bresser 10x50 binoculars @ lidl

[scarr1]

i see these binoculars will be on sale again at lidl on the 6th april for £14.99. i have read on previous threads that buyers have examined a few pair till they find some good ones. what should i be looking for when i to see if i am getting "good" ones, as i would like to buy a pair for basic observing and general use. i dont need owt flash and have seen some mixed reviews of these bins,some good - some bad, but im prepared to take chance if know what i am looking for.

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

regards,

simon.

[argonaut]

Hi Simon,

It is vey difficult to test binoculars during the day for astronomical use. The only thing that I can suggest is try them outside the store and focus on the most distant object(NOT THE SUN) you can and see if you can merge the images. It's not much good focusing on something 100yds away. Make sure that you can adjust the IPD(the distance between your pupils) and everything is working like the focuser and the diopter adjustment.

Hopefully someone else can give you more tips.

Good Luck.

Glen.

[philsail1]

Hello Simon,

Yes, the "Bresser" 10x50's from "Lidl" are excellent value for money.

However (in addition to "Glen's" advice, check the following:-

Slack focussing - take a pair out of the packaging and run the focus wheel until the eyepieces are quite far out from the body of the binoculars then gently press the flat palm of your hand against both eyepieces (as if you are trying to push the focus back in without turning the focus wheel). The eyepieces should not move inwards (or if they do, only with resistance). The reason I say this is that I bought a pair and when I used to leave standing upright (on their objective lenses) on the window sill, when I came back to use them after say half an hour, I would find that they had slipped out of focus. Whilst this did not detract from using them, it was a bit of a nuisance having to re-focus every time I picked them up. To overcome problem I just laid them flat. It is just something to watch out for.

Also, hold the binoculars up at arms length with the objective lenses facing you, and look through each barrel. You should see a clean circular image. Watch out for any corners or edges of an internal prism which is protruding into the light path. Some of the Bressers suffer from this problem.

Check that the binoculars bend smoothly in the middle (to adjust for width between your eyes - again, some binoculars are very stiff, and the odd one a bit loose.

Finally, check that any "twist up" or folding eyecups, move and stay in either position OK.

Make sure you keep your receipt too.

I'm sorry to seem like a devils advocate. I'm sure you will find the very first pair you try is fine. But even for the bargain price of £14.99 they need to work satisfactorily - otherwise they are not a bargain!

Best wishes,

philsail1

[scarr1]

thanks for help and advive on this , i do appreciate it. the last time they came on though my local store had sold out of them by 10.00 am, so hoping i might hit lucky this time.

again, thanks for answering.

regards,

[Jarndyce]

I got myself a pair from the store in Stevenage. They had stacks of them.

Apart from an over-warm colour tinge, they're really not bad. Especially for £14.99....

[scarr1]

got a pair from a new***tle store and they are better than i expected to be honest. i followed the advice i had been given on SGL (thanks again for that) for checks but they seem fine, though ive never looked skywards yet due to the weather.

definately worth £14.99

[philsail1]

Pleased you picked yourself a decent pair Simon.

Regards,

philsail1

[Astro_Baby]

I bought a pair to leave in the car - if they get nicked I can live with £14 of loss.

I did select a good pair and for £14 you can really complain. I tested mine out on a distant object and it was reassuring to see that they dont hold a candle to my other pair - my 'good' pair have far superior contrast and sharpness and generally feel more 'quality' and for that I am glad as they cost 10x what the Lidl ones cost.

A good buy though for £14 for sure.

[jnp]

I bought a pair today to compare with my Celestron 15x70. Unfortunately, they were a duff pair. I strongly agrre that anyone considering getting these removes them from the box and does a quick test. Mine are badly out of alignment/colimation, theres some plastic missing from one eyepiece, lots of grubby finger prints and finally I have three end caps. Obviously rejects

[Doc]

I took my birding today down our local nature reserve. Not bad at all, very good views for £14.99.

[Psychobilly]

I bought a pair today to compare with my Celestron 15x70. Unfortunately, they were a duff pair. I strongly agrre that anyone considering getting these removes them from the box and does a quick test. Mine are badly out of alignment/colimation, theres some plastic missing from one eyepiece, lots of grubby finger prints and finally I have three end caps. Obviously rejects

I bought a pair last time they were on offer - You might have got the pair that everyone else tested and "rejected"...

Peter...

[Dreadnought]

Got two pairs today, duke street lidl in Glasgow priced £13.99, a pair for the house and the other's going in the car boot.

Had a test, and they seem to black out in close observing, to prevent this, i have to hold them forward a little, and that seems to work.

All in all i cant complain at that price..!!

Cheers.

Dreadnought.