Hawke Endurance ED 10×42 binoculars. Blog post March 2019

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Reviewer

The Hawke Endurance ED 10×42 binoculars were the customers choice this weekend. After having some time to think, they specifically needed a set of 10×42 ED, and the Endurance nicely met their requirements.

They were impressed with the handling , optics and weight (652g). They did try some smaller 32mm binoculars with a wider field of view. But the more intimate close up view that the 10×42 offered was more to their liking.

Compared to the nature Trek 10×42, and if budget will allow, the Endurance ED range offer a brighter image with much less chromatic aberration (colour fringing).

They were also impressed by the comprehensive warranty.

Hawke binoculars can be purchased from Northern Optics

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Optics weekend in Lincolnshire

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Reviewer

Great news for birdwatchers. Its Optics weekend most weekends at the Waters` Edge visitor centre in Barton Upon Humber, Lincolnshire. See Northern Optics for more details on stock info and any weekends where we shall not be in attendance due to other events.

The Northern Optics Optics weekends are a great chance to try before you buy your binoculars. And as many buyers will say, you really need to look through them, with so much conflicting advice on-line.

As the photo to the upper right shows, the Northern Optics weekend display is the perfect place to try out your new binoculars with a window overlooking a lake full of wildlife. I pride myself on a no hard sell approach, so rest assured , given a choice of a few binoculars, we shall not give an opinion on which suits you best unless you ask.

Also on display may be various other items such as spotting scopes, tripods, cleaning kits, magnifiers and other related accessories. For the astronomer we often have a selection of telescope eyepiece, filters and camera adapters etc.

The centre also has a gift shop, cafe and children`s play areas


 

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Hawke Endurance 8×56 overview and specs

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Reviewer

The Hawke Endurance 8×56 binoculars #36220 is optimised for low light performance, with the large 56 objective lenses and 8x magnification yield a large 7mm exit pupil. This makes them tailor made for dusk and dawn wildlife watching, and even wide field astronomy if you can hold the 1005g chassis steady.

As with many modern 56mm binoculars, eye relief is very good. Meaning they can be used with spectacles on.  These are not ED glass like some of the 25-50mm Hawke Endurance range. But high quality fully multi-coated optics (FMC) and phase corrected BaK-4 prisms ensure a bright image with excellent contrast.

Nitrogen waterproof for use in all conditions. Comes complete with case, strap for case and binoculars, lens covers, cleaning cloth and booklet.

Available to purchase from Northern Optics

Eyepiece

Power: 8×
Objective: 56mm
Lens Coating: Fully Multi-Coated (FMC)
Field of View: m @1000m / ft @1000yds 117m / 351ft
Close Focus: 2.5m / 8.2ft
Eye relief: 15mm / 0.6″
Height: 163mm / 6.4″
Weight: 1005g / 35.4oz
Exit Pupil: 7mm / 0.28″
Prism Type: Roof Hi-Res Phase Corrected (PC) BAK-4
Interpupillary Distance: 60-76mm / 2.4-3″
Dioptre System: Right Eye
Eyecups: Twist-Up
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Hawke Nite-Eye 2000 monocular #47100

Posted on February 26, 2019 by Reviewer

The Hawke nite-eye 2000 is a true 3 in 1 solution night vision monocular. Not only is it a great night vision monocular with a built-in infrared illuminator with 9 levels of brightness, but is also able to take 5MP photos and 640×480 VGA video.

So not only can you see objects at night, you can also image or video your findings. At only 320 , it is as light as many compact binoculars

Nite-Eye 2000

NITE-EYE 2000 MONOCULAR

  • 5x fixed magnification with additional digital zoom
  • Observe over 200m in low light or total darkness
  • Capture 5 MP photos and record 10 minute videos
  • Built-in infrared illuminator with 9 levels of brightness
  • Weaver/Picatinny rail and threaded tripod mount
  • View media on computer, TV, or on the monocular
  • Supplied with 8GB micro SD card (32GB max.)
  • Hawke two year warranty

SUPPLIED WITH

  • Carry Case
  • USB Lead
  • Mains Charger
  • Lens Cover
  • 1x 18650 Battery
  • 8GB Micro SD
  • Lens Cloth
  • TV out Lead

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Celestron Nexstar 5 SLT #22084

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Reviewer

The Celestron Nexstar 5 SLT uses the same high class optics, but uses the popular SLT mount, to make it accessible to more budgets. The SCT design is seen by many as a perfect all round choice for both visual and imaging use.

