| Reviews : Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter |
Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter Product By Celestron Available From 9 Sellers |
Technical Details
- Multi-coated optics
- Large aperture perfect for low light conditions and stargazing
- Tripod adapter
- Long eye relief ideal for eyeglass wearers
- Diopter adjustment for fine focusing
Product Description
Celestron and ;s SkyMaster Series of large aperture binoculars are a phenomenal value for high performance binoculars ideal for astronomical viewing or for terrestrial (land) use - especially over long distances. Each SkyMaster model features high quality BAK-4 prisms and multi-coated optics for enhanced contrast. Celestron has designed and engineered the larger SkyMaster models to meet the special demands of extended astronomical or terrestrial viewing sessions. The 15x70 version is one of the most popular models in the series. It offers serious large aperture light gathering in an affordable and reasonably lightweight configuration.Amazon.com Review
Binoculars come in a wide range of shapes and sizes these days, and an even wider range of prices. It's easy to spend less than $100 or more than $500 for what may appear to be, at least outwardly, comparable models. While they may look the same, they are probably quite different on the inside.Recently, the binocular market has seen a flood of giant binoculars at prices that were unheard of just a few years ago. In general, giant binoculars are defined as those that magnify the view 10 times or more and have 70-mm or larger front (objective) lenses. It used to be that the least expensive giant binoculars cost in excess of $150, even $200. All that changed not long ago, when the bottom fell out of the price cellar. Now, several companies import giant binoculars that sell for half that, or less.
Celestron's 15x70 SkyMaster binoculars are one of the leaders in the low-price giant binocular arena. They certainly sound good on paper. The SkyMasters include multicoated optics and BaK-4 internal prisms, two features that promise brighter, better images, and key points to look for when judging a pair of binoculars. They also come with an adapter for attaching them to a photo tripod, which is a must to use them to their fullest, and a soft carrying case. But just because they are cheap doesn't always mean they are worth the price. Would it be better to save up for a more expensive pair?
To find the answer, I had an opportunity recently to judge the SkyMasters against a pair of Fujinon 16x70 FMT-SX binoculars , one of the finest pairs of giant binoculars sold today. Like the SkyMasters, the Fujinons feature BaK-4 prisms, but also have fully multicoated optics. As a general rule, superior coatings mean superior image sharpness and contrast. But then, that should be expected, given that the Fujinons cost many times more than the Celestrons.
While the Fujinons were clearly the better performer, the Celestron SkyMasters held up admirably. Image brightness, quality, and contrast were all remarkable considering their bargain price. Although images were a little soft across the outer 25% of the Celestron's field, the overall view was impressive nonetheless.
Some inexpensive binoculars have very sloppy focusing, causing the eyepieces to tilt and shift. Not so with the SkyMasters. I found that their -focusing mechanism worked smoothly, with no apparently backlash or wobble. Eye relief (the distance you hold your eyes away from the eyepieces to see the full field) is stated to be 18 mm, a good distance for higher power binoculars and an important consideration if you must wear glasses when viewing. The SkyMasters are also light enough to support by hand for short periods of time, although buyers would be well advised to mount them on a sturdy photo tripod.
The bottom line is, if you are considering a pair of giant binoculars, whether for bird watching, stargazing, or another recreational use, and have a limited budget, Celestron's giant 15x70 SkyMasters represent an excellent value. --Phil Harrington, author of Star Ware and Star Watch
Pros:
- Exceptional value for the price
- Light enough to support by hand
- BaK-4 prisms
- Multicoated optics
- Outer 25% of the field is soft and a little blurry
- Requires a tripod to use for extended periods
Similar Products
Customer Reviews
By EP (Bay Area, CA)
Pros:
- BAK4 prism provides crisp and clear images
- tripod adaptable
- huge objectives
- does what is it supposed to do
- water-resistant
Cons:
- Heavy, but this isn't one of the binoculars you'd bring to a stadium or for hiking
- Needs tripod for image stability; comes with tripod adapter, so this issue is null
- Neck strap is pretty much non-usable since the weight of binoculars actually put pressure on the back of your neck. You would use a tripod most of the time, so this is also null
- Crappy carrying bag with strap, but nonetheless a bag
The relative:
- If you get this make sure you have a sturdy tripod
Note- I was able to make out the shape of Jupiter and see several of its moon with no difficulty.
By ScrubyLoo (Pittsburgh, PA)
Great pair of binoculars. The magnification is awesome. Not a cheap pair of binoculars. They are pretty heavy, and a tripod would be a very good idea. I use them too look out my high-rise windows, so I lean the binoculars against the window. This steadies them pretty well.
For the price, these cannot be beat. Have had no problems with them. I would definitely recommend.
They come with a cheap case, so you may want to invest in more solid protection for them.
By Gary A. Johnson
OK, but not as good as advertised. More blurred vision around the outer sides than expected.
By Richard C. Stewart Jr.
I'm no expert so I depended on the reviews of others here in Amazon and was not disappointed. Thanks all for taking the time to review this product. These binoculars have been great for birding and even peering at the moon and nearby planets (and it even picks out their moons!). The tri-pod adapter is a great bonus.
By Bill Waters (Florida)
Very Nice binoculars! I Have seen Orion's Nebula,Jupiter's moons and many Star Clusters! These Binoculars are Great to test Seeing conditions before hauling out A Telescope. I would recommend a tripod if you plan on viewing for more than a couple minutes. For the Price, these are tough to Beat! I Am Very Happy with Purchase and would buy again!
All Reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment