7x50 bins?

[neltek]

Hi

First post on here

I have a TAL-1 and Celestron 15x70 bins (somewhere)

and a couple of cheap sets of binoculars from 7 day shop... 10x42 waterproof roof prism and 10x50 porros

I am looking for new binoculars with better optics

I think I have narrowed the choice down to :

7x50 size

# Helios Fieldmaster (£50)

# Helios Naturesport Plus (£80)

# Nikon Action VII (£80)

# Opticron Imagic TGA WP (£130)

Does anyone have any of these ?

Would the opticrons really be worth the extra cash and why?

Thoughts?

regards

[garethmob]

iv got the 8 X 42 optricon aspherics. iv had a go with a 7X50 and i'll be honest i actually prefrerd the view through the 8x42, they have a fairly wide FOV and pin sharp across neally all of the image

i had mine off FLO for £69

otherwise i would go for the optricons after this experience and my past experience with "budget bins" never again! they just feel quailty and soo light

make sure you have the correct size for the Opticron Imagic TGA WP as flo price them as £159

[neltek]

Thanks for the reply

oh confused ...

the price is £135 at Sherwoods - just checked

The ones you have are £67 there

Surely the smaller objectives are not so good for astronomy?

[garethmob]

I actually find them better. Iv seen more objects in these than my scope They also won the sky at night review. they are great bins. Better than my 10x50s it seems brighter even though there's less light. Obviously the optiocons will beat these iv got as their better coated and japinease lens but they are half the price

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tribal-Wolf]

I found 7x50s a bit lacking for astronomy tbh. 10x50 is as low a mag as I tend to go but my brother likes his 7x50s.

[garethmob]

probally the best question is what do you wish to use them for?

[Peter Drew]

Pick up any pre 1950@s book on binocular astronomy and it will recommend a 7 X 50. Those were the days when skies were much darker than now. These days, with the current light pollution problems 10 X 50 iis preferred. The extra magnification darkens the field to show fainter stars but is still manageable hand held. Ultimately, quality counts and the more expensive versions of a similar size are usually the best. I have an Opticron 10 X 50 Elite, heavy but superb images and wide field of view.

[neltek]

Hi

I live in the countryside with no lights in the village.

I am tempted to go for 10x50 but as I have the 15x70 then I am thinking 7x50 would be a brighter image...and easier to hand hold

my 7dayshop 10x50 are rubbish

my 7dayshop 10x42 waterproof are roof prism and not bad but not great either

So basically trying to get some decent optics whilst not breaking the bank to get it...

Initially I was aiming for spending £50 ish

and the £80 Nikon that was suggested by Sherwood's seemed to be too much

The Nikon's seem good and get good reviews - think they have aspherical lenses too?

However, having thought about it, if the more expensive models will be much better then I could probably move to £135 ish...

I am tempted by the Imagic Opticrons at that price partly as they seem to sell for £40 more elsewhere...and were recommended on another board...

However, I am trying to assess which will be the best quality and if the extra cash will result in a noticeable difference.

I will try and get a look at the Opticron and Nikon at the same shop but just am after some real world advice

Gaz:

you said above:

"I actually find them better. Iv seen more objects in these than my scope They also won the sky at night review. they are great bins. Better than my 10x50s it seems brighter even though there's less light. Obviously the optiocons will beat these iv got as their better coated and japinease lens but they are half the price "

You mention th Opticrons will beat these? You have Opticrons so I'm a bit confused?

i.e. which ones will beat which ones?

Ian

[garethmob]

Ahhh sorry for the confusion. The optrocons you mentioned will beat mine as they are in another league but they are twice the price

One that seems to get good reviews is the Olympus but im not sure what size as I'm in work now on my

Phone

One thing to remember a bino has 2 eyepieces and optics. A eyepiece fore your scope is one so your paying for slightly lower quality with budget bins for the same price as a decent eyepeice so so quailty has to take the hit My mistake when i bought the rockwells as they were a waste of money for me

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ismangil]

I have 10x50 Helios NatureSport Plus.

I like it very much, very bright.

I can see M13, Double Cluster etc from my light polluted Sheffield back garden.

