Northmere Glacier 7x50 binoculars, with photo tripod

Specifications

Description

The Glacier 7x50 binoculars combine 7x magnification with 50 mm objectives, giving an exit pupil of about 7.1 mm. That pupil size suits a fully dark-adapted eye under a moonless sky, where the view shows faint stars and wide star fields. With a true field of 7.5 degrees, the apparent field of 52.5 degrees lets you take in whole constellations at once, such as the star clouds of Sagittarius and the length of the Milky Way through Cygnus.

The 7x50 is designed for steady hand-held use. At 1,040 g, it is heavier than a compact model, so rest your elbows against your chest or a fence post for longer sessions. Targets such as the Pleiades, the Double Cluster in Perseus, and the Orion Nebula fill the view with room around them. The central focus wheel and right-eye diopter adjust smoothly, and the 17 mm eye relief lets you keep eyeglasses on and still see the full field.

Heavy-duty construction matters when the binoculars spend a night on a tripod or on a car roof in damp air. The housing is nitrogen-purged and O-ring sealed, and it is rated waterproof to 2 m, so dew and light rain do not fog the internal optics. The roof prisms use high-index glass with phase-correction coating, which keeps star images round near the edge of the field. The ED glass element reduces the color fringing that appears on bright stars such as Vega and Capella.

Older observers may have a maximum pupil of 5 mm or less, so part of the 7 mm exit pupil goes unused. In that case, a higher-power model gives a darker sky at similar star brightness, while this 7x50 keeps the larger field for sweeping. Start a first session on the Milky Way in Cygnus, then sweep toward Cassiopeia and note which clusters stand out.

About this configuration

All configurations of the Northmere Glacier 7x50 binoculars share the same magnification and objective size; the options below change the package and finish. This package adds a photo tripod and an adapter, so you can hold the binoculars steady without further purchases. A tripod works well for objects at low and medium altitude, though viewing near the zenith becomes awkward on one. ED glass reduces the color fringing that otherwise appears around bright objects such as the Moon and Venus.

The tan armor is easy to spot when you set the binoculars down on the grass in the dark. This is the 2023 edition of the Glacier line, the earliest version that is still listed in the catalog. The magnification, field, and exit pupil figures in the specifications table apply to every configuration of the Glacier line.

What's in the box

• Binoculars with neck strap
• Objective and eyepiece caps
• Padded carrying case
• Cleaning cloth
• L-shaped tripod adapter
• Aluminum photo tripod with pan head

Compatibility notes

• Accepts a standard L-shaped binocular adapter with a 1/4-20 tripod socket.
• Fits parallelogram mounts and binocular harnesses rated for 1.5 kg payloads.