are these binoculars good for a beginner & for da price?

Question

I am looking to find something that i can look at the moon, stars, and maybe other planets with. i dont have a lot to spend so i found these binoculars because a lot of people are saying NOT to buy a telescope under $200:

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=305173&navAction=jump&navCount=0&id=prod1471753

please tell me what u think about them.
If u have better suggestions i would really appreciate it

Answer 1

I would go the distance and get something used on Ebay. Be sure to ask lots of questions before bidding.

Answer 2

Even at 20X magnification, you would have a very hard time holding these Binoculars steady enough to see much. 140X is plain ridiculous. The description is also full of other misstatements.
I agree with the suggestion of going to a good Astronomy dealer's website and check out their offerings.
My personal favourite Dealer is Orion. They have one of the largest selections of Binoculars around, and their customer service is famous.
They even have 70mm Binoculars in the same price range. But be aware that 70mm Binos are BIG. Depending on your experience, some of Orion's 63mm Binos might be a nice compromise. Orion's Binoculars have gotten consistently favourite reviews.
Take a look at www.telescope.com and go to the binocular section. Good Luck
(BTW, I don't own any stock in Orion, just in case anyone was wondering.)

Answer 3

I doubt that they're any good - the blurb is pure BS and as injanier said, zoom binoculars have a poor reputation. X20 would be a bit high for that size objective -X140 is fantasy land!

You could try a specialist astronomy supplier, but if you've got a nearby camera shop I'd look in there. Some of the Chinese and Russian binoculars are very good value for money. 7x50 or 10x50 would be a good choice, avoid the compact binoculars - they're nice, but not well suited to astronomy.

Answer 4

You can view the moon with great satisfaction with a pair of binoculars that you can purchase for less than fifty dollars, look for a recognized brand name and get a pair of 8X40. The 8 represents the magnifying power and the 40 is the diameter of the objective lens in MM. Stars will still be pinpoints of light even with a very powerful telescope, stick with binoculars the Milky Way will dazzle you.

Answer 5

Likely not. Get a 7 x 50 or a 10 x 50.

You won't be able to find things with 20x magnification

You can't hold more than 10x in your hands.

Good binoculars are coated green or blue or violet on the big lenses.

Cheap binoculars are coated reddish/orange.

Answer 6

I do lots of star shows and have lots of equipment. Binocs are one of my favorite ways of scanning the sky and studying the moon. You'll love them! Yours have a 70mm aperture which is super for stargazing. You'll definitely want to put them on a tripod. You'll be able to see the moons of Jupiter and plenty more too. Get the book, Exploring the Night Sky with Binoculars. Its a great book!

Answer 7

I'm not familiar with this model, but zoom binoculars in general have a bad reputation. Also note that even at the lowest power, these are too high-powered (and too heavy) to be hand held.

I think you'd be better off selecting something from a regular astronomy store (http://www.telescope.com/ or http://www.astronomics.com/ to name two)

Answer 8

Anything with to high a ratio would need to be tripod mounted motorized and synchronized as the moon would move out of view very quickly.

Answer 9

If you want nice binocs for cheap, checkout the LE-750's at this website: http://www.galileosplace.com/Factory_Outlet/LE-750.html

The optics are decent, the cases are ruggedized and they have extended eye relief (great for use with glasses!). I have several high-end telescopes and I will attest that these are hard to beat for the price.

Answer 10

definently not. Go to www.astromart.com