Binoculars - Where could I buy these online in Ireland/Europe?

hamster

Hi,

I have been looking at my requirements for a pair of binoculars and will settle for
a 11 X 80 or 12x50 with the option to mount. Anyone recommend a pair that they got? For general night sky scanning of the constellations, optical star doubles and perhaps a speck of glimpses of Jupiter's moons on a steady mount.
I'm looking at 200-300 euro.

hamster

To start the ball rolling... I came across the Nikon Action VII 16x50 CF Binoculars . This is rated 16x50. The 16 times magnification seems good but would the 50mm lenses be large enough. I do plan to mount (I have one) and wonder if there is such a thing as a standard swivl hole in such cameras to screw into a mount? Anyone have such a camera that has a mount hole? There a few more here I must look at....

Saruman

10x50 is usually ideal! Binoculars are good for getting a good field of view. If you have too high a mag it will be harder to control.

Seanie M

hamster wrote:

I do plan to mount (I have one) and wonder if there is such a thing as a standard swivl hole in such cameras to screw into a mount? Anyone have such a camera that has a mount hole? There a few more here I must look at....

Hamster,
what you are looking for is something like what is in the attached image. You can get the binocular mount bracket to fit any camera tripod (they are all standard) for about €20 from Andromeda Optics. Astronomy & Space will charge more I think.

Seanie.

Saruman

I dont think my adapter was very expensive from the astronomy shop... cant remember how much it was though.

hamster

Well I have a good one to tell! I'm staying in Artane in Dublin and I couldn't believe my luck when I found out that Astronomy Ireland (http://www.astronomy.ie) are right on my doorstep! That is unreal. I found the website first and the address on the Magazine has Artane on it. Me shakes my head! How did I miss that one?

Anyway, I went in there this weekend and was given a good rundown on what was available and yes they have everything you would want or in the future to upgrade.

I picked up a pair of Prism Binos 10x50 and subscribed to the mag for a year becoming a member in the process. Highly Recommend visiting if you can make it. The members are very willing to help to get you started and are genuine. The map is on the website.

I got the binos for 89 euro. The adapter to connect to my own tripod was 25 euro. I put up a piccie tomorrow. Definitely worth making steady.

Hey Seanie M, that's a nice set you got there! How small an object can you make out with those?

I had added a photo showing the binos on a stable tripod. Looking into them are steady and it really makes a big difference. I just have to keep my head steady now.

Seanie M

hamster wrote:

Hey Seanie M, that's a nice set you got there! How small an object can you make out with those?

Don't know hamster, its better to describe the faintest object more than the size, know what I mean? I can get alot of deep sky objects in them no problem, even many NGC objects far fainter then the M (Messier) ones. How I figure how far I can see is based on the object in question. What helps is the IFAS Binocular Observers Handbook. Its a great little thing, based on the IFAS Observing Certificate Challenges. Check out www.irishastronomy.org for info about it. Its actually only the second programme of its kind in the world, and was set up by 5 lads in Ireland. The first being the Astronomical League in USA/Canada.
It really helps you get to see some great stellar objects out there.

Seanie.

hamster

Seanie M wrote:

Don't know hamster, its better to describe the faintest object more than the size, know what I mean? I can get alot of deep sky objects in them no problem, even many NGC objects far fainter then the M (Messier) ones. How I figure how far I can see is based on the object in question. What helps is the IFAS Binocular Observers Handbook. Its a great little thing, based on the IFAS Observing Certificate Challenges. Check out www.irishastronomy.org for info about it. Its actually only the second programme of its kind in the world, and was set up by 5 lads in Ireland. The first being the Astronomical League in USA/Canada.
It really helps you get to see some great stellar objects out there.

Seanie.

Thanks Seanie, I'll check that out. Did you get a good view with Machholz with it? Must have been good? Well, I'm looking at the Quarter Moon now and it's fab in the 10x50 and is good enough to make the mares and some craters. Pretty impressive. I will probably get a steiner 25x80 for the tripod towards the end of the year. The 10x50 should be good tonight with Jupiter and Saturn (close to the moon) up. I really want to just scan and see the hard to see stars that my eyes are bad at.
Looking forward to the ISS tonight at 20:13 - 20:18. From waterford I will see it go through Rigel and pass close by Procyon. I'll scan it with the binos in the hope to get a bigger brighter blob.

Seanie M

hamster wrote:

Thanks Seanie, I'll check that out. Did you get a good view with Machholz with it? Must have been good?

I did actually! The bino's that I have are 8 to 24 X 50's, and I've had them for 4 years. On the tripod, they got Machholz very clearly, evenon zoom. I was quite impressed by them!

albertw

Saruman wrote:

I dont think my adapter was very expensive from the astronomy shop... cant remember how much it was though.

Got a new one recently for 15EUR. Any of the decent camera shops in Dublin stock them as well as decent binoculars.

Never paid more than EUR50 for binoculars, though the biggest I have are 10x50 and none are Zeiss, Leica etc.

I did splash out on a Manfrotto mount to put them on, which makes them really steady. In fact a 4" mak is steady on that tripod, which is really why I got it (from andromeda optics btw).

The IFAS Binocular Observers Handbook is the one of the best places to learn to appreciate what you can see in binoculars. Other books go a good job, but the handbook gives you the added incentive of an observing certificate! Plus, unlike the Astronomical League, its free! http://www.irishastronomy.org/observers/challenges/index.php

btw Hamster, before splashing out too much for the Steiners, make sure to check them out at night. http://www.cloudynights.com/breviews/steiner.htm Not the best review I've seen on cloudy nights...

Cheers,
~Al
--
www.southdublinastronomy.org

hamster

albertw wrote:

Got a new one recently for 15EUR. Any of the decent camera shops in Dublin stock them as well as decent binoculars.

Never paid more than EUR50 for binoculars, though the biggest I have are 10x50 and none are Zeiss, Leica etc.

I did splash out on a Manfrotto mount to put them on, which makes them really steady. In fact a 4" mak is steady on that tripod, which is really why I got it (from andromeda optics btw).

The IFAS Binocular Observers Handbook is the one of the best places to learn to appreciate what you can see in binoculars. Other books go a good job, but the handbook gives you the added incentive of an observing certificate! Plus, unlike the Astronomical League, its free! http://www.irishastronomy.org/observers/challenges/index.php

btw Hamster, before splashing out too much for the Steiners, make sure to check them out at night. http://www.cloudynights.com/breviews/steiner.htm Not the best review I've seen on cloudy nights...

Cheers,
~Al
--
www.southdublinastronomy.org

Thanks for the links to the .pdfs Albertw, these look good and will certainly help!