Celestron – Nature DX 8×42 Binoculars – Outdoor and Birding Binocular

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Featuring fully multi-coated optics and BaK-4 prisms, the Nature DX 8×42 provides bright and clear images with excellent color rendition and contrast. The 8x magnification and 42mm objective lens diameter deliver a wide field of view, making it easier to spot and track your subject. With a close focus of just 6.5 feet, you can get up close and personal with even the smallest details.

Designed with the outdoors in mind, these binoculars are both fog-proof and waterproof, making them ideal for use in any weather conditions. The rubber armored housing provides a secure and comfortable grip, even in wet or slippery conditions.

The Celestron Nature DX 8×42 Binoculars are also incredibly versatile, making them suitable for a wide range of activities. Whether you’re watching birds in your backyard, exploring a new hiking trail, or attending a sporting event, these binoculars are the perfect choice.

With its exceptional performance, rugged construction, and versatile design, the Celestron Nature DX 8×42 Binoculars are a top pick for anyone looking for high-quality optics for outdoor and birding adventures.

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Elizabeth Crane

10 reviews for Celestron – Nature DX 8×42 Binoculars – Outdoor and Birding Binocular

  1. Jay S

    Finally found what I was looking for! Love the Nature DX 8×42!These have turned out to be my favorite pair of binoculars. The view is really nice, they fit very well into my hands, the focus is buttery smooth, and they seem really well made.I was on the search for the best 8×42 I could find in my price range for bird watching and nature viewing, and in the process I’ve tried quite a few different brands/models. I did tons of research, reading every review, test, and recommendation I could find. My budget was up to $400, but I still tried more expensive binoculars just to have a good basis for comparison. The above-budget binoculars I tried were Vortex Viper, Vortex Razor, and Zeiss Conquest HD. Again, those were just for comparison and “benchmarking”. These were tried in a store only, but it was a large store with many bright and also shadowed areas… plus lots of “stuffed” wildlife mounted high on the walls (deer, etc.).The following binoculars were compared outdoors, I had each pair of these for one to two weeks, so I had time to do very thorough comparisons in many different lighting situations. Included were: Vanguard Spirit ED, Olympus Magellan EXWP I, Carson HD, Celestron TrailSeeker, and Atlas Intrepid ED. I also had/have some other sizes for comparison… Sightron Blue Sky II, 8×32 Alpen Apex 8×32, Alpen Shasta Ridge 10×42, Atlas Intrepid ED 7×36, and Kenko UltraView 10×42.I have used many other pairs of binoculars for my other hobby, stargazing. Many of you already know that stargazing is very demanding on binoculars in terms of brightness, edge distortion, and resolution. I only mention this to show a bit more of my background, as some binoculars that are great for astronomy aren’t the best for daytime… and vice-versa. These 8×42’s were going to be strictly daytime use for me, so only casual testing at night was performed to get a better idea of resolution, brightness, and edge performance.Ok, one of the BIG things I learned from all of this is that YOU have to try any prospective binoculars yourself. Just because an expert reviewer says a certain pair are fantastic doesn’t mean they’ll be fantastic for you. Everyone’s eyes, face shape (which can affect required eye relief), priorities, etc. are different. The other big thing, for me anyways, is that resolution is king. It doesn’t matter how great the edge performance is, or how bright the binocular is, or how much depth of field there is if what you’re viewing won’t come into sharp focus. I thought my Olympus Magellans were sharp and was totally happy with them, but after experiencing a bit more sharpness I can hardly stand using them. Those are considered really nice binoculars, especially in their “day”. Now, saying that, the Celestron Nature DX were not the sharpest binoculars I tested when performing strictly resolution testing (using fine print, barcodes, etc. at close and far distances). They were very close compared to the sharpest of the group, though, and I doubt most people would notice any difference. However, in real usage, they’re as sharp as any of the others and I couldn’t notice a difference at all.To cut to the chase, the Nature DX’s were the only binoculars that really made me smile every time I used them. My eyes just seemed to effortlessly relax into the image. I would take several binoculars into the field at the same time, viewing everything from birds to pinecones, to clouds, to airplanes, to people. Each time, when I looked through the Nature DX’s, I found myself actually enjoying the image, instead of just focusing on how well it looked from an analytical perspective. Every other binocular I spent the whole time adjusting focus and diopter settings, trying to get that little bit more of “great” view. Then I’d try the Nature DX’s again… and again I’d sink into the image, being amazed by that Acorn Woodpecker and actually intently watching what he was doing, forgetting that I was testing all these different binoculars. THAT is what a great pair of binoculars for YOU will do… you’ll feel like you’re actually there, instead of just viewing from afar. Solely scientific testing won’t determine the best for you. Like I mentioned, at first I wanted a bit more resolution, but found that in real world use they had just as much resolution as any of the others, even the ED models. They do everything very well, it just all comes together with these. Plus you can’t beat the price. I was happily willing to spend the full $400 of my budget if I needed to, and to be quite honest if these were $400 I would’ve paid it, I absolutely love them. To top it off, they’re very compact and lightweight, about the size of most other 8×32’s. I’d buy another pair in a heartbeat if mine were ever lost.Just for your info, I’m really happy with my Alpen Shasta Ridge 10×42. Fantastic resolution, great feel, and a great price (got them on sale for $99). Close runner ups for me after all this testing were the Atlas Intrepid ED 8×42 (very nice view and resolution, just a tad too long for me, plus I’ve found out I like the top hinge vs. the Atlas’ open hinge design), the Atlas Intrepid ED 7×36, and the Celestron TrailSeeker (which are very close to the Nature DX… a tad bit sharper, but my eyes didn’t sink into the image as much as they did with the Nature DX).So, out of all of the ones I tested, the Nature DX 8×42 and the Alpen 10×42 are the ones I kept… not because of their lower prices, but because they were the ones that I really enjoyed using.I hope this helps some of you!

