Celestron Regal M2 Spotting Scope 22-67x100mm

I have enjoyed using the Celestron Regal M2 80mm as it has great optics and features, such as the rotating tripod mount, built in lens shade, and nice features on the carrying case/cover. Unfortunately, I have had issues with the focusing knobs becoming difficult to turn. In addition, there are a number of issues with the eyepiece. The Eyecup won’t rotate all the way down and when turning the eyecup it often loosens other parts of the eyepiece. The lock collar often also becomes lose. I really appreciate the eyepiece cover that carefully protects the eyepiece and always use it when transporting my scope in the field. At high power, the image became much darker and much less crisp. I returned the scope as after such a short period of time for an expensive piece of ... MoreI have enjoyed using the Celestron Regal M2 80mm as it has great optics and features, such as the rotating tripod mount, built in lens shade, and nice features on the carrying case/cover. Unfortunately, I have had issues with the focusing knobs becoming difficult to turn. In addition, there are a number of issues with the eyepiece. The Eyecup won’t rotate all the way down and when turning the eyecup it often loosens other parts of the eyepiece. The lock collar often also becomes lose. I really appreciate the eyepiece cover that carefully protects the eyepiece and always use it when transporting my scope in the field. At high power, the image became much darker and much less crisp. I returned the scope as after such a short period of time for an expensive piece of equipment, I should not have been seeing so many issues already. I also returned the Celestron Trailseeker as the equipment literally after a short period of time fell apart. To Celestron's credit, they offered to send me a replacements, but finally I decided I didn't want to get a Celestron product again.

I just received my scope, and so far my first impressions are very positive. Celestron wont let me but I'd maybe rate this 4.5 stars. Pros:I've only tried the scope on an overcast day, and while the view becomes darker when zooming all the way in to 60x (keep in mind that this is a characteristic of all zoom eyepieces that I know of), it was still perfectly usable, thanks to the 80mm objective. The decrease in brightness shouldn't be a problem at all on a sunny day. Lack of sharpness was my biggest concern since I've seen how $2000+ scopes perform, but it actually holds up very well as It's surprisingly sharp even zoomed all the way in to 60x. I can easily make out waterfowl 1km out from shore, even at just 20x zoom. I might update this review once I test it in ... MoreI just received my scope, and so far my first impressions are very positive. Celestron wont let me but I'd maybe rate this 4.5 stars. Pros:I've only tried the scope on an overcast day, and while the view becomes darker when zooming all the way in to 60x (keep in mind that this is a characteristic of all zoom eyepieces that I know of), it was still perfectly usable, thanks to the 80mm objective. The decrease in brightness shouldn't be a problem at all on a sunny day. Lack of sharpness was my biggest concern since I've seen how $2000+ scopes perform, but it actually holds up very well as It's surprisingly sharp even zoomed all the way in to 60x. I can easily make out waterfowl 1km out from shore, even at just 20x zoom. I might update this review once I test it in sunnier conditions and when I get the chance to really put it to the test with further birds. I like the magnesium alloy build, and the included bag/cover is nice and decently padded. Cons:So far, one of the only cons I found are that the field of view is a bit narrow, although not any worse than typical binoculars. Again, this is in comparison with scopes that cost more than 2 grand, which are incredible to look through. The field of view might be improved with a more expensive eyepiece though. The scope takes standard 1.25" astronomical eyepieces so there's probably lots of options out there. While I do like the magnesium alloy build, I do wish the entire scope had a rubber coating rather than just the angled part behind the tripod collar, but this may add to the weight. The included bag also is fairy well padded. Next is that even with the fully multicoated optics and ED lenses, there's still just a tad bit of chromatic aberration, but nothing really distracting or even noticeable in most situations. I wouldn't even really consider this a real con though since it's still just very slight; I'm probably just nitpicking lol. And finally, I find that the focus knob takes way too many turns to change from max to min focus, even when using the coarse focus knob (it has a fine focus knob too, which I like a lot), but I'll probably just be using my binoculars when I need to see something close. As an aside, while I don't think it's fair to call it a con, I was a bit surprised at how big the 80mm model is. It definitely looked smaller in photos and videos, but I guess most scopes I've seen in person just happen to have been smaller 50-70mm scopes. For those who plan on carrying the scope in a backpack rather than keep it on a tripod and resting it on your shoulder like a lot of birders do, I would maybe suggest the 60mm model. This spotting scope is thankfully not too heavy though. Overall, this is a fantastic scope with amazing optical and great build quality for the price.

