There is always a wave of enthusiasm and adventurism amongst the people who love to go hunting or go bird-watching. They like observing, and to make this experience more vivid and memorable, no gadget can be better than a spotting scope. The best compact spotting scopes aid in making bird watching or hunting easy by means of its extraordinary high resolution and optical power along with lenses having huge objective diameters. Now, different manufacturers for spotting scopes have different eulogy regarding the various ways in which their spotting scope will be used.
Some manufacturers design their product thinking that their customer will use it along with a tripod stand, while others think that people will use them with a remote and lightweight spotting scope mount. This factor largely varies the design of the spotting scope, especially characteristics like weight, body material, load-bearing tendency etc. Also, the spotting scope device can further be differentiated as compact and non-compact depending upon their design features, and various other factors.
When purchasing a spotting scope, there are a lot of things to be kept in mind which will turn out to be helpful in your shopping. To name a few of them, the zooming range, coating, pricing structure, weight etc. We will be discussing about them in detail along with the best spotting scopes present on the internet for you to choose from.
Our Top Picks
Compact Spotting Scope Reviews
Compact Mono Spotting Scope
The cheapest spotting scope on the list, the CVLIFE compact monocular spotting scope cum telescope is one of the straight angled spotting scopes everyone can afford for sure. With a field of view of 125 meters per 1000 meters, the product offers 12x the magnification and optical zoom. This is because the product is equipped with high definition optical glass with premium quality multi-coated glass lenses, which helps in achieving a clear, closer and brighter view of the object. The product can be called as a compact spotting scope in all terms as the objective lens diameter measures only 50 mm or 1.97 inches, and the total length of the device is only 190 mm or 7.48 inches. This makes it easy to carry as it occupies very less space also making it the best lightweight spotting scope.
The adjustable eyecup allows you to twist the spotting scope up and down the lane, giving a comfortable and lucid view even without eyeglasses. The best part of this product is that it is resistant to water, which expands its applicability to a lot of areas. There is even a magnetic compass installed at the top of the device along with a strap for you to hang it in your neck. All These qualities make it suitable for use by everyone, especially those who wish to use it for the purpose of hunting, camping, hiking, traveling and other adventurous activities.
- 【UPGRADED LARGE EYEPIECE MONOCULAR】The high power monocular with 25mm Large eyepiece and 42mm large objective lense offer you a wider field of vision.What is more,the monocular telescope are made of high resolution bak4 prisms optics and fully multi-coated lens coating that give you enough clarity.Definitely suitable for hiking,bird watching,football game,wildlife scenery,concert and so on.
- 【EASY TO USE & FOCUS】The monocular telescope with the crystal clear optics is lightweight and easy to focus.Futhermore,our monocular scope also features a screw hole that can work with adapter and phone camera(Do not included).That will make it more stable while observe birds or other animals. Perfect for deer hunting,fishing or camping.
- 【ADJUSTBALE EYE CUPS FIT FOR MORE PEOPLE】Our monoculars are designed with adjustable eye cup that not only fit for people who do not wear glasses,but also fit for eye-glass wearers. The hd monocular also has 15mm Long eye relief after twisting up the eye cup,so you could get an comfortable viewing,and your eyelashes would not touch the eyepiece.
- 【LIFE WATERPROOF,DUST PROOF & DURABLE】The compact monocular is adopted nonslip rubber armor that is life waterproof,and comfortable to hold with the soft touch feel to them.Moreover, the monocular scope comes with len cover that can protect the lense.That would be a useful gift choice on Father's Day, Children's Day, Christmas's Day,Valentines day,and so on.
- 【POCKET SIZE】The hunting monocular is very compact and don't taking up much space in your backpack.Because of its lightweight and compact size that is convenient for you to carry anywhere.This handheld telescope even comes with a carrying case,can protect the monocular from collision. That is not only suitable for adults,but also for kids.
