Binoculars are confusing without experience.

[JeffS7444]

It looks like the Nikon m5 monarch 8x42 is a great fit for what we want to do.

I’ll order tonight.

Thanks for comments, they helped!

Have fun, let us know how it works out! 42 mm objectives should easily reveal 4 largest moons of Jupiter, plus some brighter deep-sky objects. Trickiest part is holding them steadily and comfortably when viewing objects high in the sky.

 

[JeffS7444]

Swarovski rebuilt them to as new condition for the cost of one-way shipping (to them)... after 25 years of hard use. Count me, at least, as a very satisfied customer.

Have you priced Swarovski lately? Was stunned to discover that the current pocket-sized binocs are currently 800+ USD if you can find them in stock at all, which is at least 2x what they cost in the 1990s. My mom might've "hidden" that previous set really well.

 

[Blumlein 88]

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* Nothin' wrong with good quality Porro prism binoculars, except that I am not sure anyone makes a waterproof/fogproof model. It might be impossible, for all I know.

Actually most all the brands make one or more models of waterproof Porro prism binocs. They probably are mostly seen in some of the compact models or the large marine 7 x50's.

 

[mhardy6647]

Actually most all the brands make one or more models of waterproof Porro prism binocs. They probably are mostly seen in some of the compact models or the large marine 7 x50's.

Cool.
They were rare (or at least, I couldn't find many at all) back when I was/we were actively shopping for such things. Of course, we're talkin' 30-ish years ago, and ecommerce wasn't quite as sophisticated then as it became in the intervening decades.

Again, nothing wrong with Porros -- and the compact size (EDIT: perhaps form factor is a better choice of words(?)) might be a plus relative to roof prism binoculars. That may depend upon the preferences of individual users, though.

 

[mhardy6647]

Have you priced Swarovski lately? Was stunned to discover that the current pocket-sized binocs are currently 800+ USD if you can find them in stock at all, which is at least 2x what they cost in the 1990s. My mom might've "hidden" that previous set really well.

Yes, I know, which is precisely why I was thrilled to have them brought to like new condition for the 10 bucks or so it coat me to mail them in.
Lots and lots of value there, relative to my priorities. 800 smackers for a pair of binoculars that should be good for 40 to 50 years of good service seems like a good deal to me!
EDIT: I believe the ones we have were in the 400 to 500 dollar range when I bought them.
So, yeah, ca. 2-fold increase in 30 plus years. How much did a Ford F-150 pickup cost in 1995? Ford bring someone's '95 up to 'as new' condition at zero charge if you dragged one in today? Don't think so....

(emphasis mine)

Whoops, silly me, overlooking some important details! If not going beyond the back yard, why the heck not choose a big set of porros, the bigger the better! When bulk isn't so much of a consideration, Canon's image-stabilized offerings become an intriguing possibility. Haven't sampled them since the first generation, but even then, the technology was impressive.

Absitively (or posilutely, if you prefer)!
Or... many (if not most) full size binos have a 1/4-20 threaded socket for a tripod adaptor. Admittedly, a good tripod ain't cheap, either but tripod plus binos makes stargazing pretty practical.

The OP probably already knows this, but (in case he/she/they don't), the big advantage of binoculars (or even a scope) over the naked eye for dark sky viewing is the ability of the objectives to gather light relative to the relatively small apeture of one's own pupils (especially those of us with elderly eyes)! Clean magnification is useful for local objects (planets and their moons), indeed, but big objectives win the day for general surveyin' of the skies -- at least in many cases!

 

[mhardy6647]

heh -- so I looked it up.
JD Power sez: MSRP of base F-150 XLT pickup in 1995: $14,256
Google sez: MSRP of base F-150 XLT pickup in 2022: $39,165

Those Swarovskis are lookin' better all the time!

Have you considered a "spotting scope"?

spotting scope - Google Search

Talkin' 'bout pricey options
Yup, great to have (depending on one's 'use case') but worth buying a good one. And good ones are... not inexpensive. Nor (and sorry to be redundant) are good tripods.

That said, Mrs H's 80 mm Swarovski has been getting the job done for nigh-on 30 years (and travel ca. half-way around the globe, to some pretty inhospitable locations), so, again, the value proposition is there, I would argue.

Oh, just want to add one valedictory comment. @Blumlein 88 mentioned the value-add in the higher-priced optics, and explained it quite well. I did want to mention one slightly ineffable (is that an oxymoron?) feature of top-quality optics vs. good optics in my experience: the complete lack of any sense of "eye strain" (for lack of a better term) when viewing through superb optics (binos or scope). One's eyes feel as relaxed looking through the device as they do without it. I always have some sense of strain or distortion with lesser instruments. That sounds snobbier than it's actually meant to! If the OP gets the chance to compare the view through a pair of $300 vs. $3000 binos, though, I suspect he/she/they will experience what I do, too!

EDIT: PS I think it's hard to blind test optics, unfortunately!

 

[dwaynecai]

Hey, guys, I've learnt a lot from your discussions about binoculars. Your remarks are more inspiring (enlightening) than what I have read in ten years.

 

[Plcamp]

Hey, guys, I've learnt a lot from your discussions about binoculars. Your remarks are more inspiring (enlightening) than what I have read in ten years.

ASR delivers, regardless of topic!

 

[Plcamp]

Took a long while to arrive, but I did receive my new (Nikon M5) Binoculars, very happy. Clear and bright!