NY 10036. This along with the raised track on the rubber exterior also helps with grip which is not that important most of the time, but does make a difference when wearing your winter gloves. Binoculars have been a hit during the last couple of years as aspiring stargazers keen to spend some of their unexpected time at home are getting to know the night sky, and there are plenty of reasons why the TrailSeeker 8x42 are well-suited to the amateur astronomer with a mind to travel to find dark skies. This shape is sometimes referred to as a top-hinge design that was really made popular with the release of the latest Zeiss Victory HT binoculars, but which you now find on a whole host of bins, including these great looking Hawke Sapphire ED 8x42's. A harness strap fits across the wearers back and transfers the weight of the binoculars from neck to shoulders. Even though this is still less than some that can take 2 or more full turns, it is about a quarter of a turn more than the majority. This did go away after a little use and I suspect this may have been just a once off, but it does show the difference in quality of the focus mechanism that you get between many cheaper bins like these and the very best. The most difficult part of every review that I write is the image quality section, which has to be said is probably also the most important part! I have also read that this also acts like a camera hood to prevent lens flair. By twisting out the cups, I measured the length at 14.8cm and then with both the objective and eye-cup covers on it moves out to 15.4cm - which for a bin in this size class is still nice and compact. 
Whilst there is some blurring of the image right along the edge of the view, it is negligible and no more than the best in their class. So with an advertised close focus of 6.5ft (1.98m), these Celestron Trailseeker's are still very good and more than fine for most of us. Why bother with all this?
For most users this does not matter as it does mean that you can use them with confidence in even the worst weather conditions, just don't test them out in your pool! Theyre best removed and put in a pocket when using the Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42. How can that be if they use a roof prism optical system? Eye-Relief:
The eyecups on the bin are designed to ensure that for most people, once they are fully twisted out and you rest your face against them you are at this exact distance. Particularly on hot days, this can feel a bit odd. Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! Phase Correction
This can sometimes not only be annoying, but you have more of a chance damaged your bins as they swing and bang into a rock when traversing steep hills or getting snagged and caught up when making your way through thick undergrowth. However to produce a quality instrument that also has a small price tag is very difficult to achieve because you have to make some sort of compromises along the way and even though many try, many get it wrong. This combined with their very good quality glass and almost unbeatable coatings that combine together to produce a high quality view that is way better than what their price tag suggests and is thus absolutely something that is worth highlighting and another real strong point. Indeed there are specifically designed very close focus bins like the excellent Pentax Papilio 8.5x21 binoculars that accommodate those who do this a lot.
Once thing to remember about optics, is that it is all about compromises and getting the right balance and as you make a bin strong in one area, you loose out in another. It appears to work well, with bright and crisp images in the dark. If you tend to be birdwatching when the light gets low, these may not be the bins for you. Which if you consider that they have a stronger yet usually heavier magnesium frame than many of those similar in weight to them, makes this even more impressive. And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. This model is generally the right size and shape for comfortable holding our hands didn't get overly fatigued when using them for multiple hours. Get breaking space news and the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! Here I thought that these were about equal to my benchmarks and try as I might, I really struggled to observe one as being obviously different to the other. As a low cost, general use binocular, these will be hard to beat and if you factor into the equation that they have a strong and lightweight magnesium body, are waterproof as well as fog proof, then you have a binocular that will not only survive, but perform well on most hunting trips. Made from a flexible and soft plastic or rubber, the Trailseeker's lens covers fit over the ends of each barrel. The Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 offers a generous 17mm of eye-relief with eye-cups that have four separate positions. That means, hopefully, a steady view devoid of shake. Eye relief: 17mm Should your setting not be neutral or happen to line up with the + or - markings, you can of course quite simply make a mark with a pen or etch with a knife, but it would have been nice and show a good attention to detail if you did not have to. Once again, the included neck strap looks to be the same as that you get with more expensive Celestron models - score! Together they let enough light in to ensure sharp, colorful, contrast-y and hugely enjoyable views of the night sky in a surprisingly compact, astrotravel-friendly package.
