Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter
by Celestron
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Celestron SkyMaster Giant 15x70 Binoculars with Tripod Adapter
Customer Review: Excellent for the price.
Summary: 5 Stars
I got the Celestron SkyMaster 15X70 binocular through Amazon's Warehouse Deals. It was listed as "refurbished" and "open box," but Warehouse Deals lists a lot of items as "refurbished" that aren't. Knowing from experience that Warehouse Deals makes good on anything customers have a problem with, I wasn't concerned that I would get stuck with a bad SkyMaster, but I was concerned that I would get a binocular out of collimation (images in binoculars that are out of collimation aren't merged and aligned) as others have reported getting here.
But the binocular I got was apparently not refurbished - the box was torn was the only problem (and I only paid $61.92 with free shipping) - and was collimated. Last night I saw the moon as I have never seen it before through a binocular (the only other binocular I have at present is a 7X35 Bushnell). By day the binocular is great too.
I'm a big guy with hands so big that I have a hard time finding gloves that fit, and the SkyMaster does not feel heavy to me and I can get a good grip on it. My hands don't shake, but unless I'm well-braced, there is too much movement when I look through the binocular. One trick is to use my face as a brace (hold the binocular close to the face and press part of each thumb and hand against the cheeks). I am therefore glad that I own a tripod (a Velbon 7000 that I bought at WalMart several years ago) that is sturdy enough and tall enough for the SkyMaster binocular. (The SkyMaster instructions don't explain how to attach the included tripod adapter - which sells separately for $17.95 at the Celestron website. In front of the focusing wheel, on the side opposite your face when you look through the binocular, there is a cap which unscrews, and that is where the binocular is mounted to the tripod adapter.)
I will look for a more comfortable strap for the SkyMaster than the one that comes with it, though I have no complaints about what is included in the package given the price and quality of the binocular.
If I had gotten a SkyMaster out of collimation or with some other problem, because I bought it through Warehouse Deals I would have returned it rather than exchanged it (unless they happened to have another "refurbished" SkyMaster for the same price), and then I would have to decide if I wanted to pay more for a new SkyMaster, and take the chance that that one would also be out of collimation or have some other problem. (Some reviewers mention that the focusing wheel is loose, meaning that their binocular can drift out of focus. The binocular I purchased has a tight focusing wheel as well as a tight diopter.)
I'm glad I bought the SkyMaster 15X70. I think I'm going to get a lot of use out of it, and I would say it deserves the high praise it gets from some reviewers here as well as at some other websites. Obviously, a buyer can get unlucky and get a Celestron SkyMaster 15X70 that has problems. I was lucky.
Customer Review: Excellent for easy stargazing!
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading a number of reviews of telescopes and various articles on backyard astronomy, I took the consistent advice of the various sources and bought binoculars. From the reviews (external reviews as well) and the price, the Celestron 15 x 70s seemed to be a good choice.
As soon as I opened the box (well packed from the shipper) I was a bit surprised by the size and weight. Believe the other reviewers, you probably won't want to hold these for an extended period. A tripod is inexpensive and highly recommended. I'm using a Targus model TG-6600TR (extends to 66" tall), allowing me to look at many objects while standing up. Also, because of the magnification, it is hard to hold the binoculars steady enough for decent stargazing.
The binoculars feel solid and well-built. The coating on the outside makes them easy to hold, and the focuser is easy to adjust and doesn't have excess play. The diopter is a bit more of a challenge, but the whole operation is simple enough (I think it just takes a bit of practice and patience). For me the ability to adjust for wearing glasses is a big plus. On that topic, the long eye relief is also great for anyone wearing glasses.
Ok, on to the good stuff...what can you see with these? Once I had them attached to the tripod, adjusted, and focused, I turned them up to the sky. I'm gazing from my backyard in the city, so light pollution is an issue. The easiest target that night was Jupiter. With the naked eye, Jupiter was a big, bright point. Through the binoculars, Jupiter took shape as a orange-yellow sphere (please do NOT think you will see detail like those Hubble telescope images). What I found amazing was seeing Jupiter's four largest moons, even as points of light. After a few minutes staring, I turned the binoculars at the constellation Orion and the famous nebula. What appears as a faint, fuzzy patch to the naked eye is a hazy, but brilliant sight. If I looked slightly away from the nebula, I could make out some shape to the gaseous clouds. The Pleiades, Mars, and even the Andromeda galaxy are all easy enough targets, and even from an area with modest light pollution.
