Meade 10 x 50

[Spacerock]

Hi. I'm new to stargazing and am looking for a cheapish pair of binos for portable gazing . Telescope House Have these for a great price.

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Stargazers_10x50_Binoculars_Starter_Pack.html

Is this a good option? If not, what would you recommend?

[LukeSkywatcher]

Meade is the American parent of European Bresser. Bresser 10x50 bins are held in high regard for their cheap price/good performance (if you get a good pair from Lidl when they sell them).

A few months ago someone asked about the same bin starter pack and i think the general opinion was that for the price it was good value and worth the gamble.

[Spacerock]

Brilliant. Cheers Luke.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Even the added extras come to more then £40. The bins are identical to my Bresser 10x50 that i paid 18 euro for alone in Lidl.

[Spacerock]

Ordered. I'll let you know how I get on.

[LukeSkywatcher]

A red LED torch is essential gear, Planisphere is also a great bit of kit and Phillips guides are also really good.

Let us know how the bins perform.

[rory]

i had a pair of meade 10x50. not great imo, i sold them on . i hear good things about strathspey .

http://www.strathspey.co.uk/

sorry , just noticed youve ordered some , im sure they will be fine , i perhaps had a bad set.

let us know how they perform .

[LukeSkywatcher]

i had a pair of meade 10x50. not great imo, i sold them on . i hear good things about strathspey .

http://www.strathspey.co.uk/

sorry , just noticed youve ordered some , im sure they will be fine , i perhaps had a bad set.

let us know how they perform .

I have a pair of 20x90 Strathspey. Great bins, but not cheap. The 10x50 bins from the same company won the Sky@night review a couple of years ago.

[onesmallstep]

Hi and welcome to SGL

I've used the Meade 10x50s so can vouch for them, they are excellent bins for the price. I only downgraded to the 7x50s in my sig due to my eye defect and the 10x mag was causing eyestrain.

HTH!

[cantab]

This is a similar set of equipment to my own, my binos being Bresser badged.

The binoculars are OK. You get what you pay for, and they're cheap, so I think there's no issues with value for money, and they've got a wider field of view than some other budget offerings. I believe however their aperture is a bit stopped down, they're more like 10x40 really. Among cheap binoculars I don't think they're unique in this respect.

The 5 inch planisphere isn't up to much, it's just too small really. Will fit nicely in the binoculars' bag for taking out to places, but for general usage I'd suggest a full-size one. I have David Chandler's double-sided one (for the wrong latitude!) which is pretty nice.

I have a different book, Stargazing with Binoculars, which is pretty good, has plenty of general info, and suggested targets for each month of the year.

Scopes 'n' skies have a similar "starter pack", with a different pair of binoculars. "On paper" the Praktica 10x50 with that set are inferior, with cheaper glass and a narrower field of view, but in reality I don't know how they compare.

[skywatcher250]

i have a set of william optics 10x50 - to be honest they are not good for direct object viewing, mainly because you will sway like mad unless you learn to hold them correctly - and even then you will only have so long before your arms get heavy... what they are BRILLIANT for is simply looking up and using both eyes to get a wide field of view - they are always good on a clear night for a general WOW factor ! nothing like a good scope though - i wonder if you will get the astronomy bug quickly ? when you look up its the 1st stage, bins are the second, when you lead onto a proper scope (what i call third stage) thats when things get very interesting

let us know how it goes !

[notaclue]

The price of binos and the Planisphere pack is well worth the £40. The guide book is by Sir Patrick Moore so that alone gives you a heads up on what to look for.

If you can buy a L type mounting bracket for the binos. Mounting bracket It will be then able to fit onto a tripod so you do not get arm strain. Plus it will keep the image steady for you to observe.

[Spacerock]

Hi, thanks for all the responses. The binoculars arrived today; together with the other bits and pieces. Unfortunately it's very cloudy (I do live in Edinburgh) but I had no probs getting them focussed and the image is very clear. Seem to be a pretty good build quality too. I just need a cloud-free night and I'll be off into the hills or my garage roof!

[paul schofield]

I bought the Meade 10 x 50 from Telescope House. Very happy with them and for the price great set of binoculars.

[notaclue]

Just remember to make sure they do not get knocked about. It will cost more to get them fixed than you buying them, so keep them safe.

[stev74]

Hi Spacerock,

For the price you've got a nice little starter kit there, oh and welcome to SGL.

The only issue you might have at the moment living in Edinburgh (apart from the light pollution) is that it doesn't really get dark enough for astronomy again (this far north) until late August even if you do head for the hills. Most of us this far north generally take a few months off form mid May to late August, certainly from deep sky observing due to the light nights as although the Sun sets, it stays mostly twilight rather than proper dark.

I'm only mentioning this as I wouldn't like you to try out your bino's and think.... is that it!!

Don't worry though the dark night aren't too far away, in the mean time the Moon should still be good this time of the year in your bino's and will be better placed towards the end of the month.

Also if you would like to get out observing with like minded folk feel free to check out the link in my signature, we usually have observing sessions from September onward's not too far from Edinburgh. Beginners are more than welcome and there is usually plenty of different scopes and bino's to try out at an observing session.

Cheers

[Spacerock]

Thanks Steve. Might well take you up on the offer later in the year. The plan is to do a few test trips to work out good places to go. I live next to the Braids so it's a good opportunity for an evening walk, if nothing else!

[stev74]

Thanks Steve. Might well take you up on the offer later in the year. The plan is to do a few test trips to work out good places to go. I live next to the Braids so it's a good opportunity for an evening walk, if nothing else!

No problem, join the CSOG forum at some point if you would like more info on local observing sessions, in the meantime enjoy the views through your new bino's, and if you have any questions or need any help just ask. SGL is a great place for help and advice.