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4 Best Celestron Spotting Scope Review

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Celestron may not be the industry’s most popular optics brand name, but it is known among astronomy and terrestrial lovers. Users of this specific segment are more conversant with Celestron scopes because Celestron focuses on making these types of scopes. The spotting scope fits into the overall long-distance spotting device mantra of Celestron.

Regarding terrestrial spotting scopes, there’s a wide variety of available scopes by Celestron. You’ll find spotting scopes that fit different agendas, including birdwatching, hunting, nature watching, and much more. You’ll also spot scopes at various price points and with varying features.

Celestron 52250 Ultima Spotting Scope 20-60x80mm - Angled

Celestron 52250 Ultima Spotting Scope 20-60x80mm – Angled

Our Top Recommendation for Celestron Spotting Scope!

Celestron Ultima 20-60×80 is a spotting scope with a sleek design and an adequately sealed body. It uses quality bak-4 glass with a protective case. The warranty serves as an extra layer of security.

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With the wide range of Celestron scopes available, making sense of them simultaneously and checking which one is the best for you is a big deal. This piece is helpful content on the top Celestron spotting scopes you can select.

It also includes several applicable sections that you’ll love, but before then, what are the top Celestron spotting scopes in the market?

Top Celestron Spotting Scopes

IMAGEPRODUCTFEATURESPRICE
Celestron 52250 Ultima Spotting Scope 20-60x80mm - AngledCelestron 52250 Ultima Spotting Scope 20-60x80mm - Angled• Magnification of 20-60x
• ​Objective lens size of 80mm
• Bak-4 prism
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Celestron 52322 Landscout 12-36x60 Spotting Scope - AngledCelestron 52322 Landscout 12-36x60 Spotting Scope - Angled• Magnification of 12-36x
• Objective lens diameter of 60mm
• Affordable
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Celestron Hummingbird 9-27x56 Spotting Scope - AngledCelestron Hummingbird 9-27x56 Spotting Scope - Angled• Magnification of 9-27x
• ​Objective lens diameter of 56mm
• Lightweight design
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Celestron C5 50x127mm Spotting Scope - AngledCelestron C5 50x127mm Spotting Scope - Angled• Magnification of 50x
• ​Accurate lens size of 127mm
• Impressive image quality
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The scopes in the Celestron collection do not all have the same quality; some possess a higher quality, value, and style. Here are some of the Celestron scopes that stand out in several factors:

1. Celestron 52250 Ultima Spotting Scope 20-60x80mm – Angled

Celestron 52250 Ultima Spotting Scope 20-60x80mm - Angled
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This angled Celestron Ultima spotting scope has a 20-60x magnification range. The magnification range of this scope quickly covers distances from 100 to 500 yards. The objective lens of 80mm makes the 60x magnification even better, producing clear and crisp images. The large objective lens may make the scope a little bulky and heavy.

Celestron 52250 Ultima Spotting Scope 20-60x80mm - Angled review

It weighs 56.96 ounces and is 18 inches long. The weight is aided by the design, material used, features, and the large objective lens. Its waterproof body is padded with a soft case to protect the scope from potential damage from falls.

It uses a crown and flint achromatic lens that produces slight chromatic aberration at the highest magnification. With just a few knobs turns, you can get a focus range of 27 feet. You can remove the rubber eye cup and install a camera.

Picture of Celestron 52250 Ultima Spotting Scope 20-60x80mm - Angled taken by me while my friend is testing it

You can also fold the eye cup and keep using your glasses while seeing up to a 2° field of view at the lowest magnification.

The lens in this Ultima scope is multi-coated with several layers to reduce glare and increase light transmission. Thus producing crisp images even at 60x magnification. The Bak-4 prism glass used here is of fantastic quality, helping the optical quality of this Ultima scope.

Picture of Celestron 52250 Ultima Spotting Scope 20-60x80mm - Angled taken by me while my friend is testing it

There is no-fault guarantee covering this scope to ensure you can get the desired help you need when you need it. This warranty is for as long as you own it. You only need to ship the defective product to Celestron at your cost, send a copy of the invoice, and pay the handling fee.

Pros:

  • Magnification range of 20-60x
  • Objective lens diameter of 80mm
  • Bak-4 prism
  • No fault guarantee
  • Good warranty
  • 27° focus range

Cons:

  • Bulky and heavy
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2. Celestron 52322 Landscout 12-36×60 Spotting Scope – Angled

Celestron 52322 Landscout 12-36x60 Spotting Scope - Angled
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Celestron Landscout spotting scope with magnification of 12 to 36x covering medium to long distances to significant effect. The range is similar to long-range rifle scope levels, but its 60mm objective lens gives it room to shine.

Celestron 52322 Landscout 12-36x60 Spotting Scope - Angled in my hand

With an objective lens size of 60mm for power levels under 40x, you’ll get impressive optical quality when all other factors align.

One of such factors is optics. The low magnification range covers the minor objective lens, so enough light still enters the scope and brightens images formed. It uses a roof prism to turn the image upright after passing through the bak-7 objective lens glass.

Celestron 52322 Landscout 12-36x60 Spotting Scope - Angled unboxing setup by me

Usually, bak-7 glasses are lower quality than bak-4 and are found in cheaper models.

The glasses are fully coated, with some having anti-reflective coatings to prevent light from going the wrong way and reducing vision. Celestron does not mention the coatings they use for this prism, nor does they market it as such, so you can assume it does not use these special coatings, considering that this is a budget scope.

This angled piece is not heavy, thanks to its low power level and objective lens. Angled scopes are easy to share among people of different heights, and easy to use smaller tabletop tripod stands like the one that are included in this package.

This is because you do not need to match it to your eye line. The spotting scope is extremely lightweight at 18.1 ounces and is only 10.75 inches long.

Celestron 52322 Landscout 12-36x60 Spotting Scope - Angled features

The scope has rubber armor covering parts of the body that serves as secure grip surfaces and protection if it falls. It sports a sunshade with the lens positioned deep into the barrel. It is not adjustable. Its body is sealed and water-resistant to keep water, dust, and fog out of it.

It comes with a carry case, table tripod, lens covers, eyepiece cover, lens cloth, and owner’s manual. It offers a full lifetime warranty for any features that damage due to normal wear and tear.

Pros:

  • Magnification of 12-36x
  • The objective lens of 60mm
  • Lightweight design
  • Affordable
  • Rotatable tripod mount
  • Wide field of view

Cons:

  • It lacks a fold-up eyecup
  • It is not entirely waterproof
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Also Read About: 5 Best Barska Spotting Scope to Buy in 2022

3. Celestron Hummingbird 9-27×56 Spotting Scope – Angled

Celestron Hummingbird 9-27x56 Spotting Scope - Angled
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It is evident from the hummingbird series that this scope is a birder-friendly spotting scope. Its angled eyepiece makes it even easier to view above the eye line. It comes with a low magnification range of 9-27x, like a regular rifle scope covering medium to long distances. However, its objective lens of 56 mm is nothing regular.

Celestron Hummingbird 9-27x56 Spotting Scope - Angled feild testing

And this is why the spotting scope differs from normal scopes.

The fully multi-coated glasses offer you a high level of light transmission, anti-reflection, and extra durability levels. Its extra-low dispersion glass reduces chromatic aberration.

Celestron Hummingbird 9-27x56 Spotting Scope - Angled features

The helical focus dial is located centrally, helping you to reach it and dial in your adjustments quickly. It has an eye relief of 15mm and a field of view of 216-98 feet at 1000yards for 9x and 27x, respectively.

The scope is highly compact and lightweight, which is excellent for people looking for a scope they can easily carry around in the range or field. It is 11 inches long and weighs 22.88 ounces. Its impressive build has a sealed body filled with nitrogen to make it waterproof and fog proof.

Picture of Celestron Hummingbird 9-27x56 Spotting Scope - Angled taken while i was setting it for test

This way, you can use the scope in wet conditions without damage. It has a polycarbonate body with rubber armor for extra protection.

It has several carry cases, including the shoulder strap, waist strap, and large carry case. All these so you can see the most comfortable option for you. The eyepiece lens cap is loose and can fall off, especially when put in the pocket.

Pros:

  • Magnification of 9-27x
  • Objective lens size of 56mm
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Fully multi-coated lenses
  • Fog proof, waterproof, and shockproof
  • Easily adjustable helical focus dial
  • ED glass

Cons:

  • Loose eyepiece lens cap
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4. Celestron C5 50x127mm Spotting Scope – Angled

Celestron C5 50x127mm Spotting Scope - Angled
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The Celestron C5 scope is unique, with a fixed magnification of 50x covering a long but limited distance. Its objective lens size of 127mm is unbelievable, giving you so much optical clarity for even low light conditions. Huge objective lenses allow the most light and ensure you get enough to produce crisp images.

picture of my friend feild testing the Celestron C5 50x127mm Spotting Scope - Angled

It uses a 25mm eyepiece that produces 50x magnification. The 5″ Schmidt-Cassegrain optical design ensures you get exceptional visual quality. At 96 ounces heavy and 11 inches long, it represents a compact scope considering its use and the vast objective lens.

