Review on Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 Premium Binoculars with Extra-Low Dispersion Glass by David Maxwell

I have been using Nikon Monarch (8x42) for hunting for several years and they have spoiled me. My eyes refuse to see through garbage lenses. When I wanted another set to enjoy birds in my garden I wanted something in 12x strength and I didn't want to break the bank. I tried a few inexpensive but highly rated models at Revain and found them to be what I would call "toys". When I found the Celestron 12x50 ED to be a lot cheaper than the similar Nikon I thought they might be worth a try. Celestron has a solid reputation for their telescopes and I was sure they knew the lenses. They were out of stock when I ordered and expected in two weeks. To my surprise, they came from Revain within a week. My first impression of the box was that it felt like high quality gear. I went to the back yard with the Celestron and my trusty Monarchs for a quick look and comparison. I was very pleased. The Celestron 12x50 ED was just as sharp and clear as my more expensive Monarchs (8x42), with good eye relief and smooth, easy focusing. Colors appear a bit deeper (especially green) from Nikon, but that's very close and could be due to the larger Celestron lens, where a slightly brighter image might drown out the deeper color cast for my later perception. I found that first impression harder to verify. I did find target acquisition a bit more difficult due to the smaller 12x field of view, but that's what I expected. If I only had one pair I would settle for 8x due to their versatility. On a Celestron tripod with 12x magnification, ideal for cellphone photography. I also plan to use them for stargazing on tripods. I haven't done it yet, but I've used them hands-free. At 12x magnification, they tremble as expected, but absorb some starlight. I expect them to offer great looks when installed properly.