Home : Optics : BWD Roundups : Bird Watcher's Digest: Optics: 2003 Birding Scopes Roundup

2003 BWD Scopes Roundup

Wow! Since we last reviewed birding scopes for BWD, manufacturers have been competing to satisfy the needs and wants of birders. The result is a whole flock of innovative designs that raise birding optics to unprecendented levels of performance.

We were as excited as kids at Christmas about trying out the new toys. We tested about two dozen scopes, most of which are 80mm or 60mm dedicated for birding. A few are primarily astronomical, but small and portable enough to serve also as birding scopes.

Download a comparison chart for all scopes listed.

The Evaluation

We invited a team of Iowa birders to spend a day judging the new scopes. We lined up the scopes at a lake in Jefferson County Park, in Fairfield, Iowa, and listened to what the birders said about the pleasure of looking through each scope and about its performance and ease of use. The team's judgments went into the individual accounts that follow.

Over the subsequent weeks we tested the scopes in more detail. Using a standard optical resolution chart, we checked each scope from a distance of 70 feet. To rank them, we assigned a score of 20 to the finest level that the sharpest scope could resolve at 60x.

Many of the scopes came to us with 20–60x zoom eyepieces, which we used to test each scope at 20x and 60x. Some had 15–45x zooms: those we tested at 20x, to keep the scores comparable with the others, as well as at 45x.

We compared scopes with one another at the same magnifications whenever possible. Each time a scope was tested, a reading was also taken through a reference scope to make sure the results were not affected by eye fatigue or changing light conditions. We made repeated tests on many different days; you'll find the results of these trials on the chart. Bear in mind that we had only one sample of each scope to test, and it is always possible that a particular scope might have been an atypical production example.

Some of the findings were amazing. In past reviews, the Questar has been our lodestar, by which all other scopes were measured. But now other manufacturers have caught up with Questar. On the chart you'll find that top score of "20" in the 60x column for the Zeiss Diascope 85 as well as for the Questar Birder.

Swarovski's ATS80 and Leica's 77mm APO Televid follow extremely closely with scores of 19. These are scores of almost unimaginable precision. Holding the resolution chart in hand, we could barely discern the lines that we could distinguish easily at 70 feet using the best scopes. The detail at this scale is so fine that the printing process of this magazine would not be able to reproduce it here.

Some of the new smaller scopes also astonished us with their clarity and brightness at high power. The Swarovski ATS65 and the Kowa Prominar TSN663-ED resolved detail as well as many of the good 80mm scopes. These smaller scopes offer a tempting alternative for the prospective scope buyer who wants to shave off a little weight, size, and cost.

Below are detailed some scopes of note, with an emphasis on what's new since the last "Spotting Scopes Round-up" in the July/August 2000 issue of BWD.

The 80s

The 80mm Carl Zeiss Diascope 85T FL (Waterproof)

The new Zeiss 85T FL trumped all when it came to sheer optics in the 80mm division. We looked at the angled-eyepiece version of Zeiss's Diascope 85T FL. The image is remarkably bright. At 60x, the Diascope 85 resolved finer detail than any other dedicated birding scope tested, with absolutely no color fringing. Only the Questar Birder matched its resolution. The Zeiss Diascope became the reference scope to which we compared all the others.

There are two focus knobs, with different gear ratios, one for fast focusing, and the other for fine focusing. The fine focus helps you get the image absolutely sharp without introducing extra vibration. The arrangement is similar to the much-praised design of the Leica APO Televid. However, Zeiss has gone one better by separating the two focus knobs a bit, making it easier to find the right knob by touch.

A black rubberized heel and extendable sunshade help to protect the scope's metallic body from scuffs. The sight is a double ridge on the sunshade, which you can rotate to position the sight where you need it.

Even though the objective lens of 85mm exceeds the diameter of other dedicated birding scopes, this is one of the most compact models tested. It is considerably shorter than the Pentax PF-80ED-A or the Leica APO-Televid 77.

