Consumer Electronics Association Names Celestron's VistaPix IS70 Digital Spotting Scope One of 2007's Best New Consumer Electronics

Celestron's digital spotting scope with built-in digital camera and high-powered zoom is recognized for excellence in design and engineering at the Consumer Electronics Show's New York Press Review.

Torrance, CA (November 15, 2006) – Celestron, one of the world's leading designers and manufacturers of telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, microscopes and related accessories, announced that its high-performance VistaPix IS70 Digital Spotting Scope has been selected by the Consumer Electronics Association as a 2007 Innovations Honoree in the highly competitive digital imaging category. The announcement came today at the Consumer Electronic Show's (CES) New York Press Preview, the Consumer Electronics Association's annual sneak peak of the hottest new products and upcoming 2007 International CES technology trends.

Set to be on display at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show in January, Celestron's stylish and versatile VistaPix IS70 is a fully integrated, high-performance spotting scope with a built in state-of-the-art digital camera that allows users to view, capture and save vibrant, high-resolution images and video from a distance, using the scope's built in high-powered magnification and digital zoom features. Equipped with a side-mounted dual-power 3-mega pixel digital camera, a 2" LCD full-color image preview screen and a digital focus meter, Celestron's VistaPix IS70 is designed to deliver enhanced brilliance and razor sharp images and video in a wide range of viewing environments.

From observing nature, to spotting shots on the range, to spectator events and the mysteries of space, the VistaPix IS70 brings nature's live action closer than ever with high-resolution images and video that can be saved, and then viewed later on a television or PC using the supplied video cables and easy-to-install VistaPix software.

"It's a great honor to be named as an Innovations Honoree by the CEA and the innovations judges. With the Celestron SkyScout winning 'Best of Innovations' in 2006, and the VistaPix IS70 being honored as one of 2007's most innovative products, the message is clear that Celestron's commitment to innovation is strong," said Joseph A. Lupica Jr., president and CEO of Celestron. "The VistaPix IS70 seamlessly integrates the latest digital camera technology with a high powered scope to give today's outdoor enthusiasts an amazing all-in-one product to capture special moments and live action from the world around them. Whether it is viewing wildlife, bird watching, scenic views, traveling, sailing or even exploring the far reaches of the night's sky, the IS70 brings users closer to the action than ever before."

The all-in-one scope's 70mm multicoated optics and integrated eyepiece puts the action in the users lap with an incredible field of view ratio that delivers bright, high contrast, close-up images (3.1 MP high-resolution/0.3 MP low-resolution images) at up to 24x magnification using the scope's powerful digital zoom capabilities. The IS70 mounts to virtually any tripod, comes with an aluminum hard case and weighs only 3.5 lbs.

The VistaPix IS70 has a suggested manufacturers retail price of $479.00 and is available both online and at retail.

The Celestron VistaPix IS70 Spotting Scope will be on display at "CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of CES" on Saturday, January 6, 2007, in the Marco Polo Ballroom at the Sands/Venetian in Las Vegas, as well as at the Celestron booth # 70422, in the Sands Expo from January 8 – 11, 2007.