what binoculars do you own

[Digger1895]

I use an old pair of Tasco 7x35 (if my memory is correct, they're in the car) that I won on a quiz night.

I didn't use them much until I took up this hobby about 6 months ago and now they get used every night, The Pleiades look fantastic through then, but I use them most for scanning the sky.

My father-in-law has a fantastic pair, but they're very old and very heavy.

I know their not the best for sky watching, and I wouldn't recommend them as a first pair, but as I got them for nowt I think they're pretty good.

[laservet]

Does that if you cut and paste something, need to click the "remove format" button. The pink and white one

Dave

Thanks, found the button, looks like an eraser.    I was posting from my cell phone in an airport, lesson learned.

[jbgrooves]

Just got me a pair of Pentax 20x60 PCF WP II's-bring on that Moon. Cheers, Steve

How do you like them? Not sure if I want to go that big or not but liking pentax

jb

[chops]

Steve

I've just noticed that you had a question for Matt, about the Paragon Plus' counterweight, which went unanswered. I've just realised that (after asking him to comment on my point 2 below) he's been offline for a couple of months, therefore I hope this helps you compare to the original Virgo mount.

I've just had a paragon plus mount delivered from SCS, so below are some 'unboxing / first attempt thoughts. It's supplied assembled and these are 'as supplied/ stock config'.

Whilst clearly not quite the full freedom of movement or the versatility or quality of the UA mounts which you and others use, at £120 from SCS it's a fraction of the price of these superior mounts and I think I will be happy with it, certainly steadying the viewing and relieving a lot of neck / arm ache, bar a couple of issues below.

I say *think* because it's gusting 40knots here in the far South West at the moment and it'd whip me around the head if I took it outside!), so it's not been used in anger yet.

1) at maximum extension of the counterweight, the Helios Apollo 15x70** is almost balanced, however without tension and especially at zenith / higher elevations, the binos definitely take over. the balance isn't great at low elevation, certainly nothing like the reports for the more expensive UA kit, however I have no complaints - sometimes it feels quite balanced enough for me / near the limit, works AOK and the simple cure, as you say, is to have a very gentle additional pressure applied via the 4 tension knobs. I think a little extra weight could easily be added to the counterweight, but I don't need to bother as a little tension's sufficient, plus adding more weight may further overpower the design limits of the Paragon.

**(binos just kindly replaced by FLO with zero hassle, because the IPD kept reducing as the hinge slipped, but I digress...)

2) The apollo's bush (female 1/4" socket) for the L bracket seems not to have enough space around it for the Paragon mount's 1/4" male thread, which is set into a wider disk than the gap on the apollos allows for.

I can augment it with the use of the Apollo's supplied L bracket adapter (is that what you call the bino mount?), however because of the length of the paragon L adapter, it pulls the binos a long way forward, and I can't get my face close enough to the eye pieces before the paragon mount hits my chin. I will try reversing the paragon l adapter from supplied config to see if this helps to move the binos move backwards relative to the arm. I wondered if I needed a different shaped L bracket (?) or whether you (or Matt, or anyone else) have as additional spacer / mount / adapter which allows the wider paragon's mount to mesh with the mounting port on the apollos.

3) the Paragon seems to have a 1/4 inch, rather than 3/8 tripod adapter, which is awkward as the majority of sturdier tripods (mine included) will have a 3/8 thread and therefore an adapter will reduce some of the stability it it doesn't mate perfectly.

**update before I post - whilst I mounted on a less sturdy 1/4" tripod, I removed it again just now and I realised that the Paragon is supplied with a 3/8" bush, but with a 1/4" adapter already inserted; kudos to Orion!

i) binos mounted with additional (helios) l adapter.

ii) side view of Apollos on Paragon L bracket plus Apollo L bracket. Note the length of the paragon L adapter pulls the binos a long way forward, hence using both (as others seem to do looking at other shots), but I can't get my face close enough to the eye pieces - I will try reversing the paragon l adapter from supplied config to see if this helps

iii) close up of paragon L bracket and Apollo 15x70 adapter port / bushing (not enough room for these to mate, without an additional shim / adapter between the two)

iv) underside of paragon L bracket with Apollo L bracket on it also. Again, if the paragon L bracket was shorter, this combination would work better as I'd be bald to get my eyes close enough to the eyepieces.

Now, all I need is for the wind to drop and for the sky to clear further and I'll be able to provide a decent review.

I hope this helps (and that someone cal help me with point 2 above?)

Thanks

Matthew

[chops]

Further to tonight's earlier post above, for what it's worth I got out tonight between scudding cloud, rain showers and howling winds and compared the Opticron Oregon 15x70 on the ParagonPlus (fits straight on), with my Helios Apollo 15x70:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/220207-new-binoculars-helios-apollo-15x70s-dilemma-solved/

[denis0007dl]

My powerhorse is Nikon 18x70, no other needed!