I have come across many so called reviews on the web that are little more than adverts or copies of the manufacturers information, written by someone who has never seen the product, which really annoys me. We'd classify the clarity of the TrailSeeker ED 8x42 as above average but not fantastic, a perennial B that gets outshined by a handful of straight-A students. Our one complaint with these straps is the large footprint they present on your back, which can get in the way of hoods and whatnot. Today's best Celestron 8x42 TrailSeeker Binoculars deals, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 review: Design. You help support OutdoorGearLab's product testing and reviews by purchasing from our retail partners. The Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 is a good choice for anyone wanting to go stargazing, but theyre particularly well suited to anyone wanting to travel to dark skies. It is in bad light where things can sometimes get interesting and bins with more/better quality optics and coatings sometimes come to the fore. Whereas lesser quality optics that are only Multi-Coated only have these coatings added to some of the surfaces and Fully Coated only have a single layer applied as opposed to many on these. This does mean that they have the advantage of making fine adjustments easier, but also means it takes a little longer to make large changes to the focal length. Also, the images start to lose some clarity about midway between the center and the edge of the frame. The central field of view is exceptional, though there is a little drift towards the edges. The problem comes with the competition. S whilst their FOV is sensational, their eye-relief is good, but at 17mm is not what I would call excellent. While the Celestron TrailSeeker ED 8x42 performs relatively well and doesn't cost all that much in the grand scheme of things, other models cost the same and offer noticeably better performance. Sealed Body
So all I can say is that the ocular lenses on the 8x42 Trailseeker are 23mm wide, which puts them on a par with some of the biggest used on full sized bins and the large lenses or objectives have a diameter of 42mm as is expressed in their name.
Celestron indicate that the prisms are fashioned from BaK-4 glass, which I reckon, like the vast majority of bins out there, will be the BAK4 glass made from a Phosphate crown and not the more expensive Barium crown ones made by Schott that are only really found on some very high end optics. However they rarely have that extra feel of quality that you get from an aluminium or magnesium alloy framed bino. The chassis weighs 23.1 oz and comes complete with a rubber-coated magnesium frame that has a high-end feel. However when I first used the bins, I also had a section that was a fraction tighter when turning the wheel than the rest of the time. To cut down on costs on cheaper models, one area that most often gets sacrificed is the carry bag and lower cost or cheap binoculars often have pretty basic and sometime rather poor protective cases. Its easy to grip and is completely waterproof, too, with the optical housing purged of any moisture with inert nitrogen gas under high pressure, thereby avoiding any risk of fogging on the surface of lenses.
A fold over lid on the top of the case gains you access to your bins inside. We took 15 different models How To Choose Binoculars For Your Needs and Budget. Indeed this tension can actually help you keep the image a little steadier as it lightly pushes the bins back into your face, for a more secure anchor point. I would describe the one on this Trailseeker as simple, but functional and on a par with most in their class.
In this case I would suggest looking at the 10x32 or 8x32 Trailseeker models. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. However better quality optics, like these Celestron Trailseeker 8x42 binoculars have coatings of a phase correcting material applied to the prisms which eliminate this problem. It takes a little practice to get into, and isn't particularly comfortable when you first wear it, but it does make stargazing (opens in new tab) sessions less of a strain on your neck. Believe it or not, this is something that often gets overlooked and for me there is nothing more frustrating than having to struggle as well as twist in the eye-cups every time I want to replace my bins in the bag. Most people use their bins to look at objects far off in the distance, however there are occasions when you may find that you want to get a much better view of something nearby. Meanwhile, its objective lenses let in enough light for bright views. As you can read about in the section on their Image Quality below, these do perform pretty well in this area and whilst they might not match that of the very best that almost completely eliminate color fringing, the amount that is visible is minimal and no more than what I quite often see looking through many mid ranging ED bins. Focus Adjustment
Celestron include a somewhat basic and generic instruction booklet, that contains the usual information on the parts of the bin, how to adjust and care for them. Below is a link that will take you to a page with online retailers in both the US and UK that sell Celestron 8x42 Trailseeker Binoculars this page makes it easy to compare prices and then to buy from your preferred option: Contact Me | About Best Binoculars | Privacy | Sitemap | Copyright 2022 Best Binocular Reviews | Do You Want to Review Binoculars & Write for BBR? To take a look at and see how well I think Celestron have done, please take some time to read my Celestron Trailseeker 8x42 binocular review below: Body Shape
