recommendations and opinions on spotting scopes please??

hi guys and girls,
im wondering if you could give me any advice as to which you would recommend?

i have recently carried out a loft conversion and fited some skylight/roof windoews and have some great views across the city of london,canary wharf,london eye,telecom tower etc,and at the minute i have been using normal binoculars but dont feel that they,re doing a good enough job(there only 16x50).after reading up on this site it appears that i would be better off with a spotting scope as it would remain stationary in the loft and could be tripod mounted for more stability.

now for the hard bit is choosing the correct size as there seems to be an endless amount out there?? Ive been looking at the konus konuspot 20-60x100 as this seems to be in my price range and has a good write up about it,would this be too powerful(im a good 10-15 miles away from london when i look out of the skylight windows)or would something with less magnification be better??

all comments welcome people and hope you can help

Price, not size or specs is the best indicator of quality and performance. In that price range, the Konus will certainly work. Here's a couple of articles that will help.

For the basics on spotting scopes and more, see my article at
What is a Spotting Scope?

For the basics on choosing a tripod, see my article at Tripod Guide - Choosing the best Tripod

For the basics on higher power observation instruments, both binoculars and spotting scopes (small telescopes designed to be used by day), for horizon watching, spotting ships, distant wildlife and some astronomy, see my article at High Power Observation For Home Or Office,

thanks joanie

You are very welcome.

Hi Joanie,
Still haven't pulled the trigger - still looking for that gift for the person with ocean view near harbor that I first posted about in whale watching recommendation. Still kind of unable to sift through the different recs. Apologies if I seem rather obtuse.

In that thread, you discouraged me against the 100 scope, but you seem OK with this Konuspot 20-60x100 for basically the same application in this thread? In absence of the Legend first recommended in the other thread, you suggested the Legend HD, but your review of it against the Nikon wasn't too favorable.

I think this gift will get some use, rather than be part of the decor, so I would like them to have a pleasant image, but I'm not exactly sure what their normal viewing range will be. They are on a slope about 1-2 blocks from an ocean cliff - then boats/whales etc. would be beyond that.

Would you still favor the Legend HD and Vortex Sandpiper? What about the Alpen 788? When you say the Konuspot "would work" - what are going to be the glaring differences with those other scopes?

Thanks again.
WG

Hi

No, not the Legend or the Konus. The Legend does not have the optics and the Konus is simply not as well built a scope. With either you are going to have to invest a lot of money to get a tripod large enough to support them.

Go with the Vortex or why not just bite the bullet and get the Nikon Prostaff 16-48x65? You simply are not going to do better for the money. For a little bit more, go with the Skyline, sure.

Thanks. What is the tripod that you offer as a Nikon add-on ($50) is it table top?
Or, do you still recommend the 848?
thx,
WG

Hi

The one offered in the Nikon "Outfit" versions is the full-size Nikon 847, which is much inferior to the Nikon 848. Go with the 848. With the 848, you at least get a metal head instead of the 847's plastic and, out in the field, the leg brace on the 847 is constantly hanging up on brush and rocks. Leg braces belong on studio tripods. They have no place in a field tripod.