By Robin Owens 19 days ago, Binoculars
What are the best long range spotting scopes?
Any hunter, or spotter, or wildlife observer knows how important is the clearest view. A long-range spotting scope is a device, which ensures the best and clearest view of the distant objects.
But how to select a decent model, especially if you are on a budget? My article is bound to help you with this task. Below you will find the review of the best 1000 yard spotting scopes, with their advantages and disadvantages clearly described.
The products I have chosen were studied with precision, considering such important characteristics as performance, especially in extreme conditions, durability, material, and price. In addition, you will find some tips and essential facts you should consider, before buying spotting scopes.
Magnification: 20x | Objective diameter: 80mm | Field of view at 1000m: 110ft | Closest focusing distance: 35ft | Eye relief: 18mm | Weight: 2290g
⊕ Affordable
⊕ High quality
⊕ Guarantee
⊖ May be too heavy to use in field
⊖ Material of a carry case
The Bushnell Legend is a 1000 yard spotting scope, which provides you with the brightest and the clearest view on distant objects. The clarity and the contrast of the image are guaranteed, so the landscape looks clear, bright, and colorful when you are looking at it through the Bushnell Legend.
The device comes with a mounting bag, which may be adjusted to fit comfortably. A big zoom eyepiece makes magnification adjustments a breeze.
The zoom eyepiece offers the magnification ranging from 20-60x and it isn’t interchangeable. The tripod mount ring allows for easy rotation. Also, the lens has the Bushnell’s Rainguard HD water-repellent coating.
Magnification: 60x | Objective diameter: 85mm | Field of view at 1000m: 99ft | Closest focusing distance: 10.8ft | Eye relief: 17mm | Weight: 1700g
⊕ Smooth
⊕ Clear view
⊕ Perfect for birding
⊖ Lightweight
The Zeiss Conquest Gavia is the best long range spotting scope for those, who like to observe wild nature. The device doesn’t weigh a lot, is rather compact, but ensures great performance and the highest quality image. You can see the most remote objects clearly, thanks to the 85-mm lens.
The spotting scope magnification for 1000 yards is up to 60x, which together with a wide field of view ensures the most detailed and the brightest image. This spotting scope is especially great for watching birds, or butterflies, or other small objects, as it is provided with a unique close near-focus setting.
Magnification: 20x | Objective diameter: 60mm | Field of view at 1000m: 114ft | Closest focusing distance: 20ft | Eye relief: 17mm | Weight: 1054g
⊕ Multi-coated lens
⊕ Mount for tripod
⊕ Soft case for storage
⊕ View-thru case
⊖ Heavy
The Redfield Rampage is the best spotting scope for 1000 yards if you are looking for a good quality at an affordable price.
You will be surprised by a wide range of features, offered by this device, which you are a rarity in this price category. The nitrogen filling ensures full protection of the spotting scope from fog, water, or shock.
Magnification: 20x | Objective diameter: 82mm | Field of view at 1000m: 111ft | Closest focusing distance: 19ft | Eye relief: 16mm | Weight: 2400g
⊕ Clear view
⊕ Wide viewing angle
⊕ Flip down lens covers
⊖ Weight
⊖ High price
The Nikon Monarch is a powerful spotting scope, which is reliable and offers high-quality performance at a price lower than that of top competitors. The design of the eyepieces ensures long eye relief, they feel very comfortable, at the same time, providing a great wide field of view.
To enhance the image quality and to make the colors brighter, the spotting scope is provided with special Nikon’s Extra-Low Dispersion glass. The image is always sharp and high-contrast.
Magnification: 60x | Objective diameter: 80mm | Field of view at 1000m: 105ft | Closest focusing distance: 8metres| Eye relief: 15mm | Weight: 1615g
⊕ Bright image
⊕ Powerful zooming mechanism
⊕ Durable body
⊕ Rubberized rear side
⊖ Poor clarity
⊖ Magnification
The Celestron Ultima 80 is a good spotting scope for 1000 yards, which performs well in various conditions. It can satisfy the needs of a wide range of users, even those, who enjoy observing nature after the sunset.
The main features of this model are an 80mm refractor, a 45-degree viewing angle, multi-coated optics, 20x-60x eyepiece, durable and portable construction.
