what binoculars do you own

[CraigT82]

Being mostly blind in one eye I don't use bins,  but I do have one half of a broken pair of Barr and Stroud 10x50s that I use as a monocular.

Came across an eBay ad for the two halfs which had been broken down the middle and I snapped (pun intended) up the half with the focuser for £8 posted, no idea if he managed to sell the other half! Surprisingly it was in pretty good collimatiom on arrival. Never found out how he snapped them 🤷‍♂️

[rocdoc]

Hi everyone,

 I'm actually new here, so, hi!

 I have recently switched to a full Oberwerk lineup for my binoculars. If you're not familiar with this company, what sets it apart is that the QC is actually done at the headquarters and point of online sale, by the founder and owner. In this low- to mid-market price range, it's what makes the biggest difference in my mind, so until I get rich and start shopping for $3k Leicas, this is where I'll get my goods. 

 I have a Sport ED 8x42 for handheld and for whenever I want to mix in some terrestrial use; a 10x50 Ultra, for hand held reclining in a good chair, or on a monopod with trigger grip head; and a 25x100 Deluxe IF for mounted use, when I want a serious DSO session. These go on a spring-loaded video head (also from Oberwerk) on a good tripod, or on a Farpoint parallelogram mount. Currently eyeing the 20x65 Deluxe ED for better image and an intermediate size and weight to add in there. 

Clear skies!

[oldfruit]

8 X 42, 15 X 80, 20 X 90.

[callisto]

A Russian pair of 10x50's I got on my 21st birthday.......they are still in immaculate condition and are now 29 years old 😩

[jcj380]

Nikon Aculon 10x50s.  These are my main binos now since I tossed my never-able-to-be-well-collimated Celestron Skymaster 15x70s in the bin.  I'm considering a pair of Oberwerk 15x70 Deluxe as a replacement.

I also have a pair of US Navy issue 1943 or so 7x50s.  Optical quality is very good, but they're quite heavy compared to my others.

And my wife has a pair of Opticron 8x25s for nature watching that I snitch now and then.  They're surprisingly good little binos - compact, light, and quite sharp.

 

Edited August 31, 2020 by jcj380

[jschner]

Meade 11x80s - rubberized and heavy. 
Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 8x42
DIY parallelogram - pic added - Note - remove the eyepiece cover before you remove the objective cover when projecting the sun.  

Edited December 13, 2020 by jschner

[martin77]

I use a pair of Celestron Skymaster 20 x 80s with a tripod - huge things that the captain of an Aircraft carrier would probably use but easily manageable with a decent tripod though i definitely recommend using a chair with the set-up.

[martin77]

On 31/08/2020 at 17:33, jcj380 said:

Nikon Aculon 10x50s.  These are my main binos now since I tossed my never-able-to-be-well-collimated Celestron Skymaster 15x70s in the bin.  I'm considering a pair of Oberwerk 15x70 Deluxe as a replacement.

I also have a pair of US Navy issue 1943 or so 7x50s.  Optical quality is very good, but they're quite heavy compared to my others.

And my wife has a pair of Opticron 8x25s for nature watching that I snitch now and then.  They're surprisingly good little binos - compact, light, and quite sharp.

 

I`ve got the Aculon 12 x 50s that i use for air shows etc but i am not that in love with them to be honest.

[Merlin]

I don’t really have a “favourite” binocular, just a selection from 10x25’s to 25x70’s  for different applications. In terms of quality, the very best bins I had  were 7x50’s, bought in a secondhand shop for £18.

The bins were of the Porro-type and in mint condition with independent eyepiece focussing. There was no maker’s name, just a serial number. I sent the number to Frank’s of Glasgow. They replied and told me I had  a German naval glass. They didn’t look like military binoculars and the optics were superb.

[Alfian]

18 hours ago, Merlin said:

I don’t really have a “favourite” binocular, just a selection from 10x25’s to 25x70’s  for different applications. In terms of quality, the very best bins I had  were 7x50’s, bought in a secondhand shop for £18.

