APM ED series

[tico]

Hello,
Has anyone used any binocular of the APM ED series? How are they, flat field, luminosity, AC, aberration in edges, sharpness and contrast?
Thank you
Tico

[Ben the Ignorant]

I'm going to order the 10x50 ED within the next couple of weeks, if no one else reviews it, I will.

[JeremyS]

30 minutes ago, Ben the Ignorant said:

I'm going to order the 10x50 ED within the next couple of weeks, if no one else reviews it, I will.

Great stuff: taking one for the team 🙂

 

[Sky-J]

Hi there, 

I have a pair of these and they are fantastic binoculars. The views are really crisp, right to the edge. I've never noticed any CA and, as a photographer, I'm hyper critical about that. The only thing that stops me using them all the time is that I have a narrow IPD which makes them uncomfortable to use for any decent period. Every now and again I think about selling them, however when I use them for astronomy I think why would I sell these?

Maybe it's time to let someone else have a go...I'll have a think over the weekend and let you know if I decide to list them.

Clear skies for the weekend!

Jeremy

 

[Chinapig]

I bought a pair of APM 10x50ED bins a couple of years ago, in time for a trip to NZ and Australia.  I had just enough spare space in my carry-on camera rucksack for a 10x50 pair and wanted to take the sharpest views I could that would fit that space.  They fulfilled that role perfectly, showing me all the glorious wonders of the southern hemisphere skies.

The only real comparative yardstick I had were my Helios Apollo 15x70, which obviousy have a mag and aperture advantage, but I found the APMs offered noticeably better edge-to-edge sharpness, more contrast,  less CA (I couldn't really notice any), and they were less affected by stray light - eg from a bright moon just out of view.  I also find the APMs more comfortable to use with glasses, which I need due to astigmatism.  A much easier view, thanks to the better eye relief and larger-aperture eyepieces. Yup, I love 'em!

My happiest observing sessions are using the APMs to spot a selection of targets, while using a small refractor to up the mag and see the targets in better detail.  But if I'm travelling somewhere and can only take one optical aid, it's nearly always the APM 10x50ED that comes along.

 

 

 

[Ben the Ignorant]

I thought it would take longer to budget for it, but I had forgotten a box of coins behind the toaster that contained 120€. A courteous store manager agreed to exchange them for paper money that went straight to the bank account. I'm ordering a Ronchi eyepiece with the binoc, and together with the shipping fee the sum amounts to more than 500€ so it couldn't be done at a moment's notice, or so I believed.

I'll receive it in a few days and you'll have one more opinion to read.

[Ben the Ignorant]

I received them and will make a comparo with the TS 10x50 MX. 

But not to leave tico waiting, the APM proved itself better in ALL respects immediately, handling, weight, focusing, edge and center sharpness, chromatism, transparency, contrast, flare control and vividness of the colors. However I can't write a complete review before I use them for at least one week so my eyes get used to them (won't be difficult).

The testing I've done so far was in the daytime and at dusk, then clouds invaded everything so I judged edge sharpness and chromatism on street lamps. They are much brighter than stars but the aberrations were very reduced and they will be even more so with stars.

[plyscope]

Thanks for sharing your first impressions Ben. I too look forward to your comparison. I am particularly interested in the difference in eye relief compared to the 10x50 MX.

Many years ago I had a different brand 10x50 equivalent to the MX and enjoyed it very much except for the large eyepieces becoming uncomfortable after a minute or so. A little more eye relief would make them so much easier to live with.

[tico]

Thanks Ben for that little note, anticipating your review ..., it seems that this binocular can be a good candidate for astronomical observations ...
Plyscope, in fact, I had already read this problem of eyepieces somewhere else, its size can be annoying for people with low IPD or a somewhat prominent nose (like mine), how much eye relief has the TS model and the model APM?

tico

[Ben the Ignorant]

On ‎29‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 16:20, tico said:

I had already read this problem of eyepieces somewhere else, its size can be annoying for people with low IPD or a somewhat prominent nose (like mine), how much eye relief has the TS model and the model APM?

Both have the same diameter eyepiece barrels and eyecups, but the APM has about 8mm clearance between the top of the eyecup and the spot where light is focused, that is the real, practical eye relief. TS has about 5mm clearance.

[tico]

Then, Hurra!! for the APM..lol!

[Ben the Ignorant]

The review is online.