QUICK STATS
- DIMENSIONS: 15.5 X 6.2 X 5.1 INCHES
- WEIGHT: 3.5 POUNDS
- SHIPPING WEIGHT: 3.5 POUNDS
- MANUFACTURER: USCAMEL
- MODEL: UW038
- SCOPE TYPE: ANGLED
- ANGLE DEGREE: 45 DEGREES
- EXIT PUPIL DIAMETER: 0.11 INCHES (20X), 0.03 INCHES (60X)
- EXIT PUPIL DISTANCE: 0.67-0.53 INCH
- OBJECTIVE LENS DIAMETER: 2.36 INCHES/ 60MM
- EYEPIECE: 2.36 INCHES
- LENS TYPE: BAK-7
- MAGNIFICATION: VARIABLE 20 – 60X
- FOCUSING DISTANCE: 5 METERS
- SUITABLE FOR: BIRDING, HUNTING, FISHING, ASTRONOMY, CONCERTS
- COLOR: ARMY GREEN
- COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: CHINA
- TRIPOD: YES
- WATERPROOF: YES
- FOGPROOF: YES
- CARRY CASE: YES
- CAMERA ADAPTOR: YES. CANON ONLY
- OUR RATING: 4.3 OUT OF FIVE STARS
- PRICE GUIDE: $169.99+
-
IS IT A BIRD…IS IT A PLANE? Well one thing’s for sure, you should be able to tell pretty soon with one of these scopes trained on it! Beach Baby zooms in on the USCAMEL Waterproof Spotting Scope – 20-60×60 Zoom Monocular Telescope.
At around $170, this definitely is not the cheapest scope on the market, although rest assured, you can still spend a lot more on one, if that’s what your heart desires.
However, at this price, we reasonably feel that we should expect quality, and some pretty good value for money, so how does it measure up?
Well straight out of the box, this looks and feels sturdy, and has a nice, pleasing finish to it. Colored a pretty shade of green, to help you blend in with the background a bit better, the eyepiece has a soft rubber covering for comfort and protection.
It has extendable sunshades, which also double up as a rain guard to keep rain drops from obstructing the field of vision.
At three and a half pounds, this isn’t some lightweight piece of junk that will fall apart in a matter of weeks, but also won’t cripple you as you carry it from place to place.
Of course, you will want to mount this on a tripod for ease of use. Fortunately, there is both a tripod and carrying case, included with the purchase of this scope.
From the outside, this all looks good, but what is its performance like?
This is an angled scope, and if you are new to using a spotting scope, you may have a learning curve, to get use to using it straight out of the box.
This is not a criticism of the model, but a general observation about all angled spotting scopes. The ‘angled versus straight’ debate is one of the major decisions you have to make when choosing which spotting scope to purchase.
Both angled and straight spotting scopes have their good points, as well as some downsides. To put it simply, if you are a spotting scope virgin, then initially, you may find that an angled spotting scope is not quite as easy to use initially. Essentially, where you are actually looking, is not where it feels it ought to be, for the pretty obvious reason that the objective lens is at a forty five degree angle from where your eye is. You may need to learn how to, for example, train it on the horizon, and then look for what you are trying to focus on.
This may be tricky to begin with, and for this reason a lot of beginners find that a straight spotting scope is easier to use. However, if you were to purchase this, do not lose heart. A little bit of patience pays off, and you will be rewarded, with avian heaven!
Once you are accustomed to using this scope, it will be much more comfortable for long term usage, than a straight scope ever can be.
Curiously enough, your height may be a significant factor in deciding which type of scope to buy. Beach Baby thinks, that if you’re on the taller side, the angled spotting scope could be an advantage, especially if you wish to ‘digiscope’ – which is tech speak for hook a camera up to the tripod, and either record video or take photos. This is easier because you won’t have to get a bigger tripod.
However, it’s not just the giants among us who might prefer this! Anyone wanting to point it up to the sky (hint, probably quite likely if used for birding) will also find this superior, on the whole, than a straight spotting scope.
This has the additional advantage of being good for star gazing as well, although we must point out that it is not a telescope, which will always be better for the night sky,
Performance wise, this appears to be a good quality scope with a crisp, bright image. It can magnify between twenty and sixty times in strength, so you can see every feather on the bird you are viewing, and admire all the details, up close.
Just in case you were wondering, it is incomparable to even the best binoculars. If you are serious about birding, and unless the birds are literally landing on you, this scope will bring you as close to them as it is possible to get.
As the description implies, these are both waterproof, and fog proof, so it shouldn’t mist up in damp murky conditions.
How do customers feel about the USCAMEL Waterproof Spotting Scope – 20-60×60 Zoom Monocular Telescope?
With 4.3 stars out of five overall rating on the web, this is good, solid feedback that should inspire some confidence. Even the people who rated it relatively low, state that this is a great spotting scope, and it is usually some other peripheral reason for the low star ratings. It would seem that pretty much everyone believes this is quality, but are there any issues at all with it?
The only things that are mentioned negatively are, the lack of clear instructions with regard to mounting the camera, or phone attachments.
Other than that, the USCAMEL gets a clear bill of health as a notable favorite for birdwatching/wildlife spotting in the under $200 price bracket!
<!– AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content —
