Side view of the Oberwerk 22x100mm binoculars

After owning and enjoying my 11x70mm Oberwerk binoculars for a year I wished there was a larger aperture pair available at a reasonable price. By chance when attending an astronomy convention I came across the BigBinoculars.com booth and saw the new 22x100mm Oberwerk binoculars. They looked very nice at and with an introductory price of $395.00 (retail price of $499.95) including case and sliding mounting bar seemed very reasonable. So I ordered a pair.

Front and side view of the Oberwerk 22x100mm binoculars

Like the 11x70mm Oberwerk binoculars the 22x100mm have BAK4 prisms, and the optic coatings are broadband multi-coated. The exit pupil diameter is 4.55mm, and the eye relief is 18mm, which should make them suitable for using when wearing glasses. The field of view is 2.8°. Minimum focus distance 25m, and the weight is 8.8 lbs. It comes with a center-focuser and the eyepieces have winged eyecups that help to block stray light. Oberwerk binoculars have rugged rubber-armored metal bodies, all-glass lenses, right ocular diopter adjustment.

When I first compared the 22x100mm's next to my 11x70mm binoculars I realized how much larger the 100mm's are: they are BIG! Also, unlike the 11x70mm's it is not really possible to hand hold the 100mm's. Still with a sturdy mount these binoculars are very impressive performers.

The Oberwerk 22x100mm and 11x70mm binoculars in front of their cases. Note how much larger the 22x100mm binoculars and cases are than the 11x70mm: the 11x70mm are 11" tall and 8.25" wide, while the 22x100mm are 18" tall and 9.5" wide.

On the first night I tested the 22x100mm it wasn't the best night for observing. There was some haze and clouds around, and the limiting magnitude was only around 4.0. However as I was eager to try them out I mounted the binoculars on a heavy-duty wooden tripod and carried them outside. Even though the observing conditions weren't the best I was impressed with their performance. As with the 11x70mm binoculars the center focus had a smooth and precise feel to it. Detail in the center of the field of view was sharp and contrasty, and was sharp out to between 80% - 85% of the field of view. M22 appeared large and bright and resolved around the edge. M8, The Lagoon Nebula, showed nebulosity on the right hand side of the nebula, the darker lagoon portion in the center, and the star cluster on the left-hand side of the nebula. M17 the Swan Nebula showed its checked marked shape. M11 The Wild Duck Cluster was well resolved.

I decided to bring the 11x70mm binoculars out and compare them with the 22x100mm binoculars side by side. Both were mounted on sturdy tripods. Right away I noticed there was a difference between the binoculars. For example while in the 22x100mm I could easily tell the difference between M8 or M17 and see detail within them, in the 11x70mm while I could tell I was observing a deep-sky objects but not able to distinguish any detail to tell me which was which given the prevailing observing conditions.

Front view of the Oberwerk 22x100mm and 11x70mm binoculars. Note the differences in the size of the objective lenses between the 100mm and 70mm binoculars.

On nights with better transparency (limiting magnitude of 5.0 to 5.4) I was able to resolve more detail in deep-sky objects. Here is a list of some of the deep-sky objects I have observed with the 22x100mm binoculars, as well as the moon, planets, and comets:

The Double Cluster (NGC 869, magnitude 5.3, and NGC 884, magnitude 6.1) were beautiful and well resolved showing some red colored stars.

M1 (NGC 1952, magnitude 8.4) - The Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant located in Taurus. Both the Crab Nebula and zeta Tauri easily fit into the same field of view, with the nebula appearing relatively large and having a grey color to it.

M2 (NGC 7089, magnitude 6.6) - Globular cluster located in Aquarius. This cluster appeared large and bright, and the outer portion of the cluster was resolved.

M4 (NGC 6121, magnitude 5.4) - A very pretty globular cluster in Scorpius. The outer portion of the cluster was resolved in the binoculars, with the line of about dozen 10th to 12th magnitude stars running north to south give the center of the cluster a linear appearance to it.

M6 (NGC 6405, magnitude 4.2) - Open cluster in Scorpius is resolved in the binoculars with a bright orange/yellow star in the middle and a pretty butterfly shape to it.

M7 (NGC 6475, magnitude 3.3) - This open cluster is located in Scorpius and appeared loosely compressed, large and bright with an irregular shape.