Its near-focus of 20ft means you can view smaller targets like insects and animals, while its substantial objective lens helps you enjoy bird watching, sky gazing, and other long-distance activities.

Celestron C5 50x127mm Spotting Scope - Angled unboxing

The Star right XLT coating on the objective lens ensures a 97% light transmission through the tube, enhancing its already impressive optical quality reputation. You can also change the eyepiece to an astronomy eyepiece.

It has an eye relief of 22mm and a field of view of 52 feet when used with the eyepiece included in the pack.

There are many options available in this pack, including a 25mm eyepiece, a soft-sided case, objective cover, cleaning cloth, 6x30mm erect image finderscope, 25° vertical image diagonal, and the owner’s manual. The subject location gets relatively easy with the 6x30mm erect image finder scope attached at the center of the chassis at 45° with a bracket.

Pros:

  • Fixed magnification of 50x
  • Large objective lens diameter of 127mm
  • Several helpful accessories
  • 6x30mm erect image finder scope attached for easy subject locator
  • Excellent light gathering ability
  • Impressive image quality

Cons:

  • Fixed magnification of 50x
  • Large objective lens diameter of 127mm
  • Several helpful accessories
  • 6x30mm erect image finder scope attached for easy subject locator
  • Excellent light gathering ability
  • Impressive image quality
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Read More: 4 Best Leupold Spotting Scope to Buy in 2022

How to Select Celestron Spotting Scope – Buyer’s Guide

If you want to select from the available Celestron spotting scopes, you’ll need a guide to show you what to do. Here’s that guide with factors to consider.

Angled or Straight?

Angled or straight?
Image source: binomania.it

Seeing that Celestron optics is focused on producing terrestrial spotting scopes, you’ll find its angled eyepieces more. Most of its uses are bird watchers, sky gazers, and astronomy lovers. This does not mean other ground-level users do not use this scope. You should consider which side you fall into and select accordingly.

Angled scopes do well when looking upwards and by different people, as it is easy to view. Straight eyepieces allow you to place your eyes closer to the eyepiece, but make sharing the scope complex as you’ll need to keep adjusting the tripod’s height.

Distance

Distance
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The distance you’ll be able to see using your Celestron spotting scope depends on the magnification. Choosing a high magnification scope will allow you to see father than selecting a scope with a lower power range. Other factors will determine the level of clarity at this distance.

Optical Clarity

Optical clarity
Image source: amazon.com

If you want to get clear vision even when looking at far-away targets, you’ll need to select a Celestron scope with superior optical qualities starting from the size of the objective lens. The larger the objective lens, the better the image it can produce.

The type of glass and the quality of coatings used on them also affect the optical quality of the scope.

Price

Check out the price of the Celestron scope and consider your budget. There are different scopes available with varying price ranges. Your budget will determine what you can get with higher-end scope naturally commanding higher prices.

FAQ’s For Celestron Spotting Scope

Q1. Where are Celestron spotting scopes made?

Ans. Although this optics brand is headquartered in California, USA, its spotting scopes are made in Taiwan. However, this does not mean lower quality as most optics brands make their scopes outside the USA.

Q2. Can you take pictures with your Celestron spotting scope?

Ans. It was US Owned from its inception till 2005, when it was sold to SW Technology Corporation. This is a Delaware company and an affiliate of Synta Technology Corporation of Taiwan. It is no longer US owned.

Q3. Can you take pictures with your Celestron spotting scope?

Ans. You can take pictures by connecting your smartphone to the eyepiece and adjusting the knobs.

Summary

Celestron optics may have undergone some tough times in the past, but its quality has never been doubted, especially for spotting scopes and binoculars. This one-stop-shop guide has never been easier to select a suitable spotting scope among the different Celestron scopes.

About Author

James Towndrow, a NRA-certified Firearms Instructor. During a career of 18 years had won several shooting competition including major leagues. Taking all those experience down the road, is now a successful Shooting Instructor in Texas, US.