The Celestron range of scopes are outstanding in both value for money and quality? I'm a bird watcher and spent a lot of my free time sea watching,i've had the Celestron M2 Regal 80ED for just over 3 years,and was very happy with it. I decided to up grade to the 100ED,as I wanted more light/brighter images in poor weather conditions. On the 27th August 2020 I ordered the Celestron Regal M2 100ED scope from Celestron,I was more than happy with the scope. Its a little longer than the 80ED and because of that you get a little more magnificent from the eye piece. Ive used this scope most days when I'm not at work as a Support Worker,and it was not until last week I spotted a area of condensation about the size of a 5p. At first I was not overly worried it cleared very ... MoreThe Celestron range of scopes are outstanding in both value for money and quality? I'm a bird watcher and spent a lot of my free time sea watching,i've had the Celestron M2 Regal 80ED for just over 3 years,and was very happy with it. I decided to up grade to the 100ED,as I wanted more light/brighter images in poor weather conditions. On the 27th August 2020 I ordered the Celestron Regal M2 100ED scope from Celestron,I was more than happy with the scope. Its a little longer than the 80ED and because of that you get a little more magnificent from the eye piece. Ive used this scope most days when I'm not at work as a Support Worker,and it was not until last week I spotted a area of condensation about the size of a 5p. At first I was not overly worried it cleared very quickly,but 2 days ago its there again. Then today I'm sea watching off Deal seafront,its a lovely day sea is calm with blue sky and the odd cloud. But today the whole lens is covered in condensation,which slowly clears leaving two areas of condensation,on the front lenses its meant to be nitrogen purged to stop this,I never had this problem with my 80ED. So on returning home I went onto Celestron,and I can't thank them enough for their quick response. I have a replacement 100ED coming tomorrow,and I'll return the faulty scope on Wednesday after work. So what do I think of the Celestron range,for me the 100ED is a lovely scope,out shines scopes at 3 times the price. Don't let the odd faulty scope put you off,it didn't me and remember scopes at £3000+ still as its problems.

First, I would like to highlight the quality of the image delivered by the ED lenses. I did an image comparison with a Celestron Skymaster 15x70 binocular and the image is much sharper and the colors are much more natural. No chromatic aberration can be perceived, and the focus is very precise. Definitely it is worth the money if you are pursuing image quality. The telescope is highly portable, fits in your backpack, and can be deployed very quickly. For astronomical use, by using separate 1.25" eyepieces the 65 ED can give you a very bright image with a 40mm eyepiece (10X, 6.8 mm exit pupil), or high power with a 4mm eyepiece (96X). 96X is the maximum usable magnification in this case. As others have said, the telescope is tail heavy, so by using astronomical ... MoreFirst, I would like to highlight the quality of the image delivered by the ED lenses. I did an image comparison with a Celestron Skymaster 15x70 binocular and the image is much sharper and the colors are much more natural. No chromatic aberration can be perceived, and the focus is very precise. Definitely it is worth the money if you are pursuing image quality. The telescope is highly portable, fits in your backpack, and can be deployed very quickly. For astronomical use, by using separate 1.25" eyepieces the 65 ED can give you a very bright image with a 40mm eyepiece (10X, 6.8 mm exit pupil), or high power with a 4mm eyepiece (96X). 96X is the maximum usable magnification in this case. As others have said, the telescope is tail heavy, so by using astronomical eyepieces the center of gravity is somewhat restored (The included eyepiece weighs 300 g). High magnification will require a good tripod. At the lower powers the telescope can be aimed easily by using the sight rotated 90° and aiming through the side. The included eyepiece will show you the discs of the planets and the rings of Saturn. Definitely for planet detail more magnification will be needed, using additional eyepieces. The main drivers for my selection were high image quality, quick deployment and portability. I live in Bogota, Colombia where cloud cover can change very quickly, so maximizing viewing opportunities is a must!