20-60x60AE Waterproof Angled Spotting Scope
With a powerful zooming and magnification range from 20x to 60x, this spotting scope has an eyepiece angled at 45 degrees, hence allowing for a comfortable viewing. With a field of view ranging from 39 to 19 meters per 1000 meters, this product is more suitable for applications where a wide field of view is not needed, such as bird watching, shooting, hunting, nature observation etc. One of the best features of this product is that it consists of fully coated lens along with a BAK4 roof prism. Due to this factor, the product gives you a bright, sharp, high contrast view even under low lighting conditions. In case you wish to have a long-range view, there is a dual focus adjustment mechanism which enables a fast and fine-tuning focus alignment.
Coming to the design and construction of the spotting scope product, the high-quality rubber armor provides the user a firm and a shock resistant grip with durable external protection feature. Its built-in retractable sunshade reduces the chances of glaring to occur, and the tripod stand enables the user to rotate the spotting scope eyepiece in the horizontal sideways position. This quality of the product helps the user in adjusting the viewing angle easily. Along with this, the robust construction of the product entitles its user to use it even in the most rugged environment, where qualities like being resistant to water, dust, moisture and fog add up to the unique selling points of the product. The product is made tolerant to above-mentioned atmospheres by use of O-ring sealing around the optical lenses fixed. Along with this, there is even a fog proof barrel filled with argon gas so as to prevent the growth of internal fogging, hence enabling the product to be completely resistant to any of the rugged environments discussed above.
The product even comes with a lifetime warranty, which can be considered as a proof of the product quality and is applicability. All these features makes it the best compact spotting scope for hunting.
- 20-60x high power zoom magnification to easily capture the long-distance details;Large 80mm objective lens with powerful light gathering ability
- High optical quality design;BAK4 and FMC coating design let SV46 spotting scopes provide a resolution of 2.2” for easier image edge details
- HD dual focus design;Lock the image focus more accurately;Ideal for a series of long-distance outdoor observations
- IPX7 waterproof;Provide effective protection in harsh environments;Effectively isolate water vapor or dust in daily environment
- Adjustable metal tripod base;satisfy observation needs from different angles;Rubber body material is not only non-slip but also more textured
Visionking 25-70×70 Maksutov Spotting Scope
With a super compact body and rugged design, the spotting scope device by Visionking comes to you with a full coated optical MAK construction. The O-ring sealing and the fact of nitrogen gas being filled internally within the optical lenses makes it resistant to water, moisture and foggy environments. The product uses BAK-4 prisms to give you a sharp, bright, comforting and high contrast view while subsequently maximizing the light transmission abilities. Along with this, the large diameter of the eye lens along with fully coated lenses helps in giving the users a livid and eye-comforting view of the scenery.
The product comes with a tripod stand, which allows you to easily adjust the spotting scope as per your height. You can even attach it with a spotting scope mount, a smart phone and experience the experience of clicking photographs or recording videos. Due to these reasons, the product is best suited for bird watching purposes.
- Full Coated Optic MAK Construction,Super Compact body,easy to carry,
- O-ring sealed,100% waterproof Dry Nnitrogen-purged and Sealed,100%fogproof
- Dry Nnitrogen-Purged and Sealed,100% fogproof
- Bak-4 Prisms that maximizes light transmission
- Fully multi-coated optics for superior brightness large eye lens for comfortable viewing
Bushnell Trophy Xtreme Spotting Scope
The product comes with an objective lens diameter of 50 millimeter along with a magnification range between 12x to 36x. This enables the users to get a stunning high definition, eye comforting and clear view of the nature. The product manufacturer boasts of testing the product under extreme temperature and other weather conditions, which proves that the product comes with a robust and rugged body design. A strong grip is ensured by the shock absorbing rubber armor, and the protected sealing of the optical lenses makes the product resistant to water and foggy environments.
When it comes to the compatibility of the product with different types of mounting accessories, the spotting scope device can easily be mounted on a tripod as well as the car window mount. Due to these reasons, the spotting scope by Bushnell can definitely be the choice of the masses.
