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Adam Howard Posted on Apr 08, 2018
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How to Spotting Scopes Work? - Optics

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Mills Jack

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  • Expert 49 Answers
  • Posted on Apr 08, 2018
Mills Jack
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Spotting Scope is a type of telescope typically used for observing wild animals and birds. A spotting scope features more magnification than a conventional binocular but less than an astronomical telescope.
The utility of a spotting scope becomes most obvious when the identification of an animal going in a large herd is required. Figuring out a specific animal from other look-alike animals becomes easy with such a device. For digiscoping purposes, few things can beat the power of spotting scopes. It is possible by using binoculars or telescopes to take a closer look at birds or other animals, but if you want a precise view of your target animal, a spotting scope is preferable.
Spotting Scope Features Explained

  • Objective lens
    Objective lens, also known as the Front lens, determines the image quality at higher magnifications. The diameter of this lens ranges from 50-100mm in size. It is also called "Aperture" of the lens. It is wise to buy the highest size of the objective lens considering its weight. Larger lenses allow to pass more light and create more bright images. This means you will get higher image quality with the larger lenses.
  • Lens Coating
    Manufactures often apply the chemical coating, which is known as Lens Coating, on the lens to reduce noise and increase light transmission. They also offer "fully coated," "multi-coated" and "fully multi-coated" lens to improve image quality. The premium quality spotting scopes' lenses are multi-coated with multiple layers on the surface.
  • Focusing
    There are two types of focusing mechanism in the spotting scopes such as Helical and Knob focusers. The focusing characteristics determine how quickly you can focus on the object with maximum precision. Between these two options, the helical focuser is the finest option for birding as it can change magnification rapidly along with the movement of the bird. For hunting or spotting slower animals, Knob focuser is best as it gives you more precise information than the former one.
  • Eye relief
    The eyepiece remains at a little distance from the users' eyes. This distance is called the eye relief where the light rays transmitted from the object pass to enter into your pupil. The comfortable eye relief distance is about 15mm to see the full field view. This feature is very important for those who wear eyeglasses. Nowadays, manufacturers are offering long eye relief for those who need to wear eyeglasses for convenient viewing.
  • Image Quality
    You might have seen some designation on the glass label of the spotting scope such ED glass, APO glass, HD glass, Fluorite glass. These special qualities of glass will cost you more but create a huge difference in image quality comparing low-quality lenses. Remember, you must pay for the good quality images when it comes to buying any types of optical instruments.
  • Magnification
    The magnification of spotting scope is higher than standard binoculars and varies between 15x to 75x. The power of the eyepiece determines the magnification of the scope. The important fact you should know that image quality drops off as the magnification goes up. Even premium quality scopes also lose a little quality at the highest magnification.
The condition of the atmosphere has effects on birding, hunting and digiscoping too. Humidity, ever-moving air, dry climates, dust and so on hinders the magnification and image quality at large.

2 Related Answers

mills4177

Mills Jack

  • 49 Answers
  • Posted on Mar 10, 2018

SOURCE: Which is the best hunting spotting scopes?

