Helios Apollo 10.5 x 70 binoculars?

[Guest]

I am wondering what the view through 10.5 x 70 binoculars would be like compared to 15 x 70's in terms of brightness and being able to hand hold them? (at least for a short while with less image shake ovet the 15 x).

I am now in my late 50's and it is said that the maximum pupil dilation at my advanced age would be approx 5mm. So on this calculation, 10 x 50's or 15 x 70's would fit the bill.

( 50 divided by 10 = 5 mm exit pupil and so 4.6mm exit pupil for the 15 x 70's) .

There would be no wasted light in the beam eminatining from the eyepieces from these mentioned binoculars as my pupils would only open to 5mm.

But I still get a wonderfully bright, widefield view from my Bushnell 7 x 50's. These have a light beam/exit pupil diameter of 7 mm which appears to contradict the accepted rule.

This is why I am intrigued by The Helios Apollo 10.5 x 70's. These on the face of it would give a light beam/exit pupil of

6.6 mm. So would I expect to have a much brighter view with these being wider objectives than the 7 x 50's and brighter views that the 15 x 70's because of their lower magnification?

[Star Struck]

I have both the 10.5x70 and the 15x70 Apollo binoculars. I am a few years older than you, but what the eyes can handle is very much down to the individual.

I can hand hold the 10.5x70s for a period of time and they feel very solid in the hands. I would not attempt to hand hold the 15x70s.

The exit pupil on the 10.5x70s is still very bright as even at worst it is the equivalent to 10x50 according to some calculations for exit pupil and old eyes. I had a pair of old Russian 7x50s and the Apollos are much brighter but that could be down to modern coatings etc.

 

Tony

 

[scarp15]

I had the 10.5x70 Apollo's and as said, hand held was OK for gaining a reasonably steady image for short periods, due to lower magnification and shorter profile (particularly if sat down or resting against a wall). I still preferred them mounted on a monopod. Eye relief is also very good and the 5 degree field nice for panning around and encapsulating large clusters and asterisms. They work better of course in darker skies due to the large exit pupil size, however I was quite satisfied with lunar observing and general use from my urban location. I currently use Lunt 16x70 (4.2 degree field) which are very nice to hand hold (though I still additionally will use a monopod) and contrast, resolution is improved. 

Also very good for day time use such as buzzard watching in Kielder and so on.

[Hawksmoor]

I have Helios 11x 80 bins which I use a lot. I can hand hold these for limited periods but clearly obtain better results when tripod mounted. I am nearly 70 so my  eyes cannot accommodate the  7+mm exit pupil but I believe this is not all bad.  I can see no obvious degradation of star images across my full field of vision. I believe this may be because my undilated pupil acts like a field stop. For me the image obtained is bright, not as bright as the views I've had through 15x70s but significantly brighter than 10x50s -also I can see fainter stars in a wide field.

Hope helpful George

[Jeff-Colorado]

I can hand hold my 12x70s effectively when I can brace my elbows in a chair. When I am just standing up, it is hard for me to hold them steady.

[Guest]

Thanks Jeff.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I used to hand-hold my Helios Apollo 15x70s regularly, but supporting them with a monopod is definitely better. I did look through a 10.5x70 once down-under (Orion Resolux branded, but the same BA-8 type as the Helios Apollo), and the quality was great. I didn't buy it, simply because I prefer the darker background and increased magnification of the 15x70. I now use a pair of Opticron Observation 16x80 bins, and can use them quite well hand-held, but the monopod is better.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

I used to hand-hold my Helios Apollo 15x70s regularly, but supporting them with a monopod is definitely better. I did look through a 10.5x70 once down-under (Orion Resolux branded, but the same BA-8 type as the Helios Apollo), and the quality was great. I didn't buy it, simply because I prefer the darker background and increased magnification of the 15x70. I now use a pair of Opticron Observation 16x80 bins, and can use them quite well hand-held, but the monopod is better.

Hi Michael. When you looked through those 10.5 x 70's were they hand held?

I am just wondering if they would give good views hand held because of the lower magnification.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Just now, Grumpy Martian said:

Hi Michael. When you looked through those 10.5 x 70's were they hand held?

I am just wondering if they would give good views hand held because of the lower magnification.

They were hand held quite easily. The lower magnification does make the image a bit more stable, but I would wonder if 10x56 (I have a pair of Vixens) wouldn't be the better bet, given exit pupil limitations. I never compared these side-by-side with the 10.5x70s under dark skies, but if you own pupil doesn't dilate  beyond 5.6mm (mine still go over 6 at age 55), you gain only extra weight and cost by going for the (excellent) 10.5x70s. It might even be better to get the BA-8 10x50s (like the TS Marines). They give 6.5 rather than just 5 degree FOV

[25585]

I have a pair of Helios Lightquest Apollos 11x70. Good eye relief. They are long and heavy being about f5 but have a good balance. Compared to my 15x70 Fujinons they give a colder image but due to the Fujinons too-small eye relief, the Helios pair are much better.

[Charic]

On 03/07/2017 at 18:39, Grumpy Martian said:

I am wondering what the view through 10.5 x 70 binoculars would be like compared to 15 x 70's in terms of brightness and being able to hand hold them? (at least for a short while with less image shake ovet the 15 x).

 

I imagine the views would be very similar!  yet on paper the 10.5's should be 'brighter'  and the field should be wider by 1°.

Of  all the binoculars owned, my Helios Apollo 15x70s,  were by far, the heaviest to hand hold, but even my 8x40's get tripod mounted! the tripod being the best image stabilised device out there for my needs, and cheaper than most electronic  IS binoculars?

AS for the brightness from the 7x50s ( mine are Bresser ) you will get the brightest image available provided by the binoculars 7mm exit pupil, but your own eye will still control and limit the amount of light entering the eye, so yes, 7mm exit is available, though not fully accessible and the light is 'wasted'  if your eye only allows  4.9mm like mine, into your eye! I think the idea of getting a binocular whereby the exit pupil best matches the entry pupil effectively saves a little money too.