The 15x70 SkyMaster (1 Viewer)

Tens of thousands of words have been written on Cloudy Nights over the last 2 decades concerning unending collimation problems with the Celestron 15x70 SkyMaster. These posts have included:

“I went through 4 before I finally got one that was collimated.”

“I got tired of trying to get a good one and just gave up.”

“Their quality control has all gone to hell.”

The total of comments like this is undoubtedly in the HUNDREDS. But although this bino is not a go-to instrument for birders, its low price is snagging buyers like flies to flypaper. I don’t know if people just refuse to check out bino forums until they have something to bellyache about, if the don’t believe the reports from hundreds of dissatisfied customers, or they believe they’re special and the reports are meant for anyone but themselves. But virtually every couple of days there is a new thread starting:

“I just bought a Celestron 15x70 SkyMaster and I am seeing two of everything ... is that normal?"

Undoubtedly. It is not a major concern here on BF, but I thought a warning for possible victims was in order. :cat:

Bill

I must have had 10 Revelation 15x70s. Same as Skymaster.
Some are aligned, some aren't.
Some are fully multicoated, some aren't.
I have given some, reluctantly to family and friends.
For some they work well. They probably don't know if they are collimated or not. They may have one strong eye, one weak, so it doesn't much matter.

The importer, I think finally got fed up with them.
They were £50.
When they work, and some do, they give excellent astro views. They are not heavy. They are perhaps 15x63.

It is a pity, I think. that they were ever sold, but price is everything to many.

My neighbour has Amazonitis, a bad incurable complaint. Cheap, cheap, cheap every day a new delivery.
In the end, just making more billions for the Amazon owners.

Much worse binoculars are the 10-70x25 etc. binoculars sold in thousands.
They make the importers rich and the public, well who knows.
My estimate is that 2% are collimated, 98% not.

I bought six 8-24x50 from the Daily Mail for £12 each plus £1 total insurance.
4 were aligned. Two weren't.
The next day the Daily Mail sent two replacements and I returned the two faulty ones. So I got six good ones.
My milkman and his son use them to follow the horses, Cheltenham etc.
They have used them for maybe ten years?, and I keep asking if they need new ones, but the two originals still work.
They are used at about 14x50 or 16x50, which is the sweet spot for these binoculars, for following the horses around the far end of the track etc.

Almost fifty years ago Arthur Frank sold me a 10x70 Ross monocular that I used for astronomy until I slipped on ice and it hit the granite as I did. The prism was badly injured but it still worked over 2/3 the view. I almost went over a 30ft drop, but didn't.
Then 70mm binoculars/ monoculars were almost unobtainable.

Unfortunately, the junk binoculars, mostly Chinese, eventually fill up land fill sites with more rubbish.

One might ask why I persisted with these 15x70s.

Firstly, salesmen like myself are an easy touch.
Secondly, the importer tried very hard to get them right.
The barrels had extra packing foam.
The importer tested each one before shipping.

About 7 out of 10 were well aligned, at least to give easy views without any eyestrain.
The ones that go out of alignment, usually are badly out of alignment. I just write these off.

When they work, they are most useful, as they are easy to hand hold. They give great views of say the Pleiades.
I have a Quantam 15x70, which is very nice, but it is considerably heavier and I need a tripod to use it. I don't like tripods with binoculars.

If I gave one to somebody, I told them very clearly that any knock could cause the binocular to go out of alignment. They had to be treated very gently.

The 25x70 Skymaster that I have has one barrel with very poor optics. It is aligned but optically my example is rubbish.

Old Japanese 20x70s are usually much better quality.

Just for comparison purposes, the return rate for our Oregon Observation 15x70 (which gets 100% inbound QC here in the UK) where the reported problem is a collimation issue is around 0.6%. If we take impact-related collimation issues out of the data, that reduces to around 0.3%.

