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High-End Binoculars Revisited

Started by Milt, 10/08/2002 02:29AM
Posted 10/08/2002 02:29AM Opening Post
Frustration over my inability to find a binoviewer that can preserve the FOV as well as image quality of my TV101 has brought me into this forum. FYI, my other binoculars are 1) 25yr. old Nikon 12x36 that have excellent optics but small aperture and unmountable and 2) Canon 18x50IS that I really enjoy when traveling but lack the image quality of the Nikons or TV.

I found several threads from this summer very interesting, like the one on the Kowa Highlander 32x82. This seems to be a unique binocular, with 45deg. viewing, f/5.5 and excellent FOV for its telescope-like power. The obvious downside is the very high price, and no one mentioned the extra $1k for its mount that would undoubtedly require custom work to fit to my Losmandy tripod...

So does it deliver the goods? Do you Markus or anyone else have any observing experiences to report?

Other helpful threads compared the Takahashi 22x60, Fujinon 16x70 and Miyauchi 20x77. With 45deg. viewing, the Miyauchi 20x77 seems like an incredible bargain compared to the Highlander. However, I don't believe it is available in an apo version and the FOV seems low for its power (as with the Tak). Oberwerk was also mentioned, but they seem to weigh twice as much as anything else. Then there's Borg (some assembly required).

Has anyone heard of anything new on the horizon? It seems there are many more choices for one eye than for two!

Thanks, Milt
Posted 10/08/2002 10:53AM #1
Hi Milt,

I using my Kowa 82 mm Fluorite now since several month at my lightpolluted city area, I used it in taiwan mountains at 3,800 mm latitidue anbd last weekend at our 1,800 latitiude Austria Starparty. I have all 3 eyepieces and have had plenty of chances to do side by side testings with other binoculars and apos.
The Kowa beets anything I have used to compare with

The Kowa beets the both modells of Myauchi 100 Fluorite in color, contrast and brightness, which means the Kowa shows brighter nebulaes and smaller magnitude stars. Same is valid against the very good Vixen BT 125 Bino. Using thew 50 power eyepiece, the Kowa show nebulaes better than in Fuji 150 ED with 25 power, thanks to the higher power in Kowa.
Last weekend we compared the Kowa against several diffrent 4 apos and the Kowa with 2 times 82 mm meets them in case we use same power in the apos.

So what to say about the Kowa ? The optics are as perfect as in best TMB and can handle powers up to 150 x without imagedegradation. They are my personal nice limit for airline transportation. They are such perfect that I will never sell them again.I have already baader Astrosolarfilters for them, I am getting next week from Sirius optics full size 82 mm UHC and O III filter for front and I am in talk with coronacor for a pair of SM 60 filters for it

If you have the money and if you want the by far worldbest bino, than you have no choice and your decision must be the Kowa Fluorite

best wishes

Markus

clear skies

Markus Ludes
APM-Telescopes/Germany