Celestron’s innovative NexStar Star Location Telescope (SLT) has been a customer favorite for years thanks to its unique combination of high quality optics, user-friendly computerized interface and a sturdy single fork arm mount.

This telescope comes with a preassembled, adjustable stainless steel tripod, quick release fork arm, NexStar+ computerized hand control, 5” Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube, and lots of bonus accessories.

The entire telescope kit weighs in at just 16 pounds. The simple, no-tool assembly and fast SkyAlign alignment procedure will have you ready to observe in minutes. This makes NexStar 5SLT  your perfect companion for impromptu observing sessions and all-night stargazing marathons alike.

Your NexStar 5SLT will reveal details of the lunar surface, Venus and its phases, the polar caps on Mars, Jupiter and its four moons, and Saturn with its rings plainly visible. It can also be used as a land-based spotting telescope for daytime and wildlife observations.

Schmidt-Cassegrain Optical Tube

The NexStar 5SLT comes with a 5” Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube, a great multi-use telescope with 1250 mm of focal length (f/10).  The Celestron C5 is equipped with patented StarBright XLT coatings, which visibly increase contrast and bring out subtle detail on the Moon, planets, and faint nebulae. These coatings also increase light transmission for brighter deep space images.

The Celestron C5 strikes an excellent balance between portability, ease of use, light gathering ability and price.

The Mount & Technologies

Computerized Alt-Azimuth telescope – The NexStar SLT telescope features a single fork arm alt-azimuth mount, which allows the telescope to track the desired objects as they appear to move across the night sky. The mount sits on a pre-assembled, adjustable steel tripod.

NexStar+ Hand Control – This computerized hand control enables you to automatically slew to any of 4,000+ celestial objects with the push of a button. The NexStar+ database includes more than 600 galaxies, 300 clusters and dozens of beautiful binary stars. Not sure what to observe? Choose the Sky Tour feature and the NexStar+ hand control will automatically generate a list of all the best celestial objects currently visible based on your exact time and location.

SkyAlign Technology – Our proprietary SkyAlign alignment procedure makes setting up and using a computerized telescope faster and easier than ever before. Point the telescope at three bright objects in the sky, and the telescope can triangulate its position and locate any other object in the sky automatically. You don’t need to know the names of the stars—you can even pick the Moon or bright planets! For more information about our SkyAlign technology, visit here.

Power –  Go anywhere! Feel free to enjoy your NexStar SLT in remote dark sky locations—it’s powered by 8 AA batteries (not included) or a PowerTank portable battery. The internal battery compartment provides power to the high precision servo motors for rigid low-vibration performance while eliminating cord wrap issues associated with external battery packs.  You may also charge your telescope with a 12V AC adapter (sold separately).

Accessories Included

Your telescope includes a StarPointer red dot finderscope, a star diagonal, and two eyepieces (20mm and 9mm). The two eyepieces offer different magnifications for low or high powered observing. The star diagonal provides a right-side-up view and a more comfortable viewing angle when looking up at the sky. The StarPointer finderscope will help you quickly center an object in your eyepiece for easier observing.

NexStar 5SLT is ready to grow with you as you become a more experienced amateur astronomer. It’s compatible with all Celestron’s latest accessories, including StarSense AutoAlign, SkyPortal WiFi module, and PowerTank Lithium Pro.

