Celestron VistaPix IS70

I posted this as a response to a query on Birdchat.

I have the Celestron VistaPix IS70, which is a 70mm spotting scope and 3.1MP camera. I need to play with it some more before I put up a full review, but here are a couple quick points:

1) Cost. Much cheaper than the bigger scopes (something like $500)
2) Magnification. Biggest drawback may be this...maxes out at 14X which is not as much magnification as you might want to make this your regular scope.
3) Focusing. I've had some trouble making sure that the eyepiece focus and camera focus are in sync.
4) Ease of use. If you have the eyepiece and the camera focus in sync, all you have to do is click a button and you've got a nice shot. Its pretty easy.

If this was a full 20x scope, and I can make sure I get the eyepiece and camera focus in sync (again, I need to play around with this some more), this could be a great scope for most use. Because of the 14x magnification, it is probably best for backyard birders who want to get great shots of birds at their feeders, or others who don't really need the full 20x or more to scope out distant waterfowl, shorebirds, etc.

Hope that helps. When I finish playing around with this scope I'll put up a more full review and some photos.