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Celestron – NexYZ – 3–Axis Universal Smartphone Adapter for Telescope – Digiscoping Smartphone Adapter – Capture Images and Video Through Your Telescope or Spotting Scope

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 5,753 ratings

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NeXYZ 3-Axis Smartphone Adapter
Adapter

Purchase options and add-ons

Brand Celestron
Color Black
Compatible Devices Smartphones, Cameras
Compatible Phone Models Smartphones, Camera
Mounting Type Phone Mount

About this item

  • A complete digiscoping solution: NexYZ connects your smartphone to almost any eyepiece
  • NexYZ’s patented design works with telescopes (with most 1.25” or 2” eyepieces), spotting scopes, binoculars, monoculars, and microscopes (with the included adapter rings).
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What's in the box

  • Includes two expandable adapter rings for microscope eyepieces

  • From the manufacturer

    NexYZ 3-Axis Universal Smartphone Adapter

    NexYZ 3-Axis Universal Smartphone Adapter

    Celestron has perfected the smartphone adapter with NexYZ. This universal digiscoping adapter helps you capture stunning images through your favorite optic in seconds. The secret is the unique Z-axis adjustment.

    FEATURES AND BENEFITS

    Easy as X-Y-Z

    Universal Smartphone Adapter

    Compatible Mobile Devices

    Easy as X-Y-Z

    NexYZ’s patent pending design gives you the power to align your phone precisely with the eyepiece using the X- and Y-axis adjustment knobs, and then use the Z-axis knob to move up or down for the perfect shot.

    Universal Smartphone Adapter

    Fits any eyepiece from 35mm to 60mm in diameter including telescopes (with most 1.25” or 2” eyepieces), spotting scopes, binoculars, monoculars, and microscopes.

    Compatible Mobile Devices

    Works with all the latest devices from Apple, Samsung, and Google—usually with the case on.

    Great for Groups

    Durable Construction

    Change the Angle

    Microscope Eyepiece Adapters

    Great for Groups

    NexYZ’s simple spring-loaded clamp makes it easy to switch out one device for another in seconds. It’s the ideal solution for star parties, group bird walks, students, and more.

    Durable Construction

    NexYZ stands up to rigorous field use thanks to its robust metal frame and polymer body.

    Change the Angle

    Go from portrait to landscape mode with a simple turn of the adapter’s clamp and a quick realignment.

    Microscope Eyepiece Adapters

    Turn your microscope into a digiscoping machine. The NexYZ comes with two eyepiece adapters to provide a firm grip against your microscope’s eyepiece.

