Bausch & Lomb 20x80 Astronomical Binocular

[Etoille]

Just seen a pair of these for sale. Are they worth considering?

From USA, approx £143 with £50 shipping making a total of approx £200.

Seems to be a positive opinion about them here:

http://www.freebinocularsinfo.com/bausch-lomb.html

[BinocularSky]

Seems to be a positive opinion about them here:

http://www.freebinocularsinfo.com/bausch-lomb.html

Is that the correct link? I don't see anything about the 20x80 there.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Bausch & Lomb no longer make the big bins for astronomy. I have seen a pair of 11x80s on eBay for $799. The only Bausch & Lomb optics I have used was a microscope, which was excellent.

[Etoille]

Is that the correct link? I don't see anything about the 20x80 there.

Sorry, here is the actual sellers info:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-BAUSCH-LOMB-20-X-80-ASTRONOMICAL-BINOCULARS-NO-LONGER-MADE-/251073381459?pt=Binocular&hash=item3a7523c453

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

This does look like an older design. The 54 deg apparent FOV is small by modern standards, but it may be sharp edge to edge. There is a bit of dust on the optics, but nothing that sets off any alarm bells. The price looks good. I just checked out a new pair of 20 X 80 Triplet Semi APO bins which cost just 179 euro, and have 67 deg apparent FOV, or 3.35 deg true FOV (2.7 for the B&L). The quality may differ of course.

[Etoille]

Did notice that dust too. Hoping it was just on the outside. Which bins did you check out?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

These were by Robtics, but you can find the same type under many brand names.