- 1/4 inch -20 tripod mounting shoe/tabletop tripod with window mount
Landove 20-60x 80 Prism Spotting Scope
Equipped with a fully multi-coated green film objective lens with a diameter of 80 millimeters, the eyepiece and high quality prisms installed as part of this spotting scope device promises to give you a bright and clear view of the scenery. It even adjusts the aspect ratio of the image through the arrangement of lenses. The dynamic focusing mechanism of the spotting scope makes it very easy and comfortable for the users to target objects located at distances corresponding to 20x to 60x zooming range.
The spotting scope can be easily mounted on both the tripod stand as well as the handheld spotting scope mount. The tripod stand has very low height, which makes it suitable for use even when the observer is lying on the ground. The spotting scope product is completely resistant to water and foggy environments. The spotting scope even comes with a digital scoping cell phone adapter, which enables the users to record videos and click photographs through your smart phone. The spotting scope finds applications in a variety of areas such as hunting, bird watching, targeting, marine photography, astronomy etc.
- BIG EYEPIECE AND HIGH MAGNIFICATION：Variable 20x to 60x magnification and dynamic lens dual focus system -- makes it easy to zoom in onto your target. HD 24mm 2inch big eyepiece and 45 degree angled eyepiece ergonomic allows more comfortable and profession.Coaxial coarse and fine focus dials for quickly achieving and clarifying the image.
- BAK4 PRISM AND 9PCS/4GROUPS LENS：Big 80mm objective lens and fully multi-coated optics with BAK4 Porro Prism and 9pcs/4groups lens increase light transmission, deliver bright, clear, crisp images even in low-light conditions.
- NEW DESIGN PHONE ADAPTER： Capture and share! Comes with a 2019 New Design Large smartphone digiscoping adapter for taking photos and videos of what you have acquired. You can share the amazing moment with your friends and families,post the pictures and video into facebook or other social network site.Perfect for target shooting, archery, hunting, bird watching, wildlife watching, scenery, astronomical observation, outdoor activities.
- NITROGEN FILLED WATERPROOF AND HIGH QUALITY BUILT：Nitrogen filled waterproof and fog-proof design enables the scope to withstand the toughest environments. High quality rubber outer layer, non-slip, shockproof and easy to grip, and provides lasting protection. The telescopic sunshade of the objective lens reduces glare and prevents accidental damage to the lens. The spiral-up eyepiece cover adapts to any situation and is unobstructed even when worn with glasses.
- METAL TRIPOD AND CARRYING BAG：Includes tabletop full metal tripod and tripod mount for steady observations. Rotating tripod mount can position the eyepiece up, down or sideway as needed for the most comfortable viewing position. The carry case, eyepiece and lens protection covers, cleaning cloth make you more convenient to carry and maintain.
Vortex Optics Razor HD Spotting Scope
Combined with a triplet apochromatic lens and a high definition glass, the product offers the sharpness in view which no other product can offer. The reason behind this is that the product uses extra-low dispersion glass, which greatly helps in achieving extremely high resolution and color fidelity, hence resulting in high definition images and views. The product comes with an objective lens diameter of 85 millimeter with 117 to 68 feet (35 meters to 20 meter approx.) per 1000 yard (914 meters approx.) field of view. The manufacturer assures its users to provide premium proprietary coating of the spotting scope, which contributes in obtaining high levels of light transmission.
Multiple anti-reflection coatings on all the air to glass surfaces provides maximum possible brightness levels, while ensuring comfort to the observer behind the eyepiece lens. Apart from this, the multiple layered prism coatings provide a color accurate image to the observers. The helical focus provided as part of the spotting scope enables you to get fast and fine adjustments. Along with this, the product also offers a close focus functionality of 16.4 feet (approx. 5 meters). The product becomes the choice of the masses due to its ultra-hard, scratch resistant coating protection, with resistance to scratches, oil and dirt. This product is available in both straight and angled eyepiece options, so you can use the product for both near and far sightedness purposes.
