From: TerryMoselaol.com
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 13:30:18 EST
Subject: Quick test of Lidl Bresser binocs

 
Hi  all,
 
I've now had a  quick check of the Bresser 10x50 binocs on sale from today in 
LIDL at ё13.99.  They seem to be essentially the same as the excellent Meades 
which were on sale  last year, and in fact on the base of the box it says 
"Meade Instruments  Europe". Not to mention the fact  that, although the 
instruction leaflet  says "Bresser" on the outside, inside it refers to "your Meade  
binoculars"!
    The service address & telephone number is in the UK, but the email 
address  is Meade in Germany.
 
Here's the  spec:
 
BAK 4 porro  prisms
Field of view 6.5  deg, or 114m @ 1000m. (fine for 10x50s)
Fully coated lenses  (blue) (but not 'fully multi-coated')
Long Eye Relief  (16mm) Eyepieces
Twist up eye  cups
Dioptre compensation  on right eyepiece (i.e. separate adjustment if your 
eyes have different  foci)
Tripod adaptor  socket at front (for 'L-shaped' adaptors)
Metal body, rubber  armoured, black.
Large central  knurled focus wheel.
Nylon carry bag,  strap. 
Caps for all lenses;  the ones for the eyepieces are joined together so 
you're less likely to lose  one.
The instructions are  clear and in perfect English!
5 year  guarantee.
 
COMMENTS:
They seem robust & mechanically  sound.
A quick look shows a  bright well-illuminated field, with very little 
fall-off at the edges. 
Distant objects were  clear & sharp.
There seems  to be only very slight field-curvature, certainly nothing to 
worry  about.
The prisms seem to  be full-size - no squaring-off of the exit pupils.
Focussing is smooth  & easy, with no tendency to shift when the binoculars 
are held upright, nor  if you press your eyes against the eyecups.
Internally they are  well baffled and blackened, but there are two blobs of 
white 'glue' at the base  of the prisms on each side. The front sections can be 
unscrewed, so if you were  really fussy you could very carefully blacken 
those  with a black marker pen, but I doubt if it's really necessary. (If you do, 
let  the marker dry thoroughly & then ventilate them well to let all fumes 
escape  before you seal them up again; the fumes might affect the coatings. In 
fact  there's a very slight chance that the chemicals in  the marker could 
affect the glue, though I doubt it.)
 
Venus & Mars in  twilight showed clean images without flaring. A quick 
star-test, which  is of course the important one, showed sharp point images over 
almost  the whole field of view! They certainly seem excellent value for money! I 
have  to admit that I have bought a pair - even though I already have Zeiss 
10x50s,  and a pair of the Meade 10x50s from last year....
 

Well, they're only  ё13.99, and I might lose a pair!
 

They are not quite  Leica standard, but Leica 10x50s would cost you about 
forty (40) times  as much!
 
Clear  skies,
 
Terry  Moseley

Last Revised: 2005 November 29th WWW contact:webmaster@arm.ac.uk

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