Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70


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Brand and Model:Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
Price ($USD):$712.99
Attributes:checked Waterproof un-checked Armored
Objective Lens Size:70 mm
Magnification:16 x
Prism Type:BAK4 Porro
Coatings:Fully Multi-Coated
Field of View:4.0 degrees
Eye Relief:15 mm
Near Focus:0 ft
Weight (lbs):4.8 lbs
Dimensions (w/h/d):
Description:The FMT-SX type is the most basic series of Fujinon waterproof binocular. With superior waterproofing and sturdy construction, they can be used with confidence under all kinds of conditions. Fujinon's unique EBC coating is applied to all lens surface in contact with the air, further improving light transmission.


Fujinon Binoculars

Vote Highlights Vote
Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
I got a pair of these a couple years ago in lieu of getting a small refractor. Since then I've used them often and gotten to compare them to other giant binos such as the Oberwerk 15x70's and small scopes such as the TV Ranger and Pronto. When I first got them, I would have been one of the people giving them a perfect "10" since they were so much better than everything that I'd had up to that point. Since then, I've used them often enough, and compared them to enough other optics that my attitude about them has changed substantially.

The pros are that they are *MOST* of the things that people report about them above. They give very good clear views on most celestial objects. But they do in fact have several negative attributes.

For one thing, they show a small bit of false purple coloring on the edges of bright objects that are not in the central 50% of the viewing area. You have to look for it, but once you see it, the color is always there. For another thing, they are very good in terms of edge resolution when compared to the usual 80% performers, but even the Fujis do show edge dropoff and distortion at the very outer perimeter.

Perhaps their most negative aspect is that they weigh 4.76lbs. (over 5lbs with case, straps and lens covers) and they are individual eye focus with virtually no close range capability. That all means that they are USELESS for terrestial viewing from anything but a fixed, mounted position.

Finally, there's the issue of cost. At $600, these aren't cheap, but that doesn't even include the cost of the mount and tripod that most any serious user is going to require. They can be handheld from a braced position, but the whole point of these is image clarity, and that's best appreciated from a good, stable mount. There was a time in which the Fujinons had so little competition that all these negatives were worth putting up with to get the fantastic views that they give. But since then there've been lots of others entrants into the giant bino market. The Fujinons are a bargain, even at that price, given the images they can offer, but there are other better bargains. Since getting a pair of $149 Oberwerk 15x70's I basically don't use the Fujinon 16x70' despite the fact that the image quality in the Fujinons is so much better.

Contrast= 9
Brightness=8
Color & Clarity= 8
Ease of Use= 3
Versitility=2
Overall construction quality=10
Value= 5

Mike Swaim

Overall Rating: 7
Weight: 20 (Notable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41616

Were you able to compare these to the Steiner Senator or Commander 15x80s?  Thanks


>I got a pair of these a couple years ago in lieu of getting a small refractor. Since then I've used them often and gotten to compare them to other giant binos such as the Oberwerk 15x70's and small scopes such as the TV Ranger and Pronto. When I first got them, I would have been one of the people giving them a perfect "10" since they were so much better than everything that I'd had up to that point. Since then, I've used them often enough, and compared them to enough other optics that my attitude about them has changed 
substantially.

[cropped by ScopeDreamer2032]

Since getting a pair of $149 Oberwerk 15x70's I basically don't use the Fujinon 16x70' despite the fact that the image quality in the Fujinons is so much better.
>
>Contrast= 9
>Brightness=8
>Color & Clarity= 8
>Ease of Use= 3
>Versitility=2
>Overall construction quality=10
>Value= 5
>
>Mike Swaim
Mike,
even if i agree with you on many points, i think these binos are essentialy made for astronomy and the weight is not a real criteria in astro viewing considering you can't have any serious 
observations without at least a good tripod.
Concerning the price, it's a good value, even if the optics shows a very little chromatism these binos remain for me a best seller exept if you
can afford to pay for perfection, but who can pay 2200 bucks for a pair of zeiss 15x60 ? 
So i would highly recommend this product to the astronomers and the stargazers who prefer a good pair of binos instead of a bad MONOCULAR scope. 
Emmanuel Antuna

Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
The Fujinon 16x70 binos represent a real value for the amateur astronomer. Solidly constructed and clad in an easy-to-grip rubber sheathing, it is going to be a joy to use for many years. In the eyepiece, images are sharp and bright across most of the field. It has quite a respectable FOV and eye relief is an acceptable 12.5 mm, too (according to the paperwork that came with my pair). Haters of false color will find something to complain about here, I must say, because bright objects will reveal purple fringing. In my opinion, however, it isn't enough to impair the view and I don't really depend upon my Fujis for lunar observing. To get a better pair of binoculars requires a substantial investment beyond the cost of these glasses, therefore I believe they are a real bargain. For someone in the market for a good pair of big binos, Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70's are a terrific mix of price and quality. I recommend them highly.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=95164