- The Razor HD is Vortex Optics' top of the line spotting scope. The 11-33x50 Straight Razor is ultra-lightweight and packable for your convenience.
- Triplet Apochromatic lens combined with high density, extra-low dispersion glass delivers unparalled resolution and color fidelity. XR Plus anti-reflective coatings were applied to the lenses to yield maximize brightness for critical low-light glassing.
- The focus wheel is broken down to macro and micro adjustments. The macro adjustment allows the user to rapidly focus while the micro adjustment allows you to fine tune the image.
- The zoom eyepiece allows easy adjustments to magnification. The adjustable eyecup folds up and down for comfortable viewing with or without glasses.
- O-ring sealed and argon purged, the Razor HD delivers waterproof and fogproof performance. Armortek coatings protect the lenses from oil, scratches, and dirt. Rubber armor enhances both durability and grip for the user.
Swarovski HD ATS-65 Spotting Scope
Another product on the list, the Swarovski built spotting scope brings to its customers an objective lens diameter of 65 millimeters. One of the best features of this product is that it is made up of lightweight aluminum, which makes it ideal for applications like bird watching, hunting, marine observation and many more. Apart from this, the fluoride filled in between the spotting scope’s high definition lenses helps in minimizing the color fringing effects by a great extent, hence producing high contrasting images. When it comes to product design and build, the rubber armoring protection provided assures the Swarovski spotting scope product to be shock resistant.
The product boasts of also being resistant to noise, even at submersible depths of 13 feet (approx. 4 meters). All in all, the total length of 12.79 inches (approx. 324 millimeters), and weight around 36 ounces (approx. 1 kg) of this spotting scope product makes it easy for carrying along while occupying minimal space. Just like some of the products discussed above, this product comes with lifetime warranty, assuring you that it can be used for long periods, and in extremely rugged conditions.
- Aluminum spotting scope with 65mm objective lens diameter
- Fluoride-containing HD lenses minimize color fringing and produce high-contrast images
- Angled body is suitable for observing birds in the air or trees
- Includes 20-60x eyepiece with individual twist-in eyecups
- Measures 12.79 inches long and weighs 36 ounces; lifetime warranty
Other Best Selling Options
- The Razor HD is Vortex Optics' top of the line spotting scope. The 11-33x50 Angled Razor is ultra-lightweight and packable for your convenience.
- Triplet Apochromatic lens combined with high density, extra-low dispersion glass delivers unparalled resolution and color fidelity. XR Plus anti-reflective coatings were applied to the lenses to yield maximum brightness for critical low-light glassing.
- The focus wheel is broken down to macro and micro adjustments. The macro adjustment allows the user to rapidly focus while the micro adjustment allows you to fine tune the image.
- The zoom eyepiece allows easy adjustments to magnification. The adjustable eyecup folds up and down for comfortable viewing with or without glasses.
- O-ring sealed and argon purged, the Razor HD delivers waterproof and fogproof performance. Armortek coatings protect the lenses from oil, scratches, and dirt. Rubber armor enhances both durability and grip for the user.
- ACCESSORIES INCLUDED - Compact Precision Spotting Scope With ZOOM 12-36x50 (Includes Premium Portable, Foldable, Handled Tripod and Carrying Case and Lens Caps) 45 Degree Angled Eyepiece Allows Practical Comfortable Viewing
- WEATHERPROOF RUBBER ARMOR CONSTRUCTION - Rugged Non-Slip With A LARGE, "Smooth Glide" Textured Focus Ring ON the main barrel, (NOT a tiny separate knob above) + No Slip Comfort Molded Grip. Special Features - Extendable/Retractable Eyepiece For Use WITH Or WITHOUT Glasses + Extendable Sunshade Built Onto The Main Barrel To Reduce Glare. Large Objective Lens Allows Superior Light Transmission And A Bright WIDE View
- PERFECT FOR NATURE - Wildlife, Outdoor Activities, Stargazing, Vacations, Hunting, Survival Training, Target Shooting, Bird Watching, Hiking, Camping, etc. Powerful Enough To Be Useful, Portable Enough To Be Convenient.
