The binoculars are made by Celestron, however, it is not meant to specialize in astronomy. In general, this Celestron 71370 8×42 Granite binoculars are considered by a very affordable price (around $350) but the performance is expected to be high level. Besides good attributes for optics, this Celestron Granites is compact and bringing-friendly compared to other 8×42 binoculars. Sound like a good terrestrial binocular from Celestron? No more rambling, let’s get into deeper details to these Celestron binoculars reviews.
Technical specification of Celestron 8×42 Granite binoculars
| Technical aspects | Celestron 71370 8×42 Granite binoculars | Celestron 71374 10×50 Granite binoculars |
| Magnification | 8x | 10x |
| Objective diameter | 42 mm | 50 mm |
| Field of view | 426 ft | 342 ft |
| Close focus distance | 6.56 ft | 9.8 ft |
| Exit pupil | 5.25 mm | 5 mm |
| Twilight factor | 18.33 | 18.33 |
| Eye relief | 17 mm | 17 mm |
| Lens coated | Fully multi-coated | Fully multi-coated |
| Prism glass | BAK-4 | BAK-4 |
| Glass type | ED | ED |
| Weight | 23.9 oz | 28.3 oz |
| Dimension | 5.6 x 4.9 x 2 (inch) | 6.6 x 5.2 x 2.4 (inch) |
| Waterproof | Yes | Yes |
| Nitrogen filled | Yes | Yes |
| Tripod adaptable | Yes | Yes |
Above is information gathered from Celestron website for 10×50 vs 8×42 for Celestron Granite binoculars. In this article, we would focus mainly on the 8×42 model.
Celestron Granite 8×42 binoculars: Pros vs cons
Pros:
Field of view
The most obvious advantageous characteristics of this Celestron 71370 is the field of view. The far watching ability of this Celestron Granite 8×42 is 426 feet, among the top range of the binocular world. If you’re searching for Swarovski EL 8×42 (which is more than 10 times expensive), it is 411 feet.
Close focus range
The close focus distance of this Celestron Granite 8×42 is 6.56 feet. It is closely the same as of Vortex Viper HD 8×42, which is more than $300 expensive. In general, it is comfortable to have such observations like flowers watching, insects watching might be a little bit tougher, but still somehow acceptable.
Optics quality
First feature that makes Celestron Granite even more valuable than other high tier binoculars is the fully-multi coated lenses. This results in great quality of light transmission. In reality, you would experience a bright watching image with this Celestron Granite.
Combining with a high quality BAK-4 prism, the consequence would not only be bright, but also clear and in good shape. The wonderful experience is also featured with phase correction, which brings sharpness.
These binoculars are made with ED glasses. Therefore, the Celestron Granite ED 8×42 is specialized in reducing chromatic aberration. In fact, as what we observed, chromatic aberration still appeared. But that is the tiny bit amount that is realizable only on rare occasions.
Last but not least, the color is neutral enough to bring correct experience.
Users would witness a little soft blur at the edge of the viewing area. To us, it is not annoying enough because it doesn’t show a significant difference with the area inside, which is quite smooth actually. So it is still on the advantage side somehow. But this is something to consider if you’re strict in demand because it is recognizable.
Low-light performance
In theory, with the exit pupil of 5.25 mm and the twilight factor of 18.3, the Celestron Granite 8×42 should perform well in low-light conditions. In our trial, the performance is decent on cloudy days, enough to satisfy the trip.
Eye relief
The eye relief is 17mm, which is comfortable for eyeglasses wearers.
Weight and dimension
The Celestron Granite 8×42 binoculars are quite lightweight, compared to the Nikon Monarch 7 ATB 8×42 (23oz), it is just a slightly bit heavier. This ED Granite is light enough to give you comfortability while holding the binoculars and bringing in a pack of luggages as well.
Also compared to Nikon Monarch 7 ATB 8×42, the ED Granite is slightly smaller in terms of size. The compactness of Celestron Granite ED 8×42 would be convenient for holding in your palm.
Build quality
The body of Celestron Granite ED 8×42 is made from magnesium, we can feel the good quality of it. These Celestron Granite binoculars are rubber-armored. To our personal experience, the rubber armor is thick enough to give a strong feeling that it’s going to last for a very long while.
Although this Celestron Granite is plainly covered by rubber, it is still grippy enough to be steady in your palm during wet conditions. The binoculars are waterproof and nitrogen-filled, therefore, it is more likely to survive through bad weather days. Plus, the material is lead and arsenic free, so it is eco-friendly.
Focusing system
In general, the focusing system is good. We will point out some considerable features that would cause concern later.
The focussing wheel is large and reachable. It is covered by rubber, unlike other cheap plastic covers of many binoculars in the market. The experience of turning the focus wheel is also smooth and pleasing. The focus is sharp enough to give good viewing experience.
Tripod adaptable
This may not be a too important benefit as the binoculars are lightweight so that you would feel little effort holding in the hand. But yes, it is tripod adaptable.
Cons
- The speed of focus when switching from near to far (or vice versa) may not be as quick as binoculars that take less amount of turning (the wheel).
- Softening might be a problem. Unlike other Celestron binoculars review, we don’t feel too much inconvenience with this (but it is still visible). However, it is worth considering if you don’t like that experience. This is also somehow the additional value between affordable options and high tier products.
Recommending uses for Celestron Granite 8×42 binoculars
High optics quality, compact and ergonomic, durable, this Celestron Granite 8×42 owns nearly all advantages for outdoor watching.
Ideally, the binocular is just great for bird watching and hunting. We don’t think this Celestron Granite is not as good as other hunting binoculars at all. With the ED glass, contrast is amazing, which is a favor when choosing hunting binoculars.
Any other use for safari, sightseeing with this Celestron Granite would be awesome, too.
For insects watching, it is good for occasional or pop-up cases. However, we would recommend choosing other binoculars that have better close focus distance.
For marine uses, we don’t think so.
The verdict
It is simple, we totally recommend this Celestron Granite 8×42 for casual purposes of outdoor observing like bird watching, hunting, safari, travelling,… With affordable price, this would bring better performance and construction than you would expect.
Although this binocular is good in many circumstances, we still think finding another better product for professional use is considerable.