This looks well made. It screws securely onto our camera tripod via the included aluminum bracket accessory. This allows enough fore and aft movement to nicely balance the otherwise nose heavy weight of the scope. The 100mm lens lets in plenty of light, and the magnification, even on 22x, is way better than any pair of binoculars I’ve used. The coarse and fine adjustment knobs are smooth to operate. The downside is that we can’t focus it without getting a double image. The primary image is almost in focus, but beside it is a fainter secondary image, eg. you see two people standing side by side, instead of one. I suspect it has been bashed in transit? The eye piece is interchangeable, so I’ll try reseating it. I don’t want to go through the hassle of returning this ... MoreThis looks well made. It screws securely onto our camera tripod via the included aluminum bracket accessory. This allows enough fore and aft movement to nicely balance the otherwise nose heavy weight of the scope. The 100mm lens lets in plenty of light, and the magnification, even on 22x, is way better than any pair of binoculars I’ve used. The coarse and fine adjustment knobs are smooth to operate. The downside is that we can’t focus it without getting a double image. The primary image is almost in focus, but beside it is a fainter secondary image, eg. you see two people standing side by side, instead of one. I suspect it has been bashed in transit? The eye piece is interchangeable, so I’ll try reseating it. I don’t want to go through the hassle of returning this just yet.

Outstanding glass for the ***.an outstanding spotting scope. I’ve looked through and used Leica, Swarovski, Kowa, Pentax spotting scopes and this bad boy is every bit as good with my soon to be 53 year old eyes. The aforementioned at 3x, 4x the price are just marginally clearer when resolving things out to 1000 yards plus. Of course we all got issued a one-time set of ***.and spotting scopes, like rifle scopes, telescopes, work for some and don’t work for others. There is no one-size-fits-all spotting scope out there. I like the weight of it, on my Mueller 9lb max digital scale which is spot on to the ounce/gram, it weighs 5lbs 3oz. In my shop a couple of days ago, I was glassing the top of a pine tree at just over 1000 ***.could see and count all the pine cones and ... MoreOutstanding glass for the ***.an outstanding spotting scope. I’ve looked through and used Leica, Swarovski, Kowa, Pentax spotting scopes and this bad boy is every bit as good with my soon to be 53 year old eyes. The aforementioned at 3x, 4x the price are just marginally clearer when resolving things out to 1000 yards plus. Of course we all got issued a one-time set of ***.and spotting scopes, like rifle scopes, telescopes, work for some and don’t work for others. There is no one-size-fits-all spotting scope out there. I like the weight of it, on my Mueller 9lb max digital scale which is spot on to the ounce/gram, it weighs 5lbs 3oz. In my shop a couple of days ago, I was glassing the top of a pine tree at just over 1000 ***.could see and count all the pine cones and clearly see individual pine needles in the pine branch clusters blowing in the slight breeze. I can resolve/focus with absolute clarity from 22x to 67x magnification. I’ve looked through other scopes that above 40x or more, you might as well just be eyeballing a target, etc at long distances. Celestron did good with this scope, and I’m sure their two smaller Regal ED objective scopes are worth the coin as well. If you’re on the fence, buy it and give it a try. With my eyes, it’s every bit of a spotting scope that the high dollar, heavy hitters in this business have to ***.at a fraction the cost. I paired this spotting scope with a 8.1lb SLIK PRO 700DXQ AMT ***.an absolute rock solid tripod. Total weight of both is just shy of 13 1/2 lbs. Folks have commented that this scope, as well as the SLIK tripod, are heavy. Well...I guess ‘heavy’ is all in the eyes of the beerholder. This ol’ Jarhead ain’t checking up nor balking at roughly 13 1/2 lbs. Semper Fi!

