The best spotting scopes in 2024: get a closer look at sports, nature, and wildlife

Woman using a spotting scope on a tripod
(Image credit: Alamy)

The best spotting scopes are perfect for wildlife watchers, sports fans, and even star-gazers. Also known as field scopes or digiscopes, they are like a halfway house between a monocular and a telescope, offering high magnifications while still being compact and portable.

The chief advantage of a spotting scope over a monocular is magnification. Monoculars don't generally exceed a magnification of about 10x, and if they do, they will be extremely heavy. Spotting scopes, in contrast, offer powerful magnification but are typically slimmer and more portable. Some of the best spotting scopes have zoom for changing the magnification. 

Many spotting scopes can even be used for photography by hooking up a camera, a practice known as 'digiscoping'. But whether you're viewing with the naked eye or a camera, the magnification means it's worth checking out the best spotting scope tripods to get a properly steady image.

Spotting scopes are available at all different price points, and in this guide, we've included models for all budgets, from cheap entry-level scopes to high-end optical marvels like the Zeiss Conquest Gavia 85. If you are in the market for a premium scope, you may also want to check out the Leica APO-Televid 82

Best spotting scopes: our top picks

The best spotting scopes in 2024

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

Best all-round spotting scope

(Image credit: Gavin Stoker)
Best all-round option for most users

Specifications

Magnification: Not given (eyepieces sold separately)
Objective diameter: 50mm
Design type: Straight or angled versions
Field of view at 1000m: Not given (eyepieces sold separately)
Closest focusing distance: 3m (10ft)
Eye relief: Not given (eyepieces sold separately)
Weight: 455g
Dimensions: 209(l)x71(l)mm

Reasons to buy

+
Lightweight waterproofed scope
+
Nikon's history of optical excellence

Reasons to avoid

-
Magnifying eyepieces cost extra
-
Smaller objective lens

It’s no surprise that camera and optical manufacturer Nikon produces scopes with the ability to attach a camera and enjoy the art of digiscoping. Indeed, Nikon has its own digiscoping system. 

There’s a lot of choice in this field, but the Nikon Fieldscope ED50 offers a 50mm objective lens (to which a 55mm filter can be attached if desired) and is both relatively compact and lightweight with it. 

It also ticks the boxes for the regular must-haves, such as a fog-banishing nitrogen-filled construction and built-in waterproofing (it can even be submerged up to a meter for five minutes) for all those times when the weather doesn't play ball, along with a multilayered lens coating to ensure superb light transmission and, ultimately, high-resolution images.

Read our full Nikon Fieldscope ED50 review for more details

Best spotting scope for image quality

Best spotting scope - Zeiss Conquest Gavia 85 (Image credit: Gavin Stoker)
Best spotting scope overall for image quality

Specifications

Magnification: 30-60x
Objective diameter: 85mm
Type: Angled
Field of view at 1000m: 33-23m
Closest focusing distance: 3.3m (10.8ft)
Eye relief: Adjustable
Weight: 1.7kg
Dimensions: 396mm in length

Reasons to buy

+
Delivers shedloads of detail
+
Wide-angle field of view

Reasons to avoid

-
Fairly weighty
-
Comparatively pricey

Any photographer will recognize the name Zeiss as being the bee’s knees for optical quality, so selecting a Zeiss scope for wildlife and nature photography has got to be a sensible decision. 

Of course, Zeiss doesn’t come cheap, but the Zeiss Conquest Gavia 85 is versatile due to a rapid focus mechanism and a close near-focus setting, so even observing smaller objects or wildlife is claimed to be easier than ever. 

Of course, you only have to look at the name of the product to see one great advantage – namely a whopping 85mm-diameter objective lens, useful for low-light observation. Couple this with a zoom-magnification range of up to 60x and a fog-proof, nitrogen-filled construction, and you’ve really got something.

Read our full Zeiss Conquest Gavia 85 review for more details

Best spotting scope for beginners

(Image credit: Future)
A great spotting scope for beginners

Specifications

Magnification: 20-60x
Objective diameter: 65mm
Design type: Angled or straight versions
Field of view at 1000m: 50m at 20x, 17m at 60x
Closest focusing distance: 6.1 metres
Eye relief: 18mm
Weight: 1080g
Dimensions: 370mm in length

Reasons to buy

+
Impressive build for the price
+
Travel tripod and bag included 

Reasons to avoid

-
Not as sharp as premium models

This is a great mid-priced model for wildlife watchers. It comes kitted up with its own travel tripod, and a mount for using the scope from your car. The 20-60x range gives it versatility for use with different animal and bird species, with a decent 65mm aperture that is more than satisfactory for daylight viewing. 

This spotting scope offers IPX7-level waterproof construction with O-ring sealed optics, ensuring everything stays reassuringly dry in all weather conditions.

Read our full Bushnell 20-60x65 Prime review for more details

Best spotting scope for astronomy

(Image credit: Gavin Stoker / Digital Camera World)
Best for astrophotography

Specifications

Magnification: 22x-66x
Objective diameter: 100mm
Design type: Straight or angled versions
Field of view at 1000m: 94-52m
Closest focusing distance: 10m (33ft)
Eye relief: 18-15mm
Weight: 2kg (4.5lbs)
Dimensions: ‎559 x 178 x 178mm

Reasons to buy

+
Large aperture
+
Angled eyepiece
+
Great value

Reasons to avoid

-
Large size

Weighing 2kg and sporting a 100mm diameter, this is one of the biggest and bulkiest scopes on our list, so it wouldn't be great for, say, action photography. But for more stationary pursuits like stargazing and watching wildlife from a distance, it's a great option.

The largest aperture scope in the Ultima line, the 100mm Ultima offers more than 50 percent brighter images than the 80mm version, so it's a better option for low-light shooting. 

The 100mm refractor features a 45° viewing angle and offers excellent multi-coated optics packed into a portable and durable refractor design and comes standard with an angled, 22-66x zoom eyepiece. A soft carrying case is also included.

Read our full Celestron Ultima 100 review.

Best spotting scope for hiking & travel

(Image credit: Gavin Stoker)
Best for hiking and travel

Specifications

Magnification: 9-27x
Objective diameter: 56mm
Design type: Angled
Field of view at 1000m: 73-32m
Closest focusing distance: 3m (10ft)
Eye relief: 15mm
Weight: 590g
Dimensions: 208x127x68mm

Reasons to buy

+
Perfect for travel
+
Doesn't fog

Reasons to avoid

-
Smaller magnification range
-
Smaller objective lens

Like the Hummingbird it takes its name from, the Celestron Hummingbird 9-27x56 ED spotting scope is small and mobile, with a very manageable weight of 590g. That means it’s also ideally suited to taking on your travels. It will fit into a roomy jacket pocket, a rucksack, or a shoulder bag, and can be stashed in carry-on luggage. 

At its lowest 9x magnification level, it can even substitute for a monocular, giving you, in effect, two products in one, though the angled viewfinder may not be ideal for handheld spotting. 

This device is waterproof and nitrogen filled to prevent fogging, and is a tripod, monopod, and window-mount adaptable, giving it an extra degree of versatility. In summary, if you’re looking for a more portable alternative to a full-sized spotting scope, this ‘bird is hard to beat. What’s more, it’s also camera-adaptable for those into digiscoping.

Best budget spotting scope

(Image credit: Bushnell)

6. Bushnell Sentry 18-36x50

Best budget option

Specifications

Magnification: 18-36x
Objective diameter: 50mm
Design type: Straight
Field of view at 1000m: 38-25m / 115-75ft
Closest focusing distance: 20m
Eye relief: 16mm
Weight: 877g
Dimensions: 373mm in length

Reasons to buy

+
Good value
+
Fully waterproofed

Reasons to avoid

-
Marginally weightier than others
-
Eye relief isn't great 

This sleek-looking spotting scope solution comes with a straight eyepiece and won’t break the bank. Despite the budget price, the Bushnell Sentry 18-36x50 is also impressively waterproof, with proper O-ring sealed optics so the internal workings stay fully dry, even when the Bushnell is submerged in water. 

