Quillon Tessera 15x40 binoculars, with tripod adapter

Specifications

Description

The Tessera 15x40 binoculars pair 15x magnification with a 40 mm objective, which gives an exit pupil of about 2.7 mm. At this size the view suits the Moon, bright planets, and close double stars, where fine surface detail and color contrast stand out. Fainter deep-sky objects appear smaller and dimmer than they do through larger instruments, so the 15x40 is most useful on targets that are already bright.

The 3.5-degree true field gives an apparent field of about 52 degrees, which is narrow enough that small wrist movements shift the view a short distance across the sky. Because the magnification is high, steady support matters. Brace your elbows against your chest, rest the binoculars on a fence post or car roof, or fit a standard L-shaped adapter to the central tripod socket for longer sessions. Star hopping with a narrow field works well when you sweep slowly between two bright stars and watch the field edges for faint neighbors.

The roof prisms and multi-coated lenses deliver a sharp, neutral image, and the nitrogen-purged body with O-ring seals resists internal fogging when the temperature changes. The 16 mm eye relief allows observers who wear glasses to see most of the field. The central focus wheel and right-eye diopter adjust independently, so you can set the focus for each eye after a short calibration on a distant street light.

At 1050 g, the Tessera 15x40 is heavy for long periods held by hand. Start with the Moon a few days after first quarter, and scan the terminator, where low-angle sunlight throws shadows across craters and ridges. On a later night, follow Jupiter's four Galilean moons and note how their positions change from one evening to the next. Finish with Albireo in Cygnus, and compare the gold and blue components at this magnification.

About this configuration

This listing covers one configuration of the Quillon Tessera 15x40 binoculars, defined by its package, optical coatings, armor color, and edition year. 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. The multi-coated version suits casual scanning of the night sky as well as daytime nature viewing.

Desert tan armor stays cooler in direct sunlight, which helps during daytime use before an evening session. 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 rain guard caps
• Soft 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 binocular harnesses and parallelogram mounts rated for 1.2 kg binoculars.