Tripod mount on the MINOX BD 10x44 BP Porro? (1 Viewer)

I have a chance to pick up an as-new example of these for 200. I know about the very narrow FOV. From scant reviews, though, the optics are comparable to Nikon E2s which sell for ~500 (new or mint used).

However I have found statements on review/spec sheets both that it does, and does not, have a tripod mounting receptacle.

Does anybody actually know for certain? I want to use them on a tripod for astronomy.

Hi,

for your reference - here's a link to the instruction manual which shows the location of the tripod mount.

http://www.minox.de/index.php?id=11...ngen/fernglaeser/Mnx_Man_BD_8x10x44_Porro.pdf

Regarding the view, it is difficult to compare a pair of bins with a very narrow field of view to one whose main drawing point is a wide angle view. The true field for the Minox is 5.1 deg vs 7 for the E2.
If you only have 200$ or so, this might get you pair of multicoated CZJ Dekarems or Dekaris or Jenoptem 10x50 with a bit of patience - 50mm aperture, 7.3 deg and no tripod adapter but a classic bridge clamp will work. Or if you only want to do astro, there's lots of 60+ mm porro bins for mounting on a tripod.

Joachim

Thank you so much. You must be a very good googler, I could not find anything.

Perhaps I should have tried the Minox site.

Yes, it's a struggle. I don't have the Minoxs yet, and I have not found anything that promises the optical quality that it does for 200, but I don't know how the FOV will be for me. I'll take a look at your suggestions.

2weels said:

Thank you so much. You must be a very good googler, I could not find anything.

Perhaps I should have tried the Minox site.

Yes, it's a struggle. I don't have the Minoxs yet, and I have not found anything that promises the optical quality that it does for 200, but I don't know how the FOV will be for me. I'll take a look at your suggestions.

Click to expand...

If you want a pair of astro bins for tripod use, these 15x70 are less than $200, and offer 4.3 deg true field. Which is not too shabby at 15x and makes for 65 deg afov. The Minox with 5.1 deg true at 10x and thus 51 deg afov will be like looking through a soda straw.

https://oberwerk.com/product/11x70mm-lightweight-binoculars/

Joachim

jring said:

If you want a pair of astro bins for tripod use, these 15x70 are less than $200, and offer 4.3 deg true field. Which is not too shabby at 15x and makes for 65 deg afov. The Minox with 5.1 deg true at 10x and thus 51 deg afov will me like looking through a soda straw.

https://oberwerk.com/product/11x70mm-lightweight-binoculars/

Joachim

Click to expand...

Hi Joachim, very coincidental. My brother gave me his pair of those about a year ago. I live out on a ranch 20 miles from our small town, so have good sky views, but feel I have that covered. The Minox are more for birding, and general use....out here we like to be able to see what's going on around us.

Thanks for the suggestion, glad what I have is considered OK.

Hi,

if you have a 15x70 for astro, why not get an 8x32 for birding and general use. It's light and small and also has a 4mm exit pupil plus is easier to hold steady than a 10x.

Sightron Blue Sky 8x32 gets good reviews and is in your price range.

Joachim

That certainly makes sense. I have gotten fixated on this Minox though.
My reading--again of just a few posts--makes me thing this will have extremely good brightness and resolution, with 94% transmission. I want to own something with a view close to the Swarovskis I tried (nearly $3K). I live in the desert so even looking at birds involves some distances unless it's the Cactus Wren that keeps coming in my house but I don't need binocs for him . So I thought 10x might be good, and I'll find out if I can hold it steady. This is a trial test. I'll either end up with some really nice binocs or some good knowledge. Since I moved out here to the boonies a couple years ago, I seem to want good binoculars.

I appreciate your help and encouragement. I probably ought to just follow your advice, instead of telling you later "Yeah, that FOV was intolerable, I shoulda listened to you."

