Each year more and more products push technology to a whole new dimension. The OpticsPlanet Brilliance Awards for 2009 showcase the leaders of that pack that were a dominant force entering in the new year, with heavy hitting performances and customer satisfaction. The multitude of products and accessories here at OpticsPlanet made for an arduous process of narrowing down the best of the best for these awards. Our specialists created several categories involving the analysis of every product and brand. Only one could win each award, and there were plenty of close calls, tie-breakers, and single digit point separations in this free-for-all contest, but in the end, only a few could take their respective titles. For a complete list of all of our winners, please check out the Brilliance Awards Winners section. The votes are in!

45,000 Votes & Over $500 In Prizes Given Away!

Winners of the 2009 OpticsPlanet Brilliance Awards are below!

Customers' Choice - General Awards

Customers' Choice Tripod of the Year Nikon Slik Full-Size Tripod

Customers' Choice Tripod Brand of the Year Nikon

Customers' Choice Spotting Scope of the Year < $500 Leupold Green Ring Sequoia 20-60x80mm Straight Spotting Scope

Customers' Choice Spotting Scope of the Year Swarovski STS-80 HD Spotting Scope

Customers' Choice Spotting Scope Brand of the Year Nikon

Experts' Choice - General Awards

Experts' Choice Best Spotting Scope < $800 Bushnell Elite 20-60x80 ED Angled Spotting Scope

Experts' Choice Best Spotting Scope < $1000 Brunton Eterna 80mm ED Full Size Angled Spotting Scope

Experts' Choice Best Day/Night Spotting Scope < $200 Celestron 90mm Maksutov Spotting Scope

Experts' Choice Best Spotting Scope < $700 Celestron C5 Spotter 5" 127mm Schmidt-Cassegrain Spotting Scope

Experts' Choice Best Spotting Scope < $200 Celestron Ultima 80 Angled 45 Degree Spotting Scope

Experts' Choice Best Spotting Scope < $1500 Nikon Fieldscope ED 25-75x82 Extra Low Dispersion Spotting Scope

Experts' Choice Best Spotting Scope < $3000 Swarovski HD-ATS80 HD 80 mm Angled Spotting Scope

Experts' Choice Best Spotting Scope < $500 Vortex Skyline 20-60x80mm Angled Spotting Scope

Experts' Choice Best DSLR Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR Camera Kit

Experts' Choice Best Compact Monocular Nikon 7x15 High Grade Monocular

Experts' Choice Best Premium Monocular Zeiss 10x25B Design Selection Monocular Scope

Experts' Choice Best Tripod < $300 Manfrotto Bogen 055XDB & 128RC Tripod

Experts' Choice Best Tripod < $100 Nikon Manfrotto Full-Size 848 Tripod

Experts' Choice Best Premium Tripod Swarovski Carbon 101 Tripod