Help choosing.....

[Bluenosebatty]

Hi everyone,

Im new to the site and also the world of astronomy, i just wanted some help/advice regarding what other binoculars are great for star gazing, the reason i say "other" is because i recently bought a pair of celerstron skymasters 15x70, after returning home from a holiday today i come to use them a short while ago for the very first time only to find they are broken! I am Very gutted indeed! It seems to be The centre focus, it dose not work or turn proper and when it does finaly turn it dosnt change the focus. i am so gutted as i believe this coming week there are going to be clear night skys and a couple of full moons :-(

anyway i have contacted the person i bought them from (ebay) so hopefully they will get replaced or fixed but im wanting to also buy another pair, a better more powerfull pair.

So could anybody point me in the rite direction for a nice solid reliable set of bins with a better result than the 15x70 skymasters from about £150-£250??

Thanks for your time and help

Mark.

[nightfisher]

hope you get your money back, thats not a good start, if i were you i would get the revalation 5x70`s from flo, you will have a years waranty and though they are same as celestron i have never heard of this problem

[Lensman]

Hi Mark, welcome to SGL. Sorry to hear about your bins

Have a look at the FLO website and see whats there, also give the guy's at flo a call, they are very friendly and helpful. The link is at the top of the page.

[Bluenosebatty]

Thanks for both your replys il have a look now,

Cheers

Mark

[Bluenosebatty]

Im interested in the helios quantum 4 20x80 off flo, does anybody own a pair of these? Are they a good set of bins for star gazing or is there a better pair out there i should be looking at? I know once ive had a couple of months of finding my way around the sky with binoculars il prob end up also buying a telescope......if the wife lets me :-)

[jaywalker1]

Hi Mark, ive got two decent size telescopes but still prefer my binoculars i think there much easier to use and less hassle you buy the right binoculars and its surprising what you can see. Maureen

[Moonshane]

hi Mark

I have the Helios Apollo 15x70s and these are really superb albeit slightly over your budget. Helios - Helios Apollo High Resolution

you really need a monopod at least to support them as they are quite heavy.

http://stargazerslounge.com/observing-binoculars/121684-observing-report-6-12-2010-first-proper-test-my-helios-apollo-15x70s.html