UKH

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/off_belay/telescope-727102?v=1#x9321280

Hey all. Following this thread I'm still researching and wondered what the views view on scope vs bins.

Ive been looking at something likes these.

https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/celestron-skymaster-25-x-100-observati...

Are they in stock?

Yes. I was a bit concerned after we spoke about the very small visuals that you get plus the other setup. I though bins might be better for flexibility and for my daughter's use. 

A good set of bins generally gives give better views than the equivalent size telescope and more natural on the eyes. However,  with this style, with fixed magnification and oculars it's tricky to use comfortably for anything high in the sky due to getting you head in the right position (unless you have extremely expensive mounts thaty allow you to sit in a reclining chair). For the best views, higher in the sky is better as there is less atmosphere in the way and often less light pollution (both of these are significant factors).

A scope of similar expense will allow more comfortable viewing and allow you to upgrade/change oculars for different magnifications to suit the conditions and the object you want to see.

Just a thought, but at nearly 4kg these are going to be hard for a small person to hold and keep still?

When out with my children having the ability to line something up in the telescope eyepiece for them to then look through has to be so much easier than them trying to find the object in the sky by themselves using bins and then me confirming they are looking at the right thing.

I reckon they will be impossible to hold and keep still. The weigh will certainly be a factor but it is the magnification that is the big issue. I'd be surprised if anyone could hand hold any binoculars with a magnification of 25x and get any sort of decent view.

These binoculars are intended for use on a tripod or other mount.

Dave

I think the DB is looking at a telescope alternative and that tripod use is accepted as a necessity.

My hands are still fairly steady but even a pair if 11x56 is pushing it as far as hand held viewing is concerned. As you say, it isn't just a question of weight but image movement magnification, which is why my 20x monocular is hardly ever in use in spite of its fairly compact nature overall ( and the thing I have about monoculars being much harder to handle than binoculars)

Fair point. Agree about monoculars. I have only tired one but found it much more difficult to hold still than binoculars.

Dave