- HIGH DEFINITION MILITARY GRADE OPTICS - Optical Glass With Superior BAK4 Prism and Fully Multi Coated All Glass Lens which guarantees superior light transmission and brightness for optimal crystal clear viewing even for law enforcement applications. Our scope with ANY standard tripod, But, one VERY IMPORTANT feature is our METAL mounting screw (not plastic like our competitors) This means your scope is SAFE and won’t accidentally snap off your tripod.
- LIFETIME REPLACEMENT GUARANTEE - We’re A Small Family Company Based in the US. We Only Sell Products We Use Ourselves. We Completely Stand Behind Our Blackbird Scope. If You Have Any Questions or Issues, We Promise To Take Care Of You With Personal Service. You’re 100% Covered With Our Lifetime Replacement Guarantee. We're building our business one happy customer at a time.
- Folded light path spotter with HD prime Glass, fully multi-coated optics, Ultra wide-band coating and rain guard HD to provide the brightest image possible
- First focal plane mil-hash reticle and is fully 100% waterproof and Fog proof
- Picatinny rail mounts on the top and side
- Magnification ranges from 15 to 45x with a close focus range of 35'
- Backed by Bushnell no Questions Asked Lifetime Warranty
- 8x magnification and 36mm objectives lens, the Solo Monocular is a small, lightweight optic with fully multi-coated lenses, increasing the light transmission and resolution giving you the clear, crisp images you want.
- The monocular is fully rubber armored providing a non-slip grip to the user and making it extremely durable.
- Nitrogen purged and o-ring sealed, the Solo delivers waterproof and fogproof performance in any environment.
- The adjustable eyecup allows for comfortable viewing with or without glasses.
- The 36mm Solo comes with a versatile, multi-position utility clip for quick attachment to your equipment or clothing. Field of View: 393 feet/1000 yards|7.5 degrees
- Fully coated optics with porro prism system
- Large 50mm objective lens
- Shock absorbing rubber armor
- Come with table tripod and soft carrying case
- The highest clarity range is at 150 yards. Beyond 150 yards, the image will naturally start to become blurry.
Compact Spotting Scope Buyer’s Guide
We will now focus on the seven different factors which play a crucial role for you to decide as to which spotting scope you want to buy, out of the wide range of products present in the market as well as on the internet.
Objective Lens Diameter
Speaking on a general note, a compact spotting scope is a spotting scope which has its total length of 13 to 14 inches and weighs roughly around 35 oz. to 40 oz. (approx. 1 kg.). The reason why we are discussing this point here is that the length of the spotting scope has direct implications on the objective diameter and hence, the resolution and optical power of the spotting scope.
To be precise, shorten the length of the spotting scope, smaller will be the zooming range of the spotting scope. But when it comes to economic feasibility, spotting scopes with smaller zooming ability are cheaper in comparison to the ones with larger zooming range. With shorter zooming range, the spotting scope will make no difference to you than any other observation device/ gadget, like binoculars or rifle scopes.
Thus, whenever you are going to buy yourself a spotting scope, please be reminded to buy the product which has satisfactory zooming range. But also keep an eye on the price tag subsequently!
Eyepiece
The eyepiece is that component of spotting scope which has a crucial role to play in determining the overall magnification power as well as the field of view of the scope. Varying from one manufacturer to other, spotting scopes can be found with an option to replace the eyepiece manually with alternative eyepieces of different diameters and weights.
People can also have different choices and uses of the types of eyepieces available in the market. For example, those who use their spotting scopes for bird watching, need eyepieces with a wider field of view. Those who use their scopes for hunting or nature photography purposes will need an eyepiece with a narrow field of view since they will be focusing on details closely.