  2. AlumCreek

    8×42 – 80yr old parents love so I bought 1 for my family of 5. Wt = 2 pop canTL:DR – 8×42 NatureDX. Some eyeglasses wearers can use without glasses on(!). Loved & fit 80yr old to 9yr old. Weight = two 12oz cans. Fast adjustments. Great optics. Excellent value. Daughter, with glasses off, rates them 10 out of 10 (Adjust them for “wow”). Paid $115. Awesome.My parents are in their 80’s and their ~1972 Tasco/Kmart 7×35 binoculars they used finally gave out. So I researched binoculars that were a similar weight as those (or less preferably) that they could use for backyard animal watching. These seemed perfect and for $115, I felt were a very fair price. I had these shipped to my parents and they absolutely raved about them. The image quality is light years ahead of what they had before and the weight is just right. They were so impressed I order a pair for my family of five the next week. We love them too.I love high end optics but only had a cheap pair of house binoculars for my own family (ie if the kids break them I don’t care). But that pair drives me nuts because the quality is just terrible. So I was very interested in getting a better pair.Wow.These do not disappoint.These are much better than I would expect for $115. They comfortably, and quickly, adjust from my smallest kids (9yrs) eyes to mine. Our old kinky binoculars the kids had always mentioned about black spots appearing, it had to do with the difficulty in easily adjusting the settings.My 9yr old was the first to dial in the Nature DX 8×42. He was looking out the back window at birds commenting “Nature is cool”. So I pulled out the binoculars and suggest getting them setup for him. So I had him:* Turned out eyecups* Adjusted for pupil distance* Covered right lens* Focused using left eye* Covered left lens* Adjusted right eye piece diopter* Removed left lens coverHe then:* Literally exclaimed “Wow!! Dad this Is awesome”.When my daughter set them up I suggested she could try them without eyeglasses on (which she always has to wear). It took a little to get the pupil distance set but after she did she dialed in the focus, then the diopter. When she was done and took the right eye cup off and looked through them and was silent for a few seconds. I thought there must be something wrong and asked. She never took her eyes from them and just whispered:“This is incredible!”Then more excitedly “It is so sharp it almost hurts my eyes”. “Dad if you are still writing that review please say I give this a 10 out of 10”.My experience with using them with a very strong prescription for eye glasses.When I dialed them in for myself they were great. But I have a strong prescription (20/400) compounded by permanent double vision. So I decided to try to see just how far these binoculars could be pushed. I took off my thick glasses and turned out the eyecups. I closed my right eye and adjusted the focus. By turning it fully counter clockwise I was on the cusp of things being in focus. I closed my left eye and adjust the right diopter. I was genuinely surprised, actually shocked, that I was able able to get quite a sharp image.Combined with the comfort of not having to wear glasses while looking through the binoculars and the relative sharpness I can see myself using these binoculars like this. Just for the joy of being able to use something without glasses. The *very slight* trade off in edge to edge sharpness (no default of the optics, that is 100% my eyes) is nothing compared to the relief of not having to wear glasses looking through something.My opinion is that if you have a light to medium prescription you should be able to easily & quickly dial these in to use without your glasses. But even if you choose to wear glasses while using them, the image is fantastic.The only thing I would like to see (but find it unlikely at this price point) for a family focused set of binoculars is engraved numbers of the focus wheel, diopter, pupil distance. Then in one of the caps have a place where family members can jot their numbers down so if passing them back and forth one could easily have it quickly dialed in for the next user.

