Considering a Spotting Scope? Read this First!

If you have a good, quality pair of binoculars, why in the world would you need to have a spotting scope? For one, a spotting scope is ideal anytime that you want more magnification than your binoculars can provide. They are virtually a small telescope that has been modified in such a way that it can be used during the day. It is mounted on a small, photo tripod, and is usually built to be both water and fog proof.

Spotting scopes are used often for bird watching, hunting, viewing landscapes and wildlife, and for surveillance. They are used frequently to score targets on archery, rifle and pistol ranges, and are also used with an assortment of cameras to take long distance photos.

As you browse through the spotting scopes on our site, you might be wondering what some of these numbers mean and what the difference is between them. One thing that you will notice that is common with nearly all of them is that they each have 3 numbers. The first set of numbers represents the range of the magnification, and the final number is the size of the lens in the front. Therefore, if you are looking at the Alpen Waterproof 15-45x60 spotting scope, that means that the zoom magnification features a range of 15-45x and the diameter of the front lens is 60mm.

Even with a spotting scope, heat waves, humidity, dust, wind, and other atmospheric conditions can limit your range of magnification leaving things looking blurry, no matter how much magnification you are using. On a clear, calm day you can see great distances and, at times, even tiny details such as facial features, up to a mile or more away.

There are advantages of using a spotting scope. One of the primary advantages is that it allows people to observe wildlife from an animal-friendly distance without causing any distress to the animals. You can use them to identify a specific bird in a large flock, distinguish one species of bird from another and spot birds in the distance.

When used to capture images, because of the higher magnification, a spotting scope can produce those brilliantly colored, high-contrast photos that we all love to look at. The optical design and stability make them comparable to, and in many cases, better than a high quality camera with a telephoto lens.

The purchase of a spotting scope is sure to open up a world of new opportunities for you. It will add a whole new dimension to everything you enjoy doing from bird watching, to hunting, and photography. It may take a bit to adjust to using the spotting scope versus your binoculars, but it will be well worth your efforts!

Additionally, each one of the Alpen Spotting Scopes ship for FREE from Milonajo Enterprises!