Best Opticron 10x50 Binoculars for Astronomy & General Use
Article | Posted by Best Binocular Reviews 
Opticron SR.GA 10x50 binoculars
In this guide, I take a look at the best Opticron 10x50 Binoculars for Astronomy as well as more general uses like birding, hunting and wildlife observation. I include some brief product reviews based on their features and specifications and where to buy them to get the best deals. Models include the Opticron 10x50 Adventurer, Opticron 10x50 Imagic & Opticron SR.GA 10x50mm Binoculars.
I was recently asked by a BBR reader which binoculars from Opticron did I recommend for wide angle Astronomy as their main use, but which could also be suitable as an occasional general use instrument for mostly for observing wildlife down here on terra firma.
10x50 Binoculars for Astronomy
Configuration
Whilst there are a number of combinations you could opt for, I chose a 10x50 as it offers a good balance between light gathering ability, field of view, image detail (magnification) and is a size and power that be fairly easily handheld when looking at the stars as well as for general uses like hunting and wildlife observation here on land.
Prism Type
Whilst I can think of no “smoking gun” type of a reason why you can’t use a roof prism binocular for astronomy (indeed I use mine all the time), it just happens to be that most binoculars that are specifically designed for astronomers are of the porro prism variety.
I think this is partly down to the fact that you get a slightly better stereoscopic image (especially at longer distances) and Porro prisms do not require fancy mirror coatings on them to achieve total internal reflection and thus at the lower price ranges porros often have a higher reflectivity than roof prism binos, which at night is more important than ever.
Whatever the case and whilst Opticron do make a number of 10x50 roof prism binoculars, I decided that as the main focus in this instance is on stargazing, I would concentrate on the three 10x50 Porro prism binoculars that Opticron currently have in their stable:
Opticron SR.GA 10x50 Binoculars Review
The highest specification option is the Opticron SR.GA 10x50 binocular and which I think is idea, however they can be a little difficult to track down, although as you can see below not impossible and there are some great deals to be had on these.
Main Features
- Made in Japan
- “Combination” Fully Multi-Coated Optics
- Aluminium Alloy & Polycarbonate Chassis
- Tripod Adaptable
- Fold-Down Eyecups
- 30 Year Guarantee
The Anti-reflection coatings used on these are interesting in that Opticron states that they apply different types of coating materials one at a time to each of the separate optical components within the pathway. Whilst this process does cost more than the multi-coatings used on most binoculars, they say that it is worth it as it produces a noticeable improvement to the color contrast.
Specifications
- Field of View @ 1000 yards: 261ft
- Field of View @ 1000 meters: 87m
- Angle of View: 4.99°
- Close Focus: 7.5 meters
- Eye Relief: 19mm
- Weight: 820g
- Dimensions: 17.4cm x 17.5cm
Price & Where to Buy
US: At the time of writing, it seems only the 8x42 version of these Opticron SR.GA Binoculars is available in the US – not sure why, but it is worth checking the link below as this could change.
In the UK have an MSRP of £249.00 and currently retail for around £229.00 in the UK, although I managed to find them on offer for only £99.00 at here at First Light Optics, or you can check and compare the price with other retailers below.
Opticron 10x50 Imagic Binoculars Review
Next in line are Opticron’s 10x50 Imagic TGA WP Porro Prism binoculars that are far more readily available both in Europe and North America and whilst their MSRP price is less than the SR.GA above, they look to be superior in most areas:
Main Features
- Sealed Chassis: Water & Fogproof (Nitrogen filled)
- “Combination” Fully Multi-Coated Optics
- BaK-4 Glass used on the Prisms
- Aluminium Alloy & Polycarbonate Chassis
- Tripod Adaptable
- Twist-Up Eyecups
- 30 Year Guarantee in Europe, Limited Lifetime Warranty (North America)
Actually, in more than a few areas, these are actually superior to the SR.GA – they are water and fogproof and they have twist-up multi-position eyecups, which can be really important if you wear eyeglasses.
Fully multi-coated, they use the same system of adding different types of anti-reflection coatings to these optics.
Specifications
- Field of View @ 1000 yards: 279ft
- Field of View @ 1000 meters: 93meters
- Angle of View: 5.33°
- Close Focus: 4.5 meters
- Eye Relief: 19.5mm
- Weight: 834g / 29.1oz
- Dimensions: 17.3cm x 191.cm / 6.8in x 7.5in
In terms of their specifications, whilst they are ever so slightly heavier and larger, they have a wider FOV, more eye-relief and a closer minimum focus than the SR.GA.
Price & Where to Buy
In the US these have a manufacturer MSRP of $289 but are retailing for $249 at the time I checked.
In the UK RRP is £179.00 but sell online for around £129.00:
Opticron 10x50 Adventurer Binoculars Review
Available in a wide variety of configurations, the Adventurer T WP is Opticron’s low cost offering. However as the use good quality porro prisms and fully multi-coated lenses, these will probably outperform most similar priced roof prism 10x50 binoculars in terms of image brightness and quality, so should most certainly not be discounted if you are on a budget:
Main Features
- Fully Multi-Coated Optics
- BaK-4 Porro Prisms
- Aluminium Chassis
- Tripod Adaptable
- Fold-Down Eyecups
- 2 Year Guarantee in Europe, 1 Year Warranty (North America)
Whilst Fully multi-coated (which is very good at this price range), they don’t use the same higher spec anti-reflection coatings of the two more expensive models above and these ar not sealed and thus neither water nor fog proof. Which if you use them out in the field in wet conditions could be an important factor to consider.
Specifications
- Field of View @ 1000 yards: 315ft
- Field of View @ 1000 meters: 105meters
- Angle of View: 6°
- Close Focus: 7 meters
- Eye Relief: 18mm
- Weight: 759g / 29.1oz
- Dimensions: 16.9cm x 190.cm / 6.7in x 7.5in
These have the widest view of the three Opticron 10x50 Binoculars I have reviewed on the page and whilst not quite as good, the eye-relief should still be enough even for eye-glass wearers.
Price & Where to Buy
In the US, the Opticron 10x50 Adventurer Binoculars are MSRP listed at $139 but have a retail value of $79 when I last checked:
The UK RRP is £89.00 and are selling for about £79.00:
Conclusion
Considering the specifications and components, the best choice is the Opticron 10x50 Imagic Binoculars. However, whilst I still think they are good value, they are also the most expensive option.
If you can find the Opticron SR.GA 10x50 binoculars on a deal as I did at First Light Optics, then at this reduced price, these do look like good value and will most probably deliver the best view. However as they are not sealed, they may not be the best choice for the outdoors.
At under $80 / £80, the Opticron 10x50 Adventurer binoculars really do look like a good choice if you are on a tight budget and cant get the SR.GA deal that I mentioned above. If the choice is between these and a similarly priced roof prism, these will probably be the way to go.
Further Reading
Categories: Astronomy Binoculars, Opticron Binoculars | 
Tags: 10x50, Astronomy Binoculars, Opticron | 
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