Celestron Skymaster 15×70

9.5
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Celestron Skymaster 15×70 Review Facts

Amateur astronomers and nature observers alike need specific and powerful tools in order to participate in their interests. This is where a good set of binoculars are required. Binoculars use two convex lenses placed on in front of the other in order to see an item closer up. The first lens focuses on the image you are looking at and focuses on that image, the second lens magnifies the image. In a set of binoculars, the consumer has an object that offers two telescopes side by side. In order to avoid the image being looked at from being upside down the binoculars must contain prisms (wedges in the glass of the lenses) in order to rotate the image the right way (180 degrees). The reason that binoculars have weight to them as those who have held binoculars may have noticed, is because of these prisms. They can be quite heavy in weight due to the chunkiness that is required in order for this process to work. Binoculars are ideal for those who love to bird watch, those who like space and outdoorsmen. They are a valuable piece of equipment for any hunter or observer of nature.

This article focuses specifically on the Celestron Skymaster. This product is a heavy duty binocular. Though this product comes in numerous sizes including as big as 25 X 70. This article specifically focuses on the 15 X 70 range. We put together a comprehensive review in order to determine what consumers liked and didn't like about this product. We also looked at the materials used in order to determine it's durability and reliability. We also looked at its features in order to determine its cost and value in comparison to other comparable products on the market. This is our in-depth review of the Celestron Skymaster 15 X 70. We hope that this article serves you in your next binocular purchase.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
  • This product is quite reasonably priced considering what you get
  • This product offers a surprisingly clear image 
  • This product is quite strong/powerful 
  • This product is quite light considering its strength 
Cons
  • It appears that some versions of this product arrive collimated (double vision)
  • The accessories that this product comes with aren't made of quality materials 

ACCURACY

The Celestron Skymaster 15x70 offers lower magnification which helps the consumer find objects with ease. It also offers a zoom up to 70 X. This product is surprisingly stable for a high magnification tool. It also offers eye relief padding which helps stabilize the view of the image being looked at. Those who used this product were surprised by the product's accuracy and their stability considering the magnification. They were also surprised by the lightweight nature of this product considering their strength. The optics are also multi-coated which helps increase the sharpness of detail and the magnification of color. Reviewers regularly commented on how clearly the image they were looking at appeared which is ideal for binoculars. Cheaper options can sometimes cause a little bit of a stomach rolling sensation due to the poor alignment of the image they are looking at. Also, poor eye relief can cause some strain on the eyes as well as cause double vision. There were some reviewers that stated that they bought this product and immediately saw double but it seems that this might have been poor alignment by the manufacturer for one-offs. Those who returned them and had them replaced all found that the replacement version was a great improvement and they ended up loving the new set which is positive.

ADVANCED FEATURES

The Celestron Skymaster 15x70 offers high-quality BaK-4 prisms. This is the best type of Porro prism because it is made of high-quality optical glass and it provides much clearer images than comparable options available. This type of material is usually only used in high-quality binoculars vs. BK-7 prisms which are usually used in less expensive binoculars. BaK-4 prisms usually show a truer round which offers better light transmission and a superior sharpness to objects being looked at. This explains why so many reviewers said that they were surprised by the sharpness of the image they are looking at. These binoculars offer a superior image to comparable options on the market. They offer a higher light transmission which is especially important in areas of low light conditions. So this product would be ideal for those looking for products that can work for long hours in the day. It is also ideal for rainy or gloomy days. The large objective diameter offers a more comfortable viewing aperture. This is ideal when looking at objects at a higher magnification. Those who bought this product were more than satisfied with how extreme this product zoomed in, how clear the image is and how vibrant the colors they were seeing were. These are all really positive reviews.

EASE-OF-USE

Those who used this product found that they are quite easy to use. As mentioned in other areas of this article, some reviewers did find that they saw double in the first purchase of this product as if they were uncalibrated, however, when they were returned and replaced they were perfect. They also offered superior eye relief as well which many praised. This product zooms between 15 to 35 X. It offers a lens diameter of 70 mm. It also offers a 2.2 degree of angular field of view. The linear field of view is 11 feet at 15 X and its exit pupil is 4.7 at 15 X and 2.0 at 35 times. It offers an eye relief of 20.3 mm at 15 X as well. The lenses are multi-coated and the prism glass is BaK-4 as previously mentioned. It weighs about 53 ounces which many reviewers found was surprising considering how powerful these binoculars are. This product is also water resistant which goes hand in hand with the prisms and the water protector that is included. This product is nitrogen filled and is tripod adaptable for extended viewing periods. Its dimensions are 228 mm by 120 mm by 300 mm. It also comes with numerous accessories to assist with ease-of-use. These accessories are listed in more detail below. Overall, the manufacturer put together a great product that is easy and fun to use. And if for any reason this is not enough, it comes with a comprehensive instruction manual to help clear up and additional questions or concerns.

