Looking for average scope (1 Viewer)

Hey,

I'm just looking for a scope to do birding with. Is there a good overall, inexpensive scope that would be fine for casual use? It doesn't even have to be Swarovski...

Thanks!

birderbf said:

Hey,

I'm just looking for a scope to do birding with. Is there a good overall, inexpensive scope that would be fine for casual use? It doesn't even have to be Swarovski...

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I don't think Swarovski would appreciate the implication they make average scopes

Pretty much any scope made since 1990 will give you a better view than your bins of distant birds IMO - the first scope I bought was a $100 piccolo. It gave me a better view than my bins which cost twice as much. But you do get what you pay for - better scopes will give you much better views and be clearer under poor light conditions or long ranges.

You really do have to look through a few to get a feeling of what the cost/benefit tradeoffs are. There's no substitute for looking through some scopes - it's not something you can do sitting behind your computer. Ask other birders to have a look through theirs, go to optics days. Buying entry level products if your needs are for Swaro is just as much a bad economy as you spend $$$$ upgrading through cheap, mid-range, expensive to top of the range as buying Swaro if you only need something a little better than your bins.

Look through the products on dull days as well as in good light, and on sunny days see how they perform looking at birds in shadow. The differences are less visible when the sun is behind you illuminating the bird well.

Thanks!