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

Quick post, re zoom:
Do not buy zoom binoculars; I've yet to hear good things about them. With a few exceptions, "zoom" anything in astronomy is almost synonymous with mediocre to poor optics.

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FWIW, putting aside the actual quality, I've always worked to a factor of 5 for magnification to aperture, so 8x40 or 10x50 (10x60 would give a brighter image but becoming too wide/heavy) . A lower factor gives you a dimmer image.
I had a 10-20x50 zoom pair for a while but the 20x mag was too dim to be of use except for looking at the moon.

I can't help with the mounting although gun clubs use binocs on stands for target spotting.

our local Lidl store will be selling 10x50 for £11.99 from Mon 7th Apr which I will look at, (being a cheapskate). ;-)

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Can you please ask the voices in your head to keep the noise down?

I have used some excellent zoom binoculars, but I would not recommend them for astronomical use. While the quality can be excellent, they are (for good ones) both quite expensive, and tend to have relatively small objectives. Instead, for astronomy, go for something in the 60 or 70mm range (preferably, though you could easily go with lower), and not too high magnification (10-15x should be fine). 20x80 would work, but keep in mind how big/heavy they would be. If that isn't a factor, they would be a decent choice.

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Experience is your best friend. 7 x 50's can be held well. and are the best entry level bino's for you.
The problem you have eluded to is very real for the bigger sizes. The tripod is a unsatisfactory platform. 20 x 80 or 100 are very good bino's, but are almost useless if not able to be held firm. The central clamp is only as good as its weakest link.
I have used a wooden framed parallelogram which was well balanced and stable. The size and wight of such equipment prohibits portability.
Elbows on a fence post works better for most of us.
You need to try before you buy... That is the only advise you need.

I signed on to say exactly what Astro just posted. Enough magnification, enough field of view, and still reasonable to hold. I didn't catch your location; if you are in the U.S., haunt your local flea market/swap meet/thrift store/whatever for a few weeks. I have bought good 7 x 50's for as low as ten dollars; just watch for prism misalignment, field darkness, and other signs of rough handling and/or poor design.

I don't know if there are any of these on ebay, but it might be worth a look....

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Cougar,

I searched on Ebay, didn't find anything nearly that big. However, thanks to my local Harbor Freight store, I scored a pair of 7x50 binoculars to get me started.

I am glad I started with something cheap, because after an hour of gazing at anything/everything in the sky, it became quickly apparent that my next investment would be tripod-ready. I have a heavy duty Bogen photo tripod, it is terribly overbuilt and I have used it for video cameras that 15 years ago weighed about 15 pounds. It was steady for that, I think it will serve the purpose, at least to start off.

Thanks to all for your advice,
Michael

- Welcome, and good on you.

A good choice. Lots up there to look at. Those will also work on birds and other wildlife.

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Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.

Good point. We used to watch Eagles games from the high seats in the old Vet Stadium, and 7 x 50's allowed you to see the whole line at once because of the wide field of view.