| A review in the February 2006 issue of Birder’s World magazine called this Celestron Outland LX roof prism “a true birding glass." The review said “the image is clear and bright, and edge distortion is less than we’ve seen on binoculars that cost more . . . a real bargain." Who are we to disagree with such a review? For the low price, this Celestron binocular is an exceptional optical value. The specifications say this 8 x 42mm Outland LX focuses down to an exceptionally close 6’, but we typically measure it at an even closer 4’. Either way, 4’ or 6’, the very close focusing capability makes it a good choice for observing butterflies close-up as well as warblers and backyard feeders. The 42mm objectives do a good job resolving details at long distances as well – shore birds, ducks feeding on the opposite side of a lake, hawks high overhead, etc. Its 8x images are bright and crisp, making it a useful performer across a wide range of lighting conditions and observing distances, whether across a broad meadow in bright sunlight or across a small shadowed woodland glade. Usable eye relief is a reasonable 15mm. This is fine for unaided viewing, but will vignette the field somewhat for those who must wear eyeglasses while observing. Curvature of field is surprisingly low, and astigmatism and barrel distortion are likewise very low. This results in images that are usably sharp across most of the field. It’s a view that is easy on the eyes for extended observing sessions. Overall, this is an optically and mechanically very good binocular at a very reasonable price – a binocular that would have easily cost three or four times the price only a few short years ago. Features of this binocular . . . Roof prism optics. H-body roof prism design with internal center focus. BaK-4 prisms for high light transmission. Four-element objective lenses for sharp images across the entire field. Fully multicoated optics. Multilayer antireflection coatings on all air-to-glass optical surfaces for very good light transmission. Waterproof and fogproof. Dry nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed to be waterproof and internally fogproof in all temperature and climate extremes. Designed to operate reliably in rainforests and deserts alike. Armor. Dark green rubber armor absorbs noise and shock and provides a good grip when wet. Twist-up eyecups. A quarter turn of the rubber-rimmed eyecups retracts them into the binocular body for eyeglass or sunglass use, rather than rolling down. This eliminates the possibility of the eyecups drying out and cracking with age and use, as with conventional rolldown eyecups. A quarter turn in the opposite direction extends the eyecups for non-eyeglass use. The eyecup height can be set at any of four discrete levels to match your personal preferences. Very close focusing. Only one and a quarter turns of the comfortably-large ribbed focus knob moves from a 6’ near focus to the horizon. While Celestron specifies 6’ we invariably measure it at 4’ in our tests. Not everyone may be able to achieve this close a focus however, so we’ll stick to quoting Celestron’s more conservative 6’ close focus. Rotary diopter correction. A continuously variable diopter ring on the right eyepiece allows you to match the binocular optics precisely to your individual eyesight for a sharp image. Standard accessories. The comfortable 1.75" wide padded neck strap makes the binocular easy to carry during all-day birding sessions. The soft case has an adjustable-length shoulder strap as well as a belt loop for no-hands carrying. An eyepiece rainguard and snap-in objective lens covers complete the supplied accessories. Tripod adaptable. A standard 1/4"-20 thread socket for attaching an optional tripod adapter is located at the front end of the binocular’s center hinge. A thread-in plastic logo plate covers the tripod socket when not in use. Lifetime warranty. This Celestron has a lifetime no-fault warranty. If it breaks or becomes unusable, no matter how it happens or whose fault it is, Celestron will repair or replace the binocular for just a $25 shipping and handling charge. For full warranty details, click on the Warranty Information link at the left of this page and then click on the Celestron link.
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