  3. Amazon Customer

    Clear view!I bought these for my 9 year old grandson. He wants to start hunting this year when he will be old enough to get his first hunting licence at 10 years old. He will begin his training and get his safety certification before too long. I wanted him to have a nice pair of binoculars to start scouting and glassing for animals and get used to how to use them. These are really nice. So much better than I expected. They are of high quality but don’t break the bank. For his first pair of real binoculars I didn’t want to spend hundreds but I wanted them to be good. We are very happy. He was able to use these with ease and he spotted a bird right away. Very satisfied with this purchase!

  4. shp123

    Excellent!So happy I picked these binos up while they were on sale for 85$. What an excellent buy! They feel very good in the hand, are simple to manipulate and the image is really good. I am going to love bird-watching with these during the upcoming migration season!

  5. Teresa

    Best birding binocularsI have several pairs of binoculars, in a variety of sizes. These are my favorites as the give the best clarity and magnification. Love them.

  6. Zebco201

    FabulousTaken on a recent safari trip in Kenya, these were great. Clear, easy to focus, easy to carry. They made my fabulous trip even more enjoyable.

  7. Ilana D.

    Great valueExcellent binoculars for the price. These are now my go-to binoculars ti recommend fir new or occasional birders. Good viewing quality, sturdy, easy to pack for a trip.

  8. Slimbo8119

    Well done Celestron! Read on and thank me later 😆 After reading some of the reviews, I was like I have to buy this pair and review it. Read the entire review before watching the video. The footage trough a phone never do the optics justice especially in a very cloudy day.A bit of background, I am an optics freak who tested and owned more than twenty pairs of binoculars, to name some of the brands Bushnell, Vortex, Nikon, Minox and Steiner all ranging from £300 to about £500Here is what I look for in a pair of binoculars to pass my test for birding purpose.Good FOVReasonable edge to edge sharpnessNeutral colour renditionGood Eye reliefSharpness in the centre and well controlled chromatic aberration.Absence of lens flare, reflection and ghostingGood barrels alignmentGood ergonomicNow testing binoculars under different light conditions will ultimately provide an overall score of the image quality but for this review my test was under a bright sunny and slightly hazy spring day.First time handling the Celestron, it was nice surprise, they felt compact and rather easy to handle with one hand. I do like the design and the green rubber armour. Looking through them was a breeze, eye relief was excellent and alignement or the barrels is spot on. There was no overlapping or the need to readjust my eyes. The view is totally relaxed, immersive and almost with a 3D feel that you get in Porro prism. So far two major areas passed with flying colours. At this point I am slightly annoyed since my benchmark binocular that cost 3 times the price has one issue and that is having to readjust my eye positioning. Let’s moving on! Image quality is where I am very demanding, the first thing I noticed colour pallet packs a punch, leaning toward warmth which surprisingly I found it to be rather nice to have popping colours coming from my neutral benchmark binocular. Sharpness test, a binocular is worth nothing if it cannot precisely focus to pick out details. Well, let me tell you this pair is a bad boy when it comes to center image sharpness, I was actually picking out fine details on leaves about 20 meters away, quite simply gob smacking at this price point. The field of view was decent and never felt narrow, it’s not a 8° + but better than some 8×42 double the price. The sharpness across the FOV start to soften from about 75% from the centre, this acceptable at this price point and who cares really since most people would be glassing in the centre of the image!CA is well controlled with a small hint in the centre but overall really well suppressed.In my test there was no flaring and straight light from the sun was nicely controlled. This is an area where most entry level binoculars fails miserably and makes the binocular almost unusable.The only thing that was clearly apparent between the Celestron and my 8×42 Opticron Natura ED is the brightness of the image. The Celestron has really punchy colours but lacked the luminosity that my Opticron provides. Despite the Celestron had a less brightness the image remained vibrant and I could still make out the same details. I would still consider it just because how well it executes other areas like the immersive view and sharpness. My Opticron delivers outstanding light transmission & colour fidelity that matches the Zeiss conquest HD. If you have a budget of £100 go with Celestron and you would be very happy but if you want top quality glass without breaking the bank, I suggest you take a look through Opticron.If you have nothing to compare the Celestron to ie a £600 pair of binocular these would surprise you by their sharpness and lovely vibrant colours.Btw I test binoculars side by side before purchasing and I when purchased my Natura ED I put it up against Vanguard Ed II, Nikon HG and Zeiss Terra ED