    NexYZ Smartphone Adapter NexYZ DX Smartphone Adapter NexGO Smartphone Adapter NexGO DX Smartphone Adapter Smartphone Adapter Smartphone Adapter DX
    NexYZ Smartphone Adapter NexYZ DX Kit Smartphone Adapter NexGO Smartphone Adapter NexGO DX Kit Smartphone Adapter Smartphone Adapter Smartphone Adapter DX Kit
    Customer Reviews
    4.2 out of 5 stars
    5,753
    4.2 out of 5 stars
    5,753
    4.2 out of 5 stars
    259
    4.2 out of 5 stars
    259
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    5,553
    3.8 out of 5 stars
    182
    Compatible Optics: Telescope, Binocular, Spotting Scope, Monocular and Microscope Telescope, Binocular, Spotting Scope, Monocular and Microscope Telescope, Binocular, Spotting Scope, Monocular and Microscope Telescope, Binocular, Spotting Scope, Monocular and Microscope Telescope, Binocular, Spotting Scope, Monocular and Microscope Telescope, Binocular, Spotting Scope, Monocular and Microscope
    Eyepiece Clamp Style: Spring load with lock down knob Spring load with lock down knob Traditional clamp with adjustment knob Traditional clamp with adjustment knob Thumb bolt hex shape Thumb bolt hex shape
    Eyepiece Clamp Range: 35mm - 60mm (1.37" - 2.36") 35mm - 60mm (1.37" - 2.36") 25.4mm - 44.45mm (1.0" - 1.75") 25.4mm - 44.45mm (1.0" - 1.75") 29mm - 45mm (1.14" - 1.77") 29mm - 45mm (1.14" - 1.77")
    Phone Clamp Style: Easy load with internal spring Easy load with internal spring Easy load with internal spring Easy load with internal spring Thumb bolt adjusting Thumb bolt adjusting
    Phone Clamp Range: 65mm - 90mm (2.55" - 3.54") 65mm - 90mm (2.55" - 3.54") 58mm - 103mm (2.28" - 4.06") 58mm - 103mm (2.28" - 4.06") 56mm - 95mm (2.20” - 3.75”) 56mm - 95mm (2.20” - 3.75”)
    Fine Adjustment Style: X, Y, Z Motion X, Y, Z Motion X, Y Motion X, Y Motion Manual Manual
    Materials: Cast metal, fiber reinforced plastic Cast metal, fiber reinforced plastic Cast metal, reinforced plastic, aluminum Cast metal, reinforced plastic, aluminum Cast metal Cast metal
    Accessories: 2 adapters for microscope eyepieces 2 adapters for microscope eyepieces, Bluetooth remote, CR-2032 battery Smartphone booster stand for smaller phones Smartphone booster stand for smaller phones, Bluetooth remote, CR-2032 battery None Bluetooth remote, CR-2032 battery
    Dimensions: 165.1mm x 139.7mm x 107.95mm (6.50" x 5.50" x 4.25") 165.1mm x 139.7mm x 107.95mm (6.50" x 5.50" x 4.25") OPEN: 196.5mm x 101.6mm x 76.2mm (7.75" x 4.0" x 3.0") | CLOSED: 146mm x 120.6mm x 76.2mm (15.75" x 4.75" x 3.0") OPEN: 196.5mm x 101.6mm x 76.2mm (7.75" x 4.0" x 3.0") | CLOSED: 146mm x 120.6mm x 76.2mm (15.75" x 4.75" x 3.0") 177.8mm x 101.6mm x 38.1mm (7" x 4" x 1.5") 177.8mm x 101.6mm x 38.1mm (7" x 4" x 1.5")
    Weight: 10 oz ( 283 g) 10 oz ( 283 g) 12.8 oz (363 g) 12.8 oz (363 g) 7 oz (170 g) 7 oz (170 g)

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    Manufacturer’s warranty can be requested from customer service. Click here to make a request to customer service.

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    Celestron

    Celestron – NexYZ – 3–Axis Universal Smartphone Adapter for Telescope – Digiscoping Smartphone Adapter – Capture Images and Video Through Your Telescope or Spotting Scope


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    Product Description

    NexYZ fits any eyepiece from 35 mm to 60 mm in diameter including telescopes with 1.25” and 2” eyepieces, spotting scopes, monoculars, and binoculars. NexYZ will also attach to microscopes with the addition of the included adapter ring, which takes the usable diameter down to 25 mm, the size of a standard microscope eyepiece. A strong spring and a threaded twist lock provide a two-level strong and secure grip on the optical instrument’s eyepiece so you can image with confidence.

    NexYZ also accommodates a huge range of smartphones. The phone platform is fully adjustable and can fit any device—usually with the case still on. Even larger “phablets” like the iPhone 8 Plus and latest Samsung Galaxy devices work perfectly. The secure platform stands up to the weight of these heavier devices with ease.

    If multiple people want to capture a shot through your optic, NexYZ’s simple spring-loaded clamps make it easy to remove one device and replace it with another in seconds. NexYZ is the ideal solution for star parties and group bird walks where everyone wants their own shot of the action.

    Easy as X-Y-Z - What makes NexYZ different from other smartphone adapters? The three-axis adjustment. Most adapters rely on you placing your phone perfectly on the platform and only offer limited adjustment in two axes. But NexYZ gives you the power to place your phone on the platform, center it over the eyepiece with the X and Y knobs, and then move up or down over the eyepiece until you have the entire field of view in your shot. And even though this adjustment is ultra-precise, it’s still quicker and easier than with other adapters. From start to finish, the process only takes about 30 seconds, including the time it takes to insert the phone into NexYZ, attach NexYZ to an eyepiece, start the camera app, and center the camera over the eyepiece using the knobs. If you switch phones, eyepieces, or optical instruments, you will need only slight adjustments to re-center the camera over the new eyepiece. You can also switch your image from portrait to landscape simply by turning the padded eyepiece clamp and readjusting the X, Y, and Z axis to realign your phone with the eyepiece.