Magnification: 60x | Objective diameter: 80mm | Field of view at 1000m: 108ft | Closest focusing distance: 8metres Eye relief: 17mm | Weight: 1638g
⊕ Great resolution
⊕ Color fidelity
⊕ Aberration-free view
⊖ High price
⊖ Weight
The Swarovski HD-ATS 80 is a premium spotting scope for long range shooting, designed to deliver great performance in all weather and light conditions. It seems very attractive if you are ready to pay a high price and are not afraid of carrying around heavy gear.
The eyepiece offers a wide viewing angle together with long eye relief. It may be attached and detached quickly, which makes transportation and storage quite an easy task.
The spotting scope is suitable for observing nature in any weather conditions, as it is watertight, fog-, and shockproof. Moreover, it is O-ring sealed, nitrogen-purged, and rubber-armored. If you are not afraid of the price, the Swarovski HD-ATS 80 may be the best spotting scope for 1000 yards for you.
Magnification: 60x | Objective diameter: 60mm | Field of view at 1000m: 34.7metres | Closest focusing distance: 6.1metres | Eye relief: 17.0mm | Weight: 958g
⊕ Budget-friendly
⊕ Weighs next to nothing
⊕ Compact
⊖ Angled spotting scope
The Vortex Diamondback is an angled 1000 yard spotting scope, which has many cool features. A special optical coating ensures a perfectly clear view, despite a small objective lens.
The light loss is minimal thanks to Vortex's XR anti-reflective coatings, which cover all air-to-glass surfaces. In addition, there is ArmorTek coating to protect from scratches.
The whole color spectrum is perfectly rendered by the Porro prisms with dielectric coating, which guarantees not more than 1% of the light loss. As you can see, the Vortex Diamondback spotting scope is a unique combination of optics and coatings, that is why the image is so bright, contrasted and vivid.
Magnification: 25x | Objective diameter: 80mm | Field of view at 1000m: 82.9ft | Closest focusing distance: 6metres | Eye relief: 14.54mm | Weight: 1480g
⊕ Dynamic lens focusing mechanism
⊕ Mobile device mount
⊕ Comes with a carrying case
⊖ High price
The Svobny SV13 is a very good spotting scope for 1000 yards, which offers a magnification of 25-7x. The image, produced by this spotting scope is clear and bright, thanks to the 80-mm objective lens. The optics are covered with several layers of anti-reflection coatings, to enhance brightness, clarity, and resolution.
The objective lens is securely protected from damage, water, or accidental scratch with an extendable shade. If you appreciate a detailed and clear image, try this device.
| Image | Name | Features | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Bushnell Legend
Our Choice |
CHECK PRICE → | |
 |
Zeiss Conquest Gavia
Professional |
CHECK PRICE → | |
 |
Redfield Rampage
Budget |
CHECK PRICE → |
The lens coating is a very important feature, as it minimizes glare and optimizes the transmission of light. This guarantees a bright, sharp, and clear image at the longest distance.
The lens grass material is important too. One of the best lens glasses used for producing such devices is extra-low dispersion glass, which prevents chromatic aberration. Thus, the image becomes sharp and clear even in poor lighting.
If you are planning to use your spotting scope for viewing or shooting at long distances, the magnification matters a lot. An average long range spotting scope has a magnification of 30x, though it may come up to 60x. In fact, a magnification of 30x is quite enough for the distance of 1000 yards.
The best spotting scope for 1000 yards not only ensures the perfect image, but is made of durable materials, which are, at the same time, lightweight. This may be aluminum or magnesium.
Usually, if a spotting scope has a large objective lens, and is made of bad-quality materials, it will cause many inconveniences during usage and transportation. Also, it is important to pay attention to the outer covering. Many spotting scopes are rubberized to be protected from water, and to provide a better grip.
Up to 100 yards.
The distance range is 100 – 300 yards. A good 3x9 spotting scope is great at the distance of 100 – 300 yards.
It depends on what you are going to do with the spotting scope. For hunting, when you need to look below your level, straight spotting scopes are better, and they are easy to use. If you need to look higher, e.g. while watching birds, you will need an angled spotting scope.
The main difference between these two devices is that the spotting scope has one lens and one eyepiece, and binoculars consist of two lenses and two eyepieces. If you are looking for something compact, choose binoculars, they are generally smaller.
