New image stabilised binoculars

[Second Time Around]

I've been thinking about this some more and I feel that the steadier the binoculars are then the less tiring they are to hold.  This is because the less the balance point moves,  the more constant the force.  It's the change in balance that I find tiring.

 

[woldsman]

On 09/11/2022 at 21:00, JeremyS said:

Will be interesting to hear how you find them 👍🏻🤞🏻

OK so the Kenko vcsmart 14x30s arrived safely in perfect condition on Saturday morning. First night out was this evening when the sky was unexpectedly clear. Used them in a dark Cotswolds village, technically Bortle 4 but always seems a lot darker here.

Did a focus test on M45 - picked out the strings of pearl stars in the cluster, so all well. Mars and Jupiter both disks  with very little chromatic aberration or fringing. No markings visible on either planet.

M36 & M37 in Auriga appeared as fuzzy balls - no resolution of stars but both very distinct. M38 much fainter. M35 a bit lacking in resolution but it was low in the sky at the time of viewing (around 9pm). M81 easily found. Ditto M27, M71 and M15. Two easier targets, M34 & M39, resolved large numbers of stars.  Mizar & Alcoa very stable in the field of view. Albeiro also split but much less stable.

The Kenko vcsmart is an extremely light and compact bino - very easy to hold. IS is operated using a switch so you don’t have to hold down a button. I wear spectacles and tried them with and without glasses. Without is better as the eye relief is ok but no more than that.

For the price, very satisfied with the level of performance.

 

UPDATE November 22, 1% Moon, same location. Mainly clear but some cloud. Out 10pm to 11.45pm. This time, in much better conditions M38 not a problem and in fact more distinct than either M36 or M37. M35 also very clear. Picked out details in the further clusters NGC 752, M103, and NGC 2169  (the “37”) without difficulty. Caroline’s Rose (NGC 7789), however, very faint. M42 fabulous with most keystones in the trapezium resolved. 

Edited November 23, 2022 by woldsman