I purchased the scope about 3 weeks ago. I've owned a Celestron Ultra80 for 10 years and quite honestly, it didn't get as much use as I thought it would. With raptors starting to hatch out in our area of CO, I grabbed the Ultra 80 and went looking for eagles. But I was disappointed in the chromatic aberration at full zoom and tricky eye positioning to get the best view. So, I went shopping.... I looked at a lot of scopes both 65mm and 80mm. Locally, the Celestron wasn't available except for a Regal M2 100ED, which I liked except for the weight. Went I check the Regal line on Celestron, the price could not be matched on any of the 3 available. Since I had the 80 already, I decided on the 65, and wondered if it was the right decision since the 65 and 80 aren't that ... MoreI purchased the scope about 3 weeks ago. I've owned a Celestron Ultra80 for 10 years and quite honestly, it didn't get as much use as I thought it would. With raptors starting to hatch out in our area of CO, I grabbed the Ultra 80 and went looking for eagles. But I was disappointed in the chromatic aberration at full zoom and tricky eye positioning to get the best view. So, I went shopping.... I looked at a lot of scopes both 65mm and 80mm. Locally, the Celestron wasn't available except for a Regal M2 100ED, which I liked except for the weight. Went I check the Regal line on Celestron, the price could not be matched on any of the 3 available. Since I had the 80 already, I decided on the 65, and wondered if it was the right decision since the 65 and 80 aren't that far apart pricewise. I found the 65 to be a perfect compromise between zoom and weight. Color and image clarity, in my opinion, is excellent throughout the 16x-48x range with only a tickly of aberration at max zoom, easily removed if digiscoping. The weight is nice at about 4 lbs, about 8 oz less than the 80ED version and 6oz heavier than my Ultra80. I would've liked the tripod mount to be 2 inches closer to the eyepiece, but I use a longer arca swiss plate that balances okay. As far as I can tell, except for the objective lens and tube length, the prism and 1.25 inch eyepiece are the same throughout the line. I was tempted for a while to spend the extra for the Regal M2 80ED given a sale going on right now, but elected to keep the 65ED. The 80ED objective lens area (light gathering) is about 65% larger than the 65ED, but in actuality, when viewing something, it doesn't seem that significant. Bottom line, especially considering the price, I don't think you can go wrong with the 65ED or any of the Regal M2 line. Definitely recommended.

A sturdy and capable spotting scope that is bulky and pricey

A well built spotting scope with clear optics, a sturdy tripod mounting plate and a sensible carry case. The focussing system works well and the scope can be rotated on its tripod mounting so the angled eyepiece can be used from above, below, left or right. For me, despite the 100mm objective lens, the magnification (stated as 22-67x) doesn't get beyond about 34x before the light (and thus clarity) drops off. As you might expect, this is a bulky & heavy item. I bought an adapter ring to attach my Nikon D750 SLR. All together this set-up gets very heavy and a sturdy tripod is essential. I've been slightly disappointed by the image quality I get "digiscoping" with the SLR. The vignetting is significant but the major problem is blurring/distortion across all but the ... MoreA well built spotting scope with clear optics, a sturdy tripod mounting plate and a sensible carry case. The focussing system works well and the scope can be rotated on its tripod mounting so the angled eyepiece can be used from above, below, left or right. For me, despite the 100mm objective lens, the magnification (stated as 22-67x) doesn't get beyond about 34x before the light (and thus clarity) drops off. As you might expect, this is a bulky & heavy item. I bought an adapter ring to attach my Nikon D750 SLR. All together this set-up gets very heavy and a sturdy tripod is essential. I've been slightly disappointed by the image quality I get "digiscoping" with the SLR. The vignetting is significant but the major problem is blurring/distortion across all but the very centre of the image. It has been interesting to see how important the DSLR lenses are in minimising distortion and surprising to see that my mobile phone takes a better picture through the spotting scope eyepiece. That's not to dismiss the scope which is a very capable, if rather pricey, gadget.

