[Carless]

While out today, I stumbled across some binoculars in a charity shop. After taking them outside in the sun and giving them a trial I bought them. Trouble is, I don't know much about binoculars and didn't recognise the brand.

I'd recently bought my first binoculars, some 6.5x21 Pentax "Papilio" binoculars as recommended by many on this site. I was thinking that while the Pentax binos are very good at the close focus thing, that I'd probably want something with higher power. I'd noted that people said that Bressler 10x50 binos are sometimes sold for £10 by Aldi or Lidl, and was waiting for them to turn up in the "specials". But then today I walked into an Oxfam and ...

Anyhow, the binoculars are "Made in USSR" Tento 20x60 binos. I paid £20 for them. I took them out and tried focussing with them. I was surprised how I couldn't focus on anything close up. OK, I knew they wouldn't focus as close as the Papilios, but these won't focus closer than about 25m. But when I looked at straight edges, or focussed a long way away, the image seemed good to me. Despite the high magnification, and the natural tendency of my hands to shake, the weight seemed to help me hold them still, while not being enough to make the binos seem "heavy".

After buying the binos, we continued with our plans for the day, which as luck would have it included going up to the summit of Beacon Hill, the second highest point in Leicestershire (though that's not saying very much). In a car park, I directly compared the Papilios and the Tentos on a distant pine tree. The Tento gave a much better result for that subject at that distance, showing the pine needles clearly, while the Papilios' magnification wasn't enough to make out the detail.

On the summit the Tentos amazed us. From there "Old John", a Leicestershire landmark was sort of visible by the naked eye. With the Tentos, I could see people walking around it, including being able to make out their arms and legs. We were 3 1/2 miles from Loughborough, but could still make out people in the town. But the biggest surprise we got was when we found we could see over the top of Loughborough and see Green's (wind-) Mill in Nottingham, 16 1/2 miles away. To the naked eye it was just a featureless white dot. But with the Tentos, I could clearly see the shape of the windmill and clearly make out the blades.

From the same viewpoint, a Kestrel was spotted. To the naked eye there was a dark bird-shaped object some distance away. Through the Tentos, after I found it, I seemed to have a good view and was able to follow it.

I bought them intending them to make a good combination with the Papilios. Certainly each does things the other doesn't. The Tentos were better for seeing small things further away. But when trying to observe a yellowhammer in a tree with the Tentos, I had to back so far away from it to get it in focus, that the higher magnification was wasted. The Papilios would have done much better in that situation, I believe.

When weather permits, my partner will see if they are useful for astronomical purposes.

Looking around on the web, it seems like Tentos are a "cheap" brand of binoculars. But the reviews I've seen say that the optics aren't bad. But I don't know how much they cost. Like, at £20 for a seemingly fully working second hand pair, is that cheap or expensive.

At least if I paid over the odds, the money went to charity. And I definitely find them useful.

Also, while I'm impressed with what I can see with the binos, does that say something about the binos themselves, or does it say more about my knowledge of binos and what I should be able to see through them.

Edit: I found a sale on US ebay. US$49.99 + $12 p&p. If that's a good indication of the price, then the £20 I paid was about right.

[oldbaldman]

all that matters is that you are happy and did not pay way too much. all my charity shop binoculars have been excellent value. one pair i part exchanged for my helios and i got £50 for them, they cost me £12.00. My Hans Weiss bins were valued at £100 by a shop, cost me £10.00. My latest charityshop bins are by Revue for £12.00 odd and another are my Alpha 8 x 30 at £9.00.

Definitely some bargains out there to be had.

obm

[Tero]

Made in USSR

As long as everything does not look red, you are OK.

[Carless]

I never thought of charity shops to be a place to look for optical equipment. I'll keep my eyes more open in future.

While there is no red tint to the view , there are some filters that clip onto the eyepieces. A sort of burnt orange colour. I don't know what they are for.

I've just bought my son a microscope, which is also made in Russia. If I keep buying Soviet an ex-Soviet equipment, will I have marked myself out if there's another cold war?

[bosun]

Tento binoculars are made in the KOMZ Russian factory which took machinery and technicians back to Russia from the Carl Zeiss factory in Germany at the end of the second World War. Optically, they are generally superb although occasionally quality control isn't what it should be. It is usually immediately obvious when you look through them if you have a good pair or not. They are constructed in a way which makes them almost indestructable (unlike most modern binoculars which are often made in plastic to cut down the weight).

The binoculars which you have are not designed for bird watching but for very long range viewing (including astronomy). Nor are they conveniently sized for carrying around all day. You may find that mounting on a tripod will reduce shake for long range viewing.

Although originally a "cheap" make, their quality is becoming more appreciated, especially in comparison with modern chinese bins and their value is much greater than their price. Prices are now rising on e bay and I think that you probably had a bargain, not least because they will last for ever unless you really treat them badly, certainly many decades longer than the cheap modern binoculars. The last 2 digits of the serial number is the year of manufacture.

I recently bought a superb pair of old Swift Saratoga 8x40 binoculars in a charity shop which are a much better spec for bird watching and a lot more convenient for carrying around. They cost me £25. They are top quality Japanese binoculars from the early 1970's.

[Tero]

...there are some filters that clip onto the eyepieces. A sort of burnt orange colour. I don't know what they are for.

Some military use, in dust etc?

