9.7.2013

OK, it is a dark, rainy day in Georgia. I have not yet had time to test much of the functionality of the scope yet. But, there were a few things that blew me away about his purchase:1) I actually had to go back and check on when I made my purchase. I submitted my order at almost midnight last evening. The product arrived via private courier (not UPS, FedEx or USPS) today about 12 hours later. That is amazing!!!2) I wish everything were handled with such care. This speaks to both the manufacturer and the vendor. The scope was covered first in a protective paper coating probably to protect the optics. The paper reminds me very much of lens paper used for cameras and microscopes (which Celestron also makes and I have used in the past).Next, The scope was securely surrounded by a plastic bag which was tightly secured by a rubber band around one of the optics to make a watertight seal.Maybe I should have started outside / in as I unwrapped it. But, this was like neatly, nested Russian dolls.Even the tripod was wrapped in bubble wrap so it did not damage the scope.The next layer was the soft vinyl or neoprene or whatever material case it is. It seems of good quality and even has a Velcro (or should I say hook and loop to prevent patent infringement issues) divider. I assume this is to separate the tripod from the scope while in the case. Yeah, you guessed it, this soft case was again covered with a plastic bag.Next, there is a very substantial hard case. It is plastic or fiberglass with metal surrounding all of the edges. It has 2 very sturdy closure clasps which actually lock with a key. The case also has a hard plastic carrying handle. There are outside attachment points for the provided shoulder strap that can be used with either the soft or hard case.Yep, you guessed it, there was another plastic bag covering the hard case before it was placed in the manufacturer's cardboard / retail packaging.Here is where props go to the vendor: The vendor took that amazingly well packaged and padded unit, put a plastic bag around the vendor box, and placed that in another substantial box. Perhaps it is because this vendor is in Marietta, GA and I am in Tucker, GA; but, they sent a courier that put the package in my hands about 12 hours after I ordered it. That was another layer of care and protection that I did not expect.I confess, I do not like it when reviews are more on the vendor or packaging or shipping speed than the product. But, this purchase just blew me away. I will update my rating / review once I have a chance to more thoroughly test the product.This was a $60 - $70 product that was treated with such care. I have purchased laptop PCs, tablets, kindles, microscopes, etc. each costing considerably more that are not protected to even a fraction of this level.Stay tuned for more details. I purchased this for target shooting. But, we also have an owl house we try to keep an eye on and other features of nature around our hoe that you cannot appreciate unaided at a distance.

31.12.2012

I bought this specifically for going to the shooting range. Clear and sharp views at all magnifications up to 100yrds (haven't tried longer ranges yet.)I had no difficulty spotting .177 pellet holes in a paper target @40x @50yds. (5.56 holes @ 40x magnification might as well be train tunnels...)Unit is very light and has a nice feel to it. I was skeptical of the included tri-pod but found it more than adequate for my needs. Included hard case is nice but a bit bulky, Fortunately there's a soft case as well. Focus knob is smooth and easy to handle... However the zoom adjustment is a bear to turn. I thought mine was broken or I was about to break it at first because it was very difficult to turn.I imagine with time it will loosen up but beware.Overall I am very pleased with this product for my intended use. YMMV of course but Celestron is a fairly decent optics brand. I have a Celestron 76mm reflector telescope that is very nice as well so I am familiar with the brand's quality.FOV (Field of View) might leave a little to be desired but: 1) At this price point/features you won't do much better, and 2) If like me you want this for spotting bullet holes in paper targets how much FOV do you really need? Do you want to see your hits and the hits of the shooter in the lane next to you as well? lol...My only gripes are the zoom adjustment that I mentioned earlier and the fact that the lens caps have no type of tethering built in. Also, as some others have mentioned this scope does not play well with eye wear so you'll either have to take them off or deal with a reduced picture as the eye relief is very short on this unit (even with the cup flipped back, at least one other reviewer said he had trouble with his staying put but I experienced no issues with mine.).Overall, for the price I would recommend this product to anyone looking for a cheap spotting scope with variable magnification.UPDATE 02-01-2013:On my most recent trip to the range (This would be the scopes 5th trip to the range since I bought it) the zoom ring unexpectedly made a snapping noise and then began to turn very easily. I thought that the seal had broken free but it appears t just be the indicator ring that shows you what magnification you're at and does not seem to affect performance.I don't know why they needed to glue the dot ring to the body like that but as long as it still functions and does not fog up I don't really need to know what exact magnification level I'm at. Time will tell I guess but I still stand by my original writing... For now.BTW: Still no issues with the eye cup vs. eye glasses.UPDATE 02-13-2014:I've had this over a year and been to the range numerous times under numerous conditions and am happy to report that it is rock solid. No issues, no concerns. Buy it!

