Buying The Right Spotting Scope

If you are looking for a telescope that is manufactured to see things on Earth then a spotting scope telescope is what you would need to purchased.  It is what many birdwatchers use to see birds in the trees and far off up close.  Plane spotters also use this type of telescope.  The range of magnification varies in a spotting scope but most of the magnification ranges falls between binoculars and astronomy telescopes.  You can find spotting scopes along with all the accessories that go with it like tripods and mounts for cameras and in bird watching and optical supply stores.

The magnification in a spotting scope should range from twenty and sixty so make sure that you get the right magnification for your needs.  For a spotting scope to be very useful when bird watching for example you need to have a high magnification but you want to make sure that the magnification is not much higher than sixty because it can make your spotting scope more difficult to use.  On the lower end of the magnification range you do not want to go under twenty because if you do you should just buy binoculars.

A spotting scope is designed to withstand rugged use in the great outdoors and is also specifically designed to have a wide field of view.  This wide field of view helps to make it easy for you to spot objects in your visual field.  Most spotting scopes are very lightweight so this makes them easier to carry in the field along with many being designed to be resistant to the weather so they can be used during inclement weather.  Some spotting scopes also have a mount for a telescope and there are even some that have the inability to interact with a camera so you can have photograph of the things you are watching, especially bird watchers.  Being able to take a picture of the birds you see could enable you to make money with your photographers or to just make a great photo album for your enjoyment.

There are also two basic types of spotting scope optics which are:

  • Catadioptric scopes—this type of scope has mirrors that reflect light in order to create an image. Although they do create a clearer image they are also more fragile and can be expensive.
  • Refractor scope—this type has an optical glass to bend light. They are very durable, not as expensive as Catadioptric scopes, and lightweight.

If you have any questions, ask the salesperson. 

Author Bio:

This article is penned by Mike Arnill for Procular Australia. Procular is the leading binocular online store in Australia selling the best binocular, monocular, spotting scope brands. The company sells binocular brands like Nikon, Vortex, Bushnell, Canon, Fujinon among others and to help consumers choose the right product for their use there are binocular reviews on their website so that you know which product is good for your use.

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