98 of 108 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome, Jan 22 2011
By canislupusblue - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Barska CO11502 CO11502 20-60x60 Waterproof Straight Spotting Scope with Tripod (Sports)
I'm not sure why no one has made a review on this product yet. Here's the quick report.
I wanted to buy a good spotting scope for when I go on nature hikes or whatever (I'm a bio undergrad at UCLA), so of course i'm interested in observing natural phenomenon. Anyways, looked online, found this one (but no one reviewed it yet), took a chance and ordered it. My logic was, it didn't have all the accessories that come with other spotting scopes, plus a cheap looking bag, cheap looking tripod, and had a high original listing price. So I figured, most of the quality was invested into the scope itself.
Ordered it, and got it within two days via amazon prime here at UCLA dorm.
Tried it out, at night, by viewing from within my dorm out the window to another window of a dorm about 100-150 meters away. It's extremely clear, at least in my opinion. Now take note that I have never had one of these devices before, and am brand new at the hobby or interest, so I have nothing to compare with. But to me, it seems extremely clear, at 20 magnification all the way up to 60 magnification (fine focus knob helps a lot). I mean, from 100-150 meters away, at night, I can read the evacuation plan in the other dormitory room. And I can recognize facial expressions very clearly (yeah, creeper status, I know). So, in my opinion, it's an awesome spotting scope, for a good price too. It's got an included lens cover, eyepiece cover, and is simple yet slick looking. Rubber coated, feels nice and light weight, yet feels like it's made of great quality. I'm really happy with this product. I can't wait to use it out on the field. Impressive device, overall. 5 stars based solely on the quality of the scope to price ratio, not anything else (tripod, bag, etc.)
37 of 39 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good value, July 30 2011
By K. Vogt - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Barska CO11502 CO11502 20-60x60 Waterproof Straight Spotting Scope with Tripod (Sports)
Bought this during an amazon lightning deal for $60. For that price, it's better than you should expect.
Pros:
*Optics are decent - not perfectly clear, some color abberation in blue-green around the edges of white objects, but, for spotting at the range, I expect it to be decent to resolve target hits to about 200 yards.
*Focus is a bit sticky, but works well.
*I found the eye relief to be on par with other scopes, regardless of price.
*Free tripod and bag - again, budget-minded accessories, but surprisingly well-built. Tripod feels to be steel, and while not nearly as stable as my manfrotto camera tripod, for a pocket tripod it's very usable. The bag is a simple nylon affair, but thick enough to provide protection.
Cons:
*Scope itself is very light - I'd question it's ruggedness and expect to have to baby it to avoid breaking it. The lightweight also makes it susceptible to vibration, making a bit harder to see.
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent optics, lightweight, easy to use, Feb 13 2011
By RJL - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Barska CO11502 CO11502 20-60x60 Waterproof Straight Spotting Scope with Tripod (Sports)
This spotting scope is excellent. The optics are crystal clear and the unit is very light, even with the tripod attached. The zooming dial is on the eyepiece, and the focus dial is on the body of the scope. Both are easy to access while viewing. The tripod is solid, adjustable, and smooth. The scope comes with a lens cap for the front, and a long-screw-on cap for the eyepiece. The carry case has a divided compartment so that the scope and tripod don't come into contact with each other. The manual slips in easily too. The body of the scope has a rubberized feel and is solid. Excellent scope at a great price. Carrying case w/scope and tripod inside is 14"x6"x3", and weighs 2 lbs 10 oz.