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Kasai 'Widebino 28' 2.3x40


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Hi all, just arrived this morning - some 'as new' Kasai Widebino 28s for quite a good price. I've been wanting to try these for some time. The idea is a very low mag widefield bino that is effectively like enhanced vision when scanning large areas of the night sky. In LP areas, you are supposed to pick up a lot more stars than with the naked eye, maybe 1.5mag more, and the same goes for dark sky sites where these should really be a hoot looking at the Milky Way and objects like the Pleiades etc or even the N America Neb under great conditions. Also want to try these during a meteor shower and apparently they are great for looking through a telrad at fainter stars.

I've also found out today they are good for scanning larges areas of the sea for dolphins and seals that otherwise would go unnoticed in the chop and swell or missed with more powerful, narrower FOV binos.

There are optional handes-free goggles from Kasai to wear these, but they are way too expensive. I'm going to rig up an elastic headband from a LED head-torch or ski goggles so I can wear them like glasses. Coming to a high fashion catwalk soon! 🤣

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Edited by Ships and Stars
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I have the similar Vixen model.  The first thing I noticed was that, due to the Galilean optical design, the apparent field of view was smaller than that of traditional binoculars.  However, it's the actual field of view that sets them apart, whole constellations at a time!.  There is definitely around about 1.5 mag gain over naked eye, faint naked eye objects become obvious under most conditions.  They are quite front heavy, you may struggle to keep them in place hands free with just a strap, I ended up making a bracket which I fitted to the peak of a hard hat and this needed a counterweight to the rear of the hat for balance.       🙂 

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Peter, please post a picture of your cranial binocular support apparatus! It sounds like one of those hats with attached beer cans.

I too have the vixen variant. An interesting but different viewing experience for the night sky. I have never considered them for daytime use.

David.

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Just for interest, there’s some more discussion of these following my short review listed in this forum dated Sept 28 2018.

I liked the concept. They were fun to use but the conditions where I live were a bit limiting.  I think they’d really come into their own somewhere dark - Stu’s idea of using filters could also be very interesting at such a site. Despite the relatively small size and weight, the balance and ergonomics are unusual - they really need to be ‘as one’ with your head to get that seamless Supervision feeling - It sounds as though you’re working on it!  No bolts or glue though, please ... 😖

 

 

 

Edited by JTEC
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I’ve got the homebrew Nikon tce2 version. I’ve toyed with the idea of making a bracket to hold them onto a cheap gopro headband, getting the angle and position perfect is the challenging part. Best use lying down and looking zenithward... gravity does a good job holding them in place!

Peter

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The nikon DIY option sounds good! I had mine out last night, could make out Andromeda quite easily from in town. I like them! I have a GoPro headband as well, thinking about giving that the chop, a generic one part of an attachment kit. Being able to wear these is a must, though tucked up in my down sleeping bag with them sounds ok thIs winter...

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