9×60, 12×60 LW Binoculars

$119.95

9×60, 12×60 LW Binoculars

(17 customer reviews)

$119.95

In stock. Usually ships within 1 day.

The Best Binocular for the Budget Astronomer

What a bargain! Oberwerk high-quality light-weight 60mm binoculars, at a 50mm price! That extra 10mm doesn’t sound like very much, but 60mm objectives gather 44% more light than 50mm models (surface area = pi*r2). With that much extra light-gathering power, these are ideal for a low-cost entry into binocular astronomy.

Not only do you get big 60mm objectives, you get the same highest-quality BAK4 prisms that are found in much more expensive models. These are available in your choice of either 9x or 12x magnification. All air-to-glass surfaces are fully broadband multi-coated to decrease light loss due to scattering and reflections, a feature normally found only on binoculars with much higher price tags. All Oberwerk binoculars have rugged rubber-armored aluminum bodies, all-glass lenses, right ocular diopter adjustment, brass 1/4-20 tripod adapter threading, case, caps, and neck strap.

An All-Purpose Binocular

The 9×60 LW and 12×60 LW are also excellent for daytime viewing. With all the light the 60mm objectives gather, colors are bright and vibrant, helping to see in low-light conditions. For handheld use, we recommend the 9×60. For the higher magnification 12×60, you may want to consider a monopod or tripod accessory for a steady view. Any comparable binocular will cost you at least twice as much!

Recommended Mounts

2000 monopod with case

Oberwerk 2000 Monopod with Case

Oberwerk 3000 Series Tripod

Oberwerk 3000 Series Tripod

 

Additional information

Weight 4 lbs
Dimensions 13 × 11 × 7 in
FOV

9x- 5.5°, 12x- 5.7° (wide-angle)

Eye Relief

9x- 20mm, 12x- 16mm (usable)

Exit Pupil

9x- 6.6mm, 12- 5.0mm

IPD Range

58-73mm

Minimum Focus

9x- 10m, 12x- 15m

Product Weight

2.6 lbs.

Product Dimensions

L=8.75", W=7.75", H=3.0"

Magnification

9×60, 12×60

17 reviews for 9×60, 12×60 LW Binoculars

  1. Soni Ufiamorat

    I just love it! Live in Fiji & ordered it International Express – received within a week. Have had it for about 2 weeks now and I’m just so happy to be able to see stuff I’d been wanting to see for so long! (example M6 & M7) I’d wanted the 20×80 but for a 1st binoculars, I’m glad I went with these. Once I get a mount, my next bino will definitely be 20×80 LW (cost considerations) Thanks Oberwerk.

  2. Darrell P.

    I shocked many viewers this weekend with the 9×60’s, clarity vs. price. Only the $700 and up Nikons or Swarovskis were close.

  3. Clark M. Thomas

    Just got the 9X60LW binocular. I have two other smaller binoculars, and this one is by far the best. For its size it’s fairly lightweight. You can hook it up to a tripod or monopod if you wish. I have an excellent 10×42 binocular, and the 9X60 has a half-degree wider field, which is a lot of difference, The long eye relief allows me to keep my glasses on while viewing, whereas the 10X42 requires me to take off my glasses, a major pain. This binocular offers superb optics and a very affordable price. Great for beginners and anybody else, for day or night use.

  4. Jonathon Groubert

    I’ve had the 12x60s for over a decade now. These are nice binocs, definitely a few steps up from the junk sold by a certain major telescope vendor Celestron.

    Two complaints, one against myself, the other against the binocs. I didn’t listen to all the advice about getting binocs that are too much to handle, and I should have. You should really only go 10×50 for handheld use. These LWs are not exactly lightweight, and 12x magnification is a bit too much to hold steady unless you’ve got your elbows propped up, or you’re leaning on something. The combo of the weight and the magnification make these tough to use handheld. Not impossible; just tough. If I had it to do over, I would have definitely gotten the 10x50s instead.

    The other complaint is about the focuser. Oh, it works, as does the diopter on the right eye. It’s just that it slips out of focus all the time. It just doesn’t stay focused well, requiring frequent readjustments. If this were better, I’d give it 5 stars.

    • Kevin Busarow

      The focusers on the LW Series were improved several years ago. They hold focus well even if inward pressure is applied to the eyecups.

  5. Mike Cook (verified owner)

    Crisp to edge-of-field. No parallax issues. Lunar observation with no chromatic aberration (mine are 9x). Excellent resolution when viewing the Pleiades and Orion Nebula. I’m HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY in Texas…..

