Whether your hobby lies in beholding birds, following footballs or scanning the stars, there is a plethora of binoculars, spotting scopes and telescopes to meet your optical needs.
Adorama carries one of the world’s most extensive selections of scopes, binoculars and telescopes in its Scopes and Optics Department. In order to help you with your scope shopping, here are a number of top-selling optics products currently out there.
Binoculars
Bushnell H2O 12x25mm Compact Foldable Binoculars
Adorama price: $42.90
Perfect as an entry level pair of binoculars targeted hikers that want a quick but light offering for birding or a look at the scenery around then the Bushnell H2O binoculars fit the bill. They can fit into a shirt pocket yet can quickly unfold and allow users’ to quickly deploy and spot a bird that is as close as 15 feet. Specifically designed to inhibit fogging the Bushnell H2O ensures that when seeking an elusive woodpecker in a swamp the clarity will always be there.
Celestron 15×70 SkyMaster Binoculars
Adorama price: $64.00
SkyMaster 15×70 large-aperture binoculars from Celestron are said to offer out-of-this-world performance for astronomical viewing, a task that some people might not associate with binoculars but for which these have been specifically designed. They are also a great choice for terrestrial use; especially for viewing over long distances. The feature high quality BAK-4 prisms and have multi-coatings for enhanced contrast. SkyMaster’s ergonomic design features a convenient tripod adapter slot.
Pentax 6.5×21 Papilio Binoculars
Adorama price: $95.00
If entomology is your bag, then Pentax 6.5×21 Papilio binoculars are the choice for you. Papilio (Latin word for butterfly) binoculars are well suited for viewing insects, flowers, birds, artwork, or other small objects at close range. They utilize a special mechanism that automatically compensates for the misalignment of right and left image fields at close ranges (parallax), allowing easy observation of insects in the field and exhibits at galleries and museums. Called C.L.O.S.E. (Convergent Lens Optical System Engineering), this feature allows users to focus down to 1.6 feet. Also ideal for conventional binocular subjects, including spectator sports, travel and hiking, they feature multi-coated optical elements to minimize unwanted light reflections for a well-defined subject image. The combination of aspherical optical elements and high-refraction BaK4 glass prisms offer a sharp, clear image with minimal distortion. Sturdy rubber covered exterior provides a nice ergonomic grip and protection for the internal mechanisms.
Nikon 10×42 MONARCH 5 All Terrain Binocular
Adorama Price: $326.95
The popular and powerful Nikon 5 Monarch All Teraine Binoculars provide a solid solution for users who will be taking them into what could be rugged terrain but still want clear, crisp images. They feature Nikon’s Dielectric High-Reflective Multilayer Prism Coating that helps provide a clear, true color image. The waterproof and fogproof binocular have rubber coated armor outside to help you keep a firm grip regardless of the conditions. They also have multi-setting click stop eye cups that can be set for comfortable use even for eyeglass wearers.
Tasco 20 – 60x80mm World Class Series Spotting Scope Kit
Adorama price: $129.99
The Tasco World Class 20-60x80mm Spotting Scope sports a large 80mm diameter objective lens that efficiently gathers light for better viewing during low light. Waterproof and fog proof, they are suited for hunting, birding, or even casual stargazing. It offers fully coated optics, BK7 prisms, convenient focusing and zoom adjustments. Kit comes with a convertible car window mount/tabletop tripod.
Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 20-60x 80mm Spotting Scope
Adorama price: $417.95
Looking for a premium scope without breaking the bank? Then you might want to consider the Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 20-60x 80mm Spotting Scope, a scope that uses a technology called objective element of extra-low (ED) dispersion glass that is used in higher end scopes. It enables a user to get small, subtle details even when using higher magnification. The scope also has dual speed coarse/fine fingertip focusing system and is 100% waterproof for use on damp and raining days.
Pentax PF-65ED Straight 65mm ED-II Spotting Scope
Adorama price: $796.00
The Pentax PF-65ED incorporates porro-prism optics and a 65mm objective lens with ED optical elements to deliver sharp, high-contrast images. The PF-65ED sports a straight-line lens barrel for quick, effortless subject spotting, even when the observer is on the move. Comes with three compact, high-performance XF-series eyepieces, all of which feature a bright, high-contrast image, an American-standard 31.7mm sleeve and focal lengths said to be perfect for outdoor viewing and bird watching. The smc Pentax XF Zoom Eyepiece 6.5mm-19.5mm included in this package, features a focal-length range of 6.5mm to 19.5mm for a magnification of 20 to 60 times, with an apparent field of view of 42 to 60 degrees. For added convenience, the scope is compatible with the optional Pentax PF-CA35 camera adapter, for conversion into high-quality super-telephoto lenses.