I haven't been able to test these out on Saturn yet, but it should be higher in the sky in the March / April evenings. I'm looking forward to getting away from the city lights on a clear night to really give these binoculars a test.
At this price (especially with free shipping) the Celestron 15 x 70s are an excellent deal, and are an inexpensive way to begin stargazing. While you may not see all those awe-inspiring images from the Hubble telescope, you will be looking at a live show that will never cease to satisfy.
Customer Review: These things are sweet
Summary: 5 Stars
I got these binoculars because I was going on a cruise and I wanted a decent pair of binoculars to look at the night sky from the sea. They also came in pretty handy for seeing other ships across the sea. They worked great and were the envy of all the other people on my ship. At home, it is fairly light polluted so I wasn't expecting to see much, but I was amazed at how many stars that I could now make out with these bad boys that I could not see with the naked eye, not even faintly. But they started to really shine when I pointed them at Jupiter. The first time I did this, I was absolutely amazed when I was able to see the four Galilean moons. These aren't quite powerful enough to make out the colors of Jupiter, but you can definitely see it and I now feel obligated to check out Jupiter each night to see where the moons are.
As many have said, with having what basically amounts to two small telescopes in your hands, these are extremely hard to hold steady. At first I tried to use a tripod, and that worked OK, but was awkward and inconvenient. Then one week ago, someone had suggested getting a monopod. Man oh man that truly made a difference and I recommend to anybody that owns these to invest the money in a monopod. The monopod is much easier to use with these and allows you to hold the binoculars steady as with a tripod but with the added bonus of them being much more convenient and versatile. Now I just leave the binoculars connected to the monopod and carry them together. With this combination I have the choice to sit, stand or get on my knees to check out the views.
You can't really beat these for the price. Speaking of beating these, the one thing that you don't want to do with these guys is drop them on the ground. Sadly my friend was over last night and accidentally dropped them, this caused one of the mirrors to get out of alignment and now they just aren't working correctly anymore. He is ordering me a replacement pair and I loved these so much that I told him to go ahead and upgrade these to the 20x80 version for just a little bit more. Can't wait to check those out....
****Edit*****
When I wrote this review, I wasn't aware of the Celestron's No Fault Warranty. Basically, it is a no questions asked lifetime guarantee where they will repair or replace your binoculars for a $25 processing fee. I sent my broken pair in about 3 weeks ago and lo and behold they sent me a brand new pair today. This is an excellent policy! I have been using the 20x80 version now for about a month and these are so light in comparison.
Customer Review: Great Astronomy Tool at a Budget Price!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've owned several pairs of binoculars in my lifetime, using them for all sorts of terrestrial and celestial viewing. None impressed me as being special, and some were better than others. Just recently, I obtained the SkyMaster 15x70. Out of the box, the lens coatings looked very evenly applied, and eye relief was the best I've ever experienced. The overall feel and function was also better than what I was used to. Using them mainly for astronomy, I bagged quality views of Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and The Moon for first light. Of course, these objects look good using just about any viewing aid.
During a recent star party I attended, I fixed the SkyMasters to a nice, heavy-duty tripod. When it finally got dark enough, I wheeled the tripod head around and pointed the SkyMaster toward the Milky Way... OMG! With my naked eye, I could only see a handful of stars in the direction the binos were pointing, and through a pair of 10x50s a few more, but peering through the SkyMasters there were hundreds of those shiny things! My son and I had a blast just hopping from one area of the sky to the next!
The SkyMasters are not particularly heavy, but at 15x power, you will be hard pressed to hold them steady for even short periods. With that said, figure on investing in a decent tripod and a metal binocular adapter for it. The SkyMaster comes with a plastic tripod adapter, and it's nearly useless for a binocular this large. This is the only negative I can think of about this product.
When shopping for a tripod, take the SkyMaster with you to ensure that the combination of the two works for you. Using these binos on a suitable tripod is the only way you will get the steady views needed for good object resolution.
My total cash outlay for both the SkyMaster and tripod came to approximately $170 with tax. Another $20 will by you a suitable tripod adapter for the SkyMaster. Also, if you're thinking about purchasing a telescope for under $200, do yourself a favor and go this route. You simply will not find a descent telescope for this amount of money, and the telescope won't be nearly as versatile. So, If you're in the market for really nice, astronomy-suitable binoculars that won't dent your checkbook, give these a whirl! Also worth noting is Celestron's no-fault, lifetime warranty.
Customer Review: Celestron 15X70 Skymasters ROCK!
Summary: 5 Stars
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.......