Orion Scenix 7X50


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Brand and Model:Orion Scenix 7X50
Price ($USD):$79.00
Attributes:un-checked Waterproof checked Armored
Objective Lens Size:50 mm
Magnification:7 x
Prism Type:BAK4 Porro
Coatings:Multi-Coated
Field of View:7.1 degrees
Eye Relief:0 mm
Near Focus:0 ft
Weight (lbs):28
Dimensions (w/h/d):
Description:Scenix binoculars have always offered superior optical and mechanical quality compared to brands you find at most retail stores. And now Scenix binoculars are even better, incorporating porro prisms made from high-grade BAK-4 optical glass. These are the same prisms found in binoculars that sell for as much as four times the price.

You just can’t beat Scenix for all-around value. Common, low-priced “mass market” binoculars have to cut corners by coating only one or two visible optical surfaces with antireflection coatings (and leaving many uncoated), by allowing looser tolerances on optical matching and alignment, and by employing poor-quality mechanical components.

Scenix binoculars are different. Every air-to-glass surface is antireflection coated, and the objective lenses are even multi-coated for additional light transmission. And we don’t use gimmicky “ruby” coatings like you find on some brands, which only serve to turn images green!

The housings are constructed of sturdy metal, not plastic, and are armored with protective rubber. The large center focusing mechanism is the same one found on many more expensive binoculars.

Scenix binoculars are rugged and reliable, delivering sharp images on demand. Each includes a vinyl carrying case, lens caps, and deluxe wide neck strap. All accept a tripod L-adapter (sold separately). Two-year limited warranty.

Scenix 8x40 Wide Angle
Ideal nature and sports binocular with an uncommonly wide 9° field of view to take in more of the action. Close focuses to 17'. Weighs 24 oz.

Scenix 7x50
Wonderful for binocular astronomy as well as for scenic daytime viewing and hunting. Bright 7mm exit pupil and 7.1° field of view. Weighs 28 oz.

Scenix 10x50 Wide Angle
Perfect higher-power astro binocular, equally well suited for long-distance terrestrial observing. Extra wide angle 7° field. Weighs 28 oz.

Scenix 12x50 Wide Angle
If you¼ve been searching for a high-power quality binocular that's incredibly affordable, here it is! Twelve-times magnification gets you “up close and personal” with your viewing target. Still, the exit pupil is a generous 4mm-plus, so the images will be plenty bright. Wide 6° field of view. At this high power, a tripod (and mounting adapter) is recommended for steady images. Weighs 28 oz.


Orion Scenix™ Series Binoculars

Vote Highlights Vote
Orion Scenix 7X50
I have had my eye on these binoculars for a while, but was unsure how good the quality really was. After reading the extremely positive review here, I decided to buy a pair. They just came in today along with some accessories for my telescope. It is cloudy, so I have not had a chance to try them at night, but I promise to post updates as I use them more.

So far, I really like what you get for only $80. Rubber coated barrels, lens caps, nice strap, nice case, nice focuser, BAK-4 prisms, 7.1d FOV, shall I continue? The coatings on the objective lenses are good, very uniform. Pointed at a bright street lamp at night, there is no glare, and the FOV is sharp and bright out to the last maybe 10% of it. Really seen good. I haven't had a chance to try them on the sky, so I will not rate them yet.

*Update* 10-12-2002
It finally cleared up here for about an hour before the next system moved in and clouded it up again:-( But the seeing was great, so I tried out the binoculars. I found a little glare/haze around the Moon, but it was not enough to annoy of affect the view, so the Moon was a great site. I also checked out M13 and NGC869/NGC884, the Double Cluster. Both were nice. I think these may cut back the amount of time the XT10" gets to observe;-) I would definitely recommend these.

*Update* 12-03-2002
I am really enjoying these binoculars. I spent an hour or 2 the other night observing open clusters in Canis Major and had great success. Also I tracked down a few galaxies in it, such as NGC253 (In the Dec. issue of S&T in the binocular challange.) Recommend except that Orion has some of their supposedly better binoculars on sale for good prices if you can spend the extra $$$.

Noah

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:7 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=139663


Orion Scenix 7X50
This binocular is simply superb for the price. I bought my wife one several months ago and was so pleased with them that I had her buy me one for Christmas.

Mechanicallyl, the Scenix 7X50 is excellent. Collimation is spot-on on both examples. The binocular feels solid, and has a protective non-slip rubber coating that's really nice to have in cold weather. Focusing is smooth with no backlash. The Scenix includes a standard tripod-mounting socket, which is a nice touch, although the Scenix is light enough that I use it hand-held about 95% of the time.

Optically, these are a surprisingly small step down from a premium binocular. I've used Leitz and Zeiss binoculars, so I appreciate just how good a premium binocular can be. The Scenix doesn't match premium binoculars in image quality, particularly near the edge, but it isn't all that far behind, either. Scenix binoculars are fully coated, with multi-coated objectives. The coatings appear to be quite effective and are evenly applied.