Correcting Misinformation in Previous Reviewer's Review

A review has been made on this scope by user SPIKE that contains some serious misinformation that I feel needs to be addressed. In my previous review of this scope, I made light of several different issues this scope has that buyers should be aware of.The first issue is the effective aperture of this scope IS NOT 100mm. Reviewer SPIKE used a totally inaccurate method of measuring the effective aperture. The following is the correct method of measuring a scope or binoculars effective aperture. Place the device within a foot or so of a wall or surface. Next, shine a flashlight, from a distance of around 6 to 12 inches away, into the eyepiece. You will see that a round circle will be projected onto the wall. Measuring this circle indicates the true effective ... MoreA review has been made on this scope by user SPIKE that contains some serious misinformation that I feel needs to be addressed. In my previous review of this scope, I made light of several different issues this scope has that buyers should be aware of.The first issue is the effective aperture of this scope IS NOT 100mm. Reviewer SPIKE used a totally inaccurate method of measuring the effective aperture. The following is the correct method of measuring a scope or binoculars effective aperture. Place the device within a foot or so of a wall or surface. Next, shine a flashlight, from a distance of around 6 to 12 inches away, into the eyepiece. You will see that a round circle will be projected onto the wall. Measuring this circle indicates the true effective aperture of a device. This method is widely considered an effective way of determining a devices effective aperture. For anyone who questions this method, I suggest you search the Cloudynights forum for "Flashlight test" and you will see that some of the most knowledgeable people in the field use this method. After careful examination I have consistently measured this scope to be 91mm in aperture at best. The second issue is that, with the type of prism system this scope uses, the further in you rake the focus, the smaller the aperture shrinks. For anyone doubting this, I challenge you to look closely at the exit pupil in the eyepiece, and you will clearly see it will start shrinking in diameter as the focus is moved in. I have also confirmed this by measuring the circle projected from the flashlight test.Lastly, is the issue with vingetting, or image cutoff, with various eyepieces. I have attempted to use the following eyepieces in this scope, the ES 24mm 68 degree, and the ES 20mm 68 degree. In both of these eyepieces, the image was clearly cut off on the bottom, indicating an issue with the size of the prisms. What that tells us is that any eyepiece that has a fieldstop that is 22.8 or larger will have the image cutoff with vignetting. Other than these issues here, the M2 Regal 100ED is a fantastic scope, and all of its merits and pros I covered in my previous review here. This post was simply made to address the misinformation presented by reviewer Spike.

Great Optics for Price

Recently purchased a Celestron Regal 100ED from B&H.First impression was the sheer physical size of the scope but then it is a four inch refractor. Coupled with a decent tripod however this is no issue as it is still easy to grab and go compared with my full size telescopes especially for astro-viewing which I do a lot of. That's the main reason I bought it. Viewing with the included 8-24mm zoom is OK but when I replaced it with my Nagler 7mm eyepiece and locked onto Saturn and Jupiter, the detail was almost on par with my 120ED refractor. Contrast on Jupiter's moons was excellent. The objective glass is first class and image quality is not discernably different to what I see with my Kowa 77mm spotter, only the 100ED is much brighter of course. Tried digiscoping ... MoreRecently purchased a Celestron Regal 100ED from B&H.First impression was the sheer physical size of the scope but then it is a four inch refractor. Coupled with a decent tripod however this is no issue as it is still easy to grab and go compared with my full size telescopes especially for astro-viewing which I do a lot of. That's the main reason I bought it. Viewing with the included 8-24mm zoom is OK but when I replaced it with my Nagler 7mm eyepiece and locked onto Saturn and Jupiter, the detail was almost on par with my 120ED refractor. Contrast on Jupiter's moons was excellent. The objective glass is first class and image quality is not discernably different to what I see with my Kowa 77mm spotter, only the 100ED is much brighter of course. Tried digiscoping across our valley with my Canon DSLR. The zoom eyepiece is OK on lower zoom levels but not optimum for imaging. Put in a decent eyepiece however and the difference is astonishing. I would recommend this scope to anyone either for terrestrial use or as a very useful and convenient astro spotter. For this price you can't go wrong with it. The only negative comment I have is the eyepiece selectivity e.g. it won't achieve focus with my Pentax XF zoom but I still give it five stars for $ value and performance. Just couple it with a good eyepiece and you're up there with spotters costing four times as much. I also own a Celestron 9.25 SCT and I love both of these scopes. Well done Celestron.