Binocular offer heads up.

[Dark Vader]

Hi all, 

While trawling through some sites looking for some new bins, I came across this offer. Skymaster 15x70 reduced to £67 with free delivery. I thought it would be rude not to.... 😀😀

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celestron-71009-SkyMaster-15-Binocular/dp/B00008Y0VN/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=celestron+15x70+binoculars&qid=1563737799&s=gateway&sprefix=celestron+15&sr=8-3

 

[mark81]

17 hours ago, Dark Vader said:

Hi all, 

While trawling through some sites looking for some new bins, I came across this offer. Skymaster 15x70 reduced to £67 with free delivery. I thought it would be rude not to.... 😀😀

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celestron-71009-SkyMaster-15-Binocular/dp/B00008Y0VN/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=celestron+15x70+binoculars&qid=1563737799&s=gateway&sprefix=celestron+15&sr=8-3

 

These really are quite good, and for that price - even better.  I haven't used the 15x70s before... Just the 11x70s....

Did you buy a set?  If you did, be sure to let us know how you got on with them - 

Mark

[Dark Vader]

Yep, expected delivery is Friday.... I'll keep ya posted 😀  I was looking at a 2nd hand set for £50 an hour's drive away. £67 brand new delivered to my door with a warranty was a no brainer for me. Hopefully my Opticron bracket will fit 🤞

Andy

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Check the bins when you get them. I had a pair of these, they were off collimation, which I could have fixed, and they had some dark blob of gunk on the field lens of one of the EPs. I returned them, and got a second pair (differently branded, but same BA-1) which worked well and were my standard astronomy travel gear for many years. They showed me the wonders of the southern skies in South Africa and Australia. You do have to be careful you do not knock them out of collimation. Unfortunately, mine broke, just after my replacement Helios Apollo 15x70 bins arrived, so I couldn't hand them down to my kids.

In summary, excellent value for money, and great portable instrument, but not mechanically the strongest item. With care, they can give many years of fun.

[Dark Vader]

These arrived yesterday afternoon 2 days earlier than stated on the order review. However, despite me being home all day they were just left on the doorstep. Thankfully I found them  before someone ran off with them!

Anyway, I've given them a good going over as per the evaluation bit on the binocular sky site.

Objectives are clean and clear with no obvious defects visible inside.

Focus mechanism, hinge & right eye dioptre are all smooth.

The bridge seems fine with no movement noted.

IPD - good.

Exit pupils - round

No convergence or divergence noted.

There was a small amount of pincushion distortion at the edges of the FOV.

Although I normally wear glasses, I don't wear them observing so didn't check the FOV with eye cups rolled down.

I didn't do the aperture test due to not having any graph paper.

If I had to find any fault, it would be that the objective lens caps could be a tighter fit, and the neck strap supplied is only about 1/4 inch thick, but they'll be either monopod or tripod mounted so the neck strap will only be a safety net in case they fall off the mount.

Overall, they seem to be fine and every bit the bargain I'd hoped for & £67 well spent.

As I opened the box, the clouds rolled in (typical), hopefully they'll see some proper action in the next few days.

Andy

[mark81]

29 minutes ago, Dark Vader said:

These arrived yesterday afternoon 2 days earlier than stated on the order review. However, despite me being home all day they were just left on the doorstep. Thankfully I found them  before someone ran off with them!

Anyway, I've given them a good going over as per the evaluation bit on the binocular sky site.

Objectives are clean and clear with no obvious defects visible inside.

Focus mechanism, hinge & right eye dioptre are all smooth.

The bridge seems fine with no movement noted.

IPD - good.

Exit pupils - round

No convergence or divergence noted.

There was a small amount of pincushion distortion at the edges of the FOV.

Although I normally wear glasses, I don't wear them observing so didn't check the FOV with eye cups rolled down.

I didn't do the aperture test due to not having any graph paper.

If I had to find any fault, it would be that the objective lens caps could be a tighter fit, and the neck strap supplied is only about 1/4 inch thick, but they'll be either monopod or tripod mounted so the neck strap will only be a safety net in case they fall off the mount.

Overall, they seem to be fine and every bit the bargain I'd hoped for & £67 well spent.

As I opened the box, the clouds rolled in (typical), hopefully they'll see some proper action in the next few days.

Andy

Nice one. With this hot weather, get outside tonight on a recliner and take a look around Cygnus-they should be fantastic around there..  Great views last night with the 10x50s...

[Dark Vader]

The sunbed is ready, but the forecast isn't good....

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Sounds like you got a good pair. Best of luck with the new binoculars!