Hi everyone,

Any advice here would be appreciated. I want to invest in an entry level set of binoculars to introduce myself to back yard astronomy. I have (mostly) decided on binoculars because they would be easy to store and easy to take along camping/backpacking, etc.

I found several no-brand types on Ebay but I am a little nervous about buying optical garbage without knowing better. So here are my questions...

First, I own a nice mega-sturdy photo-video tripod which is more than enough for binoculars, so I would like to get large objective lenses to maximize the visibility. The few I have seen are around 20X80. Some have tripod adaptors however they are often located at the bridge, which just doesnt look as though it offers enough stability. A few others offer an extention bar which runs down the center and holds both tubes near the objective lenses as well, this appears more stable, but is it really necessary?

Second, is a zoom feature a reliable one, or will it tend to lose focus over the magnification range? I have a stereo microscope and they are known for going out of tune, and I wonder if an entry level binocular with zoom is going to be an advantage, or if it will be useless?

Any and all advice appreciated. I should mention I really don't want to spend more than $175, but am hoping to keep it closer to $100 if possible.

Thanks, Michael