Although several fixed eyepieces are also available for each model, we tried only the 20–60x zoom, and for versatility we recommend it heartily. It's easy to center your eye on the big eyepiece and see the image. The eyecup pulls out and pushes in to accommodate eyeglass wearers.

Zeiss points out that their new weight-and-bulk-reducing optical design uses no lead or arsenic in its manufacture and is environmentally friendly. The only thing we can imagine that would improve on the Zeiss Diascope 85T would be a rubberized or urethane covering to cut the chill to the hand on a cold day.

This scope also comes in a straight-eyepiece version. The 65mm siblings are reviewed in "The 60s" section, below. All of the Diascope models feature the Carl Zeiss Advanced Optics System (AOS), using glass material containing fluorine ions.

Swarovski ATS80 HD (Waterproof)

The new Swarovski scopes took the honors for ergonomics and elegance of design. There are four 80mm models and four in 65mm. Each size comes in angled or straight-through design, and with regular glass or with HD (high definition) glass for elimination of chromatic aberration. Of the large scopes, we tested the ATS80 HD—the angled version with special glass.

We thought the previous Swarovski scope, the AT80 HD, was great (July, 2000, BWD), but this one is even better. It's more compact, lighter, and more maneuverable, yet possessed of extraordinary optical powers that equal or exceed its predecessor.

Smooth and slender, with rounded lines, the Swarovski ATS80 HD body is shaped like a stuffed green sock, 13 inches long and weighing only 3 pounds, 10.3 ounces. There are no edges to snag or hang up on anything. With superb balance, it's an easy scope to grab around its wasp waist, easy to carry (even for small hands), easy to put on and off a tripod.

In fact, we found that at 20x we could comfortably hand hold it, supporting the body from below while turning the ribbed, rubberized focus band that circles the barrel. In that position, the grip feels nice and solid, as if the scope were designed to be held in the hands. With pleasant, nonslip, hand-friendly covering like that on Swarovski's EL binoculars, the scope is more pleasant to the touch in cold weather than are the metallic surfaces of some other scopes.

Normally you might not wish to hold a scope, but in a birding emergency you could brace this one on a car window or the steering wheel for a quick identification that you might otherwise miss. And because of the ding-resistant armoring, you won't mar the scope's finish.

A removable "peashooter" sight near the base of the eyepiece serves as a finder.

The 20–60x zoom eyepiece (sold separately) is a pleasure to use. Even at maximum magnification, the 17mm of eye relief allowed us to see the whole picture easily while wearing glasses. Turn the eyecup to adjust the eye relief, and your setting remains until you change it again. By the way, you'll never lose the Swarovski lens cap—it's tethered to the eyepiece. We also appreciate the latch that prevents a user from accidentally unscrewing the eyepiece while attempting to change the magnification or the eye relief.

Swarovski says they went back to the laboratory to create this family of scopes. Working with new computer technology in a vacuum at –562 degrees Celsius, they applied more than 30 coatings to every glass surface. They matched glass of slightly differing optical characteristics to bring light rays together with great precision, producing true colors and eliminating the need for filters to compensate for light shifts. The result is the brightest optical instruments Swarovski has produced to date.

The 65mm models are reviewed in "The 60s" section.

Leica APO Televid 77 (Waterproof)

The brightness is striking. The resolution is superb, sharp from edge to edge, with no color fringing. Colors come through particularly clear and pure. The scope comes in angled and straight-through models, and with special apochromatic lenses or the less costly achromatic lenses. The 20–60x zoom eyepiece is sold separately.

On the lens hood are three bumps that comprise a post-and-notch sighting device. Two focus knobs, with different gear ratios, allow for fast or fine focus. (For a fuller description, see "Spotting Scopes Roundup," July, 2000 BWD.)

Nikon 78mm ED Fieldscope (Water Resistant)

This scope has an attractive light-green metallic body. The broad ridged focus ring that circles the scope body is accurate and smooth turning. The 78mm Fieldscope is not waterproof, but it is water resistant. It comes in angled as well as the straight-through version we tested. Both models use Nikon's ED (extra-low dispersion) glass. Eyepieces are sold separately.