FEATURES

These binoculars offer long eye relief for a more comfortable use. Those who purchased this found that this particular model compared to other models were far more comfortable for extended periods of time. This is especially handy for those with glasses. There were numerous reviewers that said that the eye relief is comfortable and easy to use for extended periods of time, even when wearing glasses. The eye relief is essential for those wanting to use these binoculars for longer. The diopter adjustment offers a much more refined image in order to assist with the correction of any differences in strength of the consumers eyes. This product also comes with a tripod adapter in order to allow the consumer to attach this product to a tripod for longer periods of viewing. The tripod is sold separately but is ideal for prolonged viewing session and also assists with stability when viewing (for those with particularly shaky hands). Those who used this product were actually quite surprised by the fact that despite slightly shaky hands that these offered a fairly stable view regardless. They were especially surprised because the magnification of this product is quite high and they were still very stable which is positive.

PRICE

The Celestron Skymaster 15x70 receives a lot of praise considering it is quite reasonable in price. It seems to be made of quality materials, however, the accessories it comes with seem to be a little weak and potentially made of poor quality materials (this is discussed more below). The product itself seems to be made of high-quality materials and offer high-quality prisms in order to provide the crispest image available. It also can be used for different objects because of the zoom making them a little more versatile. With the additional mounting option, this product can be used as a short term and long term device, again, which is positive. The Celestron Skymaster 15x70 is also regarded quite highly within the outdoorsmen and astrological community. It almost doubles as a microscope due to its ability to see the ridges in the moon. Overall, the Celestron Skymaster 15x70 does seem to be worth the cost associated with it which is even better considering it is already quite reasonably priced. This product also offers a limited lifetime warranty which even further justifies the cost.

ACCESSORIES

The Celestron Skymaster 15x70 comes with some protective accessories including objective lens caps which will cover each lens. This will keep the lenses free of scratches which would eventually wreck the binoculars and could require replacement as a result. There were a few reviewers that said that these protectors are a little flimsy but they do stay on firmly and securely which is positive. Tripod adapter which is a small insert in the bottom that allows the consumer to attach the binoculars to a tripod (secure based). This is ideal for prolonged viewing and also for stability. It also protects the lenses from any accidental drops. It also comes with a rain guard which allows the consumer to continue to use the product even when out in the rain. This goes hand-in-hand with the BaK-4 prisms which offer better viewing in areas of lower lights (gloomy days). These binoculars also come with a carrying case to keep them protected when not in use. It also includes a neck strap. This goes around the neck in order to carry the product around, as well as to add a level of protection. Some reviewers did say that they would not trust the neck strap as it appears to be made of poor quality materials. This, of course, would not be ideal for when carrying these around freely around the wearer's neck. This product also comes with a lens cloth in order to clean the lenses without fear of scratching. Some materials are a little rough and can leave small scratches on the lens. This is why it is important to use lens cloths that are made for that particular purpose. Finally, this product comes with an instruction manual in order to show the buyer the best and ideal way to use these products. Overall, this product comes with a ton of accessories, though, there are some that seem like they might be useless and these complaints by consumers should be considered before using the accessories. This product also does come with a limited lifetime warranty though so this should add some reassurance when considering the usage of the accessories.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line is that this product seems to be an extremely impressive one. Those who purchased the Celestron Skymaster 15x70 found that it is not only light but also extremely powerful. They didn't trust the accessories that it came with but appreciated that they could stabilize and rest this product on top of a tripod for extended viewing periods. It should be kept in a safe place and always with the safety accessories on when not in use in order to prolong the lifespan. It is quite powerful, offering an intense zoom and a crystal clear image. It also enhances colors in order to further elevate the viewing experience. Those who purchased these binoculars were both impressed by the quality of the image, the intenseness of the zoom and how stable they are. Overall, the Celestron Skymaster 15x70 is a really good product and they are so reasonably priced it doesn't make sense why anyone would not opt for them. It also comes with a limited lifetime warranty which is the cherry on the sundae. This is a great product and should definitely be considered.