    NOTE: NexYZ fits telescopes, spotting scopes, binoculars, monoculars, and microscopes. It will not fit riflescopes. NexYZ will work with most phone cases, but if you have an especially large phone case with built-in batteries or a folio style case, Celestron recommends removing it for optimal use.

    US and International Patents Pending. The phone clamp can open to 92mm in width. The bottom of the phone can be as much as 160mm from the center of the camera on the phone.

    Customer reviews

    4.2 out of 5 stars
    4.2 out of 5
    5,753 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers like the performance and adjustability of the telescope adapter. For example, they say it works well, and serves a good purpose. Some appreciate the precise adjustment and the ability to adjust the X, Y, and Z planes. That said, some complain about the fit and alignment. Opinions are mixed on quality, ease of use, value, and stability.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    139 customers mention98 positive41 negative

    Customers like the performance of the telescope. They mention that it works very well with their Celestron Nexstar 127slt and Pixel 2xl. The device is very cool and serves a good purpose. It handles them with no problems and is awesome to use. Customers also say that the "Z" control works great and operates smoothly. Overall, they find the product to be amazing and worth every penny.

    "...I think both are very capable and this one has some benefits that might tilt your decision in it's favor...." Read more

    "Works great with my Pixel 2xl!..." Read more

    "...If you attach it to the telescope first, the view will be very dark and the phone will constantly switch cameras preventing you from aligning..." Read more

    "...attach to small (high power) lens, but overall it is simple to use and works" Read more

    105 customers mention84 positive21 negative

    Customers like the adjustability of the telescope adapter. They say it holds phones tightly and the adjustment is precise enough. They also appreciate the 3 axis adjustment, which provides the necessary adjustment in the 3 dimensions. Customers also say the adaptor is easy to attach and adjust to get the camera lenses.

    "...fine when I figure it out...It holds the phone very steady, has three axis adjustment, and does not rely on just a spring are just a thumbscrew......" Read more

    "...The NexYZ makes this alignment task as easy as possible – but be aware that it’s still probably not as simple or as quick as you want it to be...." Read more

    "...The Eyepiece arm has excellent fitment and a very good tension adjustment mechanism. It works well on my large 2" Mead QX eyepiece...." Read more

    "...There are adjustments for the X, Y and Z plane, so once the phone is in place, all it takes is adjustments of three knobs to line the phone up...." Read more

    228 customers mention119 positive109 negative

    Customers are mixed about the quality of the telescope. Some mention it's well built, remarkably stable, and secure. However, others say that it'll not hold their phone and that the z-axis is weak, allowing the holder to sag a bit.

    "...does not rely on just a spring are just a thumbscrew...but a well engineered system...." Read more

    "...It is far sturdier than I expected, but not as sturdy as it could have been but enough to easily trust my note 20 ultra to it. Is it worth the money?..." Read more

    "...negative but once the "safety clamp" was tightened down it was remarkably stable and it gripped solidly...." Read more

    "...Cons: with the ruggedness there comes weight. It’s heavy. Depending on your scope, mount and angle you may need to counter balance...." Read more

    123 customers mention77 positive46 negative

    Customers are mixed about the ease of use of the telescope. Some mention that it's pretty easy to use, easy to attach, and adjust to get the camera. However, others say that it still probably not as simple or as quick as you want it to be, time-consuming to set up, and that it can be a pain to get lined up with the eye piece.

    "...The spring-loaded holder makes it pretty easy to attach to the eyepiece, and a clever locking nut is easy spun up snug and it works...." Read more

    "...as easy as possible – but be aware that it’s still probably not as simple or as quick as you want it to be...." Read more

    "...The most important positive for this one is that I found it insanely easy to use. Insanely. Easy. To. Use...." Read more

    "...Pros: This attaches well and easily to every one of my 1.25” pieces even my Celestron zoom piece. The 3 axis maneuvering is awesome...." Read more

    110 customers mention52 positive58 negative

    Customers are mixed about the value of the telescope. Some mention it's worth the money, the best smartphone adapter for the price, and an economical way to take pictures of the moon and planets. However, others say that it'd be a complete waste of money and the little tripod is about worthless.

