Hi I was just browsing the Andrews website and saw this binoculars named "Giant 20 X 80 TRIPLET semi-APO binoculars". I was wondering anyone got this and how is the quality? are they worth spending 269 AUD?
Hi Haroon,
What are you intending to use them for and how ?
20 x 80 are huge binoculars, very heavy and will need a tripod or balance mount to be held for any length of time. I imagine they are pretty good nonetheless, Andrews has a good reputation to maintain.
Most people start with a pair of 10 x 50 or 12 x 50 binocs. They are big enough to be good for astro viewing but light enough to not require additional support. They will give good widefeild views but gather enough light to be able to show some brighter nebulae as small smudges.
I started with some 12x60 bins and loved them, but almost immediately wanted bigger ones. I would get 15x70 if doing it again.
But yeah, anything bigger than 10x50 you're quite definitely going to need a tripod. 20x80 will give nice views, but will be basically unusable without them. Kinda defeats the purpose - for the money you're somewhat better off with a decent starter scope like an ED80.
I don't like observing with mounted binoculars at all, unless they are higher end, 90 degree eyepiece types. The neck breaking experience isn't something I enjoy.
I had a pair of 15x70's that were heavy and needed mounting. I used them for a few months and then sold them off. To me, the brilliance of binocular observing is at the small light weight end with something like 10x50's that can be held and used comfortably.
A good pair of 10x50's is the way to go if you don't already have a pair. For larger aperture such as 80mm a refractor setup is a more comfortable experience.
I agree that something like 10x50s are ideal for overall ease of use, as they can be hand-held nice and steady - and they're also useful for daytime / terrestrial / marine use.
I love my 15x70s for their extra magnification and light grasp, but they require some stabilisation, especially for extended use. I find the trick is to hold them near their Centre of Gravity, which is nearer to the objectives than the "natural" hand-hold location near the prisms. I grasp them on the tapering tubes, rather than on the main pivoting body, and then with the rubber eye-cups pressed against my face, they are pretty steady and balance quite well.
I can use them hand-held quite happily for short periods, sitting in a camping chair, or leaning against a wall or post, with my elbows tucked into my chest, but after a few seconds, I will start to get the shakes (especially when looking overhead). I prefer to use them with a telescoping Monopod, which I can adjust in height and angle to suit whatever viewing angle I need. This works well for me, but it's not as convenient as just grabbing the 10x50s.
I agree that for anything with more than 15 x magnification, and / or bigger than a 70 mm objective, I would need a serious mount to be able to use them effectively.
Thank you guys for the advice I have decided to buy 12 X 50 ... I just wanted to get good binoculars before buying the telescope as I am still learning the sky but I don't want to use tripod for the binoculars.
Cool. Good choice, you'll love them for astronomy and they're a great size for daytime use too.
The first time I aimed my first pair of binoculars at Jupiter and saw the Galilean moons arrayed either side... I was immediately, helplessly hooked. Happy to say that four telescopes later I'm still hooked.
If you have a tripod already, it's very much worth buying a cheap tripod adapter for them - like $10 on eBay. Even the steadiest hands wobble a little. Having them perfectly steady makes a huge difference to how clearly you can see things, particularly very faint objects like nebulae.
Hi I was just browsing the Andrews website and saw this binoculars named "Giant 20 X 80 TRIPLET semi-APO binoculars". I was wondering anyone got this and how is the quality? are they worth spending 269 AUD?
Haroon,
That is the first time I have seen a triplet lens referred to as semi-APO, normally a triplet is APO.
For larger aperture such as 80mm a refractor setup is a more comfortable experience.
Not in my experience. I will take our 25 x 150 Fujinons mounted on a computer controlled motorised Sky Rover Star chair each and every time, over any small refractor set up, in terms of what you can see and comfort.
Not a cheap entry to binocular observing but a very comfortable and enjoyable one.
Not in my experience. I will take our 25 x 150 Fujinons mounted on a computer controlled motorised Sky Rover Star chair each and every time, over any small refractor set up, in terms of what you can see and comfort.
Not a cheap entry to binocular observing but a very comfortable and enjoyable one.
Definitely looks like a comfortable way to observe the skies If only I could handle that exit pupil :/ At 27 anything over 4.75mm is quite displeasing :/
Hi Haroon,
I would not go any larger than 15 x 70. This size is about the limit for hand holding. Please see the review on this website under "Equipment Reviews" . Binoculars > Andrews 15 x 70s.
Cheers,
John W
Need Advice regarding this binoculars
If only I could handle that exit pupil :/ At 27 anything over 4.75mm is quite displeasing :/
