Spotting Scope

[rosinante]

Hi all ,can anyone recommend a small spotting scope for when I am out and about with the dog , I have a pair of bins 8 x 50 but they are a bit bulky, I am assuming that a spotting scope wil give me a bigger magnification , it is mainly for a bit of bird watching , we have a lot of buzzards etc around which I like to watch.
The assumption is that the scope will be lightweight and fit into my pocket ,I have no idea of the practicalities of this so if I have displayed my ignorance forgive me,
Thanks
Chris

 

[pedrobedro]

Do you mean a monocular ? A spotting scope is a big thing on a tripod. I bought a couple of cheap monoculars on eBay and they do the job nicely. The make is Bushnell 16x52 with a zoom function. Looks just like this one

 

[Robotstar5]

Binoculars are far easier to carry than a spotting scope.

 

[Gareth0123]

I have an Aldi spotting scope. It's good enough for trips to Holkham nature reserve for casual bird and ship spotting from the beach and dunes.
I have it set up in the spare bedroom throughout the winter as we have Lionwood; 22 hectares of ancient woodland at the bottom of our garden and when the leaves are completely off the trees I can see Whitlingham broad 600 metres away in a straight line and I just don't know what will decide to pay us a visit next.

It is cheap, it is robust and the optics are a match for those up to 4 or 5 times it's cost.

 

[gordon stephenson]

The aldi spotting scopes are excellent for the money, but too bulky to carry compared with bino's, Also greater magnifications need to be supported on a tripod etc to prevent a burry/shaky image

 

[Migmac]

I have a spotting scope and binos. If your walking about binos are far better, much easier to use. If your sitting binos and spotting scope, binos for finding things and the spotting scope for observing. I have an Aldi or Lidl spotting scope, it's fine for what it cost. I used a Swarovski spotting scope a couple of years ago to read tag numbers off the legs of sea eagles. I was a couple hundred yards away and could read them no bother, but these spotting scopes are for the real serious observers

 

[rosinante]

Ok fellas I am obviously on the wrong tack, it sounds like a monocular is what I need as 16 x magnification should be plenty ,
Thanks for putting me on the right track
Chris

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I have a cheap monocular from eBay that I keep in the van for deer spotting and it's perfect for that, small enough to carry in your pocket but cheap enough that I wouldn't worry if I lost it or it got damaged.

 

[pedrobedro]

I have a cheap monocular from eBay that I keep in the van for deer spotting and it's perfect for that, small enough to carry in your pocket but cheap enough that I wouldn't worry if I lost it or it got damaged.

I put a link up to the one I use but I do have a smaller 8x one that is easier to carry in a trouser pocket. The 16x is better as you get a wider viewing area but the small one was used out walking the Peak for finding stiles across fields and came in very handy. I have a spotting scope from Aldi as well and we take it to the hide on the local reservoir bird watching and at the price you cannot fault it.

 

[ukracer]

Is it too go with this gun?

 

[ronan]

+1 on the aldi/lidl spotting scope, i bought one years ago for use on the rifle range. Its lasted years and is easily worth the price. Years ago i got an unexpected bonus at christmas and spent it on a pair of leica binoculars as i was deer stalking at the time. Fantastic quality, you know the difference between good and cheap optics when you use them at dawn or dusk, the expensive lenses really make the best of the available light.

 

[Kent]

Good set of compact binos are what you need. Quality small ones are fine until theight fades

 

[Shox Dr]

I have a spotting scope and binos. If your walking about binos are far better, much easier to use. If your sitting binos and spotting scope, binos for finding things and the spotting scope for observing. I have an Aldi or Lidl spotting scope, it's fine for what it cost. I used a Swarovski spotting scope a couple of years ago to read tag numbers off the legs of sea eagles. I was a couple hundred yards away and could read them no bother, but these spotting scopes are for the real serious observers

I used a pair of Swarovski pocket bino's last yr. About 350quid. Fantastic clarity, and mag, for something that sat in the palm of your hand.

 

[ronan]

I used a pair of Swarovski pocket bino's last yr. About 350quid. Fantastic clarity, and mag, for something that sat in the palm of your hand.

Swarovski make nice gear, but i always find their stuff a bit on the heavy side. I wish schmidt and bender made bins, they make very nice optics too.

 

[Shox Dr]

Swarovski make nice gear, but i always find their stuff a bit on the heavy side. I wish schmidt and bender made bins, they make very nice optics too.

These were very light. Then my bins are German Carl Zeiss WWII so a brick feels light

 

[Migmac]

Swarovski make nice gear, but i always find their stuff a bit on the heavy side. I wish schmidt and bender made bins, they make very nice optics too.

You should try a set of Leica range finding binos, they are heavy. You get used to the weight.

 

[ronan]

You should try a set of Leica range finding binos, they are heavy. You get used to the weight.

I have a separate nikon range finder if i need one. The problem with these lovely german optics is obviously, price, you could get a decent secondhand car for the price of some of these bins/scopes etc.

 

[Shox Dr]

I have a separate nikon range finder if i need one. The problem with these lovely german optics is obviously, price, you could get a decent secondhand car for the price of some of these bins/scopes etc.

Optolyth have goods optics and wont break the bank.
I've a Spotting scope by them TBG80HDF as good as top end stuff for 350quid 2nd hand

 

[Migmac]

I have a separate nikon range finder if i need one. The problem with these lovely german optics is obviously, price, you could get a decent secondhand car for the price of some of these bins/scopes etc.

Ours weren't to bad, the company bought ten sets at once and got a good discount. Mine are +\- 1 yard at 1000 yards. Not that I shoot at those distances, good fun guessing distances and then check them with the RF

 

[Migmac]

There's a lot of the cheaper optics that are nearly on a par with the high end stuff. The only time you can really see a difference is in poor light conditions