This is possible only through a narrow field of view eyepiece. Hence, depending upon the purpose of use, you can select the spotting scope by comparing its eyepiece details as well.
Night vision Support
Most of the spotting scope devices present in the market today fail to function properly when it comes to using the scopes during dusk/night. Because of this, there use is limited only during the daytime.
But if you wish to go spotting when it’s dusk, you can surely find spotting scope devices which provide you extremely good zooming range as well as the field of view of the lens, enabling you to get a view of your lifetime!
But as such spotting scopes give something uncommon to other products, they are also going to affect your pockets on the financial front. So please be clarified whether you need the spotting scope for a night watching or not.
Weatherproofing
In the quest to achieve a good view through your spotting scope, you may sometimes feel to go into adverse situations which can affect the performance of your scope. Hence, buying a spotting scope which is resistant to and can tolerate extreme weather conditions is a must.
There are a lot of spotting scope devices in the market which allows you to use them inside water (waterproof), in areas with high winds and sand, or in areas with high temperatures. This thing can be confirmed easily if the product has mechanical impact rating or ingress protection rating.
Generally speaking, provision of this feature is very common, but you still need to check in case you want to use the scope of the waterproof tag. Also, adding on this feature has very minimal effects on the price structure of the spotting scope product.
Product Weight
The weight of a spotting scope largely affects your opinion to buy any product or not. Usually, people take spotting scopes for situations where they hold it in their hands for longer times.
In case they are carrying a tripod, even then also they are going to mount it on to it and carry along. Hence, if the spotting scope is heavier than usual in weight, they are certainly going to be avoided.
The advantage of having a compact spotting scope is that it has less weight, has fewer space requirements, and are far more easy and portable to carry along. Due to these reasons, the weight of the spotting scope is one of the unique selling points in the eyes of manufacturers as well as the buyers.
Product Design
On the internet, you can find spotting scopes with two different types of viewing angles, i.e. straight and angular. This can generate questions as to how to differentiate between them depending upon their purpose of use? In an angular spotting scope, the eyepiece is at an upward inclination relative to the lens. In case of a straight spotting scope, the eyepiece is in line with the lens. Both the types of spotting scopes have their own associated advantages and applications.
Talking about the case of an angular spotting scope, they are more suitable for applications like bird watching or astronomical observations. Also, when used along with a tripod stand, the user does not need to adjust the height of the tripod in case there is more than one user present, and the scope is being shared between them.
They generally have longer durability and operating life in comparison to straight spotting scopes. The inclination of the lens helps the observer to easily adjust the scope in case they are observing birds or any other thing at great altitudes. Due to these reasons, they are the choice of the masses in comparison to its alternative counterpart.
The straight spotting scope, on the other hand, is suitable for situations when the user is himself/herself at an elevation and wants to observe something situated at a lower elevation profile.
For hunting purposes as well, the straight spotting scope is usually considered. But due to their limited applications, they are not widely used than the angled spotting scope. So please keep in mind the above-discussed features when purchasing a spotting scope.
Mounting Options
Since there are products available in the market which are compatible to be mounted on both the tripod stand as well as the window mounts, we considered discussing this point as well. There are spotting scopes which come with a small and adjustable tripod, while there are some products which come with a separate tripod kit.
Depending upon the mounting, the observers can also affix their smartphones or cameras to their spotting scopes. With this, they can also click photographs or record videos at a much better resolution.
Along with this, you also need to check whether the spotting scope you are going to buy can be attached to the window mounts as well. Because of this, it is important to know whether the spotting scope you want to buy is friendly to be mounted with different mounts or not.
Moving further, we will now discuss some of the best spotting scope devices available on the internet. After going through them, you will surely be able to decide the best spotting scope for yourself depending upon the purpose of use.
Conclusion
Since we have discussed the deciding factors for choosing the right spotting scope product, and we have also reviewed some of the best spotting scope devices available on the internet. We can now assume that you will be able to find out the best product for yourself depending upon the area of application. Happy observing!
