I haven't tried it with my 8x32, because I would expect the exit pupil to be too small (32mm/8/3=1,3mm) for a comfortable or brjght enough view. I have briefly tried it yesterday with my 7x42 FL for which I have bought it (giving an exit pupil of about 42/7/3=2mm), but I was quite disappointed by the added value, even when leaning it on my scope/tripod. The 25x minimal magnification of my scope gives a much better view,also in terms of apparent sharpness, than the 21x reached with the doubler. I might give it another try later today.
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Zeiss 3x12 Monocular (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tringa45
- Start date
henry link
Well-known member
To arrive at best focus with the Tripler/binocular combination first focus the Tripler to approximately its infinity focus setting, then attach it to the binocular and use the binocular's focuser as you normally would. Don't be surprised if image is poor. The Tripler is not the problem. What you're seeing is the true full aperture image quality of your binocular when its magnification is tripled. Usually that's not a pretty sight, but some binoculars do better than others.
BTW, an 8x32 can produce a pretty decent image at 24x if its aberrations are low enough. After all it's just the same as a 80mm scope set at 60x.
Henry
BTW, an 8x32 can produce a pretty decent image at 24x if its aberrations are low enough. After all it's just the same as a 80mm scope set at 60x.
Henry
I'll give it another try and there was no surprise on my part because I went into it with skepticism in the first place. Feels gimmicky to me anyway and pretty useless, but still curious to see if I'll discover at least part of why some would do it, rather than just getting a higher power instrument.
A doubler or tripler can indeed be used alone for seeing details the naked eye cannot. And my experience is the same that it's not a replacement for a spottingscope. They includes extra lenses and/or prism systems which always causes a worse result than spottingscope or higher power binoculars.
Do you know if there's an adapter that will fit an eyepiece with an internal diameter of around 30.5mm? I.e. the adapter should have an outer diameter of around 31mm, or just over.
I use my tripler with a SLC 15x56. I don't know which adapter I have, but I think it was originally bought for a Victory HT 54mm binocular, so it is probably the 538377 model. The outer diameter is around 34.3mm. I just bought a Kahles Helia S 8x42, and was hoping the same adapter would work, but the eyepiece is significantly smaller than the 15x56.
BTW, the image quality on the Kahles 8x42 with the tripler is pretty good in bright conditions. There's a little bit of CA visible, but barely noticeable on most targets. However, I want to be able to use it without holding it in place manually (as the shakes obviate the point of using it).
Hermann
Well-known member
Sorry, I just realized I don't have my adapters here. Also, there now seem to be more adapters than I've got. I've got three different ones, there are actually five, it seems. A complete list is to be found in the manual of the Zeiss 3x12: https://www.zeiss.de/content/dam/co...inoculars/en/manual-zeiss-monoculars-3x12.pdf
What I would do is ask Zeiss about the diameters of their adapters. At least the folks here in Germany are usually very forthcoming with such information.
Hermann
Will K
Too well-known member
I've been researching boosters like this, with a mind to using them on a full-size spotting scope.
Does anyone know of other boosters that would be particularly suited to working with a scope in this category: 65-85mm, up to 60X. I'd need 2-4x magnification, and very high quality glass to handle the strain on resolution. I know that Zeiss and Swaro make bespoke boosters for their modular scope systems (e.g., ATX), but I'm looking for something that will work with a Vortex Razor. Ideally, it would come with a universal adapter system, but I'd be willing to bootstrap some practical method of using it, like post #29, if necessary.
Vortex do a 2x bino booster, but it doesn't appear to be made for their spotting scopes, and has not had the best reviews: 2x Doubler
Does anyone know of other boosters that would be particularly suited to working with a scope in this category: 65-85mm, up to 60X. I'd need 2-4x magnification, and very high quality glass to handle the strain on resolution. I know that Zeiss and Swaro make bespoke boosters for their modular scope systems (e.g., ATX), but I'm looking for something that will work with a Vortex Razor. Ideally, it would come with a universal adapter system, but I'd be willing to bootstrap some practical method of using it, like post #29, if necessary.
Vortex do a 2x bino booster, but it doesn't appear to be made for their spotting scopes, and has not had the best reviews: 2x Doubler
I have been using the Kite Optics 2.5x booster with good success,
Hand-holding a booster behind the eyepiece of a binocular or scope is an almost impossible task, so you need a firm connection.
The eyecups of many scopes are too big for the Vortex doubler but the Kite booster linked by Canip appears to have different sized adapters and the Opticron Universal Tele-Adapter has a host of different sized connection rings.
