Binoculars recommendation

[Bogdan]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking of buying a pair of 15x70 or 20x80 and build/buy a mount to support them on a tripod. 

Could you please give me a quick advice of what to buy around 200£?

I was thinking of one of the following:

- Helios Quantum 4 20x80 - bonus: binoculars come with hardcase

- Helios Stellar II 15x70

- Strathspey 20x90

- an other budget chinese (Celestron, Revelation, TS, etc)

 

Thanks a lot.

[ronin]

Question: What do you expect to see in or with them?

Ask as 15x and 20x will show clusters nicely, but if you are thinking planets then they will show relatively little. They just do not have the magnification. I have seen Jupiter as a small disk at around 40x, but small is the keyword, I have never bothered with Saturn at similar as the best result for that I had was at 125x in a refractor. And it was obvious that 15x or 20x was not going to make me gasp in wonder.

Something like M13 and C14 will be nice, M45 maybe and not sure on M42. Even with those that you will find them usable on, it is difficult to say they will be better/worse then with a small scope at say 40x to 60x. 40x should frame M42 and M45 nicely in the eyepiece.

Binoculars are not a straight alternative to a scope, they sort of sit along side them but are not the same. Even in the birding field people use binoculars to look around and search out something, then will then switch to a spotting scope at 50x to look close and get the detail of something.

If you want wide field viewing then they are fine, I use basic 8x42's for this, and I use them a lot. Under darks skies M36, M37, M38 show up well in Auriga, but if I want to see M36 or M37 or M38 well then the AR 102 comes out. Often the 70mm scope comes out (smaller then the binoculars mentioned) but I can get that to deliver a magnification for best result, say 60x.

 

[Ben the Ignorant]

I have used many 15x70's (plus my own 16x70) and a few 20x80's, never looked through a 20x90. I can't generalize an opinion on all the models, but since you are willing to observe at 20x power, and you plan to rest the instrument on a support, I'd say go for the 90mm.

It will go deeper and should resolve detail a little better if they can give the required optical quality for the moderate price. One thing it will do without a doubt is make everything brighter.

[haitch]

These are going on Astrobuysell at the moment is you want to dip your toe a bit cheaper... http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=118500

Nothing to do with me btw but the seller has been round for a while on there as I recognise their username.

I've Helios Stellar 20x80s that I just use on a pan & tilt head on a manfrotto tripod.  A chap at our local astro club has built a parallelogram mount which is really nice especially if you want to share the view with different height users.

[Charic]

I have some Revelation Astro 15x70's . They were recommended on their price which was affordable, but I just don't rate  them any more for my astro needs, preferring wider field 8x40's. The 15x70s are better suited now for my daytime requirements, but still need mounting!

I've  also owned some original Stellar 20x80s ( instant purchase as they were [ I still believe] mis-priced? yet I moved on, my needs changed, sold them at a profit,  but  still heavy and field of view was  tight, need mounting for longer sessions. I did see Saturn for the first time! its bulged shape, rather than any real detail.

If I were to replace my present 15x70s  now,  I would now be looking at something like the Helios Apollo's. Why?  I think I need better light transmission for my Astro work, which is another reason why at present, the cheaper Revelations are not my favourite binoculars for Astro, night time use!  But  better  build,  better optics,  means of course,  they cost more,  yet still  retain  15x magnification,  no Planetary detailing! so  is it worth the  upgrade / additional expense? If they allow  better light transmission under the same conditions  the Revelations are subjected too, showing some improvement in the detail with the final image, in a side-by-side test, then maybe they will be worth the investment. Like my want for a 12" Skyliner classic Dobsonian, at the end of the day, only by testing with my eyes will I live and learn.

I doubt you will be displeased with any of the binoculars in your first post, its just finding the right one for your requirements,  and with  so many binoculars to choose from, it takes time.
Whatever you buy, have fun in the process!ll

[Bogdan]

Thanks guys,

I'm expecting to use the binocular as a "replacement" for my 12" Dob which is too heavy and too big to allow me to take it with me anywhere or to even get it out of the house if I'm not sure that weather will be completely suitable.

I'm looking for a kind of "grab and go" equipment that I can easily carry and set up.

[Charic]

They will never be a replacement, just an alternative.
Because of the limitation to Binocular magnification, the lack of detailing, I would recommend trying some wide field Binoculars as your grab-and-go

[Bogdan]

4 minutes ago, Charic said:

They will never be a replacement, just an alternative.

I completely agree. 

Probably one of the questions to come will be why not a cheap refractor. Well, because of focal length and image quality.

[DemosL]

I bought Celestron SkyMaster 15 x 70 binoculars last year for about $60. I love them.

[Charic]

On 10/20/2016 at 15:20, Charic said:

If I were to replace my present 15x70s  now,  I would now be looking at something like the Helios Apollo's.

Funny old thing, Just seen some on Astroboot, cased, A1.

Their not there now though! 

[VisualBod]

Just in case you haven't already found it, there's some good stuff on this site -

http://binocularsky.com/binoc_reviews.php

VB

[Damo636]

http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=118784