Strong Points: The Celestron Echelon 20x70 binocular looks like it is, feels like it is and indeed is a high quality optical instrument made to very high standards using high quality components. This tends to let me conclude that for a high powered bin like these, these are pretty good low light performers. For our premium fronts we have a special production technique that makes our fronts even good for bathrooms. On the underside of the body, Celestron, like many other brands have added a couple of smoothed depressions that are positioned so that with your thumbs in them, you are not only holding the bin in the right spot, but also in the right way that really helps you to quickly find a good balance. However they compare well to other giant binoculars and whilst they are heavier than the SkyMaster, remember that these have higher spec features like a full aluminium body, rather than a polycarbonate one that many cheaper bins will use.

That is the best gift of all and make sure you tell her so (some flowers would also score major points for you)! However when it gets darker and your pupils dilate, bins with smaller exit pupils will seem less bright than equal quality ones with larger shafts of light exiting them.

Higher magnification bins tend to have a more distant minimum close focus than lower powered instrument.

Also all the glass surfaces that the light bounces off within the porro prism reflect 100% of the light that hits them.Our Orion 20x70 Astro-Binoculars are ideal for extensive astronomical exploration of the many wonders of the night sky. A tripod adapter (supplied) can be attached to the front of the bridge which is covered with a metal cap. It was a terrible disappointment, with excessive chromatic aberration and generally poor performance. I did a small review of the Strathspey 20x90's which will give you an idea of what they are capable of. A compact binocular prism system that allows the objective lenses to line up directly with the eyepieces and hence yields a more portable binocular.

The larger surface area of the lenses means they have the ability to capture more of the available light, but as you increase the magnification, the amount of light that gets through to your eyes decreases.

Visit the Orion Community Center for in-depth information on telescopes, binoculars, and astrophotography. I'm currently using a secondhand pair of Hilkinson solus 20x70 - to be fair, they look as if they've never been used. Step outside on your porch and scan the skies for the latest comet, or grab a lawn chair and peruse the Milky Way to discover wispy galaxies and clusters of stars that shine like jeweled boxes in the night. Registered Office of Faktum Ltd: Sweden House, 5 Upper Montagu Street, London W1H 2AG United Kingdom.

These long range/astronomy binoculars are quite a bit bigger an heavier than your average general use or birding binocular and so having a case that is designed to be carried out in the field is actually not really needed.The APM Magnesium binoculars use high quality ED glass (FK61) as well as BAK-4 prisms for maximum contrast and highest sharpness over the entire field of view. Good lenses are at least "fully coated," with a single layer of magnesium fluoride coating applied to each air-to-glass lens surface. Plain Square Edged (PSE) Timber is a high quality, machined square edged piece of timber which is perfect for jobs where a clean and smooth finish is required. They are very large and have a 50mm diameter and because the rubber is quite soft, make for comfortable viewing. An object positioned 100 yards away would appear as if it was just 10 yards away in a binocular with 10x magnification.