However, that bridge is pretty small, which gives the user a bit more room to grip the barrels near the objective lenses. The facts and figures are those that were supplied to me or that I have researched on the web and I believe them to be true, however sometimes mistakes are made, so if you spot any please drop me a line to let me know so that I can make the necessary corrections. This hard rubber is also less tacky than the softer rubber ones and so provides a lot less grip, especially when slightly wet. However, thumb indents on the bottom of the barrels would make them significantly more ergonomic. This is more important than you may at first think because this is also the area on a binocular that gets damaged most often and so not only are these far more robust, but the whole twist-up and down mechanism is far superior and without any free play or undesired movement. Indeed I am still amazed that they have managed to include so many high end features, components and coatings into this product. Material on GearLab is copyrighted. It doesn't make much difference to neck strain when you stargaze per se, but by getting your shoulders to take the weight of the Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 at all other times it means your neck will take longer to ache than normal. I can say this because in all but the very poorest light conditions, the pupils in your eyes will be smaller than the shaft of light coming from the binocular and so they will be supplying your eyes with more than enough light. For something slightly larger yet less expensive in the roof prism category try the Opticron Adventurer II WP 10x50 (opens in new tab), which have larger objective lenses, 10x magnification and high-quality optics. Exit Pupil:
However they are not all created equal and to save costs, many will use cheaper materials that have a lower reflectivity. Ideal Uses: Their very good image quality and low light performance as well as their exceptionally wide viewing angle makes them ideally suited to most wildlife and bird watching pursuits. Diopter
Honest Review
Waterproof with 8x magnification and 42mm objectives, amateur astronomers after wide-field views of star clusters, double stars and lunar views will love their flexibility.
Overall the TrailSeeker ED 8x42 is quite comfortable to hold, but the lack of features holds it back. Thankfully this is most certainly not the case on these Celestron 8x42 Trailseeker binoculars and to me the image looks nice and natural and apart from the added magnification, no different to my view without them. Jamie Carter As with all 8x42 binoculars, these Celestron Trailseeker's have an Exit Pupil of 5.25mm (428), so it is no surprise that as long as the optics are of a good standard (which we have already seen, these most certainly are) that in bright conditions, where the bins supply your eyes with more than enough light, image brightness was very good and matches that to what you see without binoculars.
Anyone using spectacles, and indeed anyone after ultimate comfort and immersive views, will love the twist-up eyecups that offer a maximum of 0.67-inch/17mm of eye relief, though its possible to put them in three separate positions. The exact wording here is very important, because unlike the cheaper and much lower quality "Multi-Coated" or "Fully Coated" optics, these have had numerous layers of a special anti-reflection material added to ALL the exterior glass surfaces throughout the whole optical system.
Great Value For Money?
I would like to assure you that this review was written after I fully tested the Celestron Trailseeker 8x42 binoculars and is my honest opinion of it. It takes the weight of the Celestron TrailSeeker 8x42 off your neck and onto your shoulders, making it much easier to carry them around and use for long periods. All trademarks property of their respective owners Each cup also has a loop on the side of it, which is designed so that the neck strap can be threaded through and thus keep them close at hand at all times should you wish. For a soft case, the amount of padding is very good and thus it will protect your bins from impacts as well as the best I have used, with only completely rigid or semi-rigid cases being better. Also if you fold the binoculars, their height increases to 7.5cm with the lens covers included. As with most roof prism binoculars, these consist of two barrels that connect via a bridge in the middle. However that is not to say they are beginners in terms of being able to produce a quality instrument for looking at objects on this planet: Not that long ago, I had the pleasure of testing and reviewing the Celestron Granite 8x42 bins, that went on to win the award for for the Best Birding Binocular that year. What Other Binoculars Should You Consider? We had no complaints with the focus nor diopter adjustemnts. Below are similar pairs of Binoculars that you may also want to have a look at: High quality optics, housed in a very lightweight, water and fogproof open bridge body, these 9x32 Pentax DCF BC binoculars are really good value for, General Price Range: (3/6) Mid Price Binoculars. The minimum distance that you can adjust these to is 5.5cm and the maximum is 7.3cm, which is fairly standard and so these will accommodate most people including children and young adults. It also makes it easier to follow faster moving objects, like birds or example. As I spoke about earlier in the optics section above, many bins these days have an element within their lenses that is made from a glass that has special extra low dispersion properties, which if used correctly in a well designed optical system can help to lessen or even remove the chromatic aberrations that cause color fringing that you sometimes see around highly contrasting objects in the view.
