Spotting Scope

Improve Image Quality With the Right Spotting Scope

Whether you're a keen nature lover, bird watching enthusiast, or amateur astronomer, a spotting scope is the ideal device to help you enjoy your hobby to the full. This portable telescope can be used both on land and at sea, and eBay has a full range of spotting scopes to meet your requirements and to suit your budget.

How to choose the right spotting scope

Each spotter scope has different features. Choosing the correct one depends on why you need it, and how portable you need it to be. Before browsing through the scopes on offer on eBay, you should consider the following characteristics:

• The lens' magnifying strength and the material of its optics system, including its coating, and the focusing system.
• The eyepiece could be removable or non-removable, fixed, or zoom.
• Whether it has long eye relief.
• If the model is waterproof and/or fog-proof.

How can you ensure a crystal-clear image?

The average size of the lens of a spotting scope is 50-80mm. A larger lens gives a clearer picture with a wider field, but this comes at the expense of weight and cost. If you're planning to use your scope from a fixed position, the extra weight might not matter to you. A fully multi-coated lens improves the light gathering capacity of your spotting scope, which makes for a sharp picture. Materials such as ED (extra low dispersion) glass or BAK-4 glass also enhance the clarity of the image and can eliminate chromatic aberration.

How do you decide between a straight or angled spotting scope?

A straight spotting scope is ideal if you remain in a fixed location for long periods and wish to keep your head down, such as wildlife photographers who are stalking a subject. An angled spotting scope has a number of benefits, such as:

• Flexibility of aim (skyward, straight ahead, or downward).
• Adjusting scope position is unnecessary if you're viewing with others.
• Convenient attachment of camera.

What attachments do you need with a spotting scope?

If you plan to take high-quality photos with your spotting scope, you will need an adapter to replace the eyepiece and camera mount. Both accessories are available on eBay, but must be compatible with the make of your scope. To prevent a shaky image, a tripod is also recommended, especially for lenses with high magnification. Many of the spotting scopes on eBay are sold with a tripod. If you intend to use your scope from home, you could use a sturdy table or other flat surface instead.