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More Information  · Supplied Accessories  · Related Documents  · Images of Some Features Price $479.00 List Price $714.95 Magnification 14x Field of view 1000 yards 4° Near Focus 210' Eye Relief 13mm Exit Pupil 5mm Twilight Factor 31.30 Weight 3.5 lbs. Aperture 2.75" Armored Partial Waterproof No Warranty 2 years Photographic Focal Length 210mm Photographic Focal Ratio f/3

The 70mm Celestron VistaPix Imaging Spotter (IS70) combines a high quality 45° viewing angle spotting scope and a state-of-the-art digital camera into one full-featured, easy-to-use unit. The VistaPix IS70 is a conventional 70mm spotting scope with 14x magnification. In addition, it includes a 3 megapixel digital camera that takes detailed images at either a low power 7x magnification or a high power 24x – and there’s a 6x digital zoom, as well! You can capture the action closer than ever before with this high resolution digital camera/spotting scope.

The 3 megapixel camera features a 2" LCD screen for a brilliant full-color imaging preview; a digital focus meter for quick, sharp focus; continuous video recording capability; a 32MB internal memory for storing up to 600 images, with a slot for an optional SD card for even greater storage; and much more. With its great visual close focus of 15’ and an imaging close focus of a mere 5’ at low power (10’ at high), the IS70 can show you (and photograph) amazing detail. The Celestron IS70 is perfect for getting up close with a variety of nature's treasures, both great and small.

Among other Celestron IS70 features is a rotatable tripod adapter that fits any standard photo tripod for observing subjects on the ground. It also fits onto Celestron computerized mounts for wide-field astronomical observing. In addition, you get the ability to view images on your TV screen with the included video cable, and even more. The Celestron IS70 is a unique birding/nature study tool with advanced features and an unbeatable price.

Optical features of the Celestron IS70 . . .

• Refractor optical system: 70mm doublet objective lens gathers over 36% more light than a 60mm scope for superior low light performance. The resolution is almost 17% higher than a 60mm scope, as well. The crown and flint glass optics are fully coated with anti-reflection materials for good light transmission.

• 45° viewing: The Celestron IS70 has a 45° viewing angle. For couples of differing heights who must share a single scope, this viewing angle is more convenient for extended observing, as there is little need to constantly raise and lower your tripod to a comfortable observing height for each observer. A 45° scope is also more comfortable for watching treetop activity or for extended observing from a low tripod in a blind or on a back porch. Also, if you are tall, you will not have to crouch over and tilt your head back to see through the 45° IS70, as you would through a straight-through scope. Simply incline your head and look, saving you from a possible literal pain in the neck.

• 14x eyepiece: The standard equipment eyepiece has a soft rolldown rubber eyecup for eyeglass use. The exit pupil is a bright 5mm, suitable for observing in the low light of dawn or twilight. Eye relief is an acceptable 13mm, although there will be some vignetting of the field for eyeglass wearers. The eyepiece focus can be adjusted to match that of the digital camera.

• Wide field: The visual field of view through the eyepiece is a very wide 4° (210’ at 1000 yards).

• Good close focus: The scope will focus visually down to 15’. Through the 70mm IS70, looking at a bird at that distance at 14x would effectively be the same as looking with your unaided eye from a distance of only 13" away.

Digital camera features of the Celestron IS70 . . .

• Resolution: The maximum native imaging resolution of the CMOS sensor in the IS70 is 3.1 megapixels (2048 x 1536 pixels). This can be electronically interpolated to a 5.0 megapixel image (2592 x 1944 pixels). These resolutions are best if you are planning serious photographic enlargements of your images. The internal memory of the IS70 can store 38 images at 3.1 megapixels.
  Normal high resolution images are recorded at 2.0 megapixels (1600 x 1200 pixels).
  Medium resolution images are recorded at 1.3 megapixels (1280 x 960 pixels, the full screen resolution of most high-end computer monitors).
  Low resolution images are recorded at 0.3 megapixels (640 x 480 pixels, a computer screen’s VGA resolution). The internal memory of the IS70 can store 600 images at 0.3 megapixels.
  All images can be downloaded to your computer for viewing, printing, and further processing through a supplied USB cable.