Vortex Razor HD Spotting Scope
This is a spectacular spotting scope which is a masterpiece of the well-known, vortex optics.
The Vortex Razor HD Spotting scope is filled with the premium high density and extra-low dispersion glass which will definitely give you the ultimate resolution for every image by providing rich color and contract.
Moreover, the ultra-hard-coated Armor Tek will efficiently protect the exterior of the lenses from any particular scratches, prevents staining from oil and dirt too.
As for the linear field of view, you can get 117 -60 feet per 1000 yards. The angular field of view for this spotting scope is 2.2-1.1 degrees. As for the close focus, it can come to an amazing 16.4 feet. This spotting scope would be perfect for getting really close and personal during your hunting surveillance.
The eye relief for the Vortex Razor HD spotting scope ranges from 18 mm to 20 mm. For this eye relief, it will be very comfortable to scope even with glasses on. The exit pupil can be adjusted from 1.42mm to 4.25mm. Being able to focus with this spotting scope is extremely easy too. Amazing detail too if you want to sight further, even into outer space!
To touch on the physical aspect of this spotting scope, it is generally large in size. The spotting scope has an 85 mm objective lens and an eyepiece which has a magnification that can be adjusted from 20x to 60x. The objective lens will provide you with image of great clarity which is made by Vortex.
Not only that, this spotting scope has Dual Focus Knob which is necessary for ultra-precise focusing while making it much easier for you to manipulate the focus of this scope. There is a course knob and a fine knob to provide for maximum manipulation during focus. The length of this spotting scope is 15.3 inches while of this scope is 65.7 ounces. Although it does feel a little heavy, this scope is extremely sturdy!
To extend more about the objective lens, it can significantly reduce the amount of glare while being immune to raindrops and even snow since the Vortex Razor HD spotting scope is waterproof, rugged and even fog proof.
Also, there is a helpful finder on the side of the spotting scope. The balance is extremely good too even on or off the tripod.
Furthermore, the Vortex Razor HD Spotting Scope has a Dielectric prism coating which will provide the clearest and brightest images you will ever see with a spotting scope. It is also known for the great color accuracy for every single images. All and all, beautiful to look through and extremely pleasant to look at.
The Vortex Razor HD Spotting scope also comes with a proprietary XR anti-reflective coating which will significantly augment the light transmission for maximum brightness while you are spotting with this premium scope. Basically, the XR lens coatings will increase light transmission by providing multiple coatings on every single air-to-glass surfaces which are present in the spotting scope.
As for the design, the Vortex Razor HD spotting scope has an angled body design which is greatly sought for because it will allow a lower mounting height making it much more stable in the wind while giving more comfort when you are looking through the spotting scope with glasses for a long period of time.
In addition, the spotting scope comes with a triplet apochromatic lens which greatly reduces chromatic aberration. Also, the Vortex Razor HD has a built-in sunshade which can be equipped on a sunny day. The XT optical design also helps in the reduction of aberration while aiding in making distortion-free images which is needed for accurate image.
The Vortex Razor HD spotting scope uses Porro Prism which is popularly known to offer maximum image quality and excellent performance.
You can use this spotting scope in most harsh environment too. It is built with an O-ring sealed to the optics which is to prevent moisture, dust and even debris to stick onto the optic. The O-ring seal will also result in waterproof performance
Not like any other spotting scope, this scope is filled with argon gas to inhibit internal fogging effectively as you bring it out to different terrain.
To discuss a bit about the accessories, the Vortex Razor HD spotting scope can be equipped even with smaller tripods. You should also be careful with the strap because you can easily lose your grip on the scope allowing it to slip off.
If you are planning to participate in any serious event such as an Olympic tournament in archery, this would be the perfect spotting scope for you!
To conclude, this is one of the best spotting scope that will deliver a level of optical quality and even resolution unmatched by many of its peers. Not the mention the great color fidelity. As for this HD spotting scope, you can definitely hope for distortion-free images, augmented light transmission, increased resolutions with outstanding accuracy and color contrast which makes this spotting scope almost irresistible.
As a bonus, the Vortex Optics also provide VIP Unconditional Lifetime Warranty! No need to worry about spoiling the scope. This "Very Important Promise" to you will make sure that you are taken care of with unlimited lifetime warranty which is fully transferable. You will not have any warranty card to fill out while no receipts are required to change the product, all you have to do is just to contact Vortex Optics. Even so, it is important to note that the VIP warranty will not cover the loss of product, theft, deliberate damage or even cosmetic damage. All of these damages will not reduce the performance of this product.

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mills4177

Mills Jack

  • 49 Answers
  • Posted on Mar 21, 2018

SOURCE: What is field of view in Binoculars, Spotting Scopes and Rifle Scopes?

Optical field of view (FOV) refers to the width of the area that you can see when looking through a pair of Binoculars or a Spotting Scope, quite simply, how wide an area you can see through your optics. Field of view is usually described in terms of 'linear field of view' or 'angular field of view'. Both figures essentially indicate that the field of view of the optic is a certain width, but they just use different numbers to describe this.

Linear field of view is also known as the true field of view and indicates the width (in m) of the area that you can see when standing 1,000m away from an object.
Angular field of view is also known as the apparent field of view and refers to the true angle (in degrees) seen through the optics.
It is easy to convert between the two field of vision measurements:
To convert an angular field of vision to a linear field of vision, simply multiply the angular field of vision by 52.5.
To convert a linear field of vision to an angular field of vision, simply divide the liner field of vision by 52.5.

When choosing your binoculars or spotting scope, take some time to consider where you are planning to use them, as this will indicate the most suitable field of view required to get the most out of your product. The most important thing to remember is that the larger the number is given to the field of view (FOV), the larger the width of the area you will be able to see through your scope. A larger field of view is desirable if you are planning to use your scope to watch anything that is moving quickly across your viewing area as it will make it easier to aim and stay on a moving subject. For this reason, scopes with a larger field of view are favored by people watching birds in flight, a ball at a cricket game, an athlete in a race or views from a moving car.
Don't forget field of view (FOV) and magnification are closely linked, with higher magnifications resulting in a smaller field of view. Take some time to consider whether you wish to view your subject in great detail, or would prefer to be able to keep track of it if it is moving quickly; after all, there's no point being able to see the fine detail on a bird's feather if you can't find the bird in the first place!

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Related Questions:

1helpful
1answer

What is the ideal spotting scope Lens Size?

