New APM "wide angle APO" models -- rebadged Banner Cloud? (2 Viewers)

[tenex]

Said to be available in a couple of months... look like SRBCs with a bit of shiny trim. (Really, chrome? And when were features last listed all around the objectives of a binocular... 1975?) At least ordering should be easier.
New APM double ED Apo wide angle Binoculars 8 x 42 | Astromart

 

[Canip]

look like SRBCs with a bit of shiny trim

They are.
And „double ED APO“

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/931535-new-apm-double-ed-apo-wide-angle-binoculars-8-x-42-and-10-x-42-coming-first/#entry13600193

 

[Binocollector]

APM Ultra ED APO 8x42 Ultra-Weitwinkel Fernglas

Das APO Fernglas 8x42 ist ein hochwertiges optisches Instrument, das sich besonders durch seine erstklassige Bildqualität und Robustheit auszeichnet. Es gehören zur Kategorie der sogenannten apochromatischen (APO) Ferngläser, die spezielle Linsen verwenden, um chromatische Aberrationen zu...

www.apm-telescopes.net

Strange - I was certain it was priced at 895 when I first saw it on the APM website but now it's 595.
Is my mind playing tricks on me?

 

[tenex]

No, 595 would be closer to the right level judging by SRBC... which is what nearly all the photos on APM's webpage show anyway.

Why do a consciously retro design on such a 21st-century bin though?

 

[albie...]

Said to be available in a couple of months... look like SRBCs with a bit of shiny trim. (Really, chrome? And when were features last listed all around the objectives of a binocular... 1975?) At least ordering should be easier.
New APM double ED Apo wide angle Binoculars 8 x 42 | Astromart

That should give the Cloudy Nights fan boys and bargain hunters something to talk about for the next 2-3 months .
Is this the one that will take down the Big Three ?

 

[Patudo]

Strange - I was certain it was priced at 895 when I first saw it on the APM website but now it's 595.
Is my mind playing tricks on me?

Maybe after receiving precisely zero orders the first fortnight or so, Markus decided that a strategic repricing was needed?

 

[range]

Looks like a re-rebranding.

青龙系列-博冠BOSMA官网 望远镜│8K超高清摄像机│运动光学 ——「突破边界 创想生活」

In case you don't know, the pattern is supposed to be a Chinese dragon, the sides are his scales.

 

[Patudo]

Terrible cosmetics on that thing. Markus should have gone for the Sky Rover armour/cosmetics package which, although it looks generic, is far easier on the eye (to this observer anyway).

 

[Ignatius]

Maybe after receiving precisely zero orders the first fortnight or so, Markus decided that a strategic repricing was needed?

But sometimes, no matter how much sugar you sprinkle on a turd, it remains a turd.

 

[Prestdj]

for the price one can get a decent used trusted brand of binocular

 

[tenex]

But sometimes, no matter how much sugar you sprinkle on a turd, it remains a turd.

How to Polish a Turd

Whoever coined the phrase "You can't polish a turd" was dead wrong. You can polish a turd, and the end result can be quite nice. You might even start a

www.howtocleanstuff.net

(this is apparently the appropriate level of conversation for Birdforum)

 

[Patudo]

I'd hesitate to describe what has been positively commented upon by eg. Canip and Sancho as a "turd", certainly not without having tried it myself. (I should, hopefully, be able to form my own opinion - of the SRBC version anyway - in a few months...)

 

[Dipperdapper]

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/933896-comparison-of-12x50-and-10x42-binoculars/😁

 

[LenticularParticular]

I heard from Markus that they are Bosma and he'll be rolling out the 10x42, 10x50, & 12x50 as well. Some of the images on the product page are scraped right from the banner cloud pages so they must be of similar lineage.

 

[spizzlo]

I'm sure many know this but for those who don't, Sky Rover is the in house brand for Kunming United Optics. Kunming is the OEM for many brands that sell telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, etc.

Lenticular it's funny that Markus would say they are Bosma because Bosma are Kunming made. Maybe he wants to separate his products from the hate the SRBC's are getting or just the stigma of China made products but they are the same binos. I would suggest if you live in Europe though to buy them from APM. If he runs APM anything like Kevin at Oberwerk, a bad QC pair won't see a customers hands, they will be collimated, and after sales service will be much better than Sky Rover.

Kunming are an optical behemoth. Look at the first page of the "other" binoculars. All those APM, Oberwerk and Bosma binos are Kunming made. They are Sky Rover so to speak. Maybe others also. Why Sky Rover doesn't sell more of the offerings they manufacture, I don't know. Looking at their store, it almost seems like Sky Rover exists to demo their optical capabilities. Giant APO binos, Banner Cloud, APO telescopes. It's their premium products. I also think they probably make little to no profit on Sky Rover because they don't need to. Anyways I could go on but yeah, APM APO is the SRBC.

 

[Ignatius]

I'd hesitate to describe what has been positively commented upon by eg. Canip and Sancho as a "turd", certainly not without having tried it myself. (I should, hopefully, be able to form my own opinion - of the SRBC version anyway - in a few months...)

I tried one APM bino people were falling over themselves to praise. Some mistakes do not need to be repeated. And just because some others fawn and swoon does not mean everyone else has to follow suit.
Maybe we can just agree to disagree.

 

[dries1]

And the polishing continues.

 

[Canip]

If he runs APM anything like Kevin at Oberwerk

Well, unfortunately he doesn‘t (just my own experience).

 

[tenex]

Kunming are an optical behemoth. Look at the first page of the "other" binoculars. All those APM, Oberwerk and Bosma binos are Kunming made. They are Sky Rover so to speak. Maybe others also. Why Sky Rover doesn't sell more of the offerings they manufacture, I don't know.

Kamakura is in a similar situation in Japan: a large optical producer ready to manufacture to someone else's specs (and good enough to attract even business from Zeiss), but reluctant to try to sell their own products. Perhaps they see that as too risky or unpredictable in a highly competitive market, compared to having clients pay directly for their orders.

 

[spizzlo]

Perhaps they see that as too risky or unpredictable in a highly competitive market, compared to having clients pay directly for their orders.

Yeah it makes sense in a way. It's another avenue for revenue but it's a different model. A lot of headaches come with selling direct to consumer. You need a storefront (whether physical or online), more customer service people. I understand wanting to avoid all that if the business is already successful. Consumers having more options is always good though so I'm happy Sky Rover exists.