REVIEW

Large objective lenses and 10x magnification help this affordable piece of kit appeal to anyone wanting to start stargazing

Reviewed by Jamie Carter

How much should you pay for a binocular? Though some of the best binoculars go for low H prices, you would do well to find many astronomy-centric binoculars as affordable as the Celestron UpClose G2 10x50. And there are plenty of reasons why binoculars with the exact specifications of the UpClose G2 10x50 are just what the budding amateur astronomer needs.

All binoculars are a balance between magnification, or power, and aperture – the amount of light they collect. The Celestron UpClose G2 10x50 boasts 10x magnification, which is just about perfect for a wide field of view of the night sky, while the 50mm diameter objective lenses let in enough light at night. Whether they actually deliver on those theoretical advantages is down to the optical design, which in the Celestron UpClose G2 10x50 consists of a Porro prism – wide with tapered barrels – as opposed to a roof prism, which are H-shaped with narrow barrels. Porro prisms are generally favoured for astronomy because they’re simpler optical systems and are more affordable. That’s the case with the UpClose G2, which boasts such a low price that it could be an option for astronomy groups and star parties as an affordable and dependable binocular for long-term use. However, since the build quality is best described as basic, we’re not convinced the Celestron UpClose G2 10x50 will last as long as pricier options.