Customer Reviews

Celestron IS 70 VistaPix 3.1MP Imaging Spotting Scope

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4 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I like the VistaPix imaging spotting scope, but my short experience with it does suggest some improvements are needed: (1) As with many imaging systems, the digital camera is attached to the side and does not take advantage of the large direct-view lens itself. Also, (2) the lens is a fixed focus, not a variable telescopic lens. (3) When one has to focus the VistaPix, you focus looking at the digital display and a vertical bar on that display, trying to get a number and heighth of the vertical bar as large as possible. The numbering scheme on the vertical bar doesn't seem to make sense: sometimes the number is in the low 100s and sometimes it is in the high hundreds even when the vertical bar is tall. After you have gotten the highest number possible, the camera is supposed to be in focus. (4) Then you have to adjust the eyepiece to focus the direct-view optical lens. A little cumbersome. (5) After I took pictures I found that they were not in sharp focus when downloaded to the PC...close, but not sharp. And you only find out when you download them to your computer! Very frustrating. (6) The VistaPix also eats up batteries very quickly. The manual says that you can use an AC adapter and gives specifications in terms of voltage and amperage, (7) but do not specify a specific Celestron power supply nor does the VistaPix come with one. Frustrating. I have several power supplies from a wide variety of electronic gadgets, but none met the VistaPix power supply specifications. It does come in a metal carrying case (nice) and also with a remote shutter release (for steady shooting--nice). Comes with an SD memory card slot (buy a card, otherwise the internal memory only allows a few pics to be stored...and SD memory cards are cheap). I'm using the VistaPix for birdwatching. Overall, a little disappointed, primarily because of the difficulty in obtaining a sharp focus. Will keep playing with it, but I might recommend looking around before I buy a VistPix.

Upon receiving this hybrid camera and using it for a while I must say I am pleasantly surprised at the images shot. I have taken pictures in all different lighting conditions and it performs well even at dusk. However, if the light is very bright, White colored subjects will exhibit Purple Fringing. Avoid them at high noon. Color saturation is reasonable but my camera is a little heavy to magenta.

The IS70 is rather difficult to focus due to the low visibilty of the LCD in bright sunlight. You are stuck with this method of focusing on the low powered lens but if you sync the high power lens to the focus meter by adjusting the eyepiece lens so the optics match what the focus meter sees, you can get excellent results. The optics on the spotting scope are clear and Bright. The camera's optics are mediocre.

The controls are well laid out and the menus are logical. Manual functions are limited to an EV exposure setting and the F stop is adjusted by a twin objective lens cover. Sort of a low - high setting if you will. It is simple but it is effective. The shutter speed is always automatic and is reasonably accurate. The setting buttons are a little hard to press and sometime knock the camera out of alignment on the Tripod. This is a problem when changing modes during shooting (like to video from photo).

Note: You will not be able to shoot anything with out a good tripod using this camera so if you don't have a really sturdy one, get one.

Overall impression from an amateur is "it's alot of bang for the $479.00"
You can very good quality shots without spending $1000's of dollars.

If you want to see some sample shots email me at jbsbuy-stuff@yahoo.com

very disappointed in the high magnification pictures taken with this unit.
it is a hit and miss on the focus... mostly out of focus.... rarely get a
good in focus pic with high mag'tion. i always us a solid tripod when taking high mag pictures........ on the other side of the coin it takes
good in focus pictures on the low magnification lens........but of course i purchased the celestron for the high magnification lens.....
i would not recommend this unit to anyone.......

I was hesitant to purchase the IS70 after reading other reviews, escpecially about the problems encountered with batteries and not being able to get the units to work at first.

Ours came in, worked as advertised from the moment we turned it on, and has been taking great pictures every since. We've now taken about 100 pictures, and are still on the second set of batteries.

Proper focus is difficult, and although the optical power is fantastic, the digital zoom gets fuzzy fast, both because of the math involved as well as any motion whatsoever.

We're very glad we purchased it.

Spotting scope is great! images are clear and vivid!...............
but the camera dont work for nothing!
Please take very carefull with this product! beside Celestron support is terrible !
Saelma