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From: chris@leadsv.UUCP (Chris Salander)
Newsgroups: net.astro
Subject: Re: HELP on binocular purchase
Message-ID: <722@leadsv.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Dec-85 15:30:40 EST
Article-I.D.: leadsv.722
Posted: Fri Dec 13 15:30:40 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Dec-85 03:04:25 EST
References: <1192@panda.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: LMSC-LEADS, Sunnyvale, Ca.
Lines: 32
Summary: suggestions


        1) 70, 80mm lens and larger are some trouble to
           use, so you should only get them if you are
           really serious.

        2) 20x and higher magnifications are also more than
           someone just starting out would want.

        That leaves the most common: 7x, 10x, 35mm, 50mm.
        You would want 50mm if most of your viewing is at
        night (to gather more light). If most viewing will
        be in the daytime, 35mm is fine.

        7x and 10 x I think is just a matter of how much
        magnification you would like to pay for.  For
        astronomy, I would get 10x50, although sometimes
        you can get a good deal on 7x50.

        Optics still seem to response to price.  You can
        get a 7x35 for $30 to $90, and the $90 pair IS far better
        than the $30 pair.  Avoid "Western Field".  Tasco
        is mediocre.  Bushnell is a little better, particularly
        because of their "Insta-Focus" lever.  I hear that
        Nikon is suppose to be fantastic.  Macy's has them
        on sale.

        Finally, the last issue of Astronomy had an article
        on buying binoculars.  It talked about how to look
        for chromatism and aberrations; and how different
        binoculars are constructed.

                                - Chris Salander