Short note on LIDL "Rocktrail" binoculars

[Astrogeordie]

Hi all,

over the past years the discounter LIDL had a reputation for their 10x50 bins which in contrast to other discounters really bear some usefulness for their money. Usually they were branded MEADE (1st generation, rubber eyecups) or BRESSER (2nd generation, twist eyecups).

Last weekend I saw LIDL selling "ROCKTRAIL" branded bins and I was afraid they would have changed the manufacturer to a less qualtiy product, taking they cost £13.99 instead of £14.99 which was the last price for the Bresser branded ones.

So I bought one to compare it with the Bresser pairs.

Appearance: Both show a full exit pupil without flat vignetting due to too small prisms (actually an error you do not see very often these days anyhow). Both have simple blue MgF2 coatings and feature BAK4 prisms. The appearance is nearly similar, both having twist eyecups. The only difference striking is the feel as the ROCKTRAIL ones feel a bit blunt and rubbery albeit they rest well in the hands. It is a bit tricky to use the independent focus on one eye (dioptry compensation) as you have to twist the eye cup a tiny bit at first, annoying for eyeglass wearers. But not really a big issue.

On the sky both bins performed exactly the same. At a limiting magnitude of about 5 I could just see M51 in both as a small smudge. Both appear to have the same field of view, and the image quality breaks down at the outer 20% of the field, leaving bright stars blurred and elongated at the very field edge.

I think these bins are still a good buy for their money and a good present to bring anyone into astronomy or nature observation. Yes the stars get a bit blurry at the edge but I have seen much more expensive bins performing no better in this.

[Kellys_eye]

A concise and useful report - thanks Jeurgen.

[Nomis Elfactem]

Yeap - that was great Jeurgen, thanks !

S.

[Dave Dubya]

FYI - Lidl have these on sale again this week - again with Rocktrail labelling - at £14.99

[Astrogeordie]

Hi Dave,

thanks for this. I just gave my last couple away (donation to a public observatory) and need to restock.