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First binoculars, what to get ?HELP


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Hi everyone!

I am hoping to purchase my first binoculars with a buget of £100.

I know most of you will think a telescope is more worth while however, I am hoping to get familiar with observing as I am no pro yet lol!

If any of you recommend a first pair of binoculars it would be much appreciated. I have been looking at CELESTRON SKYMASTER 20x80 and it seems obvious that I will need a tripod for this as they are heavy and I must admit I aren't the strongest of people to hold them!

I look forward to hearing from you all and hopefully i will have my new binoculars soon

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Hi and welcome.

Binoculars are a great start.  Have a look at Stephen's  site  http://www.binocularsky.com/ for more information, and come back with some more questions when your ready.

I now personally prefer wide view binoculars, hence my 8x40's  , but there is nothing like having the higher magnifications afforded from a telescope.

Note, there is  also a Binocular section in the Equipment  forum , more information there. Unless the mods move this thread.

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Thanks for the reply!

There seems to be a lot of choice and it all seems really confusing for a first time buyer lol!

I was thinking the Celestron 20x80 however, have now come across the 17x50 and although there is an obvious difference in price range is there really any difference in the views?

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Thanks for the reply!

There seems to be a lot of choice and it all seems really confusing for a first time buyer lol!

I was thinking the Celestron 20x80 however, have now come across the 17x50 and although there is an obvious difference in price range is there really any difference in the views?

Not heard of 17x50 bins, are you thinking of the very popular 15x70s ? At my local club, our advice is to start with binos, spend a year with them learning the sky and

looking through club member's scopes before thinking of buying a telescope.

Not trying to confuse, but many would advise starting with 10x50s, wider field of view and easier to hand hold. But don't be swayed by me, have a read, particularly the

binocular section on here.

Whatever way you progress in astronomy, binoculars will always be useful.

Regards, Ed.

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Hi Faye,I have Celestron Skymaster 15x70's and they are a good binocular for the money - provided that you get a 'good' pair.Evidently,from what I've read,quality control comes a distant second to achieving a low retail price!  You will find these far easier to use if you can mount them on a tripod,or even a monopod and trigger grip head combination.there is plenty of advice about these at 'Binocular sky'  (a brilliant goldmine of information!) and on the Binocular forums here at SGL.  The money that you saved yourself by not ordering the 20x80's should pay for these extra bits of kit,which will greatly increase your viewing pleasure. Please let us all know how you come on with your bino's when they arrive-and clear skies!

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Hi Faye 92 having ordered your bins, if you have not already done so you may want to look at publications to find your way around the skies. Two highly recommended books from forum members are , turn left at Orion and the sky and telescope pocket sky atlas. If on a budget look at www.atmob.org. You can print of star maps which will help identify objects etc. best of luck

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good advice Sirius ,as you know,the multitude of stars that suddenly come into view when you look through binos,or a finder can be quite  overwhelming until you get your bearings!     The pocket sky atlas is an essential for me. Collins Gem 'Stars' (available from Amazon) is also a great guide that easily fits into the pocket.

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Even 15x70 will become a bit difficult to hold after a short while, the addition of a tripod or mono pod is worthwhile, as recommended. One trick I often use is to cover the yard broom with a cloth and rest the bins on this to form a mono pod. If you have a layback type camping chair, you can view the night sky with your bins in comfort. It is best not to let the wife catch you using the broom, you could find yourself on sweeping duties :D

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Faye, at the moment this pistol grip & tripod combo is a very good bargain - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ravelli-APGL4-Professional-Tripod-Adjustable/dp/B003SQEAY0/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1414409468&sr=1-2-fkmr2&keywords=Heavy+Duty+Bogen+type+Ball+head

The pistol grip is very, very useful for getting the better viewing angles, especially with a tripod. I will leave comments on monopods to someone else, as I only use a 8x42 pair which my cheaper Dynasun model is fine for, but I think you will need something more sturdy.

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I either put an old carpet down with a cushion for the head or use a fully reclining garden chair. You can prop up a pair of 15x70 bins by holding the big end and pushing the elbows into the reclining body .

Binoculars are the ultimate guide to the heavens, enjoy,

Nick.

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While the binocs you've ordered certainly do need a monopod or tripod they aren't ridiculously heavy at around 3lb so pretty much any lightweight monopod should do, I prefer a monopod for binoculars as tripods seem to make it their mission to trip me up as I move round them!

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Is there any cheap monopds you recommend ? I have finally had chance to try them out as it was clear for a few seconds! I can't get over how good they are, the view of the moon was amazing and as I am no professional it was very exciting lol!

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What tripod have you gone for Faye?  In the meantime,there are plenty of goodies up there to look at with those binos.If you haven't already done so,you MUST check out the Pleiades.They are absolutely STUNNING through a binocular - in fact binos will probably give you a better 'framed' view than a telescope would!

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As I am new to all this I only went for a cheap one at the moment. Not sure what they are going to be like but I hope they do the job, just to help me get familiar etc. I ordered the Hama Star 63 tripod :/ I ordered my binos from Amazon and noticed that the tripod was also bought with these binoculars so hopefully it's OK.

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Good luck with using your tripod. And if you find that you want to try a monopod/trigger grip combo, use the links supplied on

The Binocular Sky website to Amazon UK.

They will take you to the kit I have listed in my signature below (the trigger grip may vary, but its usually just a branding issue). I even got a second hand Manfrotto monopod at 25GBP, and it serves me well with my 10x50's.

Mark

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Congrats on your purchase! I am a little late to offer any useful advice but I swear by my Revelation 20x80s and I am sure your 15x70s will also be excellent.

As per previous comment, do check the quality, though. If you have any trouble at all getting the left and right hand images to line up, the collimation may be out and you should get them checked and replaced if necessary - your local astro soc should be able to advise.

Regarding mounts, I agree they are absolutely essential, though your bins are a little lighter than mine. I use a Manfrotto photography tripod with trigger head that I have "borrowed" of my mother-in-law who used to be pro.

It is also worth keeping a lookout on eBay for a pair 10x80, 8x30 or similar - these are great for learning the vicinity of your targets. I picked up a pair of new Bresser 8x30 NatureView for about £30 a few weeks ago and I highly recommend them.

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