Celestron 71213 UpClose G2 10 x 25 Monocular, Black

I just wanted a monocular which gave enough magnification to be useful and had a nice product quality.This exceeded my expectations and I was delighted when I took it out of its box as just felt more robust than I expected.It has a nice rubberized finish and the focus ring turns with a nice pressure which is not too easy and not too hard to turn.What I like best is the size of the lens on the eye piece. Other monocular eye lens are smaller and for me give that limiting black circle effect, this monocular does not have that problem as the les is a bit bigger and so gives a really nice easy viewing experience.I have a pair of Celestron binoculars too and as a brand cant fault them for value for money.I like to rate the things I buy as would I give this to someone else as a gift? There are a few things which I think ever man/Dad would be delighted with, Leatherman are a good example, Maglite's are another. I will add this monocular to the list, a simple but great performing gadget which for the price is a great surprise.

Viewfinder is generally clear but could be better in field of view.Functionality has good focus adjustment and easy to use.Nice and small and generally durable and good build quality.

This is a good quality inexpensive monocular. It weighs in at 120 gm (4.2 oz.) with the case. The optics give a pleasingly sharp view, and it has just enough magnification pull in detail on distant objects, while not being too shaky. There is little or no noticeable distortion or chromatic aberration. The body is rubberized so it is easy to hold and feels sturdy. The focus is quite sensitive, and it is worth the effort to dial-in proper focus. It fits nicely in the hip-belt pocket on my pack. It's not top-of-the-line, but I give it 5 stars for value.

I bought this as a lightweight, compact optic to take out on photo trips or hikes. For the price, it performs decently. In dim light, the image is rather poor and cloudy, but out in bright sunlight, it's not bad. However, it's biggest failing was that pointing it anywhere the sky was bright yielded a lot of flare, so much that it was like looking through a fog. If the sun is behind you, OK. In front of you, forget it. I thought the coating would be more effective, but it wasn't. I was quite disappointed. Good thing it was cheap, because I kinda relegated it to the desk drawer, to be brought out when I wanted to look at something outside the window.

Updated Review:After owning and using the Upclose for a couple weeks I am not so happy with it. Yes, you can see closer but there is a major issue of fogging. Can not get a clear image unless I look off center in the eye piece and tilt the monocular up just a bit. Have to hold it just right to see a clear image. Upclose will go into my kayak bag with stuff I don't care about if it gets damaged.I need to find a better small monocular! I really wanted to like this thing but Upclose did not do it for me.Original Review:I recently returned a different monocular, "Monocular Telescope 12X50 Outdoor Telescope ... By hd360pro." Cost of that monocular is three times cost of Upclose, weight and diameter is about two times Upclose, but performance is about half of Upclose. Even though the other claims 12x50, what I observed with the Upclose was just as bright and appeared to have more magnification. The 12x50 does have a wider field of view.The Upclose is very light and easy to carry, though the case is worthless to me as my hiking belt is 2 inches wide. The case is not all that good anyway, the way the velcro is aligned does not hold the cover down tight leaving a loop at the top of the monocular and the belt loop does not look like it will last long. No lens caps is a down side but this thing is inexpensive, if it is lost or damaged it will not be a great expense to replace. I have it in a case on my belt similar to what it came with and it is available to use in an instant.I have only used it one day, but in varying conditions from bright to after sunset. It performed to my satisfaction. Keep in mind this thing is cheap, of course it will not compare well to high quality products. But for ease of use, quality of view compared to price, this device is a good buy for casual use.