So I guess we're still not perfect but we think a good value 15x70 can be delivered if you're careful

Based on what I know about sales of 70/80mm binos on Amazon in the UK and scaling up simply as a factor of population (UK:US being about 1:5) and making a "back of an envelope" calculation I would guess that the hundreds of posts on CN might represent less than 1% of the binoculars in that class sold over 20 years.

HTH

Pete

pete_gamby said:

Just for comparison purposes, the return rate for our Oregon Observation 15x70 (which gets 100% inbound QC here in the UK) where the reported problem is a collimation issue is around 0.6%. If we take impact-related collimation issues out of the data, that reduces to around 0.3%.

So I guess we're still not perfect but we think a good value 15x70 can be delivered if you're careful

Based on what I know about sales of 70/80mm binos on Amazon in the UK and scaling up simply as a factor of population (UK:US being about 1:5) and making a "back of an envelope" calculation I would guess that the hundreds of posts on CN might represent less than 1% of the binoculars in that class sold over 20 years.

HTH

Pete

Click to expand...

Hi, Pete:

As I’m sure you’re aware, it’s nuts for a retailer to turn away sales of a popular instrument. Yet, that’s what I did. When so many SkyMaster 15x70s kept returning with problems, I set aside time to check my next whole shipment of 20. When the first 8 were out of collimation by far more than the most lenient tolerances, I sent the whole shipment back and removed the product from inventory.

I called Alan, immediately. But the philosophy of so many Asian manufacturers is: “Take it or leave it.” Thus, having an option, I chose to leave it.

I can’t fault the retailers who know nothing about optics. They know $$$ and I know optics. From the integrity and customer service standpoint, I think I came out ahead. :cat:

Bill

In the end one always gets what they pay for, binoculars included.

Andy W.

dries1 said:

In the end one always gets what they pay for, binoculars included.

Andy W.

Click to expand...

It is a shame that some people live under a rock until they have a chance to waste money on a bad bino. After which, they rush to a bino forum to proclaim their ignorance and seek some kind of miracle cure. :cat:

Bill

Hi all.
I have a Celestros 15x70 and I am considering buying a used
KRONOS 20x60 or
CELESTRON 20x80



CELESTRON 15x70 - 4.4 deg / 66 Afov - 4.6 mm exit pupil (Bak4)

KRONOS 20x60 - 3.5 deg / 71 Afov - 3.0 mm exit pupil (Bak4)
CELESTRON 20x80 - 3.2 deg / 64 Afov - 4.0 mm exit pupil (Bak4)



I would like to read your opinions if you have tried and compared these two binoculars
What would be your opinion on "crossover point 15x70 vs 20x60"
Is there significant improvement in terms of better visuals? Is the opportunity that I buy KRONOS 20x60 worth?

Is it worth spending the money to go to a Kronos 20X60 considering I already have invested in a Celestron 15X70



My preferences:
1) I will always use it for daytime observation in mountains and landscapes (for daytime long range terrestrial viewing very much).
2) I always enjoy using my 15X bino without a mount and if I get tired I can put the binocular on the tripod
3) I do not use the binocular to observe the stars at night.



I appreciate every detail of your recommendations.

Thank you

Hi and welcome.

Basically don't bother.

I have had about 10 Russian 20x60s.
Only the old Soviet ones are good unless you are very lucky.
Even then, the one I used for ten years was specially hand made in a batch of about a dozen for chosen astronomers to very high standards.
The likelihood is that any old binocular will need cleaning and aligning, so again, don't bother.

The 1970s Japanese Celestron 20x80 that I have is excellent, best of three.

New Celestron cheap 20x80s are unlikely to be good.

Whatever you buy test it first, and I suggest you buy nothing if the 15x70 works.

As you intend buying used, you might be lucky if you carefully test the binocular before buying.

For your purposes I suggest you buy a good used small spotting scope and use it on your tripod.
Again test it carefully.

Regards,
B.