[ceasar]

Laser protection, I think. I have an old russian 8 x 32 that has clip on red filters for the oculars.
Bob

[ikw101]

Sounds like you had a good day out and gaveaway £20 to a worthwhile cause. They're a bargain!

[stuart C smith]

Originally Posted by Carless

While out today, I stumbled across some binoculars in a charity shop. After taking them outside in the sun and giving them a trial I bought them. Trouble is, I don't know much about binoculars and didn't recognise the brand.

I'd recently bought my first binoculars, some 6.5x21 Pentax "Papilio" binoculars as recommended by many on this site. I was thinking that while the Pentax binos are very good at the close focus thing, that I'd probably want something with higher power. I'd noted that people said that Bressler 10x50 binos are sometimes sold for £10 by Aldi or Lidl, and was waiting for them to turn up in the "specials". But then today I walked into an Oxfam and ...

Anyhow, the binoculars are "Made in USSR" Tento 20x60 binos. I paid £20 for them. I took them out and tried focussing with them. I was surprised how I couldn't focus on anything close up. OK, I knew they wouldn't focus as close as the Papilios, but these won't focus closer than about 25m. But when I looked at straight edges, or focussed a long way away, the image seemed good to me. Despite the high magnification, and the natural tendency of my hands to shake, the weight seemed to help me hold them still, while not being enough to make the binos seem "heavy".

After buying the binos, we continued with our plans for the day, which as luck would have it included going up to the summit of Beacon Hill, the second highest point in Leicestershire (though that's not saying very much). In a car park, I directly compared the Papilios and the Tentos on a distant pine tree. The Tento gave a much better result for that subject at that distance, showing the pine needles clearly, while the Papilios' magnification wasn't enough to make out the detail.

On the summit the Tentos amazed us. From there "Old John", a Leicestershire landmark was sort of visible by the naked eye. With the Tentos, I could see people walking around it, including being able to make out their arms and legs. We were 3 1/2 miles from Loughborough, but could still make out people in the town. But the biggest surprise we got was when we found we could see over the top of Loughborough and see Green's (wind-) Mill in Nottingham, 16 1/2 miles away. To the naked eye it was just a featureless white dot. But with the Tentos, I could clearly see the shape of the windmill and clearly make out the blades.

From the same viewpoint, a Kestrel was spotted. To the naked eye there was a dark bird-shaped object some distance away. Through the Tentos, after I found it, I seemed to have a good view and was able to follow it.

I bought them intending them to make a good combination with the Papilios. Certainly each does things the other doesn't. The Tentos were better for seeing small things further away. But when trying to observe a yellowhammer in a tree with the Tentos, I had to back so far away from it to get it in focus, that the higher magnification was wasted. The Papilios would have done much better in that situation, I believe.

When weather permits, my partner will see if they are useful for astronomical purposes.

Looking around on the web, it seems like Tentos are a "cheap" brand of binoculars. But the reviews I've seen say that the optics aren't bad. But I don't know how much they cost. Like, at £20 for a seemingly fully working second hand pair, is that cheap or expensive.

At least if I paid over the odds, the money went to charity. And I definitely find them useful.

Also, while I'm impressed with what I can see with the binos, does that say something about the binos themselves, or does it say more about my knowledge of binos and what I should be able to see through them.

Edit: I found a sale on US ebay. US$49.99 + $12 p&p. If that's a good indication of the price, then the £20 I paid was about right.

you did very well, i have owned two pairs, and they are usefull for astonomy too.

[Carless]

Thanks for all the information, particularly to Bosun for the background behind the binos. I'm now very pleased with my purchase. While they aren't designed for birdwatching, I'm more of an outdoors generalist than a birdwatcher, and I'm confident I will find many uses for them. We are planning to go to the very aptly named Watermead Park over the next week or so, where there is a two story hide with views over various wet habitats. Because the birds will be at a distance, and the binos can be rested on whatever you call those slits in the hide, I was expecting the Tentos would work well.

One thing I do is open-water swimming. And we are supposed to have two "spotters" observing people in the water at all times. I think I'll take the Tentos along for this as sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference between swimmers at the far end of the lake and other objects in the water.

I don't find the weight particularly worrisome by itself. Though usually I have food and drink for three people on my back, so I do get a bit tired climbing up. My seven year old can sort of use them, but does find them heavy.

The ability to use them for astronomical purposes will be a big plus in our house. I found a review of some Celestron 20x80 binos versus 20x60 Tentos, and while the Celestron binos were found to be better, it didn't seem that they were overwhelmingly better.

http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/43s_a...ws/rev2080.htm

Since the Celestrons are £200 new, something just making it into the same ballpark for £20 will do very nicely thank you.

http://www.celestron.uk.com/catalogu...ategoryID=3876

[Sancho]

Well done carless, you got a bargain and supported a cause. I wish I had a decent pair of 20x60 bins for seawatching (with a tripod), but I´ve never found a reasonably priced pair. Congratulations again!

[Simon S]

I own a pair of the Tento 20x60's and if you paid £20 you did OK. There yellow cast is a bit off putting as is the focus mechanism that can be a bit rough, but they use Bak4 glass ans are great for long distance spotting. You might need a tripod though! T

[Steve Jones]

I got a pair of Tento 10x50's back in the 80's and thought they were really good. They were 'bulky' but not actually that heavy. They did have the 'yellowy cast' but that never seemed an issue, as birds still looked great through them.
When I bought them I was told the orange filters were to increase contrast when viewing in misty conditions.