272 of 277 people found the following review helpful:
Celestron 15X70 Skymasters ROCK!
I've been an amateur astronomer for about 23 years. I have a broad amount of experience with the kind of optics that are used for astronomy. I have used most every type of instrument and have visited some of the great professional telescopes. I have hand built my own newtonian telescope including machining the german equatorial mount. Soon after completing this instrument...
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
Celestron 15x70 binoculars
The optics are truly amazing for the price. The field is wide, the image is bright, razor sharp and with fine contrast and color rendition. My complaint is with the center focusing mechanism which tends to drift and requires constant attention. This problem could have been easily fixed at the factory with a properly sized washer to take out the play in the center focusing...
This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
I've been an amateur astronomer for about 23 years. I have a broad amount of experience with the kind of optics that are used for astronomy. I have used most every type of instrument and have visited some of the great professional telescopes. I have hand built my own newtonian telescope including machining the german equatorial mount. Soon after completing this instrument I took it to a star party and ended up on my back with a pair of Fujinon SX binoculars. To make a long story short, I preferred the binos to the view in my telescope. Telescopes are expensive, they are big, heavy, hard to move, hard to store, complicated to set up correctly, and the view through the eyepiece can be crowded and dissapointing. For the casual observer binoculars are the superior choice. They are everything that a telescope is not...relatively cheap, light, easy use. And because they are so easy to use, you will end up using them much more often than you would a cumbersome telescope. That aspect of binoculars alone will make them show you much more than a telescope ever would. The Celestron 15X70 Skymasters are by far and away the best amateur astronomy instrument for the money on the market right now. They are truly and incredible value. You could spend $600+ on Fujinon SX binoculars and have a very fine instrument, but after using these, that would be a hard argument to make. Most everyone's eyes are not able to discern the fine differences between the two instuments. Mind you, I am not telling you that these are as good as the Fujinons, but at about a 10th of the price...well you get the idea. My experience with Celestron is that they are a first class operation. And now with their lifetime no-fault warranty, the best in the industry, you can purchase products from them knowing that if anything ever goes wrong for whatever reason, they will always stand behind their product. If you are looking to get started in astronomy or looking for an excuse to leave your telescope in the closet, these binoculars are a great value and with proper care will last a lifetime and show you more wonders than you will ever see frustrating yourself with a high magnification-small field telescope. Get them, take them outside at night with your kids and wonder why.......
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This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
My first night out under dark skies with these binoculars was a terrific experience. In ninety minutes of observing I had great views of M36, M37, M38, M44, M50, easily saw the Trapizium in Orion's nebula, saw the Andromeda galaxy and it's companions streaching across 75% of my FOV. It had taken me two observing sessions with my 5" reflector to find M33, with the Binoculars I found it in two minutes, M81 and 82 were also easy.
All this and I don't even have a tripod yet. I may well spend more time with the 15 X 70's than I do with my telescope.
They are also great for terrestrial viewing. Contrast and definition are excellent. Best optical value I've ever seen.
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This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
I took these out to some dark skies recently and they were increadible, stars looked like i could touch them, crisp pinpoint stars all around. These were easy to use will laying on my back, however, i must say while standing or sitting up a tripod is recommended to steady the view as they are heavy for hand held observing. I picked up a sturdy but inexpensive tripod with use with these binos which has made it possible to use for birding or bison watching in Yellowstone. The price is terrific i could not find them any cheaper but plenty out there way more expensive. Get these and with the saved cash pick up a tripod and you will be on your way to some great viewing.
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
Very Nice!, February 26, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
This has to be one of the best buys out there. They arrived nicely collimated and they provide great views. They should be mounted on a tripod as they are a little heavy. When mounted, the night time views are outstanding. Thin but OK strap and OK carrying case provided. Also provided is a tripod adapter that is fairly stable. Used them in daytime and was equally impressed. Was using the 16x50 Bushnell Powerviews which are also excellent, but returned them to Walmart to buy these from Amazon as the price difference was only a couple of dollars. The Celestrons are better than the Bushnells. Especially with the wider 70mm's and the wider field of view on the Celestron as compared to the 50mm on the Bushnell.
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This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
These binoculars are just plain amazing for the price. The crisp images of the star fields in Saggitarius is worth the price alone, not to mention the beautiful views of the Lagoon nebula, Orion nebula, and Andromeda galaxy.
