Quillon Thistle 10x42 binoculars, with parallelogram mount

Specifications

Description

The Thistle 10x42 is a roof-prism binocular with 42 mm objectives and 10x magnification. The exit pupil is 4.2 mm, which suits observers whose fully dark-adapted pupils measure about 4 to 5 mm and gives a bright view of the Moon, the Pleiades, and the larger star clusters in Cygnus and Scorpius. The 6.2-degree true field gives an apparent field of about 62 degrees, so the Milky Way fills a wide arc when you sweep across Sagittarius.

The 10x magnification separates close double stars such as Albireo in Cygnus and shows the brighter core of the Orion Nebula with some texture. At 780 g, the Thistle 10x42 can be held steady for a few minutes at a time, but for longer sessions brace your elbows against a wall, a fence post, or a car roof. The 2.5 m close focus lets you examine nearby objects at the edge of the field, and the central focus wheel turns smoothly with a light touch.

The BaK-4 roof prisms are fully multi-coated and phase-corrected, which keeps stars sharp to the edge of the field and limits scatter from bright stars. The 15 mm eye relief and twist-up eyecups let you keep glasses on and still see most of the field. The body is nitrogen-purged and O-ring sealed, so it resists internal fogging when you move it between a warm room and cold night air.

Observers whose maximum pupil is 5 mm or less use most of the 4.2 mm exit pupil in this model. Compared with a 7x50, the 10x42 has a narrower field and a smaller exit pupil, but it shows more lunar and planetary detail. For a first session, find the Double Cluster in Perseus, then sweep along the Milky Way from Cygnus to Cassiopeia and note how many faint stars each sweep reveals.

About this configuration

All configurations of the Quillon Thistle 10x42 binoculars share the same magnification and objective size; the options below change the package and finish. 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. 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. The optics in the 2024 edition match the other years; the changes concern handling details only. Compare the exit pupil in the specifications with your sky conditions and your age, since both affect how bright the view looks.

What's in the box

• Binoculars with neck strap
• Objective and eyepiece caps
• Padded soft case
• Lens cleaning cloth
• Parallelogram mount with counterweight
• 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 kg binoculars.