Spotting Scope Technical Specifications

Select the perfect spotting scope for your observation needs. Compare magnification ranges, objective lens sizes, optical quality and more.

Find Your Perfect Viewing Scope

Whether you're birding, hunting, or exploring distant landscapes, a quality spotting scope brings the details into focus. Compare our selection to find your ideal match.

Specifications Comparison

Browse our complete range of scopes and filter by specifications to find your perfect match.


Athlon	Cronus G2 UHD 86	Mid-range	2080	20	60	No	86	8	2.1	1.1	20
Vortex	Crossfire HD 80mm Angled	Entry level	1418	20	60	No	80	7.9	2	1	18
Vortex	Crossfire HD 50mm Angled	Entry level	858.8	12	36	No	50	4.2	3.3	1.7	18
Athlon	Talos 80	Entry level	1090	20	60	No	80	6	1.6	0.9	17.5
Vortex	Crossfire HD 65mm Angled	Entry level	1250	16	48	No	65	5	2.5	1.3	18
Vortex	Viper HD 50mm Straight	Mid-range	776	11	33	No	50	2.74	3.5	1.8	16
Vortex	Viper HD 50mm Angled	Mid-range	788	11	33	No	50	2.74	3.5	1.8	16
Vortex	Crossfire HD 50mm Straight	Entry level	858.8	12	36	No	40	4.4	3.3	1.7	18
Vortex	Crossfire HD 65mm Straight	Entry level	1247	16	48	No	65	5	2.5	1.3	18
Vortex	Crossfire HD 80mm Straight	Entry level	1418	20	60	No	80	7.9	2	1	18
Athlon	Argos HD 85	Entry level	1980	20	60	No	85	12	1.9	0.9	19.5
Athlon	Ares G2 UHD 80	Mid-range	1980	20	60	No	80	12	1.9	0.9	19.5
Celestron	Ultima 65 Straight	Entry level	1050	18	55	With Trimming	65	6.1	1.7	0.73	18
Celestron	Ultima 65 Angled	Entry level	1050	18	55	With Trimming	65	6.1	1.7	0.73	18
Celestron	Ultima 80 Straight	Entry level	1620	20	60	With Trimming	80	8	2	1	18

Page 1 of 7

Understanding Spotting Scope Specifications

Magnification Range: Adjustable zoom range. Lower magnification makes it easier to find your subject and gives you brighter view. Higher magnification requires more stability.
Objective Lens: Diameter of the front lens in millimeters. Larger gathers more light but increases size/weight.
Eye Relief: Distance your eye can be from the eyepiece. Important for eyeglass wearers (15mm+ recommended).
Close Focus: Minimum distance at which objects can be clearly focused.
Glass Quality: ED/HD glass provides a sharper view and reduces chromatic aberration for more accurate color.

Choosing the Right Spotting Scope

Angled scopes: are easier for sharing or for looking at elevated subjects birds on towers or sheep in the mountains.
Straight scopes: are easier to get on your subject, are more comfortable for long viewing sessions and don’t collect rain on the eyepiece as easy (we are talking to you, west coast people).
Target Shooting: High magnification scopes with fine focus adjustment for precision, straight scopes make for an easier transition from rifle scope to spotting scope.
Astronomy: Larger objective lenses (80mm+) for maximizing light gathering ability, quality glass for the best light transmission and an angled eyepiece for ease of use when pointing into the sky.
Digiscoping: Larger objectives and better quality glass will provide a brighter image which will allow a faster shutter speed, useful for those fast moving subjects.

Expert Advice

Need help selecting the perfect scopes for your specific needs? Our specialists are available for personalized recommendations.