BA8 Class Binoculars.

[Merkhet]

I am window shopping for large binoculars at the moment.

Still very much at the thinking and not spending stage.

Two questions about Helios Apollo observation binoculars.

FIRST.     They are advertised as having threaded eyepieces for 1 1/4"  filters.

These are the only ones that I have noticed having this facility.  Do many others have them and does anybody use and find them useful ?                                                                          SECOND.  In another article a couple of years ago,  a chap on here said he had a pair of Apollo Binoculars and described them as     BA8 Class binoculars.  I cannot find any references to BA8.  Could this just be a typing error or is it a valid term.   If so  what does it mean ?

[Charic]

BA8 is the valid term. I had hold of some Apollo's recently, they felt good ( very heavy ) but I had an artefact inside the left eyepiece , more annoying that problematic. I just wish they were still here, they looked promising. I don't recall the filter thread, but didn't have them long enough. 

The same model type is also available from Oberwerk, and others. I quite fancy owning the Oberwerk version now?

[Charic]

Here's a good sight for Binocular information (I did that on purpose!), but for those that missed it, here's a good site http://binocularsky.com

Its a good site but if  BA8 is not mentioned  anywhere, don't fret, Steve will put you right.

[Charic]

Just had a fresh look at his site, there's is a smaller pair of WO 10x50s here, with the annotation BA8 http://binocularsky.com/thebinocularshop.php?category=binoculars.  but look a bit further down the page to find the 15x70 Aplollo's, the answers to your question are in his description 

[Star Struck]

BA8 were a binocular model produced by Kunming Optics in China.

They are sold under a variety of brand names, via an OEM deal,  with each brand having a slightly different variant i.e. coatings etc.

They are a good solid well made binocular which appear to be no longer in production (based on Kunming Optics website).

 

Tony

 

[BinocularSky]

I think they have been superseded by the MS series (branded as Lunt Magnesium, APM ED, Helios Lightquest and probably more). As with the BA8, there are variants in each model. My comparison of the 15/16 x 70s (Helios Apollo, Helios LightQuest, Lunt Magnesium) suggests that the new ones are better.