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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

What glass did you almost buy: the cold feet issue. (1 Viewer)

newfie ghost

Well-known member
Some glass purchases come easy, you look through it, you like it, you buy it. Hopefully then you keep it. But is there any particular glass you've thought of buying several times, but back out for some reason. Sometimes more than once. May I call this the "cold feet dilemma"?

I have at least 3 to 5 cold feet stories to share.
 
The moment the 8x32mm SV arrived I ordered a pair. Had a couple meetings after that, got back to my office, called and cancelled the order.

This was last Friday.

Why did I cancel? I dunno. It's a big pile of dough of course, and I got stuff to do on the house, and I really want to retire someday, and my wife thinks I'm silly, and she likes the Zen 8x43 ED2 as much as anything ("whaaat??"), and the brake light on my F-150 is on, which is totally boring but probably significant and in need of attention, and I'm missing all the migrants anyway because I work too much...

The only Scarlet Tanager I've seen so far was hit by a car two blocks away and totally flattened. I stopped to look yesterday, got out of the car and passerby just looked at me like I was the crazy one.

So that's my Monday.

Mark
 
The moment the 8x32mm SV arrived I ordered a pair. Had a couple meetings after that, got back to my office, called and cancelled the order.

This was last Friday.

Why did I cancel? I dunno. It's a big pile of dough of course, and I got stuff to do on the house, and I really want to retire someday, and my wife thinks I'm silly, and she likes the Zen 8x43 ED2 as much as anything ("whaaat??"), and the brake light on my F-150 is on, which is totally boring but probably significant and in need of attention, and I'm missing all the migrants anyway because I work too much...

The only Scarlet Tanager I've seen so far was hit by a car two blocks away and totally flattened. I stopped to look yesterday, got out of the car and passerby just looked at me like I was the crazy one.

So that's my Monday.

Mark

Sorry to hear. I've only seen one and I nearly crapped my pants, very rich red more so than a finch or a cardinal. Saw it this weekend.

I've backed out on SV a few times. Price is one reason although I can get a good price on a used one. I dare not say the other reason in fear of banishment.

As for working too much, I understand- take time off or you will burn out or get sick. I know from unfortunate experience.
 
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in the distant past, the Tak Astronomer 22x60
more recently, the Nikon 8x32SE
and now, the SW10x32SV

edj

Wow that is some big glass, would be good for viewing Jupiter I bet.

I backed out of the SE so many times. It's my biggest cold foot. Peer pressure is strong though.
 
Sorry to hear. I've only seen one and I nearly crapped my pants, very rich red more so than a finch or a cardinal. Saw it this weekend.

I've backed out on SV a few times. Price is one reason although I can get a good price on a used one. I dare not say the other reason in fear of banishment.

As for working too much, I understand- take time off or you will burn out or get sick. I know from unfortunate experience.

Yes, the Tanager is the most intensely tropical red/orange imaginable. Stunning. Next week, I should have a day or two to spend with them, and the warblers. I know where they hang out. Lulubelle, come to PA and we'll show 'em to you. Promise I won't whine. ;)

Neat thread topic by the way. "Regrets, I've had a few..."

Mark
 
At least you have SEEN a Scarlet Tanager!!! Whine, snivel, whine.......

Scarlet Tangers are rare visitors to my backyard, so whatever they like to eat, apparently it isn't found there naturally and they aren't interested in my sunflower seeds, peanuts and suet. There are berry trees and lots of native trees and plants for bugs to eat.

According to Penn State, 13% of all of the breeding pairs of scarlet tanagers are found in Pennsylvania, which makes our state important in the breeding ecology of this species. But you won't find them breeding in my backyard!

Brock
 
My bedroom has a southern exposure, so it has to get really damned cold for me to need to turn on the heat. I like it cool, I don't like it hot. Some do, like Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. :)

I guess I've been curious yellow about 7x50s. Almost bid on Prostars, FMTs, and even a low ball priced Zeiss B/GA once, but I never pulled the trigger.

One FMT in VG condition but with a single black spec on one objective lens, which doesn't affect the view (they always say that :), for $250! I can't believe I passed that up, but I thought if I don't like it, I'll have to explain about the tiny black spot when I sell it, and that's the reason the seller had to finally go so low on this price, nobody likes explaining black specs, no matter how tiny.

I know the exit pupils of a 7x50 would be overkill, the skies would looked washed out, stars would spike and blob, the weight would be too much for my popeye-before-the-spinach arms, the IF EPs would be a pain in the rump to use, and the narrowish AFOV would elicit an attack of claustrophobia that would have me running (or limping) out into the open field for air.

But for some reason, perhaps because I've read too many Cloudy Night threads about 7x50s, I keep on thinking about them w/out my socks on.

So far, not even Frank's enticing review of the reasonably priced 7x50 Foresta has got me curious green.

I'm holding out for a high quality WF 7x35. Someday....someway....somehow!

Brock
 
My bedroom has a southern exposure, so it has to get really damned cold for me to need to turn on the heat. I like it cool, I don't like it hot. Some do, like Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. :)

I guess I've been curious yellow about 7x50s. Almost bid on Prostars, FMTs, and even a low ball priced Zeiss B/GA once, but I never pulled the trigger.

