If your conventional binoculars aren’t giving you the magnification that you need, it’s time to check into obtaining a spotting telescope. You can bring distant objects into view whether you are studying wildlife, looking for ships or whales, hunting, birding or just viewing the landscape.
There are two things that determine the amount of magnification you can use in a spotting telescope. You have to factor in the environmental conditions that can reduce image quality. Dust, glare, heat waves, humidity and the air and wind currents will all influence the detail of your image at a distance. The optical system on the spotting scope also has limits. The greater the magnification of the spotting telescope, the higher the likelihood of reduced image quality.
Don’t make the mistake of buying more than what you need. Even on days when all of the environmental factors are cooperating with you and you can feel safe in getting a clear view at higher magnifications, there is just so far that you can go with realistic expectations.
If you think you should invest in a spotting telescope that offers a hundred times magnification, you may be throwing your money away because there are actually very few days when the conditions are good enough to use a magnification greater than 60X to 80X. That is why most of the spotting scopes that you can buy stop at 60X.
As you shop for a spotting scope you’ll notice that most of them have three numbers on the label. The magnification ranges of the scope are represented by the first two numbers and the last tells you the diameter of the front lens. For instance, if you are looking at a spotting telescope that is labeled 15-45×60 you know that the zoom magnification is a range of 15x to 45x and that the front lens is 60mm.
Before you buy your new spotting telescope, there are some other factors to take into consideration. If you wear eyeglasses you may not be able to bring your eye close enough t the eyepiece to bring the entire field into sight. Make sure that you buy a model that has a minimum of 14mm eye relief.
If you will be using the scope in all types of weather you may want to make sure that you buy a waterproof spotting telescope to not only protect it from moisture, but also from dirt and dust.
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