7x50 or 10x50?

[Wonderweb]

Hi all.

My wife has asked for some binoculars for Christmas so she can look at the night sky while I do astrophotography. I have been doing some research which, as usual with this hobby, has thrown up more questions than answers.  

I am wondering whether she would be better with a lighter, less magnified 7x50's or slightly more zoomed in but wider field 10x50's. 

I'm conscious of making them as portable as possible so she can use them while we are away on holiday and I have my travel rig set up snapping pics. 

I am happy to pay up to £200 for the right set

Thanks for your help. 

Darren 

[Peter Drew]

A 8x40 might be a good compromise.  The weight and easier to hold steady advantage can outweigh the reduction in aperture disadvantage.  The reduced aperture for daytime use will not be noticeable.   🙂

[Franklin]

8 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

A 8x40 might be a good compromise

I have found using 8x42 roof prism binoculars much better than the more traditional 7x50 or 10x50 porro type. Lighter, more compact and easier to hold steady. Maybe age and diminishing pupil size has something to do with it.

[Nakedgun]

~

Let me be the third in line to recommend the 8x binocular with ~40mm objective as the place to begin looking.

 

 

.

[Rusted]

What they [all] said. 8x42 roof prism is the best compromise. Plenty of light, compact and lightweight.
I have lots of old porro-prism binoculars and almost none are still aligned.
My 8x42 roof prism binoculars are lightweight and go everywhere with me.
They have never shown the slightest hint of misalignment.
Despite years and miles of walking, cycling and scrambling through forests.
My Zeiss porro-prism 10x50s went out of alignment in one day!
The shop refused to replace them because they said I had dropped them.
How can you prove you haven't?

 

[RobertI]

Well I don’t know about the OP, but following the above compelling advice, I’m going out to buy myself some 8x42’s!!

[bosun21]

I don’t know about the roof prisms but I use my 1970’s porro 8x40’s (Japan) a lot more than my modern 10x50’s which are also porro. Regarding collimation my 8x40 pair are still in perfect collimation after almost half a century! This along with having crystal clear optics and being lightweight makes them a delight to use. I would definitely go for the 8x40(42) for your wife.

[Wonderweb]

Thank.you all for the advice. 

Are there any "stand out" 8x40(42) binoculars in my price range (up to £200) that you would recommend

[dweller25]

Great advice, I am looking forward to see which specific binoculars get suggested……

[Captain Scarlet]

Meade Rainforest Pro get very good reviews. A friend of mine has them and they are very nice to look through.

Magnus

[Nakedgun]

~

Just about every manufacturer will make something at the price-point you're looking at. By all means, if you can visit a retailer who stocks a variety of them, try a few on for size. 

Someone else's favorite may not turn out to be your own. In any case, make sure a good return policy exists.

Good luck.

.

[Rusted]

There has never been a better time, in all of human history, to read conflicting reviews online.   
There was a time you could trust word of mouth recommendation.
Then "they" invented corrupt influencers, paid for reviews and "personality" advertising.
Opinions can now be bought and sold, like filthy rich slaves, in/on The Markets.
Which unnamed Asian factory is not without sin?
When it comes to sticking designer labels.
On shoddy, slave-assembled products.
For "household names." 

[RobertI]

On 12/12/2022 at 18:52, Wonderweb said:

I am happy to pay up to £200 for the right set

I’ve been browsing the FLO website and there are some nice 8x42 ED (or HD in some cases) roof prism binoculars around £200 by Pentax, Vortex, Hawke and GPS. Hard to find astronomy reviews for any of them.  I guess with FLO you have the option of returning them if not what you want. What confuses me is that most of those brands also offer 8x42 which are considerably more expensive right up to the £1K mark, but it’s not at all clear what you are paying that extra cash for. I assume you get what you pay for in the main, but what do you get?!! I have to say I am somewhat put off the Vortex and Hawke by watching their videos - they seem to be marketed as hunting binoculars - I just can’t help thinking that hunters won’t demand the same high standards from their optics as astronomers do!! 

Edited December 14, 2022 by RobertI

[apaulo]

with binos the only advice id give is, try before you buy. they can be chalk and cheese.

[Rusted]

4 hours ago, apaulo said:

with binos the only advice id give is, try before you buy. they can be chalk and cheese.

Preferably side by side.

Better binoculars offer a brighter, sharper image without any false colour.
You have to see it to understand the difference.
There is an immediate and obvious purity to quality optics.
Without any softness, only central sharpness or distortion.
Remember that this may only be true of top models!

Those in the lower price ranges, even by a top name, may be dismal.
Do not believe any reviews on YT.
Certainly not US dealer's or US hunter's reviews.
I bought accordingly. Then had to return them.
As completely unworthy of the asking price.
It was all complete and utter jingoistic hype/tripe.

