A Mirror For Your Binoculars

Discuss binoculars.
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Refractordude
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A Mirror For Your Binoculars

#1

Post by Refractordude »


I wont be making one. Just thought forum members would be interested, and your thoughts. Has anyone tried using a mirror with binoculars?



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Re: A Mirror For Your Binoculars

#2

Post by Nakedgun »


A few years ago a binocular-mirror product was offered by a mfr, but failed in the marketplace.
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Re: A Mirror For Your Binoculars

#3

Post by SkyHiker »


I have tried this for my 20x80s. It was a first surface mirror that was much smaller (attached right in front of the objectives). It wasn't cheap, about $40, but the quality was not good enough and the views were blurry so it was a waste of money. I heard from someone else who experienced the same. It may work with smaller magnification.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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Re: A Mirror For Your Binoculars

#4

Post by notFritzArgelander »


If it is optically satisfactory it certainly won't be cheap. ;)
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Re: A Mirror For Your Binoculars

#5

Post by pakarinen »


Somebody made a DIY version with a pair of oval front-surface mirrors. Much cheaper supposedly than a large-ish 1/4-wave (?) flat.

I do like the idea and spent some time researching it. Looking down is much easier for me than leaning back if I don't have a recliner.

Addendum: 1/4-wave 12-in square is $1,800.
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AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
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Re: A Mirror For Your Binoculars

#6

Post by John Baars »


I remember a similar experiment years ago. It turned out that the highest technical requirements were necessary for the optical flat mirror. Some pinching or deformation of the mirror was inevitable and the surface flatness had to be of high optical standards. In other words, only at lowest magnifications it worked. And the costs were high. More or less according to the findings of Skyhiker .
A thin mirror that size flexes much more than wanted.
Holding a finger against the side of a 1,5 inch thick mirror for 15 seconds or so is already visible as a "mountain" in an optical test. A 1/5 mm grain of sand between cell and mirror or lens can be responsible for visible pinching. Glass is deformed so easily, although not visible to the naked eye.
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
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Re: A Mirror For Your Binoculars

#7

Post by SkyHiker »


Here is my contraption, actually not a bad one, nice and compact. As you can see the mirror is not even large. It is not really squeezed tight between the screws. I will take another look and see if it can be made to work but I tried hard enough back then IIRC.
IMG_0065_small.jpg
IMG_0059_small.JPG
Now that I think of it, the rubber band does push the mirror into the binocular rims with a decent amount of force so it does not drop to the ground. What I can do is put some screws in front of the mirror so the binos push against the screws, not the mirror. I sense a glimmer of hope.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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Re: A Mirror For Your Binoculars

#8

Post by Refractordude »


SkyHiker wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 7:03 pm Here is my contraption, actually not a bad one, nice and compact. As you can see the mirror is not even large. It is not really squeezed tight between the screws. I will take another look and see if it can be made to work but I tried hard enough back then IIRC.

Image

Image

Now that I think of it, the rubber band does push the mirror into the binocular rims with a decent amount of force so it does not drop to the ground. What I can do is put some screws in front of the mirror so the binos push against the screws, not the mirror. I sense a glimmer of hope.
What you are doing is really interesting. Perhaps a patent is in the works.
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Re: A Mirror For Your Binoculars

#9

Post by SkyHiker »


Refractordude wrote: Sat Dec 19, 2020 3:55 am
SkyHiker wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 7:03 pm Here is my contraption, actually not a bad one, nice and compact. As you can see the mirror is not even large. It is not really squeezed tight between the screws. I will take another look and see if it can be made to work but I tried hard enough back then IIRC.

Image

Image

Now that I think of it, the rubber band does push the mirror into the binocular rims with a decent amount of force so it does not drop to the ground. What I can do is put some screws in front of the mirror so the binos push against the screws, not the mirror. I sense a glimmer of hope.
What you are doing is really interesting. Perhaps a patent is in the works.
Thanks but it's really hard to make money in the cutthroat amateur astronomy world especially with things that are easy to make and to invent.

I started looking for it to try again but I believe I may have thrown it in the trash.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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