GENERAL DETAILS:

  • High quality 5” (125mm) Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube
  • Fully computerized Altazimuth mount
  • Sturdy stainless steel tripod and accessory tray included
  • Includes a 20mm and 9mm eyepiece, a finderscope, a star diagonal, and a free download Starry

 

SPECIFICATIONS:

Optical Tube Info: 
Optical Design: Schmidt-Cassegrain
Aperture: 125mm (5″)
Focal Length: 1250mm (49″)
Focal Ratio: f/10
Focal Length of Eyepiece 1: 20mm (.78″)
Magnification of Eyepiece 1: 63x
Focal Length of Eyepiece 2: 9mm (.35″)
Magnification of Eyepiece 2: 139x
Finderscope: StarPointer Finderscope
Star Diagonal: 1.25″ Star Diagonal
Optical Tube: Aluminum
Highest Useful Magnification: 295x
Lowest Useful Magnification: 18x
Limiting Stellar Magnitude: 13
Resolution (Rayleigh): 1.11 arc seconds
Resolution (Dawes): 0.93 arc seconds
Light Gathering Power (Compared to human eye): 329x
Secondary Mirror Obstruction: 51mm (2″)
Secondary Mirror Obstruction by Diameter: 16.6%
Secondary Mirror Obstruction by Area: 40%
Optical Coatings: StarBright XLT
Optical Tube Length: 330mm (13″)
Optical Tube Diameter: 152mm (6″)
Optical Tube Weight: 6 lbs (2.7kg)
Dovetail: Vixen/CG-5 Dovetail bar
Mount Info: 
Mount Type: Computerized Altitude-Azimuth Single Fork Arm
Instrument load capacity: 8 lbs (3.6 kg)
Height adjustment range (includes mount and tripod): 762mm – 1270mm (30″ – 50″)
Tripod Leg Diameter: 31.75mm (1.25″) Stainless steel
Mount Head Weight: 5 lbs (2.3kg)
Accessory Tray: Yes
Tripod Weight: 5 lbs (2.3kg)
Slew Speeds: 9 slew speeds – max speed 3°/second
Tracking Rates: Sidereal, Solar and Lunar
Tracking Modes: Alt-Az, EQ North and EQ South
GPS: N/A
Dovetail Compatibility: Vixen/CG-5 saddle plate
Number of Auxiliary ports: 1x Aux port | 1x hand control port (hand control can use either port)
Autoguide port: No
USB Port: Yes, Input on hand control
Power Requirements: 12 VDC – 8xAA Batteries (not included)
Motor Drive: DC Servo Motor
Alignment Procedures: SkyAlign, Auto 2-Star Align, 1-Star Align, 2-Star Align, Solar System Align
Periodic Error Correction: No
Computerized Hand Control: 1 Hand Control Port and 1 Aux Port
NexStar+ Database: Over 120,000 including 220 of the best deep sky and solar system objects
Software: Celestron’s Starry Night Special Edition Software, SkyPortal App
Total Kit Weight: 16 lbs (7.3 kg)
Included Items: Optical Tube / Single Fork Arm Mount & Tripod / Accessory Tray / NexStar+ Hand Control / 20 mm & 9 mm eyepiece / StarPointer finderscope / Star Diagonal

 

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Hawke Endurance ED 10×25 compact binoculars. Customer choice

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Reviewer

After trying a few sets of compact binoculars at our Optics weekend open days, a customer opted for the Hawke Endurance ED 10×25 binoculars. Other sets they tried were the ED 8×25, and lesser priced 8×26 and 10×26.

The extra spend on the Endurance 10×25 ED was justified, as the customer could tell a difference the ED glass and fully multi-coated optics made compared with the non ED multi-coated options at less than half the price. They mentioned straight away the increase in brightness and sharpness and better optics gave.

The Endurance also feature a double hinge body, which makes them much more compact when storing in pockets. They come complete with case, padded neck strap, lens covers , cleaning cloth and a lifetime warranty

Available to purchase from Northern Optics

Endurance ED 8x25 Binocular - Green

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Hawke Endurance ED 8×32 vs Hawke Endurance ED 8×25 binoculars

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Reviewer

A customer came to the Northern Optics Optics weekend public outlet at Barton Upon Humber looking for a high grade compact set of binoculars. I could see optical and build quality was high on the list, as they already owned Carl Zeiss and Leica binoculars. After showing me the Leica Ultravids, they said they wanted something as good, or better.

At this point, I knew the choice had to be something special. The customer needed a compact set, and was very happy with the Hawke Endurance ED 8×25 binoculars, as they matched the size of the Leica 10x25s they owned, and the optics were up to standard.