• Auto exposure: The Celestron IS70 sets its own exposure time, based on the lighting conditions, for perfect exposures every time.

• TV output: In addition to being able to download images to your computer, you can view your images on your TV screen through your TV’s front panel video input by using the supplied TV cable.

• Video recording: The built-in 32MB memory records 30 seconds of VGA video at 30 frames per second, and 4.5 minutes of low resolution CIF video (video conferencing quality images) at 15 frames per second.

• Sequential imaging: The camera can be set to automatically take unattended still images at preselected intervals (10, 30, or 60 seconds; and 3, 10, and 30 minutes). This allows you to keep watch on feeders or nests when you are not at home, for example. There is also a 10 second self timer, should you want to appear in your own images.

• Camera magnification: The digital camera records images at a 7x magnification at low power, with a 5.6° diagonal field. Switching to high power boosts the magnification to 24x, with a 2° diagonal field. There is also a built-in 6x digital zoom.

• Good close focus: For imaging, the scope close focuses down to 5’ at 7x magnification, and down to 10’ at 24x.

• Image display: The Celestron IS70 has a built-in 2" flip-up full-color LCD screen for composing images, focusing the digital camera, and displaying imaging menu functions. When raised, the flip screen reveals the pushbuttons for navigating through the camera menus and taking pictures. When lowered, the flip screen protects the pushbuttons and prevents accidentally turning on the camera.

• Focus meter: In addition to being able to visually focus the image on the LCD screen when imaging, an on-screen focus meter gives you a numerical indication of the sharpest focus point for fast focusing.

• Power requirements and auto shutoff: The camera uses two user-supplied AA alkaline batteries. The LCD screen display can be set to shut off after two minutes of non-use to conserve battery power. The camera can be set to shut off after five minutes of non-use.

• Computer requirements for downloading video and images: Your computer should be a Windows 98SE/2000/ME/XP PC with a Pentium MMX or higher chip and a minimum of 128MB of SDRAM. You’ll need a CD-ROM to download the supplied software, 600MB of free hard drive space, a USB port, and a VGA or better video card with 2MB of RAM and 16-bit color.

• Controls: The camera has an 8-pushbutton menu navigation keypad on top of the scope, under the flip-up LCD screen. The screen also conceals the power on/off and camera shutter buttons. The large rubber-rimmed visual spotting scope focus control is recessed into the right side of the scope to resist snagging on clothing. The barrel-shaped focus control is ribbed for sure and precise focusing. A separate low power focus ring surrounds the low-power digital camera lens at the right side of the scope body. A slide switch on the top of the body switches the digital camera from 7x to 24x magnification.

• Inputs and outputs: There are input ports for an optional SD memory card for storing more images; for an optional 12v DC power supply (useful when taking unattended sequential images of feeders from inside your home without running down the batteries, for example); and for the supplied shutter release cable (recommended for sharpest images when shooting at 24x). All are located beneath the eyepiece at the rear of the scope. Output ports for the supplied USB and TV cables are located on the right side of the body, beneath the visual scope focus control.

• Armored body: The Celestron IS70 is partially covered with light rubber armor. The armor provides a sure grip and added shock protection, but does not render the IS70 waterproof. Use in the rain is not recommended, and damage to the IS70 from water entering the body is not covered by warranty.

• Tripod adapter: The Celestron IS70 has a rotatable tripod adapter with a 1/4"-20 thread mounting hole that fits any standard photo tripod. The rotating adapter lets you switch the camera quickly from a landscape to a portrait orientation, depending on the desired composition of your image. The tripod adapter is sized and shaped (with slanted sides) to also fit directly into the mounting slot in the head of Celestron computerized German equatorial telescope mounts for wide-field astronomical observing.

• Supplied accessories: Your Celestron IS70 comes with a protective aluminum storage and carrying case; a USB cable for connection to your computer; a video cable for connection to your TV; a shutter release cable; three protective dust caps (for eyepiece, main scope, digital camera lens); a user’s guide; and a CD-ROM with PhotoBase 4.5, Panorama Maker 3.0, and DirectX software.

• Two-year warranty: As an expression of Celestron’s confidence in the build quality and performance of the IS70, this spotting scope/digital camera is protected by Celestron’s two-year limited warranty covering materials and workmanship.