APM 15x50 (1 Viewer)

[adhoc]

The webpage linked here (in a site run by APM it seems) features the model:

"APM ED Apo 15x50 Magnesium Series Binoculars".

The specs. give FOV as 90 m at 1000 m, which works out to 5.15 deg. In the 15x56 roof-prism models by Zeiss, Swaro., and Meopta it is 4.6, 4.5, 4.2 deg. respectively.

It is priced there at € 416 'excluding tax', exactly the same as for the APM 10x50 and 12x50.

The page has the notice: "Availability acc. to manufacturer : 30 July 2023". But this same text is seen also in the pages for the 10x50 and 16x70, for example, which have been around for some time, so that by itself does not indicate this is a new model not yet retailed.

Searching on the internet for "APM 15x50", using Google search, does not bring up anything else with that text [*but see below], to me, except a thread in the Cloudy Nights forum in Nov. 2021 by Markus Ludes himself, founder of APM, asking for suggestions for new model/s.

Could someone please say: how does one get to any reviews or comments by users of this model, if there are such by now? Thanks.

Adding in edit. [*]I now see also the site of Teleskop-Express.

 

[wllmspd]

I'm new to Astronomy, is the APM 10x50 ED APO good pair of binoculars for beginners? - Binoculars - Cloudy Nights The 10x50ED is reckoned to be close to the mythical Fuji 10x50fmtr in performance. Not sure if the 15x is a new model or one of the existing 50mm models (7/10/12x), I know there are 12x and 8x 56mm about to release, so maybe the same container also contains some 15x.
My 10x give very nice views, sharp stars to near the edge. They’re weighty and need a monopod mount for long sessions (I think mine came with a (very solid) tripod adapter). They are individual eye focus which is fine for night time and for things that are a way off or when you’re looking at only one distance. I bought mine direct from APM, same as my 70mm binoscope. Mine have a nominal 65degree field of view, the figures you give would be somewhat wider which would be exceptional. I would expect the other models in the ED series to perform similarly. In the UK Astrograph sell APM, you could ask them if they’ve got any experience of the 15x.

Peter

 

[adhoc]

Thanks, Peter.

(a) Actually, I have been thinking of the 10x50 also, and am reading the reviews and comments on it I can find on the internet. (The thread you link was seen.) In BF I only found a brief comparison of it (along with several other 10x50s) vs the Maven B6 10x50, in a thread on the latter by Canip linked here.

Could you please say how it is optically for bird and nature watching—”optically" as I am already aware, by experience, of the problems of IF for use outside astronomy, and of fold-down eyecups, also the handling of the porro shape. Especially I’d like to know about CA in demanding situations: a bird silhouetted against the sky on a branch, a flying raptor, etc., and, also, color rendition.

(b) The real FOV of the 15x50 vs the 10x50 is narrower with the latter at 6.5 deg.

(c) What is the advantage/s of a person in the UK buying an APM directly from APM as against Astrograph which is in the UK? Wouldn’t shipping + import duty + VAT make it costlier?

(d) The website of Astrograph does not include the 15x50 yet. The only site that does other than the site apparently of APM themselves linked above is that of Teleskop-Express.

Adhoc

 

[wllmspd]

I normally use other binoculars in the daytime. I’ll take the 10x50 out to check, see if I can provoke and chromatic aberration. Quick garden test, bright, very sharp and obviously 3D, colour balance seemed fresh (I have other bins that give have a duller view, the 5mm exit pupil probably helps). Very pleasant views. On axis there is essentially no false colour, though I can generate a little when I get things much nearer the edge of the field, slightly worse than my Nikon 8x30e2 (though that one goes out of focus a bit more near the edges, which may hide things a bit). The eyecups are quite solid, there was a little mould line round them that pressed into my nose, I trimmed it off and now they’re fine. Focussed a few tens of meters and then you don’t need to adjust often if you are looking into the distance. At 1.4kg I wouldn’t want to handhold for too long, I usually use them on a monopod at night where they deliver very good views.

I only suggested astrograph as they might be able to get more info from APM, I haven’t looked at the difference on cost of direct vs a local agent.

Peter

 

[adhoc]

Thanks, Peter, all of that information is useful to me, and I look forward to that CA test!

 

[adhoc]

APM 15x50 ED (the thread is to find out about it!). Strangely (to me), the page for the model in the site www.teleskop-express.de/shop has more text on and photos of it than does the page in www.apm-telescopes.net. Linked within the latter page is a table (with comprehensive info.) on the numerous models of the APM MS series but it does not include this model.