How To Buy A Spotting Scope

How To Buy A Spotting Scope

If you love observing nature, a spotting scope is a crucial thing that you need to get the best vision. They come in different magnifications, and they are powerful than binoculars. Their high magnification makes them better for hunting game species such as mule deer, pronghorns, big bears, sheep and goat among others. They are also widely used for target shooting, astronomy and bird watching. You need to know the following on how to pick the right Spotting scope for you.

Angled Or Straight Spotting Scope?

Many users prefer an angled spotting scope because the eyepieces are parallel. Angled spotting scopes have eyepiece offset at 45 or 90 degrees from the barrel of the scope.

If you want a spotting scope for bird watching from your car, a straight scope & a binoculars is the best. It helps your eyes stay level with the target object when you are observing.

On the other hand, an angled scope is best if you want to use different heights. The scope works well when you are looking down or up at things without necessary adjusting the height of the scope.

Waterproof  Feature

You know that you will use your scope outdoors so it should withstand any outdoor condition. If you prefer a spotting scope that you can use in different types of weather, it is great if you look for a waterproof or weatherproof scope. Some of the scopes come with rubber armor to provide the best protection. You should also check that the lens is protected to prevent condensation from damaging its visibility.

Weight Of The Scope

Think about how heavy you want your scope to be. If you are planning to travel with your spotting scope, choose a scope that is lightweight so that you do not end up being fatigued.

Set Your Budget

Do not just buy your spotting scope blindly. You have to set a budget and work on getting a spotting scope that meets your budget needs. The best spotting scope under 200 to $2000. The more money you pay for a spotting scope, the higher the optical performance you will get.

Eye Relief

You should also check the eye relief of a particular spotting scope especially if you wear glasses. This refers to the distance in which you can hold a spotting scope away from your eyes without compromising getting a full view.

Glass Quality

Do not buy a spotting scope without considering its glass quality. The best spotting scopes are designed with lenses made with fluorite coated, high density or extra-low dispersion glass. The main difference between these glass quality is the brightness and image quality. Depending on the quality of glass that you want, it will be easy for you to pick a spotting scope with the best quality glass.

Types Of Coatings

Spotting scopes are designed with different types of coatings. We have coated scopes which feature a single layer on at least one lens. Others are fully coated with a single layer on all air-to-glass surfaces. Some scopes are multi-coated with multiple layers on at least one lens, and all the surfaces are coated at least ones. Lastly, you can get fully multi-coated scopes with multiple layers on all air-to-glass surfaces.

Diameter Of The Objective Lens

The objective lens size also determines the quality of images that you will get. You should choose a spotting scope with a larger objective lens so that it will allow more light to enter the scope and bring about brighter images.

Magnification

Spotting scopes provide you with a variable zoom. Just like a camera, you can adjust their magnification manually when you are viewing. The maximum magnification in a spotting scope of 15x to 60x. The higher the magnification of a spotting scope, the more details you see.

Do You Need A Tripod For Your Spotting Scope?

Absolutely you need one. Because spotting scopes use a high magnification, it should feel very stable when you are using it to eliminate image shakiness. With a tripod, you can enjoy using your scope and maximize its potential. Although you can get some smaller spotting scopes that can be used without a tripod, it will still be great if you get one for them.

Focusing

You should also understand that spotting scopes provide two types of focus. There are those that use the method of a grip around the scope barrel that you can easily turn for rapid focusing. Alternatively, you can choose a knob which you require to turn. This method is slower, but it can provide the most accurate results.