Were you able to compare these to the Steiner Senator or Commander 15x80 Binoculars?  Thanks,




>The Fujinon 16x70 binos represent a real value for the amateur astronomer. Solidly constructed and clad in an easy-to-grip rubber sheathing, it is going to be a joy to use for many years. In the eyepiece, images are sharp and bright across most of the field. It has quite a respectable FOV and eye relief is an acceptable 12.5 mm, too (according to the paperwork that came with my pair). Haters of false color will find something to complain about here, I must say, because bright objects will reveal purple fringing. In my opinion, however, it isn't enough to impair the view and I don't really depend upon my Fujis for lunar observing. To get a better pair of binoculars requires a substantial investment beyond the cost of these glasses, therefore I believe they are a real bargain. For someone in the market for a good pair of big binos, Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70's are a terrific mix of price and quality. I recommend them highly.

Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
I have had a pair of these for about 6 months now. I also have the 10x70 version and have mounted side by side. Fully the equal in terms of utility with the 10x70. What these lack in true field, they make up in magnification. In short these two do complement each other. If you want darker backgrounds and higher magnification, get the 16x. The shorter eye relief (15~16mm) is not a problem at all for me as I don't wear glasses when observing.

These guys may be 3 to 4 times the price of the Oberwerk 70's but there is a clear marked difference in image quality. Also no image shift with the Fujinon's. As I consider them a lifetime investment, the higher price was not an issue.

Barry Simon

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 8 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41619


Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
Awesome binoculars! Sharp optics; on a stable tripod Mizar is easily split. Albireo is beautiful. Colors and light throughput are outstanding. Excellent terrestrially as well, even at night, surprising given the 4.4 mm exit pupil. Very generous field for 16x power.

Looking at the moon is like looking through a telescope with a binoviewer. From what I've heard, Saturn's rings are just barely visible with these. I believe it, because on my 8" telescope at 35x the rings are obvious.

One caveat is the individual eyepiece focus. Point at the moon or some distant detailed object, focus both eyepieces until you get the best image, then REMEMBER the diopter settings. For infinity focus (astronomy), perfect eyesight will be at 0 on both eyepieces. In the dark, you'll need to shine a light on the eyepieces to check the settings. But once they're set, they tend to stay there!

A couple more things I forgot to mention. They are HEAVY but can be handheld for short lengths of time. The weight actually contributes to stability. Hold them out at the ends so the weight rests on your face.

Also, there is a trace of false color on the moon. Looks kind of neat actually, kind of a greenish violet fluorescent tinge.

(moderator note: vote combined by ScopeDreamer2032)

A couple more things I forgot to mention. They are HEAVY but can be handheld for short lengths of time. The weight actually contributes to stability. Hold them out at the ends so the weight rests on your face.

Also, there is a trace of false color on the moon. Looks kind of neat actually, kind of a greenish violet fluorescent tinge.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 7 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41604


Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
These are incredible astronomical instruments. The two pairs that I have used have extremely flat fields, yielding tack-sharp images right to the edge of the FOV. The images are very bright & very contrasty indicating excellent light throughput. I have used the 16x70's mounted on a tripod w/parellelogram & also hand-held. Despite what many people think, these can be hand-held, especially if you hold the objectives as far out as possible, rather than near the middle or closer to the eyepeices. This decreases the load on the wrists while holding. If you have a nice chair to lean back in, this will even extend the time for using these without a mount. For anyone intersted in daytime use, they are great for terrestrial viewing too.

All open clusters look wonderful through the 16x70's, as do globulars. In fact M13 & Omega Centaurii show some resolution. Galaxies such as M81/M82 actually show some detail, especially M82 where the dust lane is quite visible. Extended objects like Andromeda are better than an 8" scope.

My friend & I put these head-to-head with a pair of Miyauchi 20x77 semi-APO's. To call a clear winner was extremely difficult. The Miyauchis went slightly deeper & were better on tight open clusters & nebulae. They split the Trapizium with no problem. The Fujinons at 16x had a more difficult time, but it did make the split into four components.

But the Fujinons were better on the Pleiades, Beehive & Andromeda, and gave incredible sweeps of the summer & winter Milky Way with the 4 degree FOV as opposed to the 2.5 on the Miyauchis. As far as color correction for secondary spectrum, we could not tell the difference between the two pairs. Both showed a very slight purple halo around very bright objects like the limb of the moon, Jupiter, and Sirius, but that's it. There was no false color present on any other objects.