Vortex Optics Razor HD 20-60×85 Angled Spotting Scope
Adorama price: $1,599.00
Corrosion resistant and waterproof the Vortex Optics 20-60×85 is the perfect tool when you are looking to bring distant images so close you feel that you can touch them. The 85mm lens coupled with Vortex’s Xtra-low Dispersion (XD) technology on the lens enables the scope to have incredible clarity. The scope has an angled eyepiece and two levels of focus, coarse and fine adjustments to help speed precise focusing. It is filled with Argon gas to prevent internal fogging.
Celestron FirstScope Telescope
Adorama price: $45.95
Looking for an entry level telescope and wonder what might make a good starter scope? Well you might look to the Official Product of International Year of Astronomy 2009, FirstScope’s design pays tribute to the astronomers of the past. Offering a quality Dobsonian style stand with a 76mm reflector optical tube, the FirstScope makes an ideal entry-level scope. Portable and lightweight tabletop design makes it easy to store, transport, setup or display on a desk.
Voyager Sky Tour 800mm x 70mm Refractor Telescope
Adorama price: $141.99
Another good telescope for a beginner to get their first clear views of the night sky is with the Bushnell Voyager Sky Tour 800mm x 70mm Refractor Telescope BSRVST800 (Adorama price: Approx: $158.70). With its Digital Sky Tour handset it provides users with a real-time audio tour of the night sky so that new users are not discouraged in trying to figure out what they are viewing. It also has a feature called the illuminated Smart Mount that guides stargazers to the objects that have been highlighted by the handset. It has a red dot LED finder scope that assists in rapid positioning in order to quickly and efficiently find objects in the night sky.
Bushnell NorthStar 3”/76mm Reflector Telescope
Adorama price: $234.14
While newcomers can sometimes struggle to be sure that they are actually viewing the proper constellation or following a comet across the night sky, the NorthStar helps eliminate that fear. With a computerized go-to technology it can automatically find over 20,000 objects in its database and help a novice track them as they move across the night sky and includes a remote control handset. The 76 mm reflector telescope also comes with two eyepieces and features a tripod.
Orion SpaceProbe 3 Equatorial Reflector Telescope
Adorama price: $129.99
If you are a stargazer looking for a powerful but easily portable scope, the Orion SpaceProbe 3 Equatorial Reflector Telescope (Adorama price: $129.99) should be just what you are looking for. The 3-inch (76mm) primary mirror has the ability to gather in enough of the evening sky’s light so that you can view the rings of Saturn or the craters of the moon. The telescope has a 76mm aperture and 700mm focal length and both the primary and finder scope each come with two interchangeable Explorer II eyepieces (1.25″)-25mm (28x) and 10mm (70x)-as well as a wide-field and EZ Finder Reflex Sight to aid in locating objects.
Vixen A70LF 70mm f/12.9 Refractor Telescope
Adorama price: $299.99
Vixen’s A70Lf is an Achromatic Refractor with a 70mm (2.8”) of aperture. Its focal length is 900mm (3 ft.) with an f ratio of 12.9. This lightweight telescope has a maximum magnifying power of 143x and reaches a limiting visual magnitude of 11. A smaller 6x24mm finder telescope that attaches to the main scope to help users center the object is included. Comes with a 20mm eyepiece for general viewing as well as a 6.3mm eyepiece for those really clear nights when high-powered viewing is required.
Celestron NexStar 4″ Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope (Special Edition Package with Orange Tube & XLT Coatings)
Adorama price: $499.00
The NexStar offers a whole new generation of computer-automated technology. Special Edition Package combines the classic heritage of the original orange tube telescopes with the latest state-of-the-art features. The Sky Tour feature instructs the scope to find the most interesting objects in the sky. More experienced users will appreciate the comprehensive expanded database of nearly 40,000 objects, including customized lists of all the best deep-sky objects, bright double stars and variable stars. Computerized altazimuth mount offers a camera control feature and shutter release cable allows users to remotely take a series of exposures using their digital SLR.
