What binoculars do you think have the most WOW factor! (1 Viewer)

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Yes, I love the Habicht's 8x30. The focus is a little hard but you really don't have to focus them that much with their great DOF. I think on-axis they are the sharpest binoculars I have ever seen roof or porro and probably the BEST view. I bought two new porro's. Frank's Foresta's 7x50 and a minty pair of Celestron Nova 7x50's with a 10 degree field(525 feet!) and Erfle oculars for low light terrestial use. I will report on them when I receive them.


http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=811951

 

[Giorgio]

Holy... 175m/1000m is the best i ever saw for a 7x50. Nice.

 

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Yes. I get the Vixen 7x50's tomorrow and I will let you know if I like them.

 

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I get the Foresta 7x50 tomorrow. I will compare it to my 7x50 Celestron Nova. We will see which one has the most WOW factor.

 

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I bought a pair of Celestron Granite 7x33 to see if they have any WOW factor. I get them about Wednesday and I will write a review. Specifications look interesting!

http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/celestron/celestron-granite-7x33-binocular

Another WOW binocular I just discovered is the Fujinon 7x50 FMT-SX and the Fujinon 6x30 MTR-SX

Man those Fujinon's are awesome! No problems with nose pinching and the eyecups fit my eyes very well. I would say these Fujinon's 7x50 are one of the best binoculars I have ever looked through. Wow so bright and clear. I think they are better than a Swarovision. I am starting to like these 7x50 porro's. Not exactly a birding binocular because of their size but really they don't feel as heavy as they are. I was surprised at how high the quality level was on them. The strap is great and the case is REALLY nice and the objective covers and rainguard are all high quality. This is one QUALITY binocular. It is definitely worth the $200.00 difference over the Foresta 7x50. The optics are shockingly good. I would say of all the binoculars I have had the Fujinon 7x50 at $500.00 is the best value I have ever seen. Once your focus is set you don't really have to change it. These things just show you what a porro with a big aperture will do. Amazing. Kikkert ranks them over the Leica Ultravid 7x42HD and the Zeiss 7x42 FL. Another case of a $500.00 porro blowing $2000.00 porro's away in the weeds. HaHa! Heavy for birding but a great astronomy and low light observing binocular. You really have to experience these big porro's. It makes it difficult to go back to a little roof when you see the view even though they are heavy. Here's what Allbinos said about them.Also, the bottom link is the Fujinon 6x30's MTR-SX I bought on Astromart

"Overall the final score in our test reached a splendid level of over 146 points. Only few other pairs of binoculars managed to accomplish such a feat and all of them are far more expensive than the Fujinon, tested here.
We can write with a clear conscience that the Fujinon FMT-SX 7x50 is one of the best pairs of binoculars available on the market at a not especially steep price when you compare it to the possibilities of that instrument. We do recommend it wholeheartedly!"

http://www.kikkertspesialisten.no/tester-i-63.aspx

http://www.allbinos.com/257-binocula...50_FMT-SX.html

http://www.allbinos.com/allbinos_ran...king-7x50.html

http://www.astromart.com/classifieds...fied_id=813013

 

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I agree with you about the Fujinon's having the "wow" factor. Optically one of the best binoculars available today yielding views on par with binos costing four to five times as much. You don't see much on this forum about the big Fujis but over on the Cloudy Nights Forum they have achieved a "cult like" following due to their rugged build quality and their optical excellence when used for what is arguably the most severe test of optics....viewing the night sky.

The big Fujis popularity among astronomy buffs is easily understood because it mirrors the reason the Nikon porros (SE and EII) are so popular with birders, i.e. alpha quality views at a very reasonable cost. If I remember correctly you also use your binoculars for viewing the night sky on occasion so if you ever get the chance try one of the Fujinon FMT SX 10x50s. I've noticed that no matter how good a particular series of binocular may be there is always one in the series that is just has a little more of a "wow" factor. It's usually the lower power in the series which is the standout and this it what I've noticed in the SE, EII, and Nikon IF series of binoculars and of course this makes sense because higher magnifications not only magnify the image but also any optical imperfections inherent in a certain design. The only series that differs from this norm that I've noticed is in the Fujinon Polaris Series. As good as the 7x50 and 16x70 versions are to my eye the 10x50 is the pick of the litter in this series.....but then again I may change my mind when I get to look through the 6x.