M8 (NGC 6523, magnitude 4.6) - The Lagoon Nebula, a nebula and cluster located in Sagittarius. The nebula on the right hand showed some variation in tone, being brighter at the bottom and dimmer at the top. The star cluster was prominent on the left-hand side, with the lagoon shape in the middle very noticeable.

M11 (NGC 6705, magnitude 5.8) - The Wild Duck Cluster is located in Scutum. This open cluster is nicely resolved in the binoculars with a bright star noted near the center.

M13 (NGC 6205, magnitude 5.8) - The Great Cluster of Hercules, appeared very large and bright, and I could resolve the cluster around its edges and began to resolve it across its core. It appeared very pretty as always.

 

M15 (NGC 7078, magnitude 6.3) - Sometimes referred to as the Great Pegasus cluster. As with M2, this cluster appeared large and bright, and the outer portion of the cluster was resolved.

M16 (NGC 6611, magnitude 6.0) - The Eagle Nebula, an open cluster and emission nebula located in Serpens. Appeared very large with both the nebula and cluster resolved. Through the binoculars it lived up to its name, with the bird shape to the nebula prominent.

M17 (NGC 6618, magnitude 6.0) - The Swan Nebula is composed emission nebula and open cluster located in Sagittarius. Through the binoculars the swan shape to the nebula was noticeable and showed some variation in tone.

M18 (NGC 6613, magnitude 6.9) - A small open cluster located in Sagittarius. It was nicely resolved in the binoculars.

M19 (NGC 6273, magnitude 6.8) - A globular cluster located in Ophiuchus. I was not able to resolve the cluster in the binoculars.

M20 (NGC 6514, magnitude 6.3) The Trifid Nebula, which is a nebula and cluster located in Sagittarius. Both the northern and southern portions of the nebula were visible, with the southern portion larger and brighter than the northern one. In the southern portion the double star was visible, as were the dark rifts that give the nebula its name. In the northern portion of the orange or red colored star was prominent.

M21 (NGC 6631, magnitude 5.9) - This open cluster is located in Sagittarius. A small but pretty cluster and resolved in the binoculars.

M22 (NGC 6656, magnitude 5.2) - This globular cluster is sometimes referred to as the Great Sagittarius Cluster. Like M13 it appeared large, bright and very pretty, and I could resolve the cluster around its edges and began to resolve it across its core.

M24 - The Small Sagittarius Star Cloud (magnitude 4.6) is well suited to observing with binoculars as it has a large diameter of 1 degree by 2 degree, which includes also the open cluster NGC 6603 (magnitude 5.9). The star cloud is a dense part of our Milky Way galaxy. M24 is well resolved through the binoculars, with numerous brighter and dimmer stars visible, as well as areas of darker nebulosity that run through it.

M25 (IC 4725, magnitude 4.6) - A pretty open cluster located in Sagittarius. Nicely resolved in the binoculars, with many small stars located near the top of the cluster.

M27 (NGC 6853, magnitude 7.3) - The Dumbbell Nebula, a planetary nebula located in Vulpecula. Through the binoculars I could easily make out the central dumbbell portion of the nebula, as well as the fainter portions on each side that gives it the football shape. There was a light green color to the nebula, and due to the binocular vision it almost appeared 3-D and floating in a sea of background stars.

M28 (NGC 6626, magnitude 6.9) - This globular cluster is located in Sagittarius. I could resolve the cluster around its edges.

M30 (NGC 7099, magnitude 6.9) - This globular cluster located is in Capricornus. I was not able to resolve this cluster through the binoculars.

M31 (NGC 224, magnitude 3.4) - Also known as the Andromeda Galaxy. With averted vision there appeared to be dark lanes on one side of M31. Also the central core of M31 appeared star like and the central region brighter than the outer arms. Both M32 (NGC 221, a dwarf elliptical galaxy with a magnitude of 8.2) and M110 (NGC 205, an elliptical galaxy with a magnitude of magnitude 8.0) were visible nearby.

M33 (NGC 598, magnitude 5.7) - The Triangulum or Pinwheel Galaxy appeared large, diffuse and elongated in shape, with a brighter central region.

Open clusters M36 (NGC 1960, magnitude 6.0), M37 (NGC 2099, magnitude 5.6), and M38 (NGC 1912, magnitude 6.4) in Auriga were resolved to the core and very pretty.

