Can anybody help me with what the best spotting scope is for a spectacle wearer?

Can anybody help me with what the best spotting scope is for a spectacle wearer?

  • I have been a spectacle wearer for many years but it is not easy to recommend a scope to anyone on the forum. First set yourself a budget as you can get a usable scope for a couple of hundred pounds up to a few thousand, no good looking at the top of the range if you can only afford mid priced kit. Having said that spend as much as you can afford, it will pay dividends. One company I can recommend is Opticron but you will get in undated with all our favourites. If at all possible go somewhere where you can try before you buy and good luck.
  • As Seaman says, you really need to try a scope out before buying, to make sure it will suit you. Not sure where you live, but in my East Anglian neck of the woods, the bigger RSPB reserves like Minsmere and Titchwell sell optics, Cley Spy on the Norfolk coast, In-Focus etc are all worth a look. Having said that, look for a scope with a larger eyepiece lens, that's likely to make life easier for you. Bigger scopes are heavier to carry around (don't forget you'll need a tripod as well) but gather more light with their larger objective lenses so tend to be brighter than the smaller pocket sized ones. Ultimately though, it often comes down to budget, with top-end Kowa, Swarovski, Leica etc lifting well north of £2k from your wallet.
  • I'll concur with the others, however, not knowing your general location its hard to recommend a place near to you.

    There are a good selection of RSPB reserves which have various scopes and optics where you can try before you buy with expert help in seeking what is most suitable for you.

    If you do a search, on the web, you'll find your nearest and also look at some of the wildlife reserves LNR's/NNR's, some of those also have dedicated shops.

  • I must be visiting the wrong reserves as the RSPB ones I have seen have a fairly limited selection comparef to optic shops
  • Wendy S said:
    I must be visiting the wrong reserves as the RSPB ones I have seen have a fairly limited selection comparef to optic shops

    Not all reserves are fully kitted out for optics, probably around 25% of the ones I've visited (the visited ones are only a very, very small proportion of the total reserves open to the public) have optic support plus regular optic weekends.

  • We have a fairly regular optics day at our local reserve held by a local optics shop but thats only useful for locals really