Had my first chance this week to give the Celestron Upclose G2 10×25 binoculars a field test. The Upclose G2 range replaced the old Upclose range. Claimed improvements were upgrade from fully coated to multi-coated optics and an improved build quality. There is a slight price increase.
Compared to the old packaging, the latest model comes with more subtle colours , but shows a nice image of the binoculars and all the specs shown
The binoculars come in a standard soft nylon case with the logo showing. First thing you notice with the binoculars is the build quality. Excellent rubber armour which gives you confidence, makes for a solid grip and gives them a big binocular appearance.
First look through them you will notice the short eye relief. So you will need to hold them well up to your eyes. I tested in cloudy conditions, so was pleased to find the colours nice and clear. Maybe not the high contrast of BaK-4 prism binoculars, but the BK7 gave perfectly adequate results for binoculars in this price range.
There were some major plus points though. In the centre of view, there was virtually no CA or Chromatic aberration. There was some false colour on the edges, but well within tolerances. On the subject of the edge of field, there was much less fall of in quality and bending of straight lines than I have seen with many more expensive binoculars. The field was quite flat across the view, which is a major problem with many 20-25mm binoculars.
Eye relief is short, so I would not recommend for spectacle wearers. The rubber armour will give some protection from water penetration in a light short shower, but they are not waterproof. Be aware close focus is around 5m, so may not be suitable for study of insects.
Summing up, I would say these are perfect binoculars if you are looking for a sub £30 compact set for general use
The Celestron Upclose G2 10×25 binoculars can be purchased HERE from Northern Optics