[hippie]

Bushnell 10x50 for general use, Old pair of Practica  12 x 50,   Helios 15 x 70 Astro bins   .

[MZack]

I have several makes but my favourite brand is Fujinon. My 10x70 pair are very flat almost to the edge and show tremendous views of the major clusters. I've also a pair of rubber armoured 7x50s which are heavy but superb at night and daytime. The lighter Mariner 7x50 are also very good but have smaller eyepieces. The 8x32s are my daytime choice. Most of the time I use the 10x70s on the Orion Parrallogram Mount as the eye relief is excellent and they have large eyepieces. They cost around £500 when new about 5 years ago and today retail around £700-£900 but compared to Zeiss and Leica prices they are very good value. At the lower price end of day around the £100 or below mark I found the old Meade 9x63s amazingly good with large eyepieces and eye relief. These are now made by Bresser whose 8x56 aren't bad either.

Malcolm.

[RodexMtl]

I just recently bought a Bushnell Legacy 10x50. Im startring with it....Images are clear and bright, more than nikkon, celestron, Minolta of the same range. Waterproof, fog proof. Multicoated lens. 6.5 degrees FOV, Im pretty happy with it!!!!

[DRT]

I have owned a pair of Celestron 25x70 Skymaster for a couple of years and have struggled to get on with them as the image is far too wobbly. I recently read this and other threads on binoculars and realised that 25x70 is simply too high mag for a steady hand-held image so have bought myself a pair of Pentax 8x40 PCF WP II. These look to be very well made and the image is much, much clearer and steadier than the Celestrons.

[StarSapling]

8x42's for Birding and Astronomy

10x50's, hand held or mounted, for star sweeping

20x80's, mounted (have to be), for the ultimate Milky Way experience.

[deepspacehunter]

I have 3 pair, my BIG ONES are CELESTRON 25 X 100 Skymaster.....   on a Monfrotto 475b Mount with a 501 fluid pan head,   a sweet set up indeed !!!

Mark

[brrttpaul]

nikon 8x42 that I use for birdwatching, but now I have discovered the night sky been looking for something a bit bigger, in the meantime though I am happy with the ones I have

[deepspacehunter]

CELESTRON 25 x 100 SKYMASTERs on a MANFROTTO 475B TRIPOD with a 501 PAN HEAD

Mark

[PeterW]

Helios 15x70, though mainly vann 12x36IS for daytime usage (truly one hand usable... All other bins are shaky in comparison), also some 8x40 for my son.. To keep him off canons!

Had some 25x100, but even with a big tripod they were hard to use.

Cheers

Peter

[nicoscy]

Zeiss ED Terra 8x42

Nikon Action Extreme 10x50

Canon 10x30 IS on the way

[F15Rules]

Tento 20x60 - superbly sharp over two thirds of the field. Amazing contrast

Pentax XCF 12x50- great high powrr budget handheld pair

Opticron Aspheric 8x40 - perfect for grab n go astro views and bird watching with over 8 deg field

Tasco Japan 8x40 - nice vintage wide angle bins for general purpose use

Dave

[Sven Buttler]

Canon 15x50, pretty heavy but the image stabilzation helps a lot, observing clouds in unprecedented sharpness now

[Hallelujah]

Once I get enough posts I will add them to my signature.  

Stan

[LukeSkywatcher]

I recently gave my Bresser 10x50 bins to a kid across the road. I have just replaced them with a set of Strathspey 10x50 and tonight i saw comet Lovejoy with the new 10x50.

More then happy with them.

[celestron8g8]

If all I'm doing is just doing a quick scan of the sky my 10x50s' are best but when I'm looking for good objects my Celestron 15x470s' are best . I really prefer the tripod tho . Doesn't take long for me to go to shaken with my age . But Also too when you get them focused in and scan the sky like for instant comets , they always look best when there is no shake . I really like looking at the moon too ! BRIGHT sucker the moon is ! But on a very dark night and the sky is clear the Andromeda galaxie is just beautiful in those 15x70s' !

[celestron8g8]

After we have made a post and we see a mistake and want to go back and correct is there a way to edit your post ??

[nicoscy]

The option to edit appears after a certain number of posts, 250 if I recall.

[Chris]

Down to just my William Optics 10x50 ED BA8's at the moment. Pin sharp over 80% FOV, built like a tank, and they look like they've been dipped in chocolate  

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Down to just my William Optics 10x50 ED BA8's at the moment. Pin sharp over 80% FOV, built like a tank, and they look like they've been dipped in chocolate

Doesn't that make you hungry at night (the last bit, that is)