15x70 @ £100-150 Quantum 4 or Strathspey

[Icey85]

Sorry tetenterre, but I really cant stretch to Apollos! I would however be 'comfortable' at around this price point.

Are the Quantum 4 worth the few extra pounds over the Strath? ( found the quantums @ £126 new.) Anyone had long term exposure to these?

As ever all thoughts and opinions appreciated

(if theres a sticky with this on anywhere that ive missed, apologies, ive just finished nights and am waiting up for the postman who of course wont come BECAUSE im waiting up!)

Gary B

[BinocularSky]

Did you really mean 10x15?

Konstantinos Makropoulos ("Pleiades" on here)has done a comprehensive review of the 80mm Q4 if that's of use.

[Icey85]

Sorry!! No, I really didnt!!

I meant 15x70 !! They were a very long set of nights!!

Does the quality of optics and engineering tend to be equal throughout the range, or do some models end up being a better device than others within the same manufacturers model range?

Appreciate you must have the same questions over and again!

Regards Gary

[Icey85]

Have started another topic with the correct title!

[swamp thing]

Hi Gary

I've edited the title of this thread to match your "retry" one. That thread, I removed as there were no posts in it

[BinocularSky]

Sorry!! No, I really didnt!!

I meant 15x70 !! They were a very long set of nights!!

Does the quality of optics and engineering tend to be equal throughout the range, or do some models end up being a better device than others within the same manufacturers model range?

Range of qualities, even in cosmetically identical binoculars. Differences include (but are not limited to) coatings and eyepiece types .

[fondofchips]

Two things - quality optical equipment is always better & looking through the binoculars before you buy them.

Any shows near you soon or viewing days by a local binocular company?

[Icey85]

Fondofchips - I will give Sherwoods a bell see if they will let me try a couple, ideally though that would be for a night time viewing - can but ask Im not aware of any West Midlands ish area shows up coming, will explore more with the google. Thanks

Steve, I may not have made myself very clear - would the qualities of the optics tend to be the same throught the same manufacturers range - you mentioned the review of the Q4 80mm, would the findings of that review tend to hold true for , say, the 70mm and 60 mm also ? I imagine the glass/coatings etc would be the same throughout , except for exit pupil and eyerelief of course.

Such that, individual preferences aside - a 'glowing performance' from the 80mm would lend one to think the 70mm would perform similarly given similar componentry?

[BinocularSky]

Steve, I may not have made myself very clear - would the qualities of the optics tend to be the same throught the same manufacturers range

Ah, I see where the confusion lies: Celestron, Strathspey, Helios, etc. are importers/branders -- the manufacturer is the same for all of them: United Optics of Kunming, China.

- you mentioned the review of the Q4 80mm, would the findings of that review tend to hold true for , say, the 70mm and 60 mm also ? I imagine the glass/coatings etc would be the same throughout , except for exit pupil and eyerelief of course.

Such that, individual preferences aside - a 'glowing performance' from the 80mm would lend one to think the 70mm would perform similarly given similar componentry?

I would be wary of making that assumption, not least because the 80mm has apochromatic objectives; the others don't (in my first response, I wasn't aware that you were specifically interested on 15x70s). The mechanical build quality is the same. You might find a review of the ones you are interested in on Cloudy Nights (check out the Oberwerk and Garrett websites to see what the US-branded equivalents are) but be slightly wary because different importers/branders may specify things differently. (You'll see from the UO site that different cosmetic and mechanical specs are available; apparently the same applies to optical specs.)

[PeteC]

I don't pretend to be any sort of expert, but having been pretty happy with Helios Natursport 10x50s for a few years (Sky at Night best buy), I got a pair of Quantum 4 15x70s about 6 months ago and have been knocked out by their performance on Milky Way star fields, M31 right across the FOV etc. A guy I know with a lot of experience in optics says their quality is excellent, really good eye relief too. I'm now looking into a parellelogram mount for them - Orion Paragon Plus or something like that, or maybe make my own.

[Icey85]

Marvellous, thanks for all the input guys. Will see what i can get my hands on to try out, much appreciated .