Quillon Egret 7x56 binoculars, with parallelogram mount

Specifications

Description

The Egret 7x56 binoculars pair 56 mm objectives with 7x magnification, which gives an exit pupil of 8.0 mm. That exit pupil sits at the upper limit of the design range for a 7x binocular, and it matches the dark-adapted pupil of a young observer under a dark sky. Star fields along the Milky Way in Cygnus, Scutum, and Sagittarius fill the view with bright points, and large targets such as the Double Cluster in Perseus and the Pleiades fit comfortably within the field.

The true field of 6.8 degrees gives an apparent field of about 48 degrees, so you can sweep large areas of sky without moving the binoculars far. At 1150 g, the Egret is heavy for long sessions held by hand. Rest your elbows on a wall or a car roof, or lie back in a reclining chair and hold the binoculars against your face. The central focus wheel moves both barrels together, and the right eyecup carries a diopter ring for correcting focus between the two eyes. The 18 mm eye relief lets observers who wear glasses see the full field with the eyecups folded down.

The roof prisms are BaK-4 glass, and the lenses carry multi-coatings on the main surfaces. The body is waterproof and nitrogen-purged, so the optics resist fogging when the temperature drops during an observing session. The close focus of 6.0 m lets you check nearby terrestrial objects as well as the sky. Observers whose pupils open to 5 mm or less use only part of the 8 mm exit pupil, and a higher-magnification model in the same line may suit them better.

For a first session, start a few nights after new Moon, sweep the Milky Way from Cygnus toward Cassiopeia, and note which clusters and nebulae you can see. Return to the same targets on a darker night and compare the view.

About this configuration

The Quillon Egret 7x56 binoculars comes in several configurations, and the notes below explain what this particular combination includes. The parallelogram mount keeps the binoculars at eye level while you move them across the sky in smooth arcs. A parallelogram mount lets observers of different heights share the same view without aiming the binoculars again. Multi-coated optics reduce reflections at the main glass surfaces while keeping the price of this binocular low.

Slate gray armor uses a slightly harder rubber compound that resists scuffs from tripod clamps and cases. This is the 2023 edition of the Egret 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 Egret line.

What's in the box

• Binoculars with neck strap
• Objective and eyepiece caps
• Soft carrying case
• Lens cleaning cloth
• Parallelogram mount with counterweight
• Tripod adapter

Compatibility notes

• The central tripod socket accepts a standard L-shaped binocular adapter with a 1/4-20 thread.
• Fits binocular harnesses and parallelogram mounts rated for 1.2 kg.