Reviews - Page 3 - Celestron Ultima 80mm Angled Spotting Scope, Gray/Black 52250 w/Tripod 93606 Reviews - CI-SS-52250-OP

Author: Jim Raney from Foley, Alabama on Dec 7, 2010
Pros:  great to 40X
Cons:  not good after 40x to 60x
Would recommend:  no

Jim Raney wrote:

I bought this spotting scope to use shooting 100-1000 yards. Up to 40x it works great. After 40x it gets blurry and the slightest wind will move it. Not good for shooting. I will be selling it and buying something else.

Author: MLPeep (verified customer) from ATL, GA on Nov 30, 2010
Would recommend:  yes

MLPeep wrote:

OK, the included tripod is a little light,but I combined it with a Manfrotto Bogen 055XDB - 128RC Tripod and Head Kit package. It stays set up on the sun porch to watch cows, coyotes, birds. Sharp and clear.

Author: John from Volusia, FL on Oct 31, 2010
Would recommend:  yes

John wrote:

Bought this for 50 to 300 yard target shooting. GREAT scope for these distances. Compared side by side to Konus of same power and Celestron had better view in lower light. All other comparisons were the same.

Author: Adam from Washington on Oct 22, 2010
Pros:  Cost
Cons:  Poor brightness and resolution
Would recommend:  no

Adam wrote:

Poor brightness and does not have a sharp image above 40x. Next time I will save up for a Nikon or Leupold.

Author: Love to Shoot (verified customer) from Las Cruces, nm on Jan 8, 2010
Would recommend:  yes

Love to Shoot wrote:

I was about to purchase this spotting scope for $199 when I happened to look once more at this site and found I could get the scope and the tripod for $179. The scope is VERY clear for the magnification range and the tripod is adequate for indoor or windless use. Once again Optics Planet had the lowest price by far and free shipping. Thanks Guys

Author: Walt from Oskaloosa, Iowa on Dec 29, 2009
Pros:  Clear optics, quality construction
Cons:  none
Would recommend:  yes

Walt wrote:

Bought the scope and tripod package to watch birds and animals out my back window. Works great for this purpose. Clear optics and easy to focus over the 20-60x range. Mechanically has solid construction. Tripod is adequate to hold the scope steady and easy to adjust the aim.

Author: jmfischerphd (verified customer) from Chapel hill NC on Dec 28, 2009
Pros:  cheap - great magnification
Cons:  really really large and heavy - huge tripod
Would recommend:  yes

jmfischerphd wrote:

this scope is clear and a real bargain. as a range scope, it is a bit cumbersome but for general observation it should be really great. Tripod isn't great but it was free. cant beat the price

Author: peteb01 (verified customer) , Amateur: Birdwatcher, gardener, race driver. Lots of travel., from Moorestown, NJ on Dec 20, 2009
Pros:  Scope is EXCELLENT, and great value for the money. Performance is better than I expected for the price/
Cons:  Tripod is totally unsatisfactory.
Would recommend:  no

peteb01 wrote:

I purchased this for birdwatching and found that the tripod HEAD just is not stable enough to allow focusing (scope moves (judders) too much when making a focus adjustment. The tripod seems to be very stable and is easy to use. It has an integral (non-removable) head which is made from a plastic material. The adjustments and locking seem to be quite good, but in reality the head just moves too much. A strong breeze causes the scope to wobble and render viewing useless. This scope/tripod (52250-OP) should NOT be sold as a package. Tripod and head are probably useful with a camera or video recorder BUT NOT A SPOTTING SCOPE. I will throw the tripod away and buy another one somewhere. Unfortunatly, I can't just replace the head! ! ! Bottom line: Do NOT buy this package. You will be dissapointed.

Author: Doug (verified customer) from Murrieta, CA on Dec 11, 2009
Pros:  Very sharp image out to 300 yards on the rifle range. No problem seeing the holes on target.
Would recommend:  yes

Doug wrote:

Your expert (a lady whose name escapes me) on the technical and practical aspects of this spotting scope scope was exremely knowledgeable and correct on every detail. For the money I feel this spotting scope is the best I have seen.

Author: markjohn2000 (verified customer) from Laguna CA on Dec 8, 2009
Pros:  Price, clarity, build quality, optics
Cons:  not the greatest at highest setting
Would recommend:  yes

markjohn2000 wrote:

I couldn't believe that OpticsPlanet was selling this scope WITH the tripod for $159 with shipping. I was ready to purchase it as a standalone scope - thinking that the tripod would be pretty cheap. It's not! You'd pay $40-50 for a decent tripod like the one included, so when you factor that in the package is just remarkable.