Binoculars are a wonderful way to observe nature and wildlife from a distance, but quality optics are often quite expensive. We’ve tested a number of Celestron binoculars recently, and we were impressed with the Celestron Nature DX ED 10×42 variant in our group test. Excellent optics for the price, and the 8×42 variant is on offer in this Black Friday deal at Amazon.
Get the Celestron Nature DX ED 8×42 for $166 at Amazon right now.
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The 8x magnification is referred to as the ‘sweet spot’ for birdwatching, giving enough magnification to observe details without the views becoming shaky. Plus, they’re waterproof and fogproof to keep you going in bad weather. We named the Regal ED range as the best budget binoculars for bird-watching, but if you can’t stretch your budget, the Nature DX ED are fantastic value for money.
Although they aren’t considered the best binoculars for stargazing, they’ll be perfectly suitable for getting a closer look at constellations on a dark night. You’ll get decent views of the moon, but for deep-sky objects, you’ll want at least 10x or 12x.
Key features: 8x magnification, 42mm objective lens diameter, waterproof and fogproof, 17.8mm eye relief, linear field of view 393 ft (129 m) at 1000 yards/m, phase-coated prisms.
Price history: They were around $15 cheaper at the start of the year, but otherwise, this is the cheapest we’ve seen them.
Price comparison: Amazon: $166.19 | Walmart: $216.97 | BHPhoto: $195.49
Reviews consensus: Excellent value for money, these binoculars offer good quality optics and good construction for a very reasonable price. The ED glass eliminates chromatic aberration, making it fantastic for beginner birders.
✅ Buy it if: You’re buying your first pair of binoculars, but don’t want to skimp on quality.
❌ Don’t buy it if: You want edge-to-edge sharpness or image stabilization.
Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors and much more.