10.3.2014

I bought this to give me a little closer view than my 10x40 binoculars, and paired it with a Stedistock to carry with me in the field. It is a perfect little scope to quickly bring a bird into view when you don't want to bring the big scope & tripod setup, and don't need higher magnifications.I am an optics nutcase, to be honest. I have spent days researching & trying every spotting scope in this price range to find an inexpensive solution for this application. Is this comparable to a Nikon ED50, or Vortex? Not in any way, shape, or form - and it's not intended to be. Those scopes (and others of similar quality) cost $600-800,

4.8.2012

I just purchased this Spotting scope and had the opportunity to use it at the shooting range today. While waiting on the range to open up, I pulled the scope out and set it up on the top of the car. The range officers shack is about 200 yds from where I was parked, with the scope set on 60 power I was able to clearly read the parking sign 1.5' x 1' attached to the shack. On the range itself set on 20-30 power I could very clearly see the bullet impacts on the target. These targets were not the splatter type but standard 100yd. sight in targets. I was shooting on the 100yd. range with a Ruger HB 10/22 lr. and a Savage HB 22 mag. The optics are nice and clear up to about 50 power then turn a little fuzzy at 60 power,

14.4.2012

Upon receiving the scope I was suprised at the size. Its actually pretty small. BUT- it is packaged nicely. It came in its original packaging,and was also inside a soft case inside a hard latched case. The coating that has been put on the entire scope is nice. It provides a comfortable grip and protects the scope itself. My husband and I took it to the range to shoot our m4 and AR15. We were both very impressed at its zoom capability. We were able to CLEARLY see the impact sight on a 25 meter 50 meter and 100 meter target. Obviously you can't see the impact sight further out at 800m and 1000m , but were able to zoom in close enough that it felt like 100 m target. The tripod,that also comes with it,

19.12.2018

I'm going to say excellent scope as i can read a UK car registration plate at about 500 metres away. I figured the bwst test for a scope is what leters can you read and at what distance so i figured a car registration plate is a good test. The width of the lettering on a Uk plate is 14mm so this means that this scope can focus on an object about 1 cm - 2cm in size and see it clearly if your 500 meters away. it might be able to go a tad further than 500m as i did this test with the small tripod that comes with it so i think with beter stabilisation it might push a bit more distance. This makes the scope perform at near military grade specs however, it doesnt have mil dots system in it if you were using for this purpose.

21.12.2011

I just got this scope this afternoon and I've been playng around with it for the past hour or so looking at far off things in the neighborhood. Eventually I will use it at the shooting range. This scope is sharp and clear even out to the 60x zoom. A couple of weeks ago I bought a scope of another brand from Amazon that cost twice as much but I had to send it back because the subjects were indiscernable above 30x. Thank goodness for Amazon's return policy.For the money this scope is a very good performer optically. And mechanically it is light and well made. The feel of the surface and the finish are all top notch. The controls, zoom and focus, feel smooth and solid.

16.1.2015

Very pleased with the level of visual sharpness. Given the price point as well as reviews expressing concern about the lack of visual clarity, I was not expecting too much. I am pleased to report that I can easily observe at 60X, from about 160 yards, the waffle tread pattern on a neighbor's stepladder that he left outside. I have not tried it as a spotting scope for shooting yet, but I think it will suit my purposes out to 200 yards or so. For this price, you can't afford NOT to try it...3/2/17 UpdateWhile I still believe this is a good starter scope, I notice that the price has nearly doubled since when I purchased it for $45. Not such a good deal anymore. In addition,

5.3.2011

I had been looking for a decent quality spotting scope to be used mostly at the range and could not justify spending several hundred dollars on one. I also did not like the optical quality of most of the lower priced scopes as my Leupold rifle scope gave me a better picture than some at 100 yards. After reading the reviews on this scope, I decided to give it a try. I was plesently surprized when it arrived as it was packed in plastic wrap in a zippered case in its metal carrying case in a box in a box - plus all of the other plastic wrap. The scope feels like high quality with its rubberized non-slip finish. The optics are, of course, not up to Swarovski quality, but they did not cost multi thousands of dollars either.

