Quillon Sentinel 20x85 binoculars

Specifications

Description

The Sentinel 20x85 binoculars pair 85 mm objectives with 20x magnification, which gives an exit pupil of 4.25 mm. That exit pupil suits observers whose dark-adapted pupils are 4 to 5 mm across, so faint nebulae and star clusters stay bright across the field. The 3.0-degree true field and 60-degree apparent field resolve double stars and open clusters with clean separation, while still letting you sweep across the Milky Way in Cygnus or Scorpius. Stars remain round and sharp across most of the field.

At 2.6 kg, the Sentinel 20x85 is too heavy to hold steady by hand for long sessions. Mount it on a parallelogram or fork-style mount, or use a standard tripod with a binocular adapter, and rest the eyecups against your brow to steady the view. A sturdy tripod with a locking head keeps the image still when you refocus. The 16 mm eye relief lets you keep glasses on and still see most of the field. The 8.0 m close focus means nearby subjects stay out of focus, so use a separate instrument for close work. The central focus wheel and right-eye diopter adjust smoothly.

The BaK-4 roof prisms are fully multi-coated and nitrogen-purged, with O-ring seals that keep fog and dust out of the optical path. Targets such as the Pleiades, the Double Cluster in Perseus, and the Orion Nebula fill the view at this magnification. Start with the Moon a few days after new, then pan slowly along the Milky Way from Cygnus to Cassiopeia. Note which clusters resolve into individual stars, and return to them on a darker night to compare.

About this configuration

The Quillon Sentinel 20x85 binoculars comes in several configurations, and the notes below explain what this particular combination includes. This package contains the binoculars with their strap, lens caps, and case, without any mounting hardware. Binoculars alone suit hand-held scanning of the Milky Way, bright star clusters, and the phases of the Moon. ED glass reduces the color fringing that otherwise appears around bright objects such as the Moon and Venus.

Olive rubber armor offers the same protection as the black version in a different color. This is the 2023 edition of the Sentinel line, the earliest version that is still listed in the catalog. 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
• Hard carrying case
• Lens cleaning cloth

Compatibility notes

• The central tripod socket takes a standard L-shaped binocular adapter with a 1/4-20 thread.
• Fits parallelogram mounts rated for 3 kg binoculars.