The booster will show up the qualities of binocular or scope but its own optical qualities don't play a significant role. Just about all of them will have a rather restricted AFoV under 40°.
I originally paid €320 for my 3x12 Zeiss but it is now a ridiculous €490. Alternative monoculars are the 4x12s from Zeiss, Vixen or Opticron and Specwell have a range of monoculars starting at 2x. These have the advantage over the other boosters of being compacter and also focusable for general use and could probably be adapted to a scope eyecup by padding out with bicycle inner tube or masking tape.
Whatever you do, make sure to secure it against a fall! I once had a Vortex doubler, which was damaged during the first minutes of use. Fortunately, it was replaced f.o.c. under Vortex' no-condition guarantee.
John
henry link
Well-known member
I started a response, but John's post includes almost everything I intended to say.
I would want phase correction in a roof prism booster, but beyond that the booster's job is so uncritical that its quality is almost certain to be better than required. Remember the booster's effective aperture is limited to the exit pupil diameter of the optic placed in front of it and its magnification is low so it's not stressed at all when positioned as the last telescope in a series. The binocular or scope being boosted (the first telescope in the series) is the optic being pushed to a magnification high enough to reveal its optical weaknesses. I haven't seen the Vortex booster, but I suspect the bad review I saw on the Vortex site came from someone who was seeing the optical limitations of his binocular for the first time and naturally blamed the messenger.
I would want phase correction in a roof prism booster, but beyond that the booster's job is so uncritical that its quality is almost certain to be better than required. Remember the booster's effective aperture is limited to the exit pupil diameter of the optic placed in front of it and its magnification is low so it's not stressed at all when positioned as the last telescope in a series. The binocular or scope being boosted (the first telescope in the series) is the optic being pushed to a magnification high enough to reveal its optical weaknesses. I haven't seen the Vortex booster, but I suspect the bad review I saw on the Vortex site came from someone who was seeing the optical limitations of his binocular for the first time and naturally blamed the messenger.
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Hermann
Well-known member
Well, I find handholding works pretty well if you only want to have a quick look to check an ID, especially if you're using an angled scope.
Hermann
I use my Nikon ED82 for occasional astronomy, particularly looking at Saturn and Jupiter with my son.
Just wondering whether the tripler might provide that bit more detail, even if it was for an occasional glance.
I also have an FL 8X42.
Hermann
Well-known member
That depends on which eyepieces you use. If you have the zoom, you already have 75x with pretty good optical quality. You may get a bit more detail with the Zeiss 3x12 at magnfications between 100x and 150x, but even you make yourself a good adapter it's not really a solution for extended observations.
I mainly use the tripler when I have a WA eyepiece on the scope, say the 30x WA, and want to have a quick glance at an interesting looking bird for a quick ID. If it's something really interesting, I usually switch to the zoom.
Maybe Henry can chime in.
Hermann
Great thank you.
Do you use an adapter with the 30x WA? I have the 30x DS and the WA zoom.
tenex
reality-based
It depends mainly on the seeing at your location, which is fairly poor here. I have ~90x, and when I tried more (120-150x) the detail was no better. That's frustrating because the scope is more capable.
Best I can get is Bortle 4 without driving miles. Seeing can be good though, especially in the winter when it's cold and frosty.
Bortle 4 is a description of light pollution and Transparency.
It is not a description of Seeing conditions.
At 3 a.m. Here I would have no problem using 150x with a good example of the 82mm scope, even terrestrially.
At a high elevation looking at Jupiter I would hope to go to 180x.
With a fine 82mm astro scope I would expect to be able to use up to 240x.
Saturn has less surface detail and high powers are not as useful.
The contrast is lower than on Jupiter.
So maybe 120x would be most useful to see detail, such as the Cassini division and planetary markings.
Mars can take high powers well.
It is also at a high elevation in the northern hemisphere.
Regards,
B.
It is not a description of Seeing conditions.
At 3 a.m. Here I would have no problem using 150x with a good example of the 82mm scope, even terrestrially.
At a high elevation looking at Jupiter I would hope to go to 180x.
With a fine 82mm astro scope I would expect to be able to use up to 240x.
Saturn has less surface detail and high powers are not as useful.
The contrast is lower than on Jupiter.
So maybe 120x would be most useful to see detail, such as the Cassini division and planetary markings.
Mars can take high powers well.
It is also at a high elevation in the northern hemisphere.
Regards,
B.
