Nikon Binoculars for Astronomy and Nature Watch?
I have been looking at Nikon binoculars but there are too many info to make a decision.
Should I get a 10×50 or 12×50 or 16×50 ? I´d say 16x is better because gives a better magnification but I am worried if it will be too shaky.
Do 16x become too shake for star gazing and nature watch?
10×50 is probably your best option. 16×50 are too shaky if you use them without a tripod. Some people can handle 12×50, but I find 10×50 to be more versatile. The small gain in magnification between 12×50 vs. 10×50 does not justify the loss of field of view and image stability.
Actually, personally I prefer 7×50, but I have a couple of telescopes that I use for higher magnification views.
Regardless of which binoculars you buy, Nikon is a good choice. Just make sure that you buy waterproof (nitrogen filled) binoculars. They last much longer so the small extra expense is well worth the money.
For astronomy, even 10×50 binoculars will be shaky. If you can, get a pair of binoculars that can be mounted on a tripod (either with a threaded fitting or an optional mounting plate). Depending on your budget, another option is a pair of image-stabilized binoculars. The objective sizes are usually smaller (often 25-30 mm instead of 50 mm), so objects won’t appear as bright, but many people find that the steadier image is more important than the loss of brightness.
For me, the real joy of binoculars is the freedom of motion they give me. I’ve tried mounting them on a tripod, but I find this combination awkward and uncomfortable. I find I can handhold 10x50s comfortably. It helps to use the proper technique: put your hands on the objective end of the binicular, not on the main body (here the prisms are), and tuck your elbows into your chest, making a triangular support. I also use a chaise longue a lot while observing with binoculars. Its back adjusts to the right angle, and I can rest my elbows on the arm rests, again making for a solid support.
My own 10x50s are Celestron Pro’s (actually probably made by Vixen in Japan), now discontinued, very similar to Orion UltraViews:
http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=binocular_standard/~pcategory=binoculars/~product_id=09351
Nikon products are generally excellent. I’ve owned their cameras and lenses for years, but only own a tiny Nikon 6×18 binocular, which is great for travel but useless for astronomy.
16 is too much magnification for hand held binoculars. The image will jiggle like mad. 8 power is for many people the maximum that can be comfortably hand held. 10 power is also an option but some people think there is too much jiggle. I have both 8 and 10 power. I quite honestly can not tell the magnification difference between the two. The 8 power has a much wider field of view in general, but it does vary between models. The wider field of view comes in very handy in nature views because you see more in the field so it is easier to find what you are looking for. Although 50 mm will prove an advantage for dim sky objects, you will find that the extra weight will become burdensome after a while of holding them up.
For bird watching, i use 8×21 binoculars. For astronomy, i use 8×21 binoculars, despite the availability of 8×42 and 10×50.
For me, 8×21 binoculars have these features: They fit in my pocket. Especially in winter, when i’ve got one of those huge winter coats, 8×21 binoculars can be parked in a coat pocket, so i always have them. They’re light weight, so i can hold them longer. I find that 8x is not so powerful that i can’t hold them steady. I find 10x to be very difficult to hand hold, and need a tripod (which i have). YMMV. For day time use, 8x and 21 mm is plenty of power and light. And, i have a 22×60 spotting scope on a very sturdy tripod if i need more. At night, i use my 8×21 binoculars to find objects that just aren’t visible naked eye. I have enough field of view to navigate, and i get two magnitudes of dimmer objects than naked eye, allowing me to see many more field stars. And, when i want more light and power, i have a 240×254 monocular (10″ telescope).
If you’re going to have a tripod, and i mean a really good sturdy tripod, then go with larger binoculars.
But i went with really cheap binoculars this last time around. $25 at a sporting goods store. They’re more fragile than expensive binoculars. But if you treat them like glass artwork, they’ll last decades. Cheap binoculars may not have very good close focus. That matters if you want to do butterfly watching. I’ve never seen it as a problem for bird watching. And for astronomy, close focus is, by definition, irrelevant.
While i have binoculars and a spotting scope on a tripod, i find them quite awkward for astronomy. In astronomy the best views are straight up, so you’re looking through the least amount of atmosphere. But straight through binoculars require that you get your head directly beneath the eyepiece for that. So binoculars with a 45 degree or 90 degree bend are better. If you can lie down on your back and hold them steady, straight through binoculars are fine. And i use them that way when otherwise doing a meteor watch.