help with choosing binoculars please?

[davekelley]

I am looking to buy some binoculars to use handheld for stargazing.  I already own some 8x40 Nikon Action (not ex) and I have read that the 10x50 ex are a good choice. In the same price bracket I could go for some TS Optics 10x60 but I can't find out much about those.  Has anybody on here ever owned/used a pair of the ts 10x60 and are they good quality?  How do they compare to the 10x50 ex?  Thanks in advance.  Dave.

[Alfian]

To go from your Nikon 8x40s to 10x50 and appreciate a noticeable difference I think you will also need a jump in quality and cost. The TS optics 10x60s look very nuch like a version of the United Optics BA1s which appear in all manner of different guises. Not necessarily a "bad" binocular but built down to a price and there is a good chance that they will not be 10x60 but something like 10x53. For 10x50s I would look at Opticron iMagic, Pentax PCF WPii and indeed the Nikon Action Ex to go better I think you will be looking at spending maybe £200 +. Its also worth looking at Steve Tonkin's binocularsky website for good advice and some recommendations.

[Doc]

I used to own a pair of Hawke 10x43 Frontier ED bins which were very good for scanning the heavens. Hawke also do Endurance ED bins in either 10x50 or 12x50 never tried these but they use the same ED glass as the frontiers so should be good.

 

 

 

[baggywrinkle]

Also look on www.binocularsky.com for tips and how to test. Great website.

[Louis D]

I have a pair of 8x42s and 15x70s that complement each other well.  I sit in an Adirondack style rocker with my arms braced on the arm rests and the eyepieces wedged into my eye sockets to stabilize the 15x70s handheld.