Explore our range of spotting scopes at BRESSER
Discover the ideal spotting scope for birdwatching, sports, digiscoping, and more!
Whether it's targeting a marksman's bullseye, observing a hobby ornithologist's favourite bird, or gazing at the most fascinating celestial object β spotting scopes bring distant subjects into sharp focus with their powerful magnification. As an optics expert with decades of experience, BRESSER offers a wide selection of these predominantly monocular telescopes to birdwatchers, nature enthusiasts, hunters, athletes, and astronomers alike. For example, our Corvette series provides excellent value for those new to long-distance observation. If you're after higher optical performance, explore our Pirsch and Dachstein series. And since achieving the perfect long-range view with a spotting scope involves more than just quality optics, don't forget to browse our accessories, including tripods, smartphone camera adapters, and more.
Still unsure about spotting scopes? You can find all the key information you need right here.
Choosing a spotting scope β understanding the key specifications
If you're new to long-distance observation, you'll likely come across some numbers when searching for the right optics. Model names often feature sequences like 20β60x80, 15β45x50, or 9β27x56. We'll break down what these mean and what other specifications you should consider.
Magnification and zoom
Spotting scopes stand out from binoculars mainly due to their higher magnification, which typically ranges from 10x to 80x. The number before the "x" indicates the level of magnification. If a range is shown, the scope has a zoom function that allows you to smoothly adjust the magnification. If only a single number is listed, the spotting scope has a fixed focal length, meaning the magnification cannot be changed.
TIP: If you're not familiar with magnification, it can be hard to visualise its effect. Here's a simple formula to help: Magnification x 100 = the distance in metres at which an object appears to be 100 metres away.
Objective diameter
What about the second number after the "x"? This figure refers to the objective diameter of the spotting scope in millimetres. The rule of thumb is: the larger the diameter, the more light the optics gather, resulting in a brighter image. However, a larger objective diameter also increases the weight of the scope. If you plan to transport your spotting scope frequently, it's important to find the right balance between size and portability.
Field of view
The field of view specifies the width of the area you can see at 1,000 metres. Higher magnifications usually result in a narrower field of view, which can make tracking moving objects more difficult. Sometimes, the field of view is also expressed as an angle. You can easily convert this to metres by multiplying the angle by 17.45 (angle x 17.45 = field of view in metres).
Relative brightness and twilight factor
Relative brightness indicates how bright the image will be, while the twilight factor shows how well details can be seen in low light. The higher these values, the better the image quality at dusk. However, these figures only provide limited information, as they are based on the objective diameter and magnification, and don't take into account other factors like glass type or coatings. Therefore, these values aren't the best for comparing different optics. However, when all other factors are the same β such as within the same series β relative brightness and twilight factor can help you choose the right spotting scope for your needs.