  6. Mark (verified owner)

    Totally satisfied with these binocs. Excellent visual clarity when viewing stars and distant objects! Very nice spot between good magnification and aperture size while still being a hand holder.

  7. Tom Castleman (verified owner)

    Not bad, I usually buy Nikon binoculars but thoughts I’d try these. They are big and heavy, so don’t know how good they will be for astronomical viewing. The case and straps are cheap cloth, so not very impressed with them. I’ll probably stick with Nikon for now on.

  8. Michael (verified owner)

    I love these binoculars! This is my first pair and Kevin spent time on the phone explaining the differences between each model. This binocular is very well built and the image quality is excellent. I have used them for astronomy and bird watching. I had an issue cleaning the objective lenses and Kevin replied to my email within minutes on how to fix them. I highly recommend Oberwerk, their customer service is fantastic!

  9. David Gobert (verified owner)

    This is my third pair of Oberwerk’s. Gave my 11×56 to my daughter to view Comet Neowise. Replaced them with the 9×60. Work extremely well for sky and terrestrial use. Quality is excellent as usual.

  10. RB (verified owner)

    These 12×60 Oberwerk binoculars seem to be very good quality. They work well as expected. I use them for hand held terrestrial viewing and for planetary viewing on a tripod at night. My only disappointment was I had to pay for shipping and it took 11 days to get them even though the tracking number said it would only take 3 or so.

  11. Kevin Kelley

    I replaced an old 11×56 LW for a 12×60 LW under the Oberwerk exchange offer. I really liked the 11×56 that were 8+ years old but after multiple “drops” I could no longer adjust the culmination by myself using the directions posted on the Oberwerk site. I paid the difference in price and opted for the 12x60LW which were packed very well and shipped quickly. On inspection the quality is consistent with my other Oberwerk binoculars (8×40 Mariner and 15×70 Deluxe) focusing is easy and stays focused. Even at 12×60 size they are light and easy to hold by hand for short duration. Optical quality is consistent with other higher priced products I have previously owned (Nikon AE).
    My main use is backyard astronomy and on a clear night observing the Orion Nebula is spectacular. Full moon observations are great especially when using my Oberwerk 4000 Series tripod. I did not notice the green discoloration on the edge that other reviewers had commented on. Overall I am very impressed and highly recommend these for astronomical use, you will not be disappointed, but if you are older like me then I recommend using a tripod.

  12. Mike Roberts (verified owner)

    Very happy with Oberwerks. Brag about them all the time. Extremely clear images Also, the glasses were here within one week of my order! That was amazing.

  13. Paul Cudlip (verified owner)

    The 9×60 is a very good value. Modestly priced yet quite exacting optical quality, as evidenced by a testing certification inserted for the very binocular purchased, something I have never seen before. They are a bit bulky but can be hand held. Better would be mounting on a camera tripod. The apparent field is about 49 or 50 degrees, which is a bit narrow, but acceptable. When you approach a 7mm exit pupil, it seems like the apparent field will naturally narrow to avoid vignetting. I’m happy with this purchase. And Oberwerk was very prompt and solicitous.

  14. Edward Tracy Parkinson (verified owner)

    I bought the 12×60 binoculars and the blow the Celestrons I have away. After using the Oberwerks I won’t even consider other brands except really high end unit costing a lot more. Best bang for the buck and great customer service to boot!. Thanks.

  15. Ovidiu Poparad (verified owner)

    12×60 LW: Great view, easy to hold, large AFOV (68deg), immersive experience. I highly recommend Oberwerk!

  16. Jason Stansberry (verified owner)

    9×60 Binoculars – Have not got to use them under the stars yet, but this is my second pair from Oberwerk. I also have the 15x70s. The quality is very high for binoculars in this price range. Very well made. The case is nothing to brag about, but the optics are the reason I chose and will continue to choose Oberwerk!

  17. Rick Evans (verified owner)

    The Oberwerk 12×60 LW binoculars are a very good value for their low cost. I compared them to my Meade 10×50 binoculars and they are the clear winner. The FOV has better contrast and better color saturation. The extra bit of magnification over 10x brings out more detail. I am drawn to the beautiful views in the large central area of the FOV and pay less attention to the periphery, which although fine is not as exquisite as the amazing central portion which does draw the eye to it.

    Having said that, I also own a pair of Oberwerk 15×70 Deluxe binos and I have to say that these are a clear winner over the 12×60 LW binoculars although they are heavier and not as trivial to handhold as the 12×60 LW binos are. The the view in the 15×70 Deluxe is worth the extra bit of inconvenience in handholding them (bulk and weight). If I could keep only one pair, it would be the 15×70 Deluxe.

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