Perry

[ollypenrice]

Pick up any pre 1950@s book on binocular astronomy and it will recommend a 7 X 50. Those were the days when skies were much darker than now. These days, with the current light pollution problems 10 X 50 iis preferred. The extra magnification darkens the field to show fainter stars but is still manageable hand held. Ultimately, quality counts and the more expensive versions of a similar size are usually the best. I have an Opticron 10 X 50 Elite, heavy but superb images and wide field of view.

Very interesting point from Peter. I like 7 and 8 by 50 here (though I don't have any myself) but it is very dark and maybe that's why.

Olly

[Tribal-Wolf]

I had a pair of Regent bins bought from argos when I was about 14 and I was quite surprised how good the optics were back then. Quality will make all the difference up to the point where slight shakiness takes over then unless you use a stable tripod expensive bins will be overkill.

[neltek]

I'm working away at the moment and on my way from Manchester to Leeds earlier I stopped by Stockport where there's a nice optics shop.

Very helpful chap let me have a play with various models.

I had a look at the Opticron Aspheric 8x40, Opticron Imagic 7x50 & 8x40, and Helios Naturesport 8x40,10x50 and Helios Fieldmaster 10x50

I liked the Opticron and Helios Naturesport.

I think the Opticron was slightly better.

He suggested 8x40 or 10x50 rather than 7x50 because of exit pupil size where the 7x50 will be approx 7mm and at my age (40's) my pupil size will be approx 5mm...

He also said he uses 8x50 roof prism Opticron Discovery WP PC !!!

Unfortunately he didn't have any of those...

So the Naturesport were very close to the Opticron

However as the Naturesport is £99 and the Opticron is £135 (£170 at Stockport shop) I am still very tempted to get the Opticron Imagic TGA WP 7x50

Any thoughts on the 8x40, 8x50, 7x50, 10x50 exit pupil thing?

[p.s. where do I edit my signature??]

[Peter Drew]

I overlooked the exit pupil issue, this could be significant at an age of 40+, too large an exit pupil and you will be wasting light.

[neltek]

He started off suggesting 8x40

or 10x50 for that reason

Although he did say 7x50 will probably be brighter overall - even with 7mm exit pupil

than the 8x40?

[ollypenrice]

True about the exit pupil.

Olly

[neltek]

Ok this is difficult

In theory then as I am 42, my pupil size in the dark is about 5mm

One source suggests I need 5mm or more exit pupil size

However another theory says that all other things being equal, a 7mm exit pupil will be dimmer than a 5mm exit pupil

So it might be worth looking at 5mm exit pupil binoculars...

My query then says would the 5mm exit pupil and hence brighter image from 8x42 bins be a bigger factor than the 7mm exit pupil (hence dimmer image) from 7x50 binoculars - recognising that the 50mm objective lens will gather more light than the 42mm objective

i.e. where I have a 5mm pupil

which would be brighter

7x50 or 8x42?

If they would be very similar in brightness then 8x42 may be the way to go as it gives a wider FOV and lighter bins (and cheaper)

one web quote i found says:

Do you know how large your eye pupils are?

Under dark conditions, if your eye pupils open to 7mm, you would be able to use the full exit pupil from most all binoculars. BUT, if your eye pupils don't get any larger than 4mm or 5mm, it won't do you any good to carry around the extra weight of the glass needed to provide a very large exit pupil. 12x60, 10x50 and 8x40 are all examples of 5mm exit pupil binoculars. 20x80 has a 4mm exit pupil. 10x60 has a 6mm exit pupil. 10x70 has a 7mm exit pupil. 7x50 has a 7.1mm exit pupil.

If you have eye pupils that dilate only to 5mm and you use a 10x70 binocular that has a 7mm exit pupil, your smaller eye pupil cuts the effective aperture to 50mm and eliminates all the light outside that. You can pretty easily have someone help you measure your eye pupils in a fairly dark room. An easy method is to use a strip of paper with a series of dot sizes, sliced thru the middle of all the dots

which suggests aiming for 50mm objective lenses with 7mm exit pupil when my eyes are likely 5mm then my eyes would reduce the objective to smaller anyway e.g. 40mm so why not buy 40mm...

some web articles I found (just don't really address the difference in brightness the 7mm and 5mm exit pupils have on a 5mm pupil)

Binoculars, Astronomy, and Exit Pupils - How To

Understanding Binocular Exit Pupils | Gary Seronik.com

Rating Binoculars | Gary Seronik.com