When we tested the Fieldscope's optical resolution, using the 25–75x zoom eyepiece Nikon sent us, we dialed the magnification back to 60x in order to compare the scope to those with 20–60x zooms. The Fieldscope won the same outstanding score of 19 at 60x as the Swarovski ATS80 HD and Leica APO Televid 77. Interestingly, increasing the Fieldscope zoom's magnification from 60x to 75x did not improve its score.

Pentax PF-80ED-A (Waterproof, with Waterproof Zoom Eyepiece)

Here's another fine scope that produces a bright, clear image, with excellent resolution. One attraction is the generous selection of famed Pentax eyepieces that fit the scope, developed over many years for use with amateur astronomical telescopes. The 20–60x zoom we tested is easy to use and has a wide field of view. It's completely waterproof, as is the scope itself. You can also get an accessory camera adapter to use this scope with a Pentax K-mount SLR camera.

At 16 inches the PF-80ED-A is longer and a few ounces heavier than the other top-end birding scopes tested. However, the price is smaller. Note that the Pentax zoom eyepiece is usually included in the price of the scope, whereas for most other top scopes you must buy the eyepiece separately.

The Pentax has protective rubber armoring and an extensible lens hood. A raised line on the body serves as a sighting device. The scope comes in a straight model as well as the angled one we tested.

Optolyth S80 Compact (Waterproof)

This new compact scope from Deutsche Optik is made in Germany. It feels rugged and well engineered. It focuses remarkably close, 10 feet, and is pleasant and secure to handle, thanks to the rubberized housing. Just under 13 inches long, the body is one of the shortest of the full-sized scopes we tested. The eyepiece has a glasses-friendly, extendable eyecup. It comes in four models: angled and straight through, with HD (high definition) glass, and with regular glass. The 20–60x zoom eyepiece is sold separately.

The model tested did not have the special HD glass. It scored a bit lower on resolution than some of the other top scopes, but it might have fared better if we had been looking at an HD version.

Eagle Optics Raven 80mm (Waterproof)

If you're sighing at the prospect of plunking down much more than $1,000 for a full-size waterproof birding scope and eyepiece, the Eagle Optics Raven may be the answer. It sells for a fraction of what the top scopes cost.

The Raven includes a 20–60x zoom eyepiece, which at 20x does a pretty good job. In fact, it comes surprisingly close to the best birding scopes (see chart). At higher powers one cannot expect it to do so well, and it does not. However, a lot of good birding happens at 20x.

We feel that waterproofing is vital in a scope that will be carried around in the field. The Raven measures up on this score. It's waterproof and nitrogen purged, remarkable qualities in an 80mm scope of such low price.

The 60s

Swarovski ATS65 HD and STS65 HD (Waterproof)

Swarovski's new 65mm scope weighs only three pounds wearing a 20–60x zoom eyepiece, and the body measures only 121.2 inches long. From the tripod mount back to the eyepiece, the ATS65 HD appears identical to the ATS80 HD. Only the slimmer objective lens and slightly shorter length set it apart. It has the same features, including the 360-degree collar, which allows the scope to rotate on its axis into any position, even upside down.

This scope is a delight to maneuver in close quarters. Mount the angled model (ATS65 HD) on a car window, and you can swivel it 180 degrees, to see forward and backward and everything on that side of the car, without straining your neck.

Like its 80mm big brother, its ergonomics are superb. On a car window mount, we found it especially comfortable to use. The left hand naturally grasps the focus ring, around the waist of the scope, while the right hand encircles the large, ribbed zoom adjustment ring on the eyepiece.

The only question is whether you want to carry an extra 10 ounces for the big brother and that last wisp of ultimate resolution. A wonderful dilemma!

This scope was our judges' enthusiastic top choice, all around, among the smaller scopes. The eyepiece is purchased separately.