The bins were of the Porro-type and in mint condition with independent eyepiece focussing. There was no maker’s name, just a serial number. I sent the number to Frank’s of Glasgow. They replied and told me I had  a German naval glass. They didn’t look like military binoculars and the optics were superb.

Some very decent binos can be picked up in S/H shops/charity shops. In the last couple of years or so I've  picked up  mint Japanese Greenkat 10x50s for £25 and Asahi Pentax 8x30s in v/g condition for £20. Both have really nice optics, are very sturdy well built binos in quality hard cases. The Pentax binos are really handy to have round my neck when out for a walk. Not much opportunity at the moment for browsing the shops but when the time comes its worth a look - sometimes we get lucky.

[bryand]

I have a pair of Helios 20x100s which I use on an AZ5 mount; a pair of Opticon Oregon 15x70s which I can't really hand-hold, so rarely get used, and a new pair of Nikon Action EX 10x50s which are my favourites for daylight use. 

I really prefer centre-focus types for convenience, despite the arguments that individual focus types are more robust.  Convenience and ease of use are what binoculars are all about for me.

[AstroNebulee]

I have a pair of prinzlux 7x50 binoculars bought for me by my mum and dad, that I've had since I was in the old YOC club at primary school (I'm 47 now!) they are still as sharp as ever even after taking the prisms out to give them a good clean, they've been through the wars a bit but I find them absolutely fantastic for quickly getting out of the case and peering through them during a quick patch of clear sky, an essential piece of kit for a amateur astronomer I think. 

Edited February 7, 2021 by LeeHore7
Add photo

[Andrew stuart]

Well I thought I would offer my experience. As an avid amateur astronomer I have never really used binoculars, that is until the arrival, today, of a pair of Celestron Skymaster 12x60’s. where have I been! A quick break in the clouds this evening, grabbed the bins bolted to a spare monopod and voila an amazing FOV, the night sky lit up with clusters in clear view.  I even made sight of Andromeda, faint but all there. Just out of interest a lot of reviews state they often arrive needing collimating. They worked perfectly out of the box 👍very happy. 

[Space Hopper]

I've been a long time Canon 15x50is owner, but in the last 2 years, whenever i've been out for a quick binocular session i reach for my Fujinon 7x50s

I purchased them used on here a few years ago (the previous owner may recognise them!) and they provide lovely sharp, crisp views of the stars.

Maybe a touch heavy, but really solidly built and lovely quality. This pair dates from 2002.

 

[johnbaz]

A few recent additions!

I got these off ebay and described as 'Working well', In truth they were far out of collimation, I messaged the seller, Then again a week later and gave another week but no reply so I left negative feedback and put a claim in for my money back, It happened a couple of weeks later, Last night I was pondering putting them in the bin but had a look through my loupe to find the adjisting screws, Found two and uncovered the black plastic from them, I couldn't find the other two on the underside but I noticed that there was a slight gap where the left objective bell screws in to the body, It took loads of removing as it was badly cross threaded, Also, There was something like dried glue on the threads, Some had come off inside the prism chamber, I blew most out but some seemed stuck!, I had several attempts to get the threads aligned and eventually managed it, It was overcast last night so no chance of trying them on the moon so I went outside and was amazed at the improvement!, I looked at cars at the top of the road and they were in full focus!!

Swift 10x50 Tecnar, There's still bits of black stuff inside!

 

 

Nikon 9x25 compacts, These are cracking little pocket bins!!

 

 

Yashica 8x40..

 

 

Bushnell 10x42 Birding series..

 

Swift Trilyte 8x40 mk3

 

 

 

John 👍

Edited February 24, 2021 by johnbaz

[Jason B]

Got these old 10x50 Hanimex bins (never heard of that make either!)  for 8 English pounds from ebay last week! Thought  to myself that you can't go wrong for that price and  I can give them to my son if they're not much cop, but I think I hit lucky.  They are actually great and in decent condition .  Crisp views and I've also found them great to use as a finder for my 200p Dob.  Located Andromeda easily with them,  then lined the Dob up... Really easy!  Always, struggled to find it using the straight through finderscope attached to the scope. Wish I'd got a pair of bins ages ago. Great views of the moon,  Orion nebula,  pleiades and a few others.  Even took them to the beach at the weekend and they were great there too.  Might even look further into binoviewing now. 