M41 (NGC 2287, magnitude 4.5) - An open cluster located in Canis Major. Appeared very pretty and easily resolved, with the main part of the cluster having an almost square shape to it. There is also a prominent red star near the center of the cluster.

M42 (NGC 1976, magnitude 3.7) - The Great Orion Nebula was large and well defined showing lighter and darker mottling within it as well as a light blue color. The brighter inner portion of the nebula was noticeable, and fainter nebula that extending out from it on both sides and towards the top of the nebula. The curved "bat wings" were visible along the bottom of the nebula, with M43 (NGC 1982, magnitude 6.8) visible below it. The Trapezium was resolved into four stars, and there were times when the fifth and sixth stars would pop into view. Several smaller stars were visible embedded in the nebula on one side.

M45 (magnitude 1.5) - The Pleiades or Seven Sisters was beautiful, with the color of the two small central orange and blue stars pronounced, while the brighter stars in the cluster providing almost a 3-D look to it.

M57 (NGC 6720, magnitude 8.8) - The Ring Nebula, a planetary nebula located in Lyra. In the binoculars it was resolved and surprisingly bright, and I could almost make out the lighter interior of the ring.

M78 (NGC 2068, magnitude 8.8) - bright nebula located in Orion. The nebula appeared comet-shaped with two stars visible in it.

Open clusters M103 (NGC 581, magnitude 7.4) and NGC 663 (magnitude 7.1) in Cassiopeia were pretty and resolved in the binoculars.

Alberio - Double star, Beta Cygni, located in Cygnus. It was resolved into its very pretty blue and golden-yellow colors and was beautiful as always to observe.

Mizar - was resolved into its four stellar components.

I observed the moon on a number of occasions and was impressed in the amount of detail visible in the binoculars. For example at crescent phase the earth lit portion of the moon as well as the mare were well defined, with many craters on the sunlit portion visible. At first quarter phase small craters were visible on the lunar mare, as well as detail within larger craters. During a total lunar eclipse the binoculars provided some nice views because using two eyes gave almost a 3-D effect where the moon appeared to be floating against a backdrop of stars. For a while the moon was located below several stars that formed a triangle that reminded me of the shape of a roof of a house, and it was as if the eclipsed moon was moving through a house of stars. The colors ranged from red/deep coppery orange along the northern portion of the moon, coppery orange along the middle, orange yellow near the middle bottom, and white near the southern portion of the moon. Here is a photo I took of the eclipsed moon through a telescope.

I used the Oberwerk 11x70mm and 22x100mm binoculars to observe the occultation of Jupiter by the moon on November 9th, 2004.

Observing the sun with filers made from Baader white light solar material showed very fine detail within sunspots, including the umbra and penumbra. In addition facula and granulation's were noted on the suns' surface.

I observed Mercury one morning while it was low in the eastern sky using the 22x100mm binoculars. Even though the seeing wasn't very good I was able to see Mercury's gibbous phase, and the planet had somewhat of a reddish orange color to it. However this may have been due to the low elevation of the planet.

On another morning the gibbous phase of Venus was sharply resolved.

During the 2003 opposition of Mars it often appeared as a disk. There were times when I could make out the South Polar Cap as well see some faint surface detail.

Jupiter was resolved as a disk as well and there were times when there appeared to be some cloud detail visible including the North Equatorial Belt, South Equatorial Belt, and the northern and southern polar regions. The four Jovian moons were easily visible.

Saturn appeared elongated and could almost make out the separation between the globe and the rings. Titan was visible nearby as were Tethys, Dione, and Rhea.

When two recent comets graced out skies the 22x100mm binoculars did a great job in bringing out fine detail in Comet Bradfield (C/2004 F4) in April 2004 and Comet NEAT (C/2001 Q4) in May 2004. Comet Pojmanski (C/2006 A1) showed nice detail through the binoculars as well.

Rear view of the Oberwerk 22x100mm binoculars. Note that there is no light cutoff from the prisms.

The Oberwerk 22x100 binoculars offer very impressive performance at a very reasonable price. They often seem to perform as well as a telescope with a similar aperture at low power because of using two eyes, and I sometimes just take them out to observe rather than taking out a telescope. Highly recommended.

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