Celestron 10-30 X 50mm UpClose G2 porro prism zoom

This second generation Celestron 10-30 x 50mm UpClose G2 is a surprisingly affordable 10x to 30x magnification range zoom binocular that will put you right in the middle of the action. It has good-sized 50mm objective lenses that gather a lot of light for bright and clear images, even at high powers. The UpClose G2 zoom will get you up close and personal with sporting events, close to the scenery and wildlife on vacation trips or camping, and close up to anything that's far away and likely to stay there. The 10-30x50mm UpClose G2 zoom has a 4.3° field of view at 10x magnification (225' at 1000 yards). Fast one-turn focusing lets you keep fast-moving action sharply in focus.

The UpClose G2 zoom is rubber armored for a comfortable grip and weather-resistant to shrug off the occasional summer shower (although it is not waterproof). Its 50mm diameter fully coated BK7 optics gather substantial amounts of light, giving it a very high twilight factor of 22.36 at 10x (38.73 at 30x) and making it a useful performer in the low light of twilight or under overcast skies. The close focus is 26' at 10x, so it's not particularly well suited for backyard birding, although 10x at a 26' distance effectively puts you little more than two and a half feet away from your subject.

Eye relief is specified as 20mm at 10x, although the actual usable eye relief is closer to 15mm due to the recessed nature of the eye lens. In either case, the UpClose G2 provides essentially unvignetted views for those who must wear eyeglasses while observing. Overall, this is a good zoom binocular for those who want to get close to the action at a price that's very easy on the budget.

Features of this binocular . . .

Porro prism optics. Traditional porro prism design using BK7 prisms. Center focus.

Fully coated optics. The optics are treated on all air-to-glass surfaces with antireflection coatings for good light transmission. Critical optical surfaces are multicoated.

Weather resistant. Sealed to resist showers and inclement weather, although not designed to be fully waterproof and fogproof.

Armor. Black rubber armor absorbs noise and shock and provides a good grip when wet. Molded-in thumb grooves and finger ridges for a secure and comfortable grip.

Roll-down eyecups. The rubber-rimmed eyecups roll down for eyeglass or sunglass use.

Single lever zoom. A large thumb-operated lever on the right eyepiece zooms smoothly between 10 and 30x magnifications. A scale on the left eyepiece shows you the magnification at which you are viewing.

Close focusing. Focuses down to 26', making it more suited to long distance viewing rather than close-in birding.

Fast focusing. About one turn of the large ribbed focus knob moves from the 27' close focus out to the horizon so you can keep track of fast-moving action.

Rotary diopter correction. A 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. A neck strap, eyepiece and lens covers, and a soft nylon carrying case with shoulder strap are standard equipment.

Soft case, neck strap, lens and eyepiece covers.