Beginners scope question (1 Viewer)

I am about to purchase my first spotting scope after using just binoculars for a few years.I believe I have settled on the celestron regal line.My question is do I spring the extra cash and get the 80 or is the 65 "good enough" ?this forum has been a great help in helping me to this point.Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Redeye245 said:

I am about to purchase my first spotting scope after using just binoculars for a few years.I believe I have settled on the celestron regal line.My question is do I spring the extra cash and get the 80 or is the 65 "good enough" ?this forum has been a great help in helping me to this point.Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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The smaller scope is lighter and more handy, so it can be mounted on a lighter tripod. So you get improved portability/travel convenience, but you sacrifice some image brightness and perhaps maximum magnification.
There are opinions either way held by BF members, so the issue is not clear cut.
Your choice will depend on your priorities, but really your key selection is your eye piece. High power is narrow field and poor eye relief, so less comfortable viewing, low power may lack the reach you need, zooms are more expensive and generally not as good optically as point designs.
Do read some of the posts by BF experts such as henry link or surveyor for testing your scope once you get it, because they offer guidance on how to evaluate it easily, so that you can be sure you have good kit.