23.1.2012

I bought this scope to see bullet holes at 50 and 100 yards at my local outdoor shooting range. This scope replaces a Barska I bought (and subsequently returned) locally. This scope is head and shoulders above the Barska. This scope is bright and clear and I am able to obtain sharp focus across the entire field of view at all magnifications (20x - 60x). 22 caliber holes are sharp at 50 yards and 30 and 45 caliber holes are sharp at 100 yards. I know I could see 22 caliber holes sharply at 100 yards but I don't shoot 22LR at that distance because for me at least its just a waste of ammo LOL. The tripod that comes with the scope is basic but functional and fairly steady in gusty wind, no complaints.

1.3.2013

I bought this as my first spotting scope; the reviews looked decent, and all I need it for is 100-200yd distances at the shooting range, mostly for helping sight in rifles. The hardcase is decent, the soft case is ok; I was hoping the scope had at least an aluminum body but it appears to be some kind of composite material coated in a rubberized covering. It's pretty lightweight; the tripod is not bad, as it seems sturdy and works alright.Overall, it focuses great. I can zoom in on people's front doors from my upstairs apartment and look at objects clearly at least 150 yards away. I was even able to read license plates on vehicles over 300 yards away with relative ease. They zoom is a little stiff,

29.11.2011

Best deal on spotting scopes, period. I got mine for about $70-something. The image quality is great, the brightness is good, and I can see .22cal holes at 100 yards no problem. My local range only goes out to 100 yards, so I cannot really tell you how well it works beyond that, BUT I can look down the river in front of my house and see small leafs or large blades of grass with perfect clarity about 400 yards away. I imagine you would be able to see anything over .22/.223 very well at that range.It comes with a nice padded hard case, a tripod that leaves much to be desired, and a great spotting scope.For the price, its an incredible deal. The tripod is fine for the shooting bench but I would recommend a camera tripod for anything else.

30.11.2010

So, I read the review from Desertfox, and thought, why not buy this item. I was skeptical as well, but, when I received it, in a very short time frame I might add, I was very surprised!!! I tested it for 120s yards, and was able to see the screws on my neighbors mail box up the street. I also did the "moon at night" test as well, and I will concur on the statement that you are able to see the bigger craters very clearly!! This scope is definitely well worth the money. The hard case is a quality case, worth $20-$30 alone, plus the soft case is great to take with you. I think they may have updated the tripod, because I did not find any issues with it. I will probably use my camera tripod as well,

9.3.2013

The scope is a neat instrument, simply designed, and like binoculars, is the instrument for anyone who doesn't want to get too involved with the mechanics and science of telescopes. Its light, and easy to use - definitely the instrument you would turn to to look at the moon and for basic celestial viewing. Its good on the ground too - I can read a car number plate at a kilometre, and unlike normal telescopes, the image is the right way round, and the right way up.The zoom helps to aim it, as does the straight through viewing line.It produces a bright sharp image at 20x , and even at 60x the image, which in theory, would be less bright, is not significantly so. The table-top tripod is sturdy enough,

12.12.2013

For the price, this is a good value. It's not an awesome scope in any way, but it's not a cheapo plastic toy either.Daytime use is satisfactory. The zoom works well. Focuser is OK. Eye relief is OK. Stand is blah, but works. Great for spotting .22 to 100 yards easily (and I wasn't even close to max zoom).Max zoom WILL be difficult to use due to the poor stand (but you can use your own), limited eye relief, and decreased light flow (but this is also standard and to be expected with optics). I haven't tried visual astronomy with it, which would likely really show its limitations, but daytime use is adequate, especially for the cost.

Celestron 20-60x60mm Zoom Refractor - Reviews

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