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Recommendations for a Bino for the boyfriend

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:15 am
by ismellspace
HELLO HELLO people of the universe! i wanna get the CHEAPEST first-hand bino available that'd still be able to lemme see the moon craters and skymazing stars. AHAHA as you can tell i know nuts about astronomy. and i know you guys love to share your knowledge! ok tell tell tell. convince me. hahahaha. my budget's $300 and below. recreational use. even better if the bino can use for land also. oh mas selamat where art thou?

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:46 am
by antares2063
Hi

U can look out for Bino with multicoated lens (i.e when u tilt them to the light they should appear with a dark bluish tint or even better dark green tint. Do not go for binos with Bright red glossy reflective tint cos those are more of daytime use.

There are quite a few local dealers and vendors in sg selling astro-sutiable binos. :)

For the power and magnification...a 7x50mm or 10x50mm is ok. I enjoy using 7x50mm for seeing wide sweeping views of the sky. Dont go for too big ones cos they are quite heavy and your arms will surely cramp after awhile if they are not supported on a tripod.

Btw my name is junwei nice to meet u. Maybe u can give a short intro?

Best regards,
Junwei

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:13 am
by Airconvent
They are no longer in production but if you can find a pair of Minolta Activa or Classic, that would be good. Most use 10x50 but if you want a lighter one that is easier on the eyes (less shake), the 7x50 is also a common one. $300 is well enough to get a decent bino, in fact a good one.

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 2:30 am
by ismellspace
hey! whoa thanks guys. eh junwei..i stay bedok north ave 3 also leh.....i don't believe in star telling but this is pretty cool. my name minmin. ahahaha nice to meet ya! i stay near botak jones and somedays i work there. AHAHA. any other reputable astronomy shop besides the one at science centre?

airconvent whered you suggest i start looking for the VINTAGE binos?


i stared really hard at the moon today..and i think i saw a crater! WAHAHA. a bino for the boyfriend..now that'd make a good tee shurt!

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 7:07 am
by MooEy
there are alot of choices out there. u can go down to penisula plaza and check out this shop called cathay photo. they carry quite a wide range of binos. look something in the 40-50mm range, abt 7-12x magnification. they should cost ard 150-200 range.

like others have mentioned, avoid ruby red coatings, those are for daytime use. look for gd dark green/purple multicoatings.

i'm not sure if u can still find the pentax binos, from wat i remember the PCF series are freaking gd. minolta activa are gd deals, but discontinued.

lastly, do not go down on a sunday, they are not open. if u are feeling adventurous and dun mind being orange with a green stalk, u can try going down to lucky plaza and walk ard. there are alot of binos there too. gd prices can be found. just have to be more careful with the prices.

~MooEy~

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 1:02 pm
by swat_pup6433
lastly, do not go down on a sunday, they are not open. if u are feeling adventurous and dun mind being orange with a green stalk, u can try going down to lucky plaza and walk ard. there are alot of binos there too. gd prices can be found. just have to be more careful with the prices.
Orange with a green stalk ? hmm. what issit suppose to mean lae?

Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 2:36 pm
by antares2063
Hi Min min,

Wow u are quite near to me I stay at Blk 133, near the POSB and Singpost there. I can meet u and bring my binos for u to try out as and when u are free. Are u studying or working?

Junwei

Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:33 am
by ismellspace
hey mooey thanks! orange with green..i wanna be anything but orange! ok super cool so cathay photos dont deal junk scopes. hahaha their stuff look so sleek and shiny and professional i was wondering when you guys said to avoid local shops but the one at science centre..coz i had planned to get my star gazing bino from them or one of the shops at funan AHAH. jun wei i am working part time and the rest of the day i bum..but i bum with an aim. no aimless bumming mind ye. so you have binoS??? thanks for the offer! i live near the post office. what do you do in the day?

so.. i tried to test boyfriend's interest and i said "wouldn't it be cool if you could see the moon upclose" AHAHAHA yeah smite me and he SCOFFED and said you still like child ah... i think i'll get the bino and pass it off as a gift for him and then i'll get to use it anytime i wanna. AHAH i'll let yall know if and what i get in the end.

Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:06 am
by antares2063
Hi Minmin

I work in NUS in the day . this evening i can meet u after my training at bedok library park. The training should end at 815pm. My handphone is 94563802. Do call me once u see this message bah.

Regards,
Junwei

Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:10 am
by antares2063
Sorry forgot to add that during training my handphone will not be with me. Do call me before 630pm :)