Steve

 

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The Fujinon's 7x50 FMT-SX's are stunning optically. I will use them on the night sky, as well as , low light observation. Even though they are not birding binoculars as such more birders should try them just to see what a big porro can do. They are amazing. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I FIRST LOOKED THROUGH THEM! The view is so relaxed sharp and bright. Quite a difference from a roof prism.

 

[NDhunter]

The Fujinon's 7x50 FMT-SX's are stunning optically. I will use them on the night sky, as well as , low light observation. Even though they are not birding binoculars as such more birders should try them just to see what a big porro can do. They are amazing.

Dennis:

Keep going, a Nikon Prostar 7x50 is on AMart. Another choice in the
highend binocular market. And another step up.

Jerry

 

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Dennis:

Keep going, a Nikon Prostar 7x50 is on AMart. Another choice in the
highend binocular market. And another step up.

Jerry

Kind of what I told Dennis also, while he's on his 7x50 kick might as well look through the best. The Fujinon is very, very good but the Prostar and PIF are a little better.

Steve

 

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Better yet. The Prostar 7x50 must be impressive. How is it for terrestial use?

 

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Better yet. The Prostar 7x50 must be impressive. How is it for terrestial use?

Great for terrestrial use as much as an IF binocular can be. I often use one of my IF binoculars during the day when I'll be observing a lot at a set distance, bird feeder, infinity, etc.

Steve

 

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They are actually more convenient for that than a center focus. I kind of like IF. Just pop it up to your eyes and observe.

 

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They are actually more convenient for that than a center focus. I kind of like IF. Just pop it up to your eyes and observe.

I actually prefer IF binoculars for astronomy use because many center focus binoculars "shift" focus when viewing toward the zenith. I also prefer the rubber armored versions if available in a particular model because they are much warmer for extended viewing sessions in cold weather.

Steve

 

[hinnark]

Kind of what I told Dennis also, while he's on his 7x50 kick might as well look through the best. The Fujinon is very, very good but the Prostar and PIF are a little better.

Steve

Steve, better in which respect? AFAIK, at least the PIFs have been out of production for a long time, so I would assume the Fujinon's coatings are more up to date.

Steve

 

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Steve, better in which respect? AFAIK, at least the PIFs have been out of production for a long time, so I would assume the Fujinon's coatings are more up to date.

Steve

I find the Prostar and the PIF to offer better edge performance than the Fujinon. The Fuji is very good in this respect but the Prostar and the PIF are even better. I've also found the Prostar and PIF better during the day at handling glare in strong backlit situations.

Of course you have to remember that the Prostar is considered the reference standard for edge performance and some people purchase them for that purpose alone so if I find them just a little better than the Fujinon that is still saying a lot for the Fuji. I purchased my first PIF out of curiosity because the very few posts/reviews concerning the PIF were so positive in regards to both its optical performance and its rugged build quality. When I received my first PIF I was surprised that the PIF offered edge performance so close to that of the Prostar, so far it is the only binocular that comes even close.

Generally speaking in the 7x50 configuration I prefer the Japanese versions with their field flattener lens elements because I spend a lot of time viewing the night sky. My next 7x50 purchase however is probably going to be the Steiner 7x50 Commander XP. I looked through the 7x30 XP version a while back and was impressed with the view and Steiner claims an unbelievable 98% light transmission for the Commander XP series. Judging by the heft of the 7x30 I think they have an aluminum body but I'll make sure before I purchase a 7x50, because like you I remember the problems Steiner had with some of their earlier non metal binoculars.

I would also mention that my preference for the Prostar and PIF in the 7x50 configuration doesn't hold true in the 10x50s. Of course Nikon doesn't offer an IF bino in the 10x50 range but I also have the Fujinon 10x50 FMTR SX and the 10x50 PIF and in the 10x50s I think the Fujinons have a slight optical advantage although I much prefer the ergonomics of the PIF.