One FMT in VG condition but with a single black spec on one objective lens, which doesn't affect the view (they always say that :), for $250! I can't believe I passed that up, but I thought if I don't like it, I'll have to explain about the tiny black spot when I sell it, and that's the reason the seller had to finally go so low on this price, nobody likes explaining black specs, no matter how tiny.

I know the exit pupils of a 7x50 would be overkill, the skies would looked washed out, stars would spike and blob, the weight would be too much for my popeye-before-the-spinach arms, the IF EPs would be a pain in the rump to use, and the narrowish AFOV would elicit an attack of claustrophobia that would have me running (or limping) out into the open field for air.

But for some reason, perhaps because I've read too many Cloudy Night threads about 7x50s, I keep on thinking about them w/out my socks on.

So far, not even Frank's enticing review of the reasonably priced 7x50 Foresta has got me curious green.

I'm holding out for a high quality WF 7x35. Someday....someway....somehow!

Brock

I've thought about the 7x50 for a long time. The commander xp is supposed to have one of the highest transmissions available. IF stops me every time.
 
Can't count how many times I've almost "proceeded to checkout" on various pairs of Minox bin's. Can't quite nail down why but there's got to be something to it. I'm sure to eventually get a set but not just yet. Been pretty lucky with the brands I do and have had.
 
Undoubtedly for me the se8x32 bought one after procrastinating for years then had to sell. Luckily for me i will have another tomorrow in the mail! Will not sell that one! And the only other i just recently aquired the 8x32 el. I can't tell you how many times i have held it or how many different vendors shopping carts they have been in. And i don't know why? Lol!!!
 
For sure. I doubt I'll ever make the plunge on that one. I like pinpoint stars. Not sure what the wildlife pro looks like on the stars yet. Been cloudy ever since I got it.

The SE and SV who knows.

If you like pinpoint stars and are thinking about a 7x50 get the one that shows pinpoint stars to the very edge--Prostar.

Steve
 
I almost bought a Docter Nobilem 8x56 B/GA a few months ago but showed restraint at the last moment. Checked out the same vendors site today and there was the Docter.....still sitting in my cart.....just sitting there....all alone. I really want one of these just for low light terrestrial use.

Steve
 
If you like pinpoint stars and are thinking about a 7x50 get the one that shows pinpoint stars to the very edge--Prostar.

Steve

The Prostars were #1 with a bullet during my 7x50 "cold feet" phase. Then I read this review and that was it for 7x50s. Now I use an 8* 10x50 and an 8.2* 8.5x44.

My conclusion: Forget tunnelesque 7x50s, higher magnification is better, wider FOV is better, and a smaller exit pupil improves sky contrast unless you observe under pristine skies.

"The Prostars have excellent contrast and are sharp all across the field. Moreover, with their easy-to-take-in standard size field, low 7x power, and superb image quality they are very comfortable to observe with (both astronomically and terrestrially). However, for deep sky observing the 8.5 x 42 Swarovski ELs outperform them because of their larger image scale, darker sky background, wider apparent field, better ergonomics and lighter weight."

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbarchive/showthreaded.php/Cat/1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10/Number/571728/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1

b.
 
The Prostars were #1 with a bullet during my 7x50 "cold feet" phase. Then I read this review and that was it for 7x50s. Now I use an 8* 10x50 and an 8.2* 8.5x44.

My conclusion: Forget tunnelesque 7x50s, higher magnification is better, wider FOV is better, and a smaller exit pupil improves sky contrast unless you observe under pristine skies.

"The Prostars have excellent contrast and are sharp all across the field. Moreover, with their easy-to-take-in standard size field, low 7x power, and superb image quality they are very comfortable to observe with (both astronomically and terrestrially). However, for deep sky observing the 8.5 x 42 Swarovski ELs outperform them because of their larger image scale, darker sky background, wider apparent field, better ergonomics and lighter weight."

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbarchive/showthreaded.php/Cat/1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10/Number/571728/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1

b.


To me which binocular I use for astronomy depends on what I'm looking at that particular night and of course where I'm viewing from. When I'm viewing here in town I usually opt for 10x42, 10x50, 12x50, etc. As you mentioned the darker sky resulting from the smaller exit pupil darkens the sky and makes the stars "pop".

If I'm going out to my dark site in a rural area I always take a pair of 7x50's for viewing nebula and a pair of EWA porros for putting as much as the Milky Way as possible in the fov.

Binocular astronomy is a severe test of optics and I've never seen a binocular as good as the Prostar at night, although the 10x50 FMTR-SX comes very close.

Steve
 
The Prostars were #1 with a bullet during my 7x50 "cold feet" phase. Then I read this review and that was it for 7x50s. Now I use an 8* 10x50 and an 8.2* 8.5x44.

My conclusion: Forget tunnelesque 7x50s, higher magnification is better, wider FOV is better, and a smaller exit pupil improves sky contrast unless you observe under pristine skies.

"The Prostars have excellent contrast and are sharp all across the field. Moreover, with their easy-to-take-in standard size field, low 7x power, and superb image quality they are very comfortable to observe with (both astronomically and terrestrially). However, for deep sky observing the 8.5 x 42 Swarovski ELs outperform them because of their larger image scale, darker sky background, wider apparent field, better ergonomics and lighter weight."

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbarchive/showthreaded.php/Cat/1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10/Number/571728/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1

b.

Els do a great job with stars for sure.
 
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