    "...3. This one is not perfect. It is difficult to attach to small (high power) lens, but overall it is simple to use and works" Read more

    "...I think the NexYZ is still, by a wide margin, the best smartphone adapter for the price for telescopes and microscopes...." Read more

    "...Cost: ★★★☆☆The price is a bit on the expensive side, especially considering it is generally a bunch of plastic bits screwed..." Read more

    "...Is it worth the money? Absolutely. Does it work as well as I would have liked? Not as well as I would have liked...." Read more

    85 customers mention33 positive52 negative

    Customers are mixed about the stability of the adapter. Some mention it holds the phone very steady, has three axis adjustment, and grips solidly. However, others say that it doesn't attach firmly to the scope, does not stay in the position it's placed in, and slips a bit.

    "...so some people have noted the mount can be loose and the phone will not stay in position...." Read more

    "...but it will work fine when I figure it out...It holds the phone very steady, has three axis adjustment, and does not rely on just a spring are..." Read more

    "...such that not only could it not track the object anymore, it couldn't even stay stationary...." Read more

    "..."safety clamp" was tightened down it was remarkably stable and it gripped solidly...." Read more

    72 customers mention16 positive56 negative

    Customers are dissatisfied with the fit of the telescope adapter. They mention that it doesn't open enough to attach, it's difficult to attach to small lenses, and it works best on tall eyepieces. Overall, customers are disappointed with the size and weight of the adapter, which takes up a lot of space.

    "...Finally, the arms that directly hold your smartphone are somewhat limiting...." Read more

    "...The clamp is almost too small to attach to 2” eyepieces but you can make it fit. I use WO Swans. It fits but barely. No problem on 1.25” pieces...." Read more

    "...3. This one is not perfect. It is difficult to attach to small (high power) lens, but overall it is simple to use and works" Read more

    "...It's big and bright and easy to find and focus on. Failing that, I will shine a flashlight down the tube of the telescope...." Read more

    50 customers mention8 positive42 negative

    Customers find the alignment of the telescope to be difficult. They mention that the orange knob makes it difficult to line up the camera with the eyepiece, and the flimsiness makes it hard to align with the internal phone cameras. The whole mount sags and loses optical alignment, making positioning it a chore. Customers also mention that it takes forever to get the camera lined up to see anything in focus.

    "...and they were extremely difficult to line up as any looseness necessary to adjust would allow the phone to..." Read more

    "...phone with the camera in the midline, this adaptor just can not lined up the camera lens and spotting scope's eyepiece, which the exit pupil is..." Read more

    "...mounted, but because the phone is off-center, it tends to make positioning it a chore...again, you learn this with heavy usage, so you can know where..." Read more

    "...adapter to wobble widely, and this problem causes the camera to not able to align with the eyepiece of the telescope or microscope, and this problem..." Read more

