Look How SkyHawk Takes The Lead Over Oberwerk

Comparison Chart

Expanded Binocular & Tripod Comparison

Base Price:

SkyHawk 9600 price is $1,995
Oberwerk BT-100 price is $1,995

Weight:

SkyHawk 9600 binoculars & tripod weigh a total of 28 pounds.
Oberwerk BT-100 binoculars & tripod weigh a total of 42.5 pounds.

The lighter SkyHawk’s have a distinct advantage for mobility inside your home and portability during outside use.

Eyepiece/Ocular Power:

SkyHawk 9600 provides both 25-power and 40-power eyepieces.
Oberwerk BT-100 provides only 25-power eyepieces.
•Oberwerk’s 39-power eyepieces cost an additional $189.95 per pair.

Eyepiece Mounting:

The 45-degree angled eyepiece design is superior to a straight-line design in three ways:

1. Safety: It allows the binoculars to sit on the tripod at a lower height for use. Since the weight of the binoculars is lower it makes the binoculars harder to get accidently knocked over if someone bumps into them.
   
   
2. Comfort: It is easier and more comfortable for viewers to look into a 45-degree angled eyepiece design than a straight-line mounting.
   
   
3. Function: You can see objects that are much higher in the sky with the
   45-degree angled design while keeping the tripod at a relatively low height.
   
   

SkyHawk 9600 eyepieces are mounted at 45-degree angle to the binoculars.
Oberwerk BT-100 uses a straight-line design.
•Oberwerk sells a model with 45-degree angled eyepieces (BT-100-45) it costs an additional $200.

Objective Lens Covers:

SkyHawk 9600 comes with protective objective lens dust covers for free.
Oberwerk BT-100 does not come with objective lens dust covers.

Binocular Carrying Case:

SkyHawk binoculars are lighter and smaller (they have retractable built-in sun shades) so they can fit into a manageably sized carrying case less than half the size of Oberwerk's.

SkyHawk 9600 aluminum carrying case measures only L19.5” W13” H8.5”
Oberwerk BT-100 aluminum carrying case measures L27.5” W14” H12”
Oberwerk BT-100 carrying case is more than twice as large as the SkyHawk 9600,
making our case much easier to carry and to store whether you're at home or taken on the road.

Tripod Material:

SkyHawk 9600 uses an Anodized Aluminum Tripod--weight 11 pounds and it has quick adjustment features.
Oberwerk BT-100 uses a Softwood Tripod--weight 16 pounds.
•Oberwerk recommends upgrading to their hardwood Jarrah tripod at an
additional $100 cost because they know softwood is not durable.

Tripod Fluid Panhead:

Fluid Panheads are what professional filmmaker’s use in Hollywood. A fluid panhead allows you to smoothly follow moving objects and, when you stop
moving the binoculars stay in place. The tensions and drags that control fluid panheads are fully adjustable to the user’s personal preferences.

SkyHawk 9600 provides a Fluid Panhead for free.
Oberwerk BT-100 does not provide a Fluid Panhead.
•Oberwerk sells a Bogen/Manfrotto 503 Fluid Panhead
for an additional cost of $354.

Tripod Center Support System:

Tripods that hold 100mm binoculars require a center support system that provides extra strength and stability to the tripod.

SkyHawk 9600 tripod provides a fully adjustable anodized aluminum center support system with telescoping arms that adjusts for uneven terrain.
Oberwerk BT-100 tripod does not provide an adjustable center support system
but does provide a plastic un-adjustable one.

Tripod Vertical Height Adjustment:

Most modern tripod designs use a crank driven vertical height adjustment system so when people of different heights want to use the tripod each can instantly raise or lower the tripod for their personal viewing height.

SkyHawk 9600 tripod provides “one-foot” of instant vertical height adjustment
using a crank handle design.
Oberwerk BT-100 tripod does not have an instant crank vertical adjustment or
any quick vertical adjustment system.
To raise or lower the Oberwerk BT-100 tripod even an inch you must re-adjust all three legs one at a time.

Tripod Leveling Bubble:

Tripods need to be set level to the horizon for comfortable viewing. The fast and accurate way to accomplish this is to use a leveling bubble.

SkyHawk 9600 tripod has two leveling bubbles built-in for accurate leveling.
Oberwerk BT-100 tripod does not have any leveling bubbles.

Tripod Dolly:

The tripod dolly allows you to move your high-powered binocular set around your home without worry of dropping and damaging the binoculars. They offer mobility to move the binoculars form room to room and from indoors to out on a deck or backyard. They have soft rubber wheels to prevent scratching floors and the wheels lock once in viewing position.
SkyHawk 9600 provides a stainless steel dolly set.
Oberwerk BT-100 does not provide a dolly set.
•Oberwerk sells a tripod dolly for an additional cost of $230.

Conclusion:

SkyHawk 9600 has one base price including all up-to-date features that our competitor charges extra, saving you $974.
Oberwerk BT-100 charges for similar features at an additional cost of almost $1,000.

•Sources:

www.bigbinoculars.com Jan/2011
www.skyhawkoptics.com Jan/2011