The ones on these are very secure, indeed unlike some that are glued on, these look like they are part of the main body mould and thus are much stronger. Whilst aluminium and magnesium are still reasonably lightweight, they are both stronger than polycarbonate, but the problem is that they are also more expensive to produce and so are usually only found on higher end products. That is why I was quite surprised to discover that the Celestron Trailseeker binoculars, including this 8x42 model all use magnesium alloy frames and which most certainly lifts them a little above the crowd in their class.
Best seen as an alternative to a telescope, these large astronomy binoculars 25x magnification and 100x objective lens bring objects closer, though youll need really dark skies to get the best from them. These bins do not use ED glass, however this does not automatically mean that they will show a lot or more color fringing than those that do, it all depends on how well they have designed the lenses and the rest of the optical system to direct the individual wavelengths of light. Neck Strap
In most situations, this model provides a very bright image. Congress approves International Space Station extension to 2030, Ukraine invasion's impacts on space exploration: Live updates, Earth's crust is dripping 'like honey' into its interior under the Andes, Strange, never-before-seen diamond crystal structure found inside 'Diablo canyon' meteorite, Asteroids' colors, shapes and brightness levels revealed in new Gaia satellite data, Your monthly guide to stargazing & space science, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device.
Many bins at this level will, like these also be very lightweight, but that is because they use cheaper and lesser quality plastic bodies and components. From here you just screw in the adapter and attach this to your tripod or tripod head depending on your setup. Here I look to see if I can spot any obvious tinting of the image that you sometimes see, especially where cheaper glass is used. I could not see any signs of this when looking through these Celestron Trailseeker binoculars. Whilst not bad, the plastic focus wheel does not quite match the quality of the metal eye-pieces, which are a real strong point. Each cover also has a rubber loop that fits around the barrel and allows them to simply hang below the bin when you are looking through the optics, but are always at hand to replace when you are done. The harness itself works fine, though don't expect supreme build quality; were talking elastic straps and a basic mesh design that at least keeps your back ventilated during long stargazing (opens in new tab) sessions.
Their stated width of 5.1in (13cm) with the central hinge fully open, close this and it drops down to 11.5cm. This review was written a few years ago now. This design of prism is very popular because unlike the more traditional porro prism, the way they light passes through them in a straight line, means the designers can make a more streamlined binocular with the eyepieces in-line with the objective lenses. Eyeglass wearers in particular often look for a good amount of Eye-relief to ensure that they have plenty of room to manoeuver to be able to keep their glasses on and still get the full view. Objective Lens Covers
Do You Want to Review Binoculars & Write for BBR? Tufts of feathers can lose some of their definition, dense foliage can get a bit muddled at a distance, and blades of grass can blend together. Manual & Warranty
When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support, Relatively dim, rubber feels a bit sticky. The TrailSeeker 8x42s usability is pushed further by some significant eye-relief. More common within this price bracket are silver coated prisms that cost more to make, but can reflect up to 98% of the light. The underside of 8x42 Trailseeker is fairly standard and like many they have included an couple of indented thumb prints. Manufacturers can add a highly reflective material to the surface on the roof prism that does not reflect all the light that strikes it. It also has an attached wrist strap and so also makes it easy to carry about. Also remember this sealed body also helps prevent even the smallest dust particles from getting into the system, which if you live in a dry area is just as important as waterproofing. The glass in these binoculars is good, but not best of class.
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