Steve

 

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Light transmission and field flattener are important in astro use. It really helps viewing a star field if everything is sharp to the edge like a Nagler eyepiece. What bigger aperture binoculars did you say you had? What kind of scope do you have?

 

[hinnark]

Steve,

thanks for explanation. Now I see what you mean. How do those two work with eye-glasses?

Regarding the Steiner. They claim the use of Makrolon. I wouldn't worry much about it because the Commander does have a reputation of being one of the most rugged binoculars available. They are intended for marine use on small boats. On board, binoculars are exposed much more to mechanical demands like bumps and blows. They are build to last and their are pretty lightweight compared with most other 7x50s. Steiner is certainly one of the leaders regarding light transmission but I think the Commander does have more about 93%. AFAIK the Steiner Nighthunters are even slightly better than this. The edge performance is not as good like the Fuji FMT-SX. Like them there is a lot of lost eye-relief because the eye-lenses are layed deep into the eyepiece. Still, there is another interesting 7x50 with center-focus available, that is the Docter Nobilem B. Its FOV is a bit narrower than that of the Fuji or the Steiner but they do also provide sharp images.

Steve

 

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Dennis

I have over 15 large aperture (50>) but only use four or five on a regular basis for astro duty. In the 7x50 range it's normally the Prostar or the PIF, and in the 10x50 configuration I usually grab my Fujinon FMTR SX or PIF. In the Fujinon series I really like the look of the traditional non armored version but I've found the armored versions more practical because they are much warmer to the touch during extended cold weather viewing sessions.

When I need more than 10x I use my 12x50 SE for handheld and either my 15x60 GAT T* or Nikon 18x70 IF WP mounted on a P mount. My normal choice for viewing when I'm here in town is the 18x70 on a P mount, one of my 10x50s, and a small porro usually my Habicht. I have never seen tighter more pinpoint star images at 8x than I have when using the Habicht and it is my favorite for splitting difficult doubles.

I observe the night sky about 60-80 times a year but believe it or not don't own a telescope. I was thinking about getting a nice refractor in the 100mm range (televue or takahashi) in the near future but I'm currently saving pennies for the big Docter (40x80 EWA) and knowing my penchant for two eyed viewing I'll probably go for the Docter first.

Steve

 

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Steve

Both the Prostar and PIF work fine with glasses. I don't wear glasses but my wife does and the eye cups on both models easily roll down and provide the full fov with no problem. It's a very subjective thing but for me the PIF has the best eye cup design I've ever seen, the winged eye cups on the PIF are just perfect for excluding extraneous light and fit my eye sockets perfectly.

I already have two older superb center focus 7x50s (Canon and Nikon) but would like to get a center focus with modern coatings. I really like the 7x50 configuration and believe I'll go with the Docter but might opt for the 8x56 version in a center focus. The 8x56 weighs very little more and according to allbinos tests is noticeably brighter even though both models have the same exit pupil.

I've been reading a lot of positive things about some of the Chinese center focus 7x50 binoculars here on this forum but don't believe I'll go that route. Even if they perform optically I have NO confidence in the reliability/ruggedness as far as the mechanical aspects of a Chinese binocular.

I'm enclosing a pic of the PIF eyecups, everyone is different but for me they are the perfect eye cup.

Steve

 

[hinnark]

Steve, thanks very much for the additional information. The Pentax PIFs are on my list of bins I'd really like to try for a very long time now. I can well imagine that these PIFs are the last binoculars that were build at Pentax by themselves. All the other more recent stuff is AFAIK made be Kamakura and Co. BTW, the Steiner Commander comes with (interchangeable) winged eyecups as well. Regarding the 7x50 and 8x56 Docter I don't think the difference in brightness is noticable in practise. As I explained a couple of years ago here, the value of 98% given by Albinos for the 8x56 isn't a realistic one. However, the color of the coatings on the objective lenses differ. The 8x56 does show greenish/brownish tint and the 7x50 a magenta tone similar to Zeiss coatings. But IMO the AFOV of the 8x56 feels more restricted compared to that of the 7x50 Docter. Also, at least with my eye-glasses on, the 7x50 does provide slightly better eye relief. BTW, both deliver very good pinpoint images of the stars.

Steve