Kowa Prominar TSN663-ED (Waterproof)

The 62mm Kowa has excellent optical qualities. We looked at the angled ED version, which incorporates fluorite glass elements in the objective lens to reduce chromatic aberration. Although the Kowa's eye relief of 22mm is good at 20x, the eye relief is only 11mm at 60x, and so at 60x, a user who wears glasses will see only the center of the field of view.

The body is gray and tan, with a raised-line sight on the side and a decorative thin red ring around the barrel near the extendable sunshade.

It comes in angled and straight-through designs; lower-cost versions of both models are available without the fluorite glass. The eyepiece is purchased separately.

Zeiss Diascope 65T FL (Waterproof)

The same zoom eyepiece (purchased separately) serves with the Diascope 65 as with the 85mm, but in the small scope it produces 15–45x instead of 20–60x. Among the small scopes, at 20x, the 65mm Zeiss tied for first place in resolution with the Leica 62 APO Televid.

However our judges found that the Zeiss fine-focused more delicately than the Leica, with less disturbance of the image.

Leica 62APO Televid (Waterproof)

The new 62APO Televid brings Leica into the small scope arena. This scope shares an outstanding zoom eyepiece with Leica's larger Televid 77, but in the 62mm scope the zoom delivers 16–48x instead of 20–60x. The eyecup twists up to provide precisely the desired degree of eye relief for glasses wearers at high as well as low magnifications. For those who prefer fixed magnification, Leica also offers 20x, 32x, and 40x eyepieces.

Because the sighting device, like that of the Zeiss, is on the extendable lens hood, some distance from the eyepiece, this scope bests some of the others in accurately getting you on your target. Two smooth, accurate focus knobs with different gear ratios provide fast focus and fine focus.

Eagle Optics Denali 60mm (Waterproof)

Here's a surprising inexpensive little scope. It weighs less than 1 1/2 pounds, including the 15–45x zoom eyepiece. It achieved a respectable resolution score at 20x. It comes with a photo adapter, a view-through case, and a tabletop tripod.

Bushnell Spacemaster (Not Waterproof)

For many longtime birders, the Bushnell Spacemaster was their first scope. At a retail price of about $468, the current model is a reliable, high-quality scope and an excellent value for the money. The Spacemaster comes with a 15–45x zoom eyepiece, objective lens cover, and eyepiece cover. The price also includes a soft case.

Minox 62W ED (Waterproof to 16 feet)

Another attractive, compact, waterproof scope, the Minox 62W ED utilizes fluoride glass for true color. The scope focuses as close as 16 feet. Eyepieces of 22x, 40x, and 20–45x zoom are available. When we compared the scope, with the 22x eyepiece supplied to us, with other scopes in the 60mm category, we rated its resolution near the top.

The Astronomicals

Some astronomical telescopes, originally developed for celestial use, can also serve as birding scopes. Most are customizable: You can change the prisms as well as the eyepieces. One drawback is that astronomical telescopes are more delicate than dedicated birding scopes, and they are not waterproof, nitrogen purged, or fogproof.

However, they can deliver good optical quality, often for relatively low prices. Astronomical telescopes are usually configured with only one reversing prism, thereby improving optical quality but producing a left-right reversed image. It seems odd at first, but you quickly get used to it.

Questar Birder (Not Waterproof)

The Questar Birder is a version of the Questar 3 1/2-inch Field Model, adapted for birding by adding an 8.5x finder and fast focus (2 1/2 times the speed of the standard field model). It comes with a 32mm Brandon eyepiece that yields three powers, 8.5x, 40x, and 65x. The eye relief is an outstanding 30mm, which makes this scope tops for eyeglass wearers.

The Birder's 8.5x finder greatly assists zeroing in on a small, distant object. Questar uses a catadioptric mirror design rather than a refracting lens to focus the image, eliminating the chromatic aberration that results when light passes through glass. The result is a razor-sharp image and vivid colors. The Questar image is bright, clear, and free from curvature.