I really can not find another binoc for 200 that I think is going to show me what good quality is like. I am open to suggestions and appreciate yours. I really like the idea of a porro, holding two tubes doesn't seem right. I also would like something fog proof so sealed and purged. I feel like I can get my money back for the Minox pair. I only won it by a couple dollars. Also, another bit of data,I got to talking to a seller on ebay who had some binocs for sale and he has been helpful, and guided me to look for old Swifts with Trilar coatings. There are a few on ebay, and I plan to buy one tomorrow,
payday, which is when I need to either get or not get the Minox.
I guess that narrow FOV is either going to bug me, or not.
If it does, then I'll resale it, it's like new. If my ebay friend is right, I'll end up with a 7x35 370' FOV binocs with a really good view (not Minox or $1000+ quality but good). Not waterproof though. I don't need that in the desert so much but I go camping, hiking, etc. and the Minox will stand up to that, being waterproof to 16 feet.

Anyway I'll let you know what came out. The Sightrons I have been reading about. The Eagle Optics Denalis at closeout half price seems like an option too, if I go roof.

jring said:

Hi,

if you have a 15x70 for astro, why not get an 8x32 for birding and general use. It's light and small and also has a 4mm exit pupil plus is easier to hold steady than a 10x.

Sightron Blue Sky 8x32 gets good reviews and is in your price range.

Joachim

Click to expand...

Hi,

a 7x35 with 370' at 1000 yards equals to 7 deg true field (divide feet@1000yards by 52.5) which is nothing to call home about... this is roughly 49 deg afov - so even more soda straw than the minox.

If you want a waterproof 7x35 porro, you could do worse than getting a Nikon Action EX 7x35 - and this has 9.3 deg true field.

Also 7x35 deg bins are usually quite a bit bulkier than 8x30, so that is probably a better idea. Nice entry level porros in 8x30 are the Leupold Yosemite/Kowa YF/Opticron Savanah series.

Regarding transmission - you will not see a difference of 5% with your naked eye.

Joachim

jring said:

Hi,

a 7x35 with 370' at 1000 yards equals to 7 deg true field (divide feet@1000yards by 52.5) which is nothing to call home about... this is roughly 49 deg afov - so even more soda straw than the minox.

If you want a waterproof 7x35 porro, you could do worse than getting a Nikon Action EX 7x35 - and this has 9.3 deg true field.

Also 7x35 deg bins are usually quite a bit bulkier than 8x30, so that is probably a better idea. Nice entry level porros in 8x30 are the Leupold Yosemite/Kowa YF/Opticron Savanah series.

Regarding transmission - you will not see a difference of 5% with your naked eye.

Joachim

Click to expand...

Thanks Joachim. Where can I read to understand the afov -- why you divide by 52.
It would seem like the minox at 268 ft/1000yd would be more soda straw than a 7x35 with 370ft/1000yd.

?

Jim

Hi,

afov = apparent field of view - or how large the image circle looks when looking through the instrument. A human eye can see about 70-75 deg without moving, so that is what you aim for ideally.

You get it roughly by multiplying the true field in degrees with the magnification (this assumes no distortion which in most cases is not true, but it comes close).

The true field in degrees times 52.5 is a quick & dirty way to calculate true field in feet at 1000 yards. See

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_of_view

for the math, although they only do the metric factor of true field in deg times 17.45 for m at 1000m.

Joachim

Thanks Joachim.

jring said:

Hi,

afov = apparent field of view - or how large the image circle looks when looking through the instrument. A human eye can see about 70-75 deg without moving, so that is what you aim for ideally.

You get it roughly by multiplying the true field in degrees with the magnification (this assumes no distortion which in most cases is not true, but it comes close).

The true field in degrees times 52.5 is a quick & dirty way to calculate true field in feet at 1000 yards. See

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_of_view

for the math, although they only do the metric factor of true field in deg times 17.45 for m at 1000m.

Joachim

Click to expand...