You simply need to choose if you prefer a better image quality or a smaller and lighter spotting scope. A spotting scope with a larger lens (60mm to 100mm) will have better light-gathering capability than a smaller 50mm lens spotting scope. This means that the image you see will be brighter and clearer. You will also enjoy a wider field of view. On the other hand the bigger the lens is, the larger and heavier your spotting scope will be. Larger spotting scopes are also more expensive.
Think about where you will be using the spotting scope the most. If you normally stay at a fixed location for a long period or don't need to worry about extra weight then opt for an 80mm to 100mm scope (if you can afford it of course). If you like to travel light or move around more than a 50mm to 60mm scope will suit you better. Some 50mm scopes can even be used without a tripod when needed.
May 27, 2018 • The Optics
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1answer

Why do need a waterproof spotting scope?

Many activities that include the use of scopes such as binoculars, spotting scopes and riflescopes take place outdoors, often in damp, humid or foggy conditions. Having waterproof binoculars, spotting scopes or rifle scopes will eliminate your concerns about moisture damage, including fogged over inner optics that are sure to ruin your day out! Some waterproof binoculars can even withstand short submersion's in shallow water so even accidentally dropping them in a puddle on a hike won't matter.
Apr 16, 2018 • Optics
1helpful
2answers

What would be the best spotting scope for under $200?

Bushnell Trophy Xtreme 16-48×50

The Trophy Xtreme is an all-purpose spotting scope. Need to set up for stationary hunting in the field? No problem. Want to glass from the comfort of your own truck? Done. The magnification picks up where binoculars stop, and it's more in line of what a hunter will realistically use. There's no point in going up to 60X here since quality will disappear the further out you go.
Bushnell stays smart and only offers practical features like its compact and lightweight specs, weatherproofing, and the upgraded warranty. Everything about the quality of this budget range screams Bushnell. Take this spotter to the extreme to tag that trophy this hunt! It might have to be the next hunt next year if you decide to pass on the Bushnell. Pass on being skeptical and check it out.
Apr 10, 2018 • The Optics
1helpful
3answers

Which is better for use, angled or straight spotting scope?

Spotting scopes are used for several purposes which includes hunting, birding, nature viewing and landscape observation and targeting any distant objects. If this device is used for capturing photos, then the combination of a spotting scope attached with a camera would be helpful for the users. A spotting scope can also be used fort target shooting on which scoring targets on a rifle or archery range. If anyone wishes to buy a spotting scope then one must.
Angled or Straight Scope
Going for a spotting scope based on the users need, the thing that will come first is choosing one between the two - angled spotting scope or straight one.
Here is the Advantage and disadvantage of spotting scope:
Straight Spotting Scopes
Advantages
  • Easier to quickly find and track moving targets like birds
  • Easier to use if you do most of your birding or game viewing from hides or using a car window clamp
  • Easier to view objects below your own level eg at the bottom of a cliff
Disadvantages
  • Can get uncomfortable during prolonged observation periods
  • Digiscoping: depending on the weight of your camera and adapter, gravity can make the set-up less stable and there could be more chance of harming the eyepiece
  • If you're above average height, it can be more expensive to buy a tripod that needs to be stable at 170cm high and above. The larger tripod is also harder to carry about.
  • Harder to view birds in the sky
  • Harder to use if you also plan to use your scope for astronomy
Angled Spotting Scopes
Advantages
  • Generally more comfortable for prolonged observation periods
  • Easier to view birds in the sky
  • You don't need to raise the tripod so high and often depending on which tripod you have, you don't even need to raise the center column which makes a big difference regarding stability
  • Many prefer an angled for digiscoping, as you can set it at a lower height on your tripod, making it easier to keep it stable, especially in windy conditions
  • Gravity helps keep the camera in place for digiscoping making it more stable and so there is less chance of harming the eyepiece
  • Easier to use if you also plan to use your scope for astronomy
Disadvantages
  • Beginners will find the angled scope difficult to trace and detect the moving targets but they will overcome the difficulties over time by being able to handle it. It is more difficult to use when an user utilize this device mostly for birding or viewing game
  • Harder to use if you do most of your birding or game viewing from hides or using a car window clamp
  • Harder to view birds or anything else that is below your own level eg at the bottom of a cliff
Apr 02, 2018 • Optics
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Vortex Optics - Site Map


Dec 28, 2015 • Optics
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How can I purchase a spotting scope manual for a Redhead Pursuit spotting scope?

Call your nearest Bass Pro shop. They may be able to arrange for you to get a manual.
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Where do I get a eye lens for Redhead outlook spotting scope?

Find an Optics outlet that deals in this brand. Or a very good optics person will be able to fix it regardless.
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Adjustments do not hold and adjustment knobs don't always work.

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