Questar has always been legendary for the quality of their optics. In our tests, it still rates at the top of the chart, with a resolution score of 20.

Tele Vue 76 (Not Waterproof)

The Tele Vue 76 is an astronomical telescope small enough to be in the same league with the dedicated birding scopes. It provides excellent brightness, resolution, and color fidelity. This is a scope you can tailor to your own needs. The same instrument can be used as an in-line or angled scope, depending on the elements you put on it.

The Tele Vue we reviewed came to us configured to reverse the image left to right. You can get a full reversing prism if you prefer the image adjusted into the natural left-right orientation. In addition, you can get lots of eyepieces of varying powers for this scope. With the 76mm eyepiece, which provides a magnification of 69x, the resolution score was an excellent 19.

Interchangeable elements come at a cost: The scope is not sealed and not waterproof. Although Tele Vue is a top manufacturer of astronomical telescopes and the scope is remarkably sturdy for an astronomical instrument, it is probably more delicate for heavy fieldwork than the best dedicated birding scopes.

However, the Tele Vue 76 has excellent optics and a relatively low price. It would be a delight on a deck overlooking an estuary. Watch birds through it in the daytime, and then at night watch the stars.

If you want even more optical power, you might take a look at the larger-objective Tele Vue 85. Or, for more portability, consider the smaller Tele Vue Ranger 70mm model.

Celestron 80mm Wide View and C5 Spotting Scope (Not Waterproof)

The Celestron 80mm Wide View Spotting Scope, another astronomical design, is highly customizable. It comes with two Plössl eyepieces, 20mm to provide 20x and 10mm to provide 40x viewing. It also includes an 8x20 erect-image finder scope that mounts above the barrel of the scope, and a 45-degree diagonal to allow angled viewing. Many optional accessories are available. Focus is as close as 13 feet. Eye relief (11mm) is not adequate for most eyeglass wearers. The cost is relatively low.

Celestron also makes the large C5 Spotting Scope. It is a 5-inch (127mm) aperture catadioptric mirror scope. The scope's girth appears large alongside dedicated birding scopes. Weighing 6 pounds, and at 17 inches long including an angled eyepiece, this is a big scope but one that might be in the range practical for birding. It turned in a good performance on our optical resolution tests, equaling some of the top dedicated birding scopes at a magnification of 60x. It comes with a 25mm Plössl eyepiece, which yields 48x, and it has excellent (22mm) eye relief for eyeglass wearers. It is fully camera adaptable.

Conclusions

Here's our advice on choosing a scope.

1. Consider your use. If you do most of your birding from a sheltered deck or not far from your car, you might consider one of the astronomical telescopes. If you will be hiking with your scope through Costa Rican rainforests, you'll certainly want a waterproof, compact scope. Armoring will help keep the scope from getting banged up.
2. Angled or straight through? Most scopes are available with an angled or a straight-through eyepiece. We recommend angled scopes, which offer great flexibility in use. They are easier to share among people of differing heights. An angled scope works with a shorter tripod, saving on weight and vibration. Angled scopes allow greater range of view from a car window. (It's difficult to look straight ahead or toward the rear of the car through a window-mounted straight-through scope, but it's easy with an angled one.) And it's easier to look high into trees with an angled scope, without straining your neck. However, angled scopes can be a bit more difficult to aim, at least until you get used to them.
3. Eyepiece design and eye relief. Be careful to pick a scope with an eyepiece that has long enough eye relief to work with your glasses. It's a good idea to try a scope with your glasses on before you buy it to confirm that you can see the entire field of view.
4. Get the scope you really want. When you amortize the cost over 20 years, even an expensive scope works out to be parking-meter change per day.

Birding scopes have been getting better and better. Manufacturers are making scopes with brighter images and better resolution, and they're packaging them into smaller, lighter, more streamlined designs.

So if you're thinking about upgrading to a new scope, now's the time to put some more WOW into your birding.