    Probably the best smartphone camera adapter available
    4 Stars
    Probably the best smartphone camera adapter available
    The Celestron NexYZ smartphone adapter is probably the best cameraphone accessory available for this price, but it’s not without some minor imperfections.If you’ve ever held a smartphone camera over a telescope or microscope eyepiece, you know that it’s nearly impossible to get a consistently usable image. Furthermore, taking a movie via a handheld hovering technique is completely out of the question. I’ve used a couple different inexpensive smartphone adapters for eyepieces, and they just do not deliver, largely due to the difficulty in lining up the camera’s lens with the sweet spot of the eyepiece. I think the Celestron NexYZ is really the best sub-$100 product to address this issue.The NexYZ is made of a lot of different plastic and metal components. The metal components seem solid, while the plastic components, not including the knobs, feel kind of cheap. I’m guessing this was to make the unit as light as possible, since it will be hanging off of your expensive eyepieces. There are a lot of moving parts in this small package. The main clamp opens by depressing the outside lever, followed by positioning the clamp’s arms around your eyepiece and letting go. Initially it’s a loose hold, but you can quickly tighten the clamp by spinning the orange knob that you see on the right in the pictures. This will lock the NexYZ in place. From there you have to gently open the smartphone holder by pulling the spring-loaded slider on the left of the device. Slide your phone in and slowly allow the slider to grip your phone. The face of the holder that interfaces with the back of your smartphone is rubber, so it shouldn’t scratch anything. Now you’re ready to line things up for image acquisition.At this point you’ll be doing a lot of fine tuning with the x, y, and z positioning knobs, which are all located on the rear of the NexYZ. If you are using a monocular eyepiece telescope or microscope, hopefully you already positioned your subject in the field of view. With a microscope, this isn’t much of an issue for fixed specimens or static cell cultures. With a telescope, however, you probably want an equatorial or motorized mount that is tracking your planet or star of choice because it will take you at least 2 minutes to line things up with your phone on the NexYZ, and the planet or star probably moved out of your field of view by then. Something to consider. With an incredibly aligned finder scope you might be able to manage lining up a subject through the camera phone without finding it with your eyes and tracking with an EQ mount first, but it’s a significant challenge for anything other than the moon. If you have a binocular eyepiece system, you can clamp the NexYZ on first, and still find your subject through the other available eyepiece. With your phone clamped onto your eyepiece, you need to open your camera app and then try your best to line things up with the x, y, and z knobs. The knobs are well-designed, and they will slide your phone smoothly on metal tooth-strips guided by metal gears. The NexYZ makes this alignment task as easy as possible – but be aware that it’s still probably not as simple or as quick as you want it to be. While the clamp is pretty sturdy, I found that hitting the virtual shutter button on my phone’s screen caused enough vibration to result in blurred pictures. I highly recommend setting the camera to a 3-second timer to get clear, vibration-free images.Clearly, there was a lot of thought that went into designing the NexYZ. But there are a couple design quirks that prevent a 5-star rating. First, the inside of the clamp has a thin layer of foam affixed by adhesive. The foam is really, really thin. Like maybe a millimeter or two thick, at most. After two days of use, I already have tiny nicks and impressions in that that foam layer that don’t give me a lot of confidence about its long term durability. I’m already thinking about buying a thicker strip of foam with adhesive backing to solve this problem in the near future. Next, there are two plastic ring adapters that you use to wrap around smaller microscope eyepieces which give the clamp something to really grab onto. The plastic rings are cut on an angle on one side so you can kind of open up the ring a little to fit them onto the eyepiece. Again, I’m not sure about the long-term durability of bending and opening these cut, hard plastic rings. I would think a neoprene type of washer/ring would have done a better job. Finally, the arms that directly hold your smartphone are somewhat limiting. These are hard plastic arms (with an interior matte plastic finish) gripping your phone with a spring-loaded mechanism. The hard plastic arms worked just fine to hold onto my iPhone 7 while it was inside a slim case, but I wouldn’t trust the arms to hold onto a case-less phone over and over again without eventually risking a scuff mark. Thin foam on the inside of the arms seems like an obvious oversight here. These problems can all be solved with $5 in hardware or craft parts, but still, with all the other fantastic design elements in the NexYZ, I’m sad Celestron didn’t go a bit further to perfect this product.Overall, I think the NexYZ is still, by a wide margin, the best smartphone adapter for the price for telescopes and microscopes. I wouldn’t bother with the adapters that cost $25 or less…they will leave you wanting because those cheap adapters hardly allow you to smoothly line up your phone in the x and y directions, let alone provide any hope of finely tuning your z-axis alignment. With a couple extra dollars in foam and neoprene, and some engineering ingenuity, you can modify the NexYZ to be a 5-star accessory for your imaging needs.There are small caveats that I feel I need to mention when it comes to smartphone imaging. You need to have tempered expectations as to what your smartphone’s camera sensor can do, even with a steady camera mount. To give you an idea of what you’ll get with a smartphone camera set to “auto” with the flash off, there are two attached images taken with an iPhone 7 mounted in the NexYZ. One picture is Jupiter with a few moons captured with a Celestron NexStar 5SE and a Celestron 24mm-8mm zoom eyepiece at 12mm (about 100X magnification) with a mildly turbulent sky in a light polluted area. The second picture shows a eukaryotic cell culture with a simple Nikon TS100 phase contrast microscope outfitted with a 20X achromat objective and 10X eyepiece. The final caveat I’ll mention is that I only used an iPhone 7 to test the NexYZ at this point. I have no idea how well it performs with a dual lens cameraphone like the iPhone X or Galaxy S9. It may be a real challenge to align those types of phone cameras with most eyepieces that limit fields of view.UPDATE FALL 2018I used the NexYZ throughout the summer and into the fall and I still think it's 4-5 stars. I did experiment with a few different adhesive foams to put into the clamp, which made some subtle improvements, but I haven't settled on the perfect solution. There are a few things you should think about, though. First, think about spending a few bucks on a good camera app where you can manually control exposure times. Sometimes Jupiter or Mars are so bright that you can't make out details or pick up moons. You can sometimes get better images with shorter exposure times, but then stack ten images together using Photoshop or other image processing programs. Also, it is a challenge to get good pictures with short eyepieces (high mag). Once I start using 9 or 8mm eyepieces, there just isn't a lot of eyepiece for the clamp to grab. What tends to happen with those eyepieces is that your phone will weigh down the clamp and the camera lens won't be "looking" straight down into the eyepiece - it will be looking down into the eyepiece on a slight angle, which causes problems with the field of view and focus.My opinion is that this is still a good smartphone adapter, and I'll stick with my 4-star evaluation. Just don't expect the NexYZ to be simple plug 'n play magic. You will need to spend some time with it making subtle adjustments until you find positioning that works for you, your scope, and your phone.
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    Top reviews from the United States

    Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2024
    Size: NeXYZ 3-Axis Smartphone AdapterStyle: AdapterVerified Purchase
    One person found this helpful
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    Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2023
    Size: NeXYZ DX 3 Axis Phone Adapter w/ BluetoothStyle: AdapterVerified Purchase
    10 people found this helpful
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    Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2018
    Size: NeXYZ 3-Axis Smartphone AdapterStyle: AdapterVerified Purchase
    Customer image
    4.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best smartphone camera adapter available
    Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2018
    The Celestron NexYZ smartphone adapter is probably the best cameraphone accessory available for this price, but it’s not without some minor imperfections.

    If you’ve ever held a smartphone camera over a telescope or microscope eyepiece, you know that it’s nearly impossible to get a consistently usable image. Furthermore, taking a movie via a handheld hovering technique is completely out of the question. I’ve used a couple different inexpensive smartphone adapters for eyepieces, and they just do not deliver, largely due to the difficulty in lining up the camera’s lens with the sweet spot of the eyepiece. I think the Celestron NexYZ is really the best sub-$100 product to address this issue.

    The NexYZ is made of a lot of different plastic and metal components. The metal components seem solid, while the plastic components, not including the knobs, feel kind of cheap. I’m guessing this was to make the unit as light as possible, since it will be hanging off of your expensive eyepieces. There are a lot of moving parts in this small package. The main clamp opens by depressing the outside lever, followed by positioning the clamp’s arms around your eyepiece and letting go. Initially it’s a loose hold, but you can quickly tighten the clamp by spinning the orange knob that you see on the right in the pictures. This will lock the NexYZ in place. From there you have to gently open the smartphone holder by pulling the spring-loaded slider on the left of the device. Slide your phone in and slowly allow the slider to grip your phone. The face of the holder that interfaces with the back of your smartphone is rubber, so it shouldn’t scratch anything. Now you’re ready to line things up for image acquisition.

    At this point you’ll be doing a lot of fine tuning with the x, y, and z positioning knobs, which are all located on the rear of the NexYZ. If you are using a monocular eyepiece telescope or microscope, hopefully you already positioned your subject in the field of view. With a microscope, this isn’t much of an issue for fixed specimens or static cell cultures. With a telescope, however, you probably want an equatorial or motorized mount that is tracking your planet or star of choice because it will take you at least 2 minutes to line things up with your phone on the NexYZ, and the planet or star probably moved out of your field of view by then. Something to consider. With an incredibly aligned finder scope you might be able to manage lining up a subject through the camera phone without finding it with your eyes and tracking with an EQ mount first, but it’s a significant challenge for anything other than the moon. If you have a binocular eyepiece system, you can clamp the NexYZ on first, and still find your subject through the other available eyepiece. With your phone clamped onto your eyepiece, you need to open your camera app and then try your best to line things up with the x, y, and z knobs. The knobs are well-designed, and they will slide your phone smoothly on metal tooth-strips guided by metal gears. The NexYZ makes this alignment task as easy as possible – but be aware that it’s still probably not as simple or as quick as you want it to be. While the clamp is pretty sturdy, I found that hitting the virtual shutter button on my phone’s screen caused enough vibration to result in blurred pictures. I highly recommend setting the camera to a 3-second timer to get clear, vibration-free images.