So finally I went to a bricks and mortar dealer.
Where I tried selected models side by side on an outdoor target.
Until I reached my price ceiling.
There was no point in testing at any higher prices.
Because I would be forever dissatisfied.

[allworlds]

I went 8x42 roofs, Hawke Vantage, for my new pair. Not used them a huge amount, I'd say they're not perfect but they'll do the job. Some ghosting on the Moon, but I get extra ghosts from reflections off my spectacles anyway.

5 hours ago, RobertI said:

I just can’t help thinking that hunters won’t demand the same high standards from their optics as astronomers do

From what I've read hunters are a large part of the market for the really high end binos. We astronomers are not likely to spend £2,000 on a pair of 8x42s, we'd sooner spend £200 on the binos and £1800 on a telescope and eyepieces.

That doesn't necessarily say much for the cheaper to mid range binoculars. The requirements are somewhat different - stargazing cares more about sharpness and control of stray light, hunting and birding care a lot about colour rendition and contrast - but I think a good pair of binoculars is still a good pair of binoculars whatever you use it for.

[Franklin]

Hawke Endurance ED 8x42 , excellent general purpose bino's, a little over £200 but superb.

[RobertI]

53 minutes ago, Franklin said:

Hawke Endurance ED 8x42 , excellent general purpose bino's, a little over £200 but superb.

Funnily enough I went to a camera shop today and they had those very bins. I had a chance to try them out on daylight, and they seemed excellent. No noticeable CA when viewing something against a bright sky, and seemed sharp to the edges. Very very tempted. Must remember this isn’t my thread! 😆

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

On 14/12/2022 at 09:34, RobertI said:

I’ve been browsing the FLO website and there are some nice 8x42 ED (or HD in some cases) roof prism binoculars around £200 by Pentax, Vortex, Hawke and GPS. Hard to find astronomy reviews for any of them.  I guess with FLO you have the option of returning them if not what you want. What confuses me is that most of those brands also offer 8x42 which are considerably more expensive right up to the £1K mark, but it’s not at all clear what you are paying that extra cash for. I assume you get what you pay for in the main, but what do you get?!! I have to say I am somewhat put off the Vortex and Hawke by watching their videos - they seem to be marketed as hunting binoculars - I just can’t help thinking that hunters won’t demand the same high standards from their optics as astronomers do!! 

I used to have a really good pair of Nikon Monarch 7 10x42mm roof-prism bins, they cost a good deal northwards of EUR 200, but they were clearly sharper than the cheaper ones I tried. Unfortunately, my Nikons got nicked, so I was looking for new ones. Having come into some money at the time, I decided to try out some top tier bins (in the EUR 2k+ price bracket Leica, Zeiss, and Swarovski). Once I looked through these bins, I was sold. They were clearly sharper, with no discernible colour fringing anywhere (the Nikon started showing some modest fringes at the edge of the FOV). The Zeiss Victory SF 10x42 proved most comfortable to me, and I must say, I have not regretted forking out the money for these bins. They just seem to get out of the way, and put you 10x closer to whatever you point them at. The contrast and and 3D quality of the image is just amazing.

Would I have bought them if my Nikons had not been nicked? Probably not, as I was always very happy with the performance of the Nikons. As you move up the price ranges you do get diminishing returns on your investment, so whether you feel the extra investment is worth it is another matter. I have had loads of fun with some very inexpensive binoculars, like a free pair of Yashica-made late 70s era 7x50 porros, which after recollimating them, and tightening the grub screws of the diopter correction of the right-hand EP proved a great pair of  bins for birding and astronomy alike (I have since given them to our neighbour's eldest daughter, when she got into birding, she still uses them).

[jjohnson3803]

Maybe it's blasphemy, but have you considered a monocular?  If there are weight / size / portability requirements, a monocular can solve some of that.  Also, some people report having trouble merging images so they wind up using only one barrel of binos anyway. But if your wife says "Binos", best to listen to her wishes.  😉

 

[Stormbringer]

Theres also the Nikon Actoin EX 8x40

https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/product/sport-optics/binoculars/action-ex/action-ex

 

[Wonderweb]

Thanks all.

Really appreciate your input. I think I'd be best to go to my local dealer and try a few out. Better hurry up though or I'll miss santa. 

Edited December 16, 2022 by Wonderweb

[RobertI]

Sorry, but I just had to share this - dedicated high end 10x50 Astronomy binoculars - yours for a shade under £9000! 😮

https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/product/sport-optics/binoculars/wx/wx-10x50-if#tech_specs

[Captain Scarlet]

34 minutes ago, RobertI said:

Sorry, but I just had to share this - dedicated high end 10x50 Astronomy binoculars - yours for a shade under £9000! 😮

https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/product/sport-optics/binoculars/wx/wx-10x50-if#tech_specs

I believe @PeterW has actually looked through a pair of these…

[Rusted]

At that price I'd get one of my servants to look through them for me.