42mm binoculars were just too large. But at only 539g the Hawke Endurance ED 8×32 split the difference . At first the buyer thought they would be larger. But this was only due to the larger outer boxing, which needed to house the extra thick padded strap. The brighter image from the 32mm objectives was an instant hit. And despite being slightly heavier than they wanted, the “felt right”, and they had no hesitation in purchasing. The comprehensive Hawke warranty was an added bonus.

As with all out customers who visit our Optics weekends, the fact they can test binoculars looking over a nature reserve lake, instead of the bricks and mortar of the high street is a major plus point.

Hawke binoculars can be purchased from Northern Optics

 

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Celestron Inspire 90 AZ short tube telescope #22407

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Reviewer

The celestron Inspire 90 AZ telescope is a true dual use telescope. Erect image eyepieces with a wide field of view makes it ideal for both astronomical and terrestrial targets.

A no tool set up means it is very easy to put together and get using in fast time. Unlike a number of Celestron telescopes, the Inspire series come with a Starfinder-Pro finderscope, and an illuminated accessory trap. On the subject of the accessory tray, the design allows for the legs to be folded with no need to remove it.

The 1.25″ 10mm and 20mm eyepieces give a sensible 33x and 66x magnification, with many more eyepieces available.

If not using for visual work, the fast 660mm f7.3 focal length makes it ideal for deep sky imaging with aDSLR camera. But you will need to upgrade the mount to an EQ version with a motor for this.

Fully coated optics, helps keep the price affordable. But do not be put off by the standard lens coatings, as many telescopes nowadays with FC optics can be very good. In particular if you keep the magnification at a sensible level (hence the eyepieces included)

One last bonus with the inspire range of Celestron telescopes is the smart phone adapter. This allows photos and videos to be taken through the eyepieces. We recommend using the 33x (20mm) for this

Available to purchase from Northern Optics

 

 

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Hawke Nature Trek 8×42 monocular review #35220

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Reviewer

The Hawke Nature-Trek 8×42 monocular (10x also available) is the replacement for the old 10×50 version. There are many added benefits with this new model, which firstly include the more compact size.

Handling The more compact size makes for much more easy hand holding, with the lighter weight making for less arm strain. Although it has a close focus of 2m, you will find for general use from around 20m to infinity, you will only need around half a turn of the focus wheel, meaning there is no need to keep lifting your finger off the wheel for speed of use. The twist eye cup feels comfortable against the eyes.

Optics Quoted as fully multi-coated optics with BaK-4 prisms. Firstly, I must say that despite not being ED glass, the amount of chromatic aberration around high contrast subjects is very low on or near the centre, with just a thin line (colour fringing) around the edge. Contrast and brightness is on par with other 8×42 binoculars with the same spec. Excellent internal baffling helps reduce reflection and helps improve contrast. On the edge of view is a thin blue line, which is better than some that have a slight orange cast. The 129m @ 1000m field of view makes easy tracking of moving wildlife. Birds in flight for example.

Accessories The monocular comes packaged in a hard box, like the rest of the current crop of binoculars , which helps protect then when in storage. The case is a basic but functional nylon soft case with belt loop. Although there is accommodation for a mini tripod on the side, this is not included. The black wrist strap is very nice and comfortable to use , with white stitching. Complete with lens caps, which is a drop down one on the main objective and a push on one for the eyepiece. The eye piece lens cover features an opening for the strap to feed through , so keeping the cap attached. Lens cleaning cloth is a small microfibre. A basic instruction books shows you how to focus, care for your monocular and details about the warranty. The 42mm Nature-Trek monoculars come with a thread for tripods etc.

Very recommended and available from Northern Optics

 

 

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Hawke Nature-Trek 8×42 bird-watching binoculars #35102

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Reviewer

It was nice to see a returning customer visit the Northern Optics outlet , which is open at the Waters` edge visitor centre at Barton Upon Humber. He was in the market for a pair of 10×42 binoculars to replace his ageing set that were in a little need of TLC. Yet after trying the Hawke Nature trek 8×42 binoculars, he was won over with the image quality, and soon realised that bird-watching is not all about magnification.

He did also try the ED glass endurance range. Although they gave much less false colour (chromatic aberration) , the Nature Treks were more than adequate for his trips to the local wildlife reserves.

These come with fully multi-coated optics and a wide field of view. Soft case, padded neck strap, lens covers and a comprehensive warranty .

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