First binoculars advice please.

[Kel_Bo]

I've been trying (and failing for several reasons) to save up for my first telescope for a few years now so I thought I'd invest in a pair of binoculars to get me started instead. My budget is about £100 so I know I'm limited but what I really need to know is what size and make should I get? I've looked at the Strathspey 10x50 and 15x70 and the Celestron 15x70 (I know I'll need a tripod etc) but I really don't know what I'm looking for. I've researched telescopes to death (especially as I've been saving for so long) but the world of binoculars is new to me.

[Neil27]

Hi,

A really good review of the binoculars you mention in your post, the celestron 15x70 - and as you mention you'll need a tripod as these bad boys are heavy..

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/80167-celestron-skymaster-15x70-binos-review/

The smaller size binoculars you mention might be more comfortable for longer viewing sessions and negates the hassle of having to think about a tripod. I bought these from Rother Valley Optics, a very good set of bins and seemed to match the quality of a lot more expensive ones that Ian had in his shop, sworth a look maybe and quite light weight as well > http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/helios-am-e4-8-x-42-high-resolution-binoculars.html

Hope this helps,

[Charic]

Kel_Bo............Hi, welcome. I would suggest something between 7x50 ~ 10 x50 Porro prism Binoculars. The Brand and cost is a personal choice.

Your age and pupil size can have a bearing on what you need.  7x50's give out an exit pupil size of 7.1mm which may be too much (although I still use 7x50's for my old eyes,  Yet the 10x50's give out 5mm exit pupil, better for older eyes?) The exit pupil is the  circle of light you will see if you hold the binoculars at arms length looking at the eyepice. Its wise to match this or have less than your own pupil size. As you increase magnification and Aperture, then the binoculars have to get heavier, so may need to be tripod mounted. The bigger the aperture, the fainter the object at night you should see(under perfect conditions) and as magnification increases, so does the shakes, as the image dances around whilst hand-holding for some considerable time. Buy from a reputable source, someone that knows, and can further advise. 

[YouCannotBeSirius]

I have Olympus 10x50 DPS I (field 6.5) binoculars (about £50-55 on Amazon) and I think they're great for the price considering; all the objects in my signature (except M110) are viewable with fair to good viewing (plus probably a lot more that I haven't found yet). Even though I've just got a telescope I still use them regularly for locating objects and some things look better through them than through a scope, in my opinion, such as the Pleiades.

I'm no expert either so I don't know much else about the technicalities, unfortunately. They're quite big but not so big that you need a tripod to use them or maintain steady viewing, which is a bonus for me as it means I don't have to carry a tripod around with me, I can just take the binoculars. If you're just wanting a pair to get used to finding and looking at stuff, I'd recommend them as it's not too much to spend before buying a telescope and will be continuously valuable.

[Astro Imp]

The smaller size binoculars you mention might be more comfortable for longer viewing sessions and negates the hassle of having to think about a tripod. I bought these from Rother Valley Optics, a very good set of bins and seemed to match the quality of a lot more expensive ones that Ian had in his shop, sworth a look maybe and quite light weight as well > http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/helios-am-e4-8-x-42-high-resolution-binoculars.html

I bought myself a pair of these from Ian recently and have been very pleased with them.

[Kel_Bo]

Thanks to everyone. I've made a purchase. Went for the Helios Naturesport plus 10x50. Read lots of reviews and this one kept popping up as being a good pair and I managed to get them for under £80, so very happy. Can't wait to get started.