I was not too sure about the individual focus, but at that magnification it seemed to be a non issue. A slight difference to the norm is that rather than having a single wide central hinge, these Celestron Echelon binoculars have two thin arches that span the gap between the barrels, which I guess helps a little in reducing weight and because they are metal and not plastic like some I have seen, there is no compromise on strength. I did try using a tripod, but I seemed to be either constantly having to adjust it or worse kicking it. Unlike some telescopes, the 20 x 70 binoculars are transportable and easy to carry on trips without a tripod.

If I'm honest the idea of using BIG binoculars 25x100 or 28x110 actually appeals more then using a conventional telescope.

The 20x70 model has the most magnification of any Echelon binoculars, giving it the most detail-rich image quality. This will include those interested in plane spotting especially at higher altitudes where the high magnification is of course vital, but the reduced field of view is not as important as you can more easily follow the plane whilst holding them rather than them being mounted on a tripod. In some ways these are quite similar to fixed focus binoculars and they have a long depth of view, but they are actually more flexible than these as you also the added flexibility of being able to adjust the focus more accurately onto objects that are a closer ranges. The interpupillary distance indicates how far the eyepieces or tubes can be pushed together or pulled apart. Whilst this material may not be as cheap or as lightweight as the polycarbonate ones, it is definitely stronger and most certainly contributes to the reassuringly solid and by and large feel of a quality instrument.

Likewise, I thought that the contrast between light and dark was good, which really helps to give a nice feeling of depth, which a further distances is quite important. Unlike many telescopes, the APM Magnesium ED APO´s are portable and easy to take along on a trip, with or without a tripod.Celestron Echelon 20x70 binoculars are specially designed for low light conditions or celestial observation. Celestron also include a cleaning cloth, that is fine for emergency use out in the field of for cleaning the body with. I see a number of phony reviews out there, put together by people who most certainly have never even used the product under review and they do nothing more than elaborate on the manufacturers marketing hype. Apart from the triplet objective lens it also has Broad band multi coatings on all optical surfaces. aperture objective lenses which are capable of pulling a good amount of light from sparkling night-sky subjects, so views appear bright and exhibit excellent contrast.