Past reviews have pretty much summed it all up, but I wanted to offer some helpful advice to those who are having difficulties with the tripod adapter. First of all the outlet to screw in the adapter to the binoculars s under the screw off cap in front on the binoculars. When using the binoculars and tripod adapter on a tripod out of box, you may find that the adapter bends, making the binocular view swing left to right. To remedy this, buy some epoxy for plastic at your local hardware store, the good kind is the kind with two siringes in one, and put the glue into the open space on both sides of the adapter. Glue one side at a time, mix the glue in the space, and let it dry solid. This should make the adapter more solid, and your viewing more stable! =)
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This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
Terrific binocs for the price!
I have a pair of Bushnell Sportsmen 10x42 for a quick look at things. But when I want to "get serious" I pull out the SkyMaster 15x70!
You will look like Bugs Bunny getting out cartoon binocs due to the size, but they work AND HOW!
As others have said, a bit on the heavy side, but I don't have any problem holding them for 5-10 minutes. Longer than that, you will learn to adapt. Sit down, prop your elbows on your knees. Lie on your back and look at the stars. Get a tripod, whatever works for you.
Celestron "No Fault Limited Warranty" means no questions asked repair or replace, a good thing for klutzy people!
Only accessory I would add is a Pelican case for storage and hauling around in the car. The cheap included carry case does nothing to protect the binoculars from rough handling, and binocs this big are more sensitive and need the protection.
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This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
The optics are truly amazing for the price. The field is wide, the image is bright, razor sharp and with fine contrast and color rendition. My complaint is with the center focusing mechanism which tends to drift and requires constant attention. This problem could have been easily fixed at the factory with a properly sized washer to take out the play in the center focusing knob. I hope Celestron gets the message and takes the last small step to make these binoculars just right.
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This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
I bought these prior tot the 2006 baseball season - the package arrived an hour before I left for the stadium. Night game, overcast. From a seat thirty feet above the field and six rows behind the centerfield warning track, I was able to read the pitcher's lips in a conversation with the manager on the mound.
For years I have tried many pairs of binoculars from the "cheap seats" After one game I just had to write this review - these will transform the sporting experience - you'll see the players up close as if on television, but in crisper detail than any scren would capture. While it is tough to follow lightning quick action over a large playing field, it is with any pair of binoculars - these are for focusing on players up close. I watched the Angels laugh and horse around in the dugout before the game, in between innings, et cetera. I even zoomed in on the team owner in his luxury box!
These binoculars make the cheap seats seem like the best Season Seats.
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This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
I have purchased five pairs of these binoculars for myself and family members. A couple have been replacements due to my brother's kid having a habit of tossing them in the swimming pool.
Only one pair had to be sent back due to poor collimation, but Amazon replaced them without question.
They are the most stable 15X binoculars I have ever found...more stable, in fact, than some 10X or 12X models I have used. I never though I would be able to use these without a tripod, but was pleasantly surprised at how steady they can be just by holding them with elbows braced against my chest.
These actually get more use than my ETX-125 telescope for casual astronomy, since they can be taken anywhere, and no setup is required.
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This review is from: Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter (Electronics)
I purchased these binoculars for night sky viewing. I had a pair of 10X50 Bushnell binoculars and I was impressed with what I was able to see through those so I bought these for even more in depth viewing and they have not let me down. They are ideal as supplements to a telescope or if you don't have a telescope, these are great for your first introduction to optics that will open up the night sky to you. They are much easier to use than a telescope and you can see all kinds of neat things. I viewed such things as the Orion Nebula, the Andromeda galaxy, the Pleiades, and double stars such as Mizar and Alcor in Ursa Major with relative ease and they looked stunning. Focus these binoculars in on the Milky Way and you will tons of stars you wouldn't be able to see otherwise. I was even able to look at Saturn and with some steadying of the binoculars against my chest, could slightly make out the definition of the rings. These binoculars also do a magnificent job of viewing the moon.
I had read some reviews that they are really heavy and bulky, but I found that they were surprisingly light and easy to steady free handed. They are quite large, which means that they will take up more space than a normal binocular, but this is to be expected. Mine did come with a carrying case and a tripod adapter (which I haven't used yet, so I cannot comment on its quality).
Overall, for the price, you can't go wrong. I've used these binoculars in the daytime and they are great--crystal clear optics. They also seem very durable and with some care, will probably last you many many years. If you are new to stargazing and are considering a good pair of binoculars that will show you all kinds of wonderous things, look no further than the Celestron Skymasters--you will not be disappointed.
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