|
Birding
Scopes Test Results at a Glance Key to the chart is below. |
|
Make and
Model Tested |
Front Lens (mm)
|
MSRP
|
MSRP
Zoom Eyepiece |
Res
Score 20x |
Res
Score 40x |
Res
Score 60x |
Style
Tested |
Special
Glass |
Close
Focus |
Wt.
with Eye-piece |
Water
Proof |
Nitr
Filled |
Available Fixed
Eyepieces |
Available
Zoom
Eyepieces |
Ang
Spec |
Str
Spec
|
Ang
Stand
|
Str
Stand
|
| BAUSCH & LOMB Elite ED |
80
|
$1,213
w/ zoom |
NA
|
9
|
15
|
17
|
Straight
|
ED
|
16 ft
|
57 oz
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
None
|
20-60x
|
NA
|
$1213
|
NA
|
NA
|
| BRANDON (Vernon) Master Birder |
80
|
$1,295
|
NA
|
Not assigned resolution
scores
(See text) |
Angled
|
No
|
6 ft
|
72 oz
|
No
|
No
|
5x
(2-inch diameter) |
15-50x
|
NA
|
NA
|
Varies
|
Varies
|
||
| BUSHNELL Spacemaster |
50
|
$429 2/10-30x zoom
|
$560
$566 |
10
|
Straight
|
No
|
30 ft
|
27 oz
|
No
|
No
|
None
|
15-45x
25-45x |
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
$429
|
||
| DEUTSCH
OPTIK Optolyth TBG GA/HD |
80
|
$1,199
|
$299
|
11
|
14
|
16
|
Straight
|
Fluorite HD
|
12-15 ft
|
59 oz
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
20xWW, 25xWWL, 30xWW, 40x, 70xWW
|
20-60x
|
$1249
|
$1199
|
$799
|
$769
|
| DEUTSCH
OPTIK Optolyth TBG 65 GA |
65
|
$699
|
$299
|
10
|
13
|
Straight
|
No
|
12 -15 ft
|
51 oz
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
20xWW, 25xWWL, 30xWW, 40x, 70xWW
|
20-60x
|
NA
|
NA
|
$729
|
$699
|
|
| EAGLE OPTICS Raven PC |
60
|
$378 incl zoom
|
NA
|
8
|
10
|
Straight
|
No
|
24 ft
|
26 oz
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
None
|
15-42x
zoom
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
$378
|
|
| FUJINON
Super 80 |
80
|
$700
|
$350
|
11
|
16
|
17
|
Straight
|
No
|
25 ft
|
55 oz
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
25xLR, 30xW, 50x, 80x
|
20-60x
|
NA
|
$1400
|
NA
|
$700
|
| FUJINON
Super 60-S |
60
|
$530
|
$350
|
10
|
13
|
Straight
|
No
|
25 ft
|
38 oz
|
w/ eyepiece
|
Yes
|
25xLR, 30xW, 50x, 80x
|
20-60x
|
NA
|
NA
|
$630
|
$530
|
|
| KOWA
TSN-823 |
82
|
$1,737
|
$395
|
11
|
14
|
16
|
Angled
|
Fluorite ED
|
26 ft.
|
61 oz
|
w/ eyepiece
|
Yes
|
27xL, 32xW, 50xW
|
20-60x
|
$1737
|
$1663
|
$747
|
$705
|
| KOWA
TS-614 |
60
|
$455
|
$218
|
|
11
(27F) |
Straight
|
No
|
24 ft
|
31 oz
|
No
|
No
|
20xW, 25x, 25L, 27xW,
40x
|
20-60x
|
$1052
|
$959
|
$505
|
$455
|
|
| LEICA
APO Televid Angled |
77
|
$1,395
|
$329
|
11
|
16
|
18
|
Angled
|
Fluorite ED
|
13 ft
|
73 oz
|
to 10 ft
|
Yes
|
20x, 32x, 40x
|
20-60x
|
$1395
|
$1395
|
$845
|
$845
|
| NIKON
Fieldscope ED |
78
|
$2,081
|
$327
|
12 F
|
15
|
17
|
Straight
|
ED
|
50 ft
|
54 oz
|
resist
|
No
|
19x, 25x, 30xW, 38xW, 50xW, 58x, 70xW
|
25-56x
|
$2,215
|
$2,081
|
NA
|
NA
|
| NIKON Fieldscope III ED |
60
|
$1,323
|
$327
|
9
|
13
|
Angled
|
ED
|
50 ft at 20x
|
46 oz
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
15x, 20x, 24xW, 30xW, 40x, 40xW, 60xW
|
20-45x
|
$1,323
|
$1,221
|
$813
|
$691
|
|
| PENTAX
PF-80 ED |
80
|
$1,320
|
$658
|
10
|
15
|
17
|
Straight
|
ED
|
19 ft
|
73 oz
|
to 1 meter
|
Yes
|
18x, 24x, 36x 48x,
72x
|
20-60x
|
NA
|
$1320
|
NA
|
NA
|
| QUESTAR
Field Model 3.5 |
89 |
$2,630 incl 24mm eyepiece
|
NA
|
18 F
|
20 F
|
90° Angle
|
Yes
|
10 ft
|
53 oz
|
No
|
No
|
8mm, 12mm, 16mm, 24mm,
32mm
|
NA
|
90°
$2630 |
$2630
|
90°
$2630 |
$2630
|
|
| SWAROVSKI
AT80-HD |
80
|
$1,550
|
$343
|
11
|
16
|
18
|
Angled
|
ED
|
20 ft
|
62 oz
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
15x, 22x, 30xW
|
20-60x
|
$1550
|
$1550
|
$1100
|
$1100
|
| SWIFT 849 Nighthawk |
80
|
$795
|
$370
|
10
|
15
|
15
|
Straight
|
No
|
24 ft
|
44 oz
|
w/ eyepiece
|
No
|
19x, 25x, 31x, 50x,
75x
|
20-60x
|
$1800
|
$1700
|
$870
|
$795
|
| SWIFT 839 Searcher |
60
|
$580
with 2 eyepieces |
NA
|
9 F
|
12 F
|
Straight or Angled
|
No
|
30 ft or
15 ft |
48 oz
|
No
|
No
|
839 CLF
Close Focus |
None
|
$1323
|
$1221
|
$580
Angled + Straight |
||
| SWIFT 844 Panther |
60
|
$380
|
$120
$140 |
9
|
13
|
Straight
|
No
|
30 ft
|
32 oz
|
No
|
No
|
15x, 20x, 22xW, 40x
|
15-45x
20-45xL |
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
$380
|
|
| TELE
VUE Ranger ED |
70
|
$925*
|
$290
|
11
|
16
|
18
|
90° Angle
|
ED
|
26 ft
|
67 oz
|
No
|
No
|
approx
25 fixed eyepieces
|
24mm-8mm
(20-60x) |
Varies
|
Varies
|
NA
|
NA
|
|
Key to the Chart |
|
|