Torn between Binos or a small spotting scope

[UHF]

Hi, I've been using a 200P Newt on an EQ mount for about a year now and I'm yearning for something handheld or very portable so I can get more observing time in, especially on very cold humid nights when setting up the EQ mount and then drying the thing out is just too much like hard work Reason I'm on here is I'm not sure how far one can go with bin size magnification before they need to be tripod mount, whether I should go straight for high mag bins and a tripod, or a small Mak with a tripod. Eventually I think I'll end up with some 10x50's for the car and a Mak for short sessions but wondered what other peoples opinions are? The Celestron Ultima 80 straight or 45 looks versatile too. I'm looking to spend £100-150 region if that helps. Many thanks

[rowan46]

It depends what you like viewing 10x50 bins are the ultimate grab and go wide field highly portable and no cool down required. They are however no good on planets. To my mind the best affordable portable optic that does it all is the heritage 130p dob. High mag bins in that price range are not the most rewarding. I now use an 80mm apo for observing it's nice it's practical but it's noticably less bright than my C5 it is however a lot more versatile than my bins including my 20x80 bins

[UHF]

I love planet and galaxies but i do spend a lot of time with the low power wide angle eye pieces looking at glob and open clusters which would very the focus (pin intended) for the bins. leaving the big scope for the stuff which needs more aperture. guess I've answered my own question.

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[Moonshane]

I was just about to suggest a small dob - you could get a 6" sw used for maybe £150. this could be carried in one and cools quickly.

[NGC 1502]

I think a small refractor is more versatile than binos myself. You can vary the mag, even a small fast achro will take up to 50-60x to reveal planetary / lunar detail that bins will not. You can also use a diagonal to view overhead without the neck twist that bins require. Needs a mount of course, but you need a mount or tripod to get the best out of bins. A small fast achro refractor also gives the low power wide field that bins are good for.

Of course bins are the ultimate for quick looks.

Regards, Ed.

[UHF]

Thanks for the replies. I guess the reason I'm torn is because the bins are grab and go whereas something larger is more powerful but needs more time to use. I can see how a small dob (or even a large one), would be quick to setup, but not sure how a small refractor is quick to setup, surely that needs the tripod, mount, counter weights etc etc. I'm not into AP so maybe swapping my 200 EQ5 for a 250 dob would make more sense and get a pair of 10x50 for the rest of the time.

[UHF]

Perhaps I should qualify that and state I'm not after something easier to transport, I'm after something quicker to use. So a large dob in the back garden would get me out more and the bins would mean I could spot easier and also carry something in the car if I'm out and its a clear night. I have a nice large estate car so if I did want to transport anything large its no problems. I bought the EQ5 after loads of research and decided I liked the approach of an EQ mount but after a years use, I find myself not getting any reward from the extended setup time, I can see how it'll be useful for AP, but an EQ5 is a fairly lightweight mount so I've got none of the benefits, the setting circles are also useless.

[Baz Pearce]

If you want speed of setup binos are the only way to go. Just uncase them, remove dust caps and lift to eyes. Quick enough for ya?? lol

Baz.

[Moonshane]

I consider even my 16" dob a grab and go scope at home (takes a little more planning away from home but not much). sure you have to wait for a few minutes (maybe 30) to view at low power and maybe an hour or so to view at high power but you just build up power the more time you have.

[Stargazer_00]

I have a larger dob (10"), an 80mm achro, 20x80 bins and 10x50 bins.

Ever since I got the 80 achro i never use the bins anymore. The Star Travel 80, on a mid quality camera mount, is probably the most versatile piece of equipment you can buy. its a fantastic little scope. I use it for widefield viewing that can't be achieved with my dob. I use it for solar viewing with a film filter and a band filter on the EP. It's great for large open clusters and the moon. It's also great if you just fancy hunting rather than real observing of the DSOs. I get as much fun out of finding things (again and again) as I do out of observing them, depends on my mood.

In short, get a 80mm refractor on a camera mount. It'll never be a scope you want to get rid of, even if you end up upgrading your larger aperture option this will always have its place.

[Mark at Beaufort]

I have a 10" Dob, 6" Newt, 4" APO frac and 15x70 binos but when it comes to going away on holiday I always take my 66mm William Optics frac. I support the scope on a quality photographic tripod with a quick release head. The other half of the quick release bracket is screwed into the base of the scope - permanent fixture.

If its clear I can be outside and up and running within 5 minutes. These small refractors are very versatile and if you carry a few different EPs you can cover most of your grab and go needs.

As stated above there are some good quality small achros around which won't cost a fortune so you should be able to fund a scope and tripod within your budget.

Mark

[Catweazel]

In short, get a 80mm refractor on a camera mount. It'll never be a scope you want to get rid of, even if you end up upgrading your larger aperture option this will always have its place.

This is good advice IMHO. I have a Megrez 72, and you can do the same with that. The ST 80 is a neat little scope, very portable, and should meet all of the needs that you have stated.

[UHF]

Thanks for all the replies. i think ill get a st80 ota. is there a way of fitting it to the tripod which came with my eq5 or will i need a camera tripod? also will the ep's i have for my 200p be suitable. obviously the high power ones are no good but will my 18mm and 32mm version suitable?

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[Mark at Beaufort]

Are you thinking of getting this OTA? - http://www.firstligh...vel-80-ota.html - if so it comes with a dovetail so should fit on the Head of your EQ5. Or have I misunderstood your question.

Although I have a SkyTee mount for convenience and weight I put my little refractor on a camera tripod.

With regard to eyepieces although you don't say the type they should be perfectly OK on this frac. In fact when I go away I take my 3-6mm Nagler to use the higher magnification for the Moon, planets and double stars so what high powered EPs do you have? I also have a 2" diagonal screwed into the back so that I can take my Naglers for wide field views.

Mark

[ollypenrice]

You originally asked about the hand held magnification limit. Opinion varies, some finding they can do short sessions at 15x with, say the popular 15x70s. I can't do that. Our 15x70s are tripod only for me. We have 10x50s (cheapos) which I can hand hold but I get a far better view with 8x42s. In fairness these are premium binoculars but the stillness of the view at 8x is a real pleasure and allows me both to enjoy the experience more and to see more. I'm surrounded by assorted telescopes and imaging rigs since I do astronomy for a living but a lounger chair, some charts and some nice bins take an awful lot of beating...

Olly

[Moonshane]

Olly's point is a good one but this is under virtually pristine skies. Where I live, light pollution makes binocular use a waste of time even to a large extent with 15x70s. I have to say though that through my 9x50 finder at darker sites the view does sometimes make me inhale sharply.

[UHF]

Hi, yes that's the OTA I was looking at, I know I can attach it using the dovetail fixing but if I'm going to setup the EQ mount I may as well fit the 200 newt. Is there not a simple adaptor that will turn my skywatcher tripod into the same fixing as a camera tripod mount instead of buying a tripod mount?

[rowan46]

IT comes with an adaptor to fit on an ordinary tripod

[UHF]

? the top of my scope tripod is very different to the top of a standard camera tripod. its designed to take the thread of the eq5 mount.

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[Moonshane]

I think the suggestion is buy a tripod. you'd need to get a different head and adapt it to fit your existing scope tripod.