Both are great binos, but the Fujinons get the nod when it comes to price.
At $550-580, they are about $500 less than the Miyauchis. You cannot go wrong with a pair of 16x70 Fujinons.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 7 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41602


Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
I have owned a pair of Fujinon SX-FMT 16x70 binos for better than a year now. I use them often and enjoy them thoroughly. They are well built of quality materials and feel solid in the hands...though one will want a mount to hold them steady. The optics are sharp across most (but not all) of the field. There exists some false color on bright objects such as the moon, but it is not so bad that the views of these objects is seriously impaired. To get binoculars that are clearly better, one would have to spend hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars more. I believe Fujinon 16x70 binos are some of the finest values available to the amateur astronomer.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 6 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=95136


Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
I think probably the FMT 16x is the best of the big eyes....I've tried most of them (with the notable exception of the Nikon 18x70) and overall the Fuji is the best performer....bright, snap-sharp,neutral,great field,rugged and weatherproof...certainly not your all-purpose piece, but then it wasn't designed to be...got mine last Nov and the main use has been to id shore birds at distances over 200m (no mean feat telling a Forster's Tern from a Common Tern, or a short-billed dowitcher from a long-bill....the Fuji will usually do it, depending on the air quality...and do it better with much less effort than my Kowa 66 with a 20x premium eyepiece). It also excels at light-polluted sky views....very good contrast and lets u see 11-magnitude objects in perfect air....certainly it's big, heavy and requires some setup (and u hafta give Fuji credit for a sense of humor....it has neckstrap lugs)...but the views are worth it...you definitely see better using both eyes and I believe this gives as good as you'll find...at least until you really get up in the price stratosphere of the 100-150mm binos...and I'm not talking Orion, Oberwerk, Unitron etc...rather Takahashi, Miyauchi, along w/ Fuji's own monsters...so for under $700 or so, I rate this the king of the hill....Doug Eide

Overall Rating: 8
Optics:9 Value:7
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=214806


Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
Have had the glass now for about 6 mo and the more I use it the more I'm impressed...bright, easy, high-contrast, wide view....very good resolution across nearly the complete field (maybe a little edge softness the last 4-5%, but I have to consciously look for it, which I don't, so....really not important)....do notice very slight ghosting on full moon or if I happen to get a hi-pressure sodium streetlite in the view but other than that it's without fault...my test for resolution is how far away I can read license plates...my best for the Fuji is just over 450m (measured with a Bushnell Yardage Pro 1000)....I use it more for id'ing shore birds at long distances (works better than my Kowa 66 at 20x for that purpose...being able to look w/both eyes does make a difference)...have been able to differentiate a Common Tern from a Forster's Tern at just over 260m in good air...I seldom use a tripod (too much hassle) but do use my version of a Finn stick (a telescoping metal pole threaded on one end that is used by pro window washers....to the end I screw on a plastic-framed squegee like you clean windshelds with....adjust the height...lay the bino on it and presto...a steady mount you can have in action 15 sec after you stop the car)...all in all I find it very usable (also great for id'ing high flying aircraft).....and a bargain at $600...does have short eye relief and it is big and heavy...but you dont get this kind of performance from small glass...it's the best of the easily transportable bigeyes...by quite a margin (and I've tried most of them).....Doug Eide

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Value:8
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=206051


Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
I traded a set of FMTR-SX 7x50s for the FMT-SX 16x70s. All optical imperfections in the smaller Fujinons will be that much more noticeable in the bigger aperture. Bright white objects will have edge coloring especially if your eyes are off the optic axis. This is true in all binoculars but diminishes as the power drops. The 16x70s are best for uniform brightness terrestrial viewing ie bird watching using a tripod or viewing starclusters, the Milky Way and bright galaxies ie M31. They are not optically perfect but give a wonderful view of objects when you are in a hurry to set up your equipment. Long focal length 1/20th wave well figured Newtonians blow away all binoculars for detailed high magnification viewing but to get the big picture quickly the Fujinons are at the top.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 4 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41607


Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70
I've been using my Fujinon's now for 6 Months and I have to say that they've made me want a telescope!! I couldn't believe what I've been missing. The views are breathtaking. I have never owned a pair of celestial bino's in the past so I really have nothing of this quality to compare them to, but I have been completely impressed thus far.
The Galilean moon's of Jupitor jump right out, and I was able to just make out the rings of Saturn. You must use a mount though, and I use a quality camera tripod which works well.
If I have to give a downside, it would be the color distortion of very bright objects. For instance, the full moon has a greenish hue around the top and bottom if not centered directly in the field of view. They are a bit difficult to focus with the individual eyepieces and for any quality viewing, a mount must be used. Also, at the edge of view, there is slight distortion. Other than that, spend the money and you will not be disappointed.

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=41618

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