[Nakedgun]

10x50s at scope-side can be very helpful, not to mention great for observing in their own right.

[cupton]

Added some Pentax 20x60's to the Astronomy set. So now my primary astro binos are my Vortex Diamondback 10x50's for most nights and the more specialized Pentax 20x60's for when I have a specific target in mind. Been cloudy for weeks here, so not much time behind them yet. 

[Nigeyboy]

I have two pairs:

Miranda 10x50's that I purchased from Jessops to observe Hale-Bopp in 1996! They are battered and worn, but still work!

Celestron Skymaster 20x80's. Got these a couple of years ago and I love them. I can happily hand hold them for fairly long periods. Best £100 I have spent!

[Pixies]

23 hours ago, Jason B said:

Got these old 10x50 Hanimex bins (never heard of that make either!)  for 8 English pounds from ebay last week! Thought  to myself that you can't go wrong for that price and  I can give them to my son if they're not much cop, but I think I hit lucky.  They are actually great and in decent condition .  Crisp views and I've also found them great to use as a finder for my 200p Dob.  Located Andromeda easily with them,  then lined the Dob up... Really easy!  Always, struggled to find it using the straight through finderscope attached to the scope. Wish I'd got a pair of bins ages ago. Great views of the moon,  Orion nebula,  pleiades and a few others.  Even took them to the beach at the weekend and they were great there too.  Might even look further into binoviewing now. 

 

Can you take a close-up around the end indicated, looking at any text/stamping present. Do they say 'made in Japan'? They look like a very common pattern of Japanese bins from 60s-70s

Are they 10x50 "triple tested"?

[Jason B]

2 hours ago, Pixies said:

Can you take a close-up around the end indicated, looking at any text/stamping present. Do they say 'made in Japan'? They look like a very common pattern of Japanese bins from 60s-70s

Are they 10x50 "triple tested"?

These have korea stamped on them.  Not sure about triple tested? Still a good find for the price. 

[Nigeyboy]

Hanimex used to make cameras. About 35 years ago, I had a 35mm compact camera for Christmas. It was a major upgrade from my little Halina 110!!

[johnbaz]

Hi all

I went and bought these Zeiss Dekarem 10x50 today for a tenner, They're really cosmetically challenged but boy!- They're nice to look through and are dated between 1965 and 1969 according to the serial number

When I got them through markentplace on facey the eyepiece lenses were really dirty, When I looked rthrough the objective lenses it really showed, I thought it was internal but when I cleaned the eyepiece lenses the bins became really bright and clear, They have a fabulous smell to them too, Several of my bins have the same smell, Not sure if it's the lubricants!!

 

There was no lens caps or case, I have a spare case that fits them fine, I'll have to see if I have any lenscaps now 👍

 

 

 

John 🙂

 

 

[A40farinagolf]

On 22/04/2020 at 17:52, osbourne one-nil said:

At the moment, I have these...mostly as a result of trying to decide what works best for me, but something will have to go at some point.....probably. 

Superb collection, I couldn't part with any of those, of the 3 pairs I'd expect the L series Canon IS to best suit me. Which do you prefer and why? 

[Stardaze]

I’ve recently bought the Nikon 10x50’s and Helios 15x70’s so the Bushnell 10x42’s will be kept for compact convenience no doubt. Wasn’t sure whether to invest in a more expensive pair of 15x70’s but really impressed with the Stellar ii’s as my first pair this size. Used the Nikon’s last night and cold do with adding a bino bandit I think having got used to it with the Helios. Should be sorted from here. 

Edited April 23, 2021 by Stardaze