Spotting Scopes for Birding: Angled Vs Straight. Which is Better?

Table of Contents

Angled Vs. Straight Spotting Scope For Birding

If you are trying to decide between an angled vs straight spotting scope for birding, you should know that spotting scopes are the perfect tools for birdwatching. This is because of their amazing magnification power. With the right tools and adjustment, a spotting scope can magnify up to 150x the distance of a target. In addition, you will always get clearer, more detailed results.

There are two types of spotting scopes that you can choose from: the angled scope and the straight scope.

Whether for recreational or professional use, there are some things to consider when making your decision:

Usage
Weight &Size
Protection and Durability
Magnification
Optical quality

Usage Of Angled Vs. Straight Spotting Scopes For Birding

Straight scopes are best for moving targets. This is because they are in line with your body. In addition, they can be used even inside a car.

Angled scopes are good for watching birds that aren’t on the move because they are 45 ° angled. Hence, they require little adjustment on the body. For example, the locking collar of the Vortex Optics Razor HD 27-60×85 Angled Spotting Scope enables its body to be rotated in different angles to