which is the better brand of binoculars?
April 12, 2010 by
Filed under Nikon Binoculars
I want to buy astronomical 10×50 binoculars under $125 to observe sky,planets and stars. Which is the better binoculars; nikon,bushnell, or celestron for sky observation? If u have any other brand better than these, you can tell me that one also. Which one have more eye protection? Please help me!
For light gathering capability a better ratio is 7×50 you can see nebulae, star clusters and star fields at that level of magnification and with a little practice can get a steady image. 10×50 are usable but for planetary observation the binoculars you need must have powerful magnification. Those type of binoculars with 80 or 100mm objectives need tripod support. I believe a pair of 7×50’s and a starter telescope would be a better choice. Buy the binoculars first if you are on a budget. Many good quality cheap binoculars are currently available originating from East Germany. I purchased a pair of 7×50’s from the link below and was very satisfied. My ‘only’ connection with them is as a satisfied customer.
If you’ve done the research (porro prism vs. roof prism) and magnification research and what the “blank X blank” means, and are still set on 10×50’s you have named three very established brands for your purchase.
I dislike giving out “brand name” advice, unless I know of poor optics or cheap methods / materials of construction (i.e. “retail store telescopes”) but have personally had great experiences with my Celestron and Bushnell optics. (Never used a Nikon product, so I lack experience in the comparisonfield).
If you have not done all of your binocular research, I suggest going to your library (assuming they have a copy on hand) and looking at the June 2001 issue of Astronomy magazine, properly titled “Everything You Need to Know About Binoculars.” (by Phil Harrington).
Or, failure to leave the house:
https://webspace.utexas.edu/cannonea/www/binoculars.html
That should explain in great detail how to select a pair of binoculars.
It depends on what your main aim is. If you want an “easy to hold steady” and “large field of view” and the ability to pan the sky (spontaneous mobility) the prism type and magnification issues will be much different in consideration than a “stationary and mounted, small field of view but higher magnification” preference.
For a beginner on a budget, I prefer and suggest the former rather than the latter.
The way the human eye collects light alters with age as well. Check out that link I posted, it’s a rough estimate, but fairly close. Check out the “age” column in the chart they list. It might seem like an insignificant detail, but if you select binoculars that work great for a 12 year old, and you are pushing 65, you will likely be disappointed, and question the reviews that it receives.
Avoid Bushnell — they are a cheap brand, not known for their quality. Nikon and Celestron are fine, though Celestron has been cheapening the quality of their binoculars lately. I would recommend Orion’s binoculars: they have a wide range of quality and good prices. I’d particularly recommend their Scenix 10×50 binoculars, just under $100:
http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=binocular_standard/~pcategory=binoculars/~product_id=09333
I’ve owned 6×30, 7×50, 10×50, and 15×70 binoculars, and have found the 10×50s to be by far the best for astronomy. Anything over 10x is too heavy and hard to hold steady; anything under 50mm doesn’t gather enough light. 10×50s are better than 7×50s because their extra magnification makes a significant difference in seeing faint deep sky objects.