Recommendations for less expensive spotting scope?

Guest · Guest

For a newbie bird watcher, could you give some recommendations for a ~least expensive, but worthwhile~ scope, say under $250? Cornell Ornithology's website scope review recommends the Bushnell Spacemaster (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/GearGuide/Scopes/ScopeReview2002.html ) Would you agree with that?

Thanks!

Guest · Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 12:17 am Post subject:

Hi

The Bushnell Spacemaster spotting scope, http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-15-45x60-spacemaster.html, is a tried and true veteran of a spotting scope and is still a good choice for a birding spotting scope under $250. If you wear eyeglasses, however, you may want a spotting scope with better eye relief such as the Bausch&Lomb Discoverer, http://www.opticsplanet.net/bausch-and-lomb-discoverer15-60x60.html, or the similar Bushnell Natureview, http://www.opticsplanet.net/bushnell-natureview15-45x60.html

Other good spotting scopes for birding in this price range include the
Audubon Dimensions, http://www.opticsplanet.net/audubon-dimensions-80wa-scope-80wa-es.html, and the Celestron Ultima 65 or 80, http://www.opticsplanet.net/celestron-ultima-65-spotting-scope.html.

If you need help choosing a spotting scope for birdwatching, please let me know as I am a birder myself.

Joanie Kozak
Your personal optics expert
Opticsplanet.com

Very Happy

hank · Joined: 22 Jan 2005 Posts: 3

Do you have a table with
-- close focus
-- eye relief for eyeglasses wearers
-- exit pupil diameter
-- twilight or brightness

I spend a lot of time looking at things that are relatively close -- and I'm aging. That means a smaller exit pupil is fine, larger would be wasted on me though valuable for youngsters who might use the scope.

Contrast as well as brightness matters a lot to me.

The narrative descriptions are scattered around; I'm hoping someone there has made up a table, or search tool, or something.