These binoculars are wonderful. I have not experienced any quality/collimation problems with mine (Bought January 2010). Was tracking high altitude fighter jets practicing dogfighting over the city last night. These are excellent for looking at the moon, The Pleiades, and other distant objects. They are much more practical than my telescope for away from home use. They get used a lot because they are cheap, mobile, and work well. If they break or get lost I'll just buy a new pair, which I can't say about the telescope.
Thought I could use these with just a pair of steady hands. The other reviewers are right in that I did need to order a tripod. You can steady your arms against something, like a tree, and get a stable view for a few minutes. If you are going to be out looking for more than 5-10 minutes you will most definitely want a tripod. It's not just the stability either. Your forearms may go numb after about 10-15 minutes, especially if you are wearing a heavy winter coat. If you don't already have one save yourself some time, and maybe some shipping costs, and just order the tripod at the same time.
Average Rating:
Brand: Celestron
Model: 71009
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 0 or more than 0 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 0, even 0. 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 center-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
Cons: - Outer 25% of the field is soft and a little blurry
- Requires a tripod to use for extended periods
Features:
- 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
Available at Amazon
List Price: USD 99.99
Lowest Used Price: USD 51.99
Lowest New Price: USD 57.99
Customer Reviews
I can see you from here!
These binoculars are great big wonderful things. I don't mind lugging them with me up the mountains to get the great views. I also don't really need to climb up the mountains anymore, since I can see the top from way down here. The moon looks fantastic, awooooo. I have found that they can be steadied without a tripod by gripping them at the farthest end of the lens tubes, or by sitting down and resting my hands on my knees. Works good with glasses and without. Totally changed my perspective of the visible world around me. Thanks Chinese!
Well worth every nickel spent on this fine item
I can't say enough positive tings about this fine set of binoculars which came well collimated. Its one instant where there should be no unpleasant surprises. Quality per dollar spent excels in every way.
WOW
I could never expect to see what I did the first clear night I took these out. Having little to no experience viewing the night sky the result is inspiring. My first object was the Pleiades cluster. After some other views of stars and the moon (which is amazing) I turned to find the Orion Nebula. A faint glow of pale green can be seen emitting from the center but make sure to try and stay steady. Being that the magnification is so high steadiness becomes a problem. Its ok for clusters, stars, etc. but if you want to focus on any faint objects or even catch a good look at the moon and planets a tripod is essential. Trying to view Jupiter using only my hands produced a small dot of light shaking around violently in my view. As soon as I put them on a tripod not only could I see a steady ball of light (no bands or anything like that) but to my surprise I was able to make out at least 3 of the moons. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone looking for a good way to enter the hobby.
My first binocular
Wow, the clarity is very impressive. I live in the sunny side of US, so I can see things clear and bright. The product itself is bit heavy so can't hold still or for long time. Bought a Dolica ST-500 68-Inch Lightweight Tripod tripod stand but still you got to be uttermost careful in not shaking it for obvious magnification reasons, otherwise objects are shaky. I absolutely love it. Yet to explore the star gazing side of it.
