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15x70 Barska ,Bear ,Oberwerk ,Galileo,Help

Started by dmsherry, 12/28/2002 11:10PM
Posted 12/28/2002 11:10PM Opening Post
Ok I have decided to get on of these fo my first Binocular.
I have read alot of stuff on the internet and from that I understand They are alot alike (made in the same place).
so my question is about the color of the lenses,coated and
multicoated.. Blue, Green, and Red.. what is the difference
I do not think I will get the Bears so that leaves the three others.I want to look at stars and and some daytine use as well.the Oberwerks are $150 the others are $70
big diffrence in price.. I need some input from someone
who Knows about these things before I lay down the cash.
Pesonal opinions are always appreciated thanks in advance
Dean
Posted 12/29/2002 12:36AM #1
The Barskas from Heartland America are made with Bk7 prisms, Not BAK4s, so I would avoid those. The Galileos do have BAK4 prisms and cost $70 from sportsmansguide, so those would seem to be the best rock bottom deal. Burgess optics also imports a 15x70 to their speciation but they cost $100 plus $5 for the tripod adapter, but are likely worth the extra price.
Posted 01/03/2003 08:58PM #2
The oberwerks have better coatings than the others, and that's about the only real difference.

Some of them have bk7 prisms, others have bak4, and it doesn't matter at all. (The overall quality of the binos just isn't high enough for it to matter in IMHO. And if high quality is your biggest concern, you aren't going to get it for $70-150 anyways.)

I've owned two pairs of Barskas (still have one) and have enjoyed them tremendously. They are by far the best $75 I've spent on astro equipment in my lifetime.

I'd recommend buying from a dealer or someone with a good return/exchange policy though. The quality of these binos is all over the place.

BTW, last I knew www.heartlandamerica.com was still selling the Barskas for $69.99 shipped.
Posted 01/04/2003 06:27AM #3
I bought the Barska 15x70's from Heartland about a month ago and was impressed with them. They were the first binoculars I've ever bought.

I just purchased the 20x80's from Burgess and am even more impressed with them! They are incredibly lightweight -- I think they weigh less than the Barska 15x70's. I haven't actually weighed them, but a guest made the observation before I did.

If you can afford the $150, give the Burgess 20x80 LW's a try.

Dave
Posted 01/04/2003 01:47PM #4
Dean:

Since QC of these Chinese giant binos seem to vary from sample to sample I am more inclined to purchase from companies such as Oberwerk or Burgess whose speciality is astronmy gear. I have heard both Kevin(Oberwerk) and Bill Burgess check every pair before shipping. Oberwerk has been around for a few years and I have started to hear good things about Burgess Optical from people on this and other binocular forums.

Depending on where you live you may be able to go to a scope show or a local dealer who stocks the Oberwerk. I went to a small show in central NJ two month ago and purchased the Oberwerk 12X60 from Larry of Universal Astronomics(maker of bino mounts). I asked Larry for a new pair out of the box and was able to check obvious things such as collimation, loose focuser, and right diopter adjustments before making the purchase.... I also met Bill Burgess at the NEAF show in Rockland NY last year. I could easily saved $30-$40 buying a generic brand but since these binos are so competitively priced already I felt better buying a "Name" brand. When I shop for tripods I know a Bogen is a Bogen so I buy from a mail order dealer with the lowest price. Just my opinion.

BTW, I think the new Burgess 20X80 LW is a great idea: not much heavier than the Oberwerk 15X70 and the same price. Something to consider if you plan to use a tripod anyway.

ERik D