In terms of optical performance, multi-coatings help ensure reflections are avoided and all ‘air to glass’ surfaces deliver bright, high-contrast images. The Porro prism system also features twist-up eyecups and a comfortable 16mm eye relief. Weighing 877g despite the moisture-sealed build, this is still a relatively manageable and portable spotting scope.

Best spotting scope for DSLR photography

(Image credit: Gavin Stoker)
Best for DSLR photography

Specifications

Magnification: 16-48x
Objective diameter: 65mm
Design type: Angled
Field of view at 1000m: 43-23m / 131ft to 68ft
Closest focusing distance: 5m (16ft)
Eye relief: 20mm
Weight: 1327g
Dimensions: 208x127x68mm

Reasons to buy

+
Dual-focus mechanism
+
Fully waterproof
+
Supplied adaptor simpliifes use with DSLR or mirrorless camera

Reasons to avoid

-
Weighty at over 1kg
-
Cheaper alternatives

The Celestron Regal M2 65ED is a premium spotting scope that is nevertheless fair value in its price range, offering suitability for everything from bird watching in the day to watching the heavens at night. Celestron claims that this second-generation unit has reduced the overall weight of the spotting scope by more than 14 percent, while still providing a rugged magnesium alloy body. 

Further advantages include the fact that it has an upgraded dual-focus mechanism, which enables users to bring their subject into focus two times faster. You can factor in premium features such as Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass found in the best camera lenses, and a camera can be attached to the Regal using an included T-adapter for use with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras (although you will still need to buy a compatible T-mount for your camera body).

Read our full Celestron Regal M2 65ED review.

How to choose spotting scopes

Straight or angled body?

When you pick a spotting scope, you can choose from either a straight or an angled body. With straight scopes, the body and eyepiece lie on the same optical plane, which allows you to look straight through the eyepiece at your intended subject. Angled-body spotting scopes are more comfortable to use when lying down or sitting and can save having to crane your neck.

What magnification do I need?

The magnification for a spotting scope is provided by the viewfinder - and on some scopes this eyepiece is interchangeable, so that you can change the magnification of the subject. Many scopes are supplied with a zoom allowing you to crop into the image closer when you spot something interesting to observe. A higher magnification range will enable you to use the scope for a broader range of subjects.

A higher magnification is useful in many situations - but is also more difficult to use. The higher the magnification, the darker the image - and the harder it is to keep the scope steady, so requiring a heavier tripod.

What size objective lens do I need?

It is the main body of the scope that dictates the brightness of the image. A larger lens will provide a better, clearer image, especially in low light, though this will also make the spotting scope bigger, heavier, and more expensive.

For a portable, all-purpose scope look for a lens diameter of between 50-65mm. The brightest scopes have diameters of 100mm or more - and are great for use viewing distant galaxies, or for viewing distant wildlife with high magnification eyepieces. 

How we test spotting scopes

We test spotting scopes within the field on moving subjects and landmarks for our buying guides and look for a scope that combines magnification, good construction, and image clarity, which can be used and withstand a day's bird watching or wildlife spotting. Budget is also an indicator and within this guide, you will find spotting scopes to suit everyone's budget. 

Read more:

The best binoculars
10 best monoculars
Best night vision goggles and binoculars
The best lenses for bird photography
The best telescopes for astrophotography 

Sebastian Oakley
Ecommerce Editor

For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.


He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and is a Master of Arts in Publishing.  He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since the film days using a Nikon F5 and saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still to this day the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, The British Equestrian Writers' Association. 


He is familiar with and shows great interest in street, medium, and large format photography with products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from the likes of Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting Street photography or general life as he sees it, usually in Black and White.