  9. David Snoddy

    EXCELLENT Value for Money, a really lovely pair of binoculars12month review – Bought these for my young son as his first pair of decent quality binoculars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDSHORT SUMMARY – seriously, just buy them, used these for a year and they are super. These are lightweight, really good quality optical images with very adaptable use cases from bird watching to astronomy. My sons has a very high opinion of these binoculars. He loves them. Excellent Value for Money for a super opticBIT MORE INFO – PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONExcellent quality of view for the price – there is zero noticeably photochromic aberration in any situation, the exit pupil is great for low light situations.Eye Relief, I wear glasses and eye relief is perfect using with them fitted. Obviously, at night I use them without glasses and the eye relief is easy to change between them with 3 firm twist positionsLight weight – easy to handle for long periods of time with no shake from heart beat, at about 600g perfect weight to take on a hike.Comfort of Use, nice position of indents in the bridge moulding and not at all slippery. Feel really nice to holdFocusing – the focus movement is easy to move and fast to adjustCovers, easy to use, offer good protection. Easy to flick them off with your little pinkie finger when you spot something to investigateUSE CASESBirdwatching, very adaptable being light and easy to focus so very easy to keep up with moving targets, often using in low light and image is still really decent as they have good exit pupil 42/8 = >5mmAstronomy – great for a quick star gaze, light enough to not have heart beat twitching you get with heavier binoculars, yet they do catch a lot of light so easy to see clearly, likes of the Beehive, Andromeda or Orion’s Scabarb.I will repeat, my son has found these a great piece of kit to help learn and enjoy birdwatching or his our way around the night sky.Value for Money – EXCELLENT

  10. Bogmonster

    Good quality bins for a budget price.The 5 stars is based on quality/price ratio. At £90 these are never going to be the best binoculars out there, they are very much budget end bins. I bought these for use by my wife mainly for use on safari. We went for the 8×42 as I felt anything with more magnification would require more stamina to hold steady. Also the 8×42 had a longer eye relief which is important as she wears glasses. I had also read that they fold close together so would be ideal for her small head – they do indeed fold close enough for her – and would also be suitable for many children. She thought they looked big but I think they are quite compact and light for an 8×42.The build quality looks solid enough. The case and strap are not the best but the binoculars themselves (the important bit) looks good. The image is bright and easy to focus. My eyesight isn’t great but to my eyes the image was reasonably sharp to the edges. There was minimal chromatic aberrations. Overall the image was very acceptable for cheap binoculars. There is a mount point for an adaptor for use with a tripod or monopod. I can’t see us using a tripod with them but I think she may benefit using a monopod if she has to hold them for a long time. I already have a monopod so we will dive that a go.I have no idea how well they will stand up over time? Due to my very poor eyesight in one eye I tend to use a monocular but I might borrow these for a bit of birding from time to time.Overall I think these are good value for money at £90. I am not convinced I would pick these if they were at their highest price of £160 as there might be a better option at that price point.

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