Orion Little Giant II 15x70

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Brand and Model:Orion Little Giant II 15x70
Price ($USD):$279.00
Attributes:un-checked Waterproof checked Armored
Objective Lens Size:70 mm
Magnification:15 x
Prism Type:BAK4 Porro
Coatings:Multi-Coated
Field of View:4.0 degrees
Eye Relief:8 mm
Near Focus:0 ft
Weight (lbs):46 oz.
Dimensions (w/h/d):h=9.25"
Description:Orion’s original Little Giant binoculars have gotten even littler. The new breed—Little Giant II—is less bulky, lighter to carry, and easier to handle. Little indeed, yet more powerful too, available in magnifications of 11x, 15x, and 20x, allowing viewing over even greater distances and probing of even subtler details.

No, the objective lenses haven’t shrunk. They’re still a big 70mm in diameter, perfect for light-critical applications such as astronomy, birdwatching at dusk or dawn, and observing in overcast or shaded conditions. The vivid, crisply formed images you see attest to the superior optical components, including the finest BAK-4 prisms and multi-coatings applied to every air-glass optical surface from the eyepieces through to the objective lenses. These coatings insure unimpaired light transmission and accurate contrast.

What has shrunk is the binoculars’ aluminum alloy body. It’s now more compact, and 11.4 oz. lighter in total weight than before for greater ease of use. All other things being equal, who wouldn’t want a smaller, lighter binocular! The new design also incorporates a more rigid eyepiece bridge for higher focusing precision with the smooth center-focus wheel.

Little Giant II binoculars have a classic coarse-grain exterior that provides a firm grip. Each comes with a tripod L-adapter, deluxe wide neck strap, hard case, and lens caps.

The next generation of 70mm binoculars has arrived, and they’re smaller and better than ever! Get your Orion Little Giant II today. Weighs 2 lbs., 14.6 oz. Five-year limited warranty.

11x70 Little Giant II
Ideal for moderate-power stargazing and scenic daytime viewing over a wide area. 6.4mm exit pupil, 4.5° field of view, 18mm eye relief.

15x70 Little Giant II
Breathtaking views of wispy nebulas and sparkling star clusters. 4.7mm exit pupil, 4.0° field of view, 8mm eye relief.

20x70 Little Giant II
Highest-power model excels for serious binocular astronomy and long-range terrestrial observation. 3.5mm exit pupil, 3.0° field of view, 8mm eye relief.


Orion Little Giant™ II 70mm Binoculars

Vote Highlights Vote
Orion Little Giant II 15x70
I've had these binoculars slightly less than a year. I got them on sale for $199 + shipping last November when Orion had a Web only sale on them. They are well made, good to look at, and come with a very nice hard case. At the sale price, I give them an 8 for value. At their regular price, I would give them a 7. Orion seems to put them on sale from time to time for various prices, so wait before you buy.

The Little Giant II binoculars are short on eye relief for eyeglass wearers. The images are sharp at the center but go soft approximately 2/3 out. They are light enough (approximately 3 lbs, 1.4 kg) for me to handhold them, if I brace myself against something or lie down in a lawn chair. Yet they are big enough to gather a good amount of light. That being said, they are not a replacement in any way for my larger telescopes. I use these or any binoculars to scan the sky and having really heavy binoculars that must be mounted on a tripod defeats why I use them.

I recently made a quick daytime comparison with a pair of the Celestron Skymaster 15x70 binoculars that sell for $75-$89 + shipping. The Little Giant II were much nicer to look at and seemed to have better optics, but the Celestron had more eye relief (almost too much without glasses). They seemed to weigh approximately the same. The Skymaster price is so low that one really should try both binoculars before deciding if the Little Giant II is worth the extra money.

So, which pair would I buy if I were buying binoculars now? That's a tough one. I'm glad I own the Little Giant II, but the Skymaster binoculars are hard to ignore at 1/3 the regular price of the Little Giant II.

Overall Rating: 8
Optics:8 Value:8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=315303

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