Nikon 20x120's

Started by [email protected], 05/24/2007 04:31AM
Posted 05/24/2007 04:31AM Opening Post
Hi all --

The few Nikon 20x120 binocular reviews I've seen (Cloudy Nights has two) make them sound like a perfect large aperture system if you can get past the price (~ $5,500). Does anyone have experience with them? And where might a used pair be found?

Bob Polcyn
Posted 05/24/2007 09:20PM #1
I've never had the pleasure of seeing a pair. The best astro-binocular I ever saw was a pair of 25x150 Fujinons with right angle eyepieces that a friend brought to Stellafane one year. Alas, they don't make them now, and I guess only a few were made. The big problem with the Nikons and current Fujinons is the straight through viewing, which makes looking high in the sky difficult.

It's too bad no one makes a really nice pair of large right angle binoculars for astronomy. Of course, there is always the binoviewer option, which probably makes more sense (but isn't quite the same).

Clear skies, Alan
Posted 06/24/2007 01:41PM #2
Well, I've bought a used pair of Nikon 20x120's mounted to a very sturdy Manfrotto tripod. It's going to be a love/hate relationship, worth the clumsiness of the set-up based on really spectacular views. The 20x120's were designed for surveilance and open water fishing boats -- the owner's manual essentially says so. The yoke mount design says it all.
It's going to take a while to build, but I have some ideas for a different mount which should make it an all sky viewing system. If/when successful, I'll report. Thanks all for comments.

Bob Polcyn