Re: 20x70 binocs for hand-holding

>I have a pair of 15x70 Celestron binos (the cheap ones) that I bought for
>hand holding quick looks. At three lbs, they are at the limit for me. If I
want to
>get a steadier view I set up a scope.
>rat

Last week the Big 5 store was selling the Barska Blackhawk 15x70 binos for $60.
  I bought a pair. Unfortunately, I only looked through the demo model and did
not check the ones I had purchased and naturally I found they were out of
collimation when I got home. They went back for a refund.

But what did surprise me was that it was actually not so difficult to hand hold
them. They weight 40 oz according to the specs.  I think the longer barrels of
a 70mm binocular mean that the angular shake in my arms is reduced so that it
is essentially the same as with 10x50s.  

If one assumes the displacement of the shake motion is the same for both
binoculars then the magnitude of the rotation is inversely proportation to the
length of the binocular.  This implies that rotation of the 15x70s is about
5/7ths that of the 10x50s and that the apparent rotation (in terms of FOV) is
only 7% more.

The reason I returned them rather than getting another pair is that they seemed
to share focusers with the  7x35 Barska's and others.  

This focuser uses a pin in a slot and if you press the binocular against your
face at all, the focus will move.  If they had had a decent focuser I would
have kept them.

But the surprise was that I could actually handhold them and get some decent
views, though through only one eye at a time because of the miscollimation.

jon