    Clearly, there was a lot of thought that went into designing the NexYZ. But there are a couple design quirks that prevent a 5-star rating. First, the inside of the clamp has a thin layer of foam affixed by adhesive. The foam is really, really thin. Like maybe a millimeter or two thick, at most. After two days of use, I already have tiny nicks and impressions in that that foam layer that don’t give me a lot of confidence about its long term durability. I’m already thinking about buying a thicker strip of foam with adhesive backing to solve this problem in the near future. Next, there are two plastic ring adapters that you use to wrap around smaller microscope eyepieces which give the clamp something to really grab onto. The plastic rings are cut on an angle on one side so you can kind of open up the ring a little to fit them onto the eyepiece. Again, I’m not sure about the long-term durability of bending and opening these cut, hard plastic rings. I would think a neoprene type of washer/ring would have done a better job. Finally, the arms that directly hold your smartphone are somewhat limiting. These are hard plastic arms (with an interior matte plastic finish) gripping your phone with a spring-loaded mechanism. The hard plastic arms worked just fine to hold onto my iPhone 7 while it was inside a slim case, but I wouldn’t trust the arms to hold onto a case-less phone over and over again without eventually risking a scuff mark. Thin foam on the inside of the arms seems like an obvious oversight here. These problems can all be solved with $5 in hardware or craft parts, but still, with all the other fantastic design elements in the NexYZ, I’m sad Celestron didn’t go a bit further to perfect this product.

    Overall, I think the NexYZ is still, by a wide margin, the best smartphone adapter for the price for telescopes and microscopes. I wouldn’t bother with the adapters that cost $25 or less…they will leave you wanting because those cheap adapters hardly allow you to smoothly line up your phone in the x and y directions, let alone provide any hope of finely tuning your z-axis alignment. With a couple extra dollars in foam and neoprene, and some engineering ingenuity, you can modify the NexYZ to be a 5-star accessory for your imaging needs.

    There are small caveats that I feel I need to mention when it comes to smartphone imaging. You need to have tempered expectations as to what your smartphone’s camera sensor can do, even with a steady camera mount. To give you an idea of what you’ll get with a smartphone camera set to “auto” with the flash off, there are two attached images taken with an iPhone 7 mounted in the NexYZ. One picture is Jupiter with a few moons captured with a Celestron NexStar 5SE and a Celestron 24mm-8mm zoom eyepiece at 12mm (about 100X magnification) with a mildly turbulent sky in a light polluted area. The second picture shows a eukaryotic cell culture with a simple Nikon TS100 phase contrast microscope outfitted with a 20X achromat objective and 10X eyepiece. The final caveat I’ll mention is that I only used an iPhone 7 to test the NexYZ at this point. I have no idea how well it performs with a dual lens cameraphone like the iPhone X or Galaxy S9. It may be a real challenge to align those types of phone cameras with most eyepieces that limit fields of view.

    UPDATE FALL 2018
    I used the NexYZ throughout the summer and into the fall and I still think it's 4-5 stars. I did experiment with a few different adhesive foams to put into the clamp, which made some subtle improvements, but I haven't settled on the perfect solution. There are a few things you should think about, though. First, think about spending a few bucks on a good camera app where you can manually control exposure times. Sometimes Jupiter or Mars are so bright that you can't make out details or pick up moons. You can sometimes get better images with shorter exposure times, but then stack ten images together using Photoshop or other image processing programs. Also, it is a challenge to get good pictures with short eyepieces (high mag). Once I start using 9 or 8mm eyepieces, there just isn't a lot of eyepiece for the clamp to grab. What tends to happen with those eyepieces is that your phone will weigh down the clamp and the camera lens won't be "looking" straight down into the eyepiece - it will be looking down into the eyepiece on a slight angle, which causes problems with the field of view and focus.

    My opinion is that this is still a good smartphone adapter, and I'll stick with my 4-star evaluation. Just don't expect the NexYZ to be simple plug 'n play magic. You will need to spend some time with it making subtle adjustments until you find positioning that works for you, your scope, and your phone.
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    279 people found this helpful
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    Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2021
    Size: NeXYZ 3-Axis Smartphone AdapterStyle: AdapterVerified Purchase
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