Star images are pinpoint out to about 85% or 90% of the field, with just some softness at the outer extremes. I've used $300 to $400 binoculars that weren't any better in this respect.

The only downside of the Scenix is eye relief. It's quite adequate if you observe without glasses, as I do. If you wear glasses, the eye relief is far too small to allow seeing the entire field. If I did need to wear glasses, I'd step up to the Orion Ultraview or Orion Vista models. These cost about twice as much as the Scenix, but provide enough eye relief for those who wear glasses, and I'm sure the image quality is as good or better than the Scenix.

But if you can live with limited eye relief, you can't do better than the Scenix for anything near their price. They have to be the bang-for-the-buck champions of the binocular world. I'd say that the Scenix give you 90% to 95% of what a premium binocular gives you, but at 5% to 20% the price.

I bought my wife the Scenix 7X50's thinking that they'd serve until I was certain she'd stick with the hobby. Once I was sure she would, I planned to buy her a Leitz, Zeiss, or Fujinon binocular. Having seen how good these Scenix binoculars are, I don't think I'll bother replacing them anytime soon.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:8 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=52239


Orion Scenix 7X50
I bought these binoculars to use along with a 8" reflector telescope.

These 7x50 Scenix binoculars suprised me and are absolutely great. They have a wide, bright field of view. I can view the entire parallelogram of Lyra (but not including Vega) in the field of view. They are very light, rigid and easy to focus. I find them quite sharp up until the 80%or 90% out of center view.

I've used them in skies I could visually see all the main stars in the little dipper. I can easily detect the magnitude 7.4 M27, the Dumbell nebula, but see no form. It shows up as a gray smudge below a star I used to star hop to it. I've found more Messier objects with them than when fumbling around using the telescope by itself. The telescope field of view is just to small, and the 6x30 finder I have for it seems nearly worthless. Not to mention the annoyance of having to keep one eye shut for periods of time.

One night while I was waiting for it to get dark I followed a lightning bug with them. At dusk, I could see the lightning bug moving around and the contrast I saw when the bug lit up was amazing. It just hovered there in 3D.

Even at 7 power, the moon looked great.

*UPDATE* 10/11/03
There are, however, Oberwerk 8x56 binoculars that sell for only $10.00 to $20.00 more than the Scenix at www.bigbinoculars.com. I haven't tried them, but they are worth considering. I've seen a positive comment about them. The Scenix have an all metal body but there is plastic and non metal here and there. The Oberwerk has an all aluminum prism housing but the rest is high impact plastic. The 8x56 field of view is 6 versus 7.1 for the Scenix. The Obwererks are fully multi-coated on all air to glass surfaces. You can collimate them if necessary. You can't collimate the Scenix. The Oberwerks are only 8oz heavier than the Scenix.

My only experience with Oberwerk is that recently I got swept up with aperture fever (again!) and bought a pair of Oberwerk 11x70's. The edge sharpness is very good in the 11x70's and is comparable to the Scenix. The fit and finish of the 11x70 Oberwerks are comperable to the Scenix. Needless to say, the smaller and lighter Scenix are easier to hold for longer periods of time. All three of these binoculars are made in China.

*UPDATE* 10/16/03
I found M33 the other night with the Scenix 7x50. The limiting visual magnitude was 5. The last time I saw M33 was years ago with a 8" reflector in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. I had an 8" SCT at one point and could never find M33 with it - probably something to do with the 6x30 finder it had.

*UPDATE* 10/28/03
I was overcome with boredom one day and decided to put the Scenix 7x50's up against Orions $39.00 Worldview 10x50.

Sharpness: Scenix 8, Worldview 4 (about 50% of view is in focus in Worldview, focus on edge and center defocuses)
Build quality Scenix 8, Worldview 5 (only because it is all not metal)
Ease of focusing Scenix 10, Worldview 4 (its really stiff)
Reflections/Ghosting Scenix 8, Worldview 4 (noticable ghosting & reflections in Worldview on bright objects (street lamp), its only coated not fully coated)
Image Brightness Scenix 8, Worldview 5 (noticable difference)
Contrast Scenix 8, Worldview 6 (not bad though)
False Color: Scenix 8, Worldview 4 (gets bad off axis)

I was suprised how much brighter the Scenix are compared to the Worldview in a side by side comparison. However, only in a side by side comparison do the Worldviews seem less bright. Also, depending on where my eyes are in front of the eyepieces on the Worldview, I get a low contrast crescent in the lower left and right sides of the eyepieces. Is the Worldview unusable? No, you can press them into service, just know what to expect - minimal optical quality for all glass lenses.

The moon is a disaster of reflections and ghosting in the Worldview 10x50's. The Scenix 7x50 hands down wins the reflection/ghosting contest with very minimal effects. Strangely, contrast on the moon itself is good through the Worldview, and craters and what not can be seen clearly. Also, the stars look ok through the Worldview.

Overall Rating: 8
Optics:8 Value:7
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=289247

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