Lanthorn Wickmark 10x80 binoculars, with tripod adapter
10x magnification · 80 mm objectives · 6.2° field
$859
Catalog preview. Not available for purchase.
- Package
- With tripod adapter
- Optics
- ED glass, fully multi-coated
- Armor
- Slate gray armor
- Edition
- 2023 edition
Specifications
| Magnification | 10x |
|---|---|
| Objective diameter | 80 mm |
| True field of view | 6.2° |
| Exit pupil | 8.0 mm |
| Dawes limit | 1.45 arcsec |
| Limiting magnitude | 11.5 |
| Eye relief | 16 mm |
| Close focus | 4.5 m |
| Prisms | BaK-4 Porro |
| Weather sealing | O-ring sealed, nitrogen purged |
| Weight | 2,050 g |
| Package | With tripod adapter |
| Optics | ED glass, fully multi-coated |
| Armor | Slate gray armor |
| Edition | 2023 edition |
Description
The Wickmark 10x80 is a porro-prism binocular with 80 mm objectives and 10x magnification. The combination gives an exit pupil of 8 mm, which matches the dark-adapted pupil of a young observer and brings out faint diffuse objects under dark skies.
The 6.2-degree true field, or 62 degrees apparent, takes in the Double Cluster in Perseus and the Pleiades in a single view. Sweep along the Milky Way from Cygnus to Cassiopeia to see dense star fields and dark dust lanes. On a dark night the Andromeda Galaxy fills a large part of the field, and its bright core stands out against the glow of the disk. The Orion Nebula is a useful test target for the view.
At about 2.05 kg, the Wickmark 10x80 is too heavy for long sessions held by hand. Mount it on a tripod with a binocular adapter or a parallelogram harness, and set the height so the eyepieces sit at a comfortable angle. The 16 mm eye relief lets you keep your glasses on and still see the full field. The central focus wheel and right-eye diopter adjust smoothly, and the rubber eyecups fold down for use with glasses.
The optics are nitrogen purged and O-ring sealed, which limits fogging when the air changes temperature during a night outdoors. Keep the objective caps on while you carry the binoculars between sites. Older observers often have a maximum pupil of 5 mm or less, so part of the 8 mm exit pupil goes unused. In that case a 10x50 model gives a lighter instrument with a 5 mm exit pupil that matches the pupil more closely.
For a first night, begin with the Pleiades low in the east after dark, then sweep the Milky Way and note which clusters you can resolve. Return to them on a darker night to compare.
About this configuration
The Lanthorn Wickmark 10x80 binoculars comes in several configurations, and the notes below explain what this particular combination includes. The included tripod adapter lets you fix the binoculars to a photo tripod for steadier, more relaxed views. With the adapter on a tripod, hand shake disappears, which makes faint stars and close double stars easier to see. ED glass reduces the color fringing that otherwise appears around bright objects such as the Moon and Venus.
Slate gray armor uses a slightly harder rubber compound that resists scuffs from tripod clamps and cases. The 2023 edition uses the same prisms and objectives as later years, with small differences in the eyecups. Before you add a mount or adapter later, check the compatibility notes for the thread and fitting that this binocular uses.
What's in the box
- Binoculars with neck strap
- Objective and eyepiece caps
- Padded carrying case
- Lens cleaning cloth
- L-shaped tripod adapter
Compatibility notes
- The central tripod socket takes a standard L-shaped binocular adapter with a 1/4-20 thread.
- Fits most binocular harnesses and parallelogram mounts rated for 2 kg binoculars.