab1963 (Andrew)
Refractors-That’s It

ab1963 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Rangeville, Toowoomba
Posts: 440
Quality binoculars worth every penny i only have one set now 8X32 Swarovski EL's and they do everything better than any binoculars i have ever had plenty of er no finicky eye placement and razor sharp across the whole fov no second guessing if you're in focus as all good equipment they just do and 8X being the ideal magnification for astronomy and general hand held use IMHO i do not think you can beat them hence the price tag the closest other brand binoculars i have owned were the Minox HG's they were excellent but eye placement was a little awkward
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 07-09-2021, 09:16 PM
Bobbyoutback's Avatar
Bobbyoutback
Registered User

Bobbyoutback is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Broken Hill
Posts: 361
I've got a love for super wide angle binoculars but these days it's hard to buy anything greater then 9.3 deg

Have managed to score some wonderful early Japanese extra wide angle models from 10deg up ' with my all time favorite being a pair of Swift 7x35 super doopers from the 1970's with a 12deg field of view !

Sadly I've bought a few that were out of collimation ' they now live their life in a dark cupboard .

As for a recommendation ~ The Nikon 7x35 Aculon & 7x35 Action are good value , I have both ' the Action model being superior .

Good Luck with your quest
Bobby .
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
binoculars

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +10. The time is now 03:37 AM.

Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.7 | Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Advertisement
Testar
Advertisement
Bintel
Advertisement