GEAR REVIEW: ENVELOPE PUSHER

First look: The Celestron VistaPix features 8-by-22 magnification binoculars and a 3.1-megapixel camera with a 6x zoom. Of the three models I tested, this is the only camera that shoots regular as well as magnified images. It has a mind-jamming array of options: you can shoot a movie with audio, edit and crop images, listen to its FM radio, shoot with a self-timer. Likes and yikes: I fell in love with this short-barreled combo, which fit easily in my hand. Images were crisp with good contrast. I had a blast standing in the desert and watching a slide show of my photos playing back on the LCD screen. And the menu buttons allowed me to have fun cropping and rotating pictures. The heartbreak: Two AAA batteries drain quickly; in one day of heavy use, I changed them three times. The 411: $250; available at B&H ([800] 952-1815, www.bhphotovideo.com) and at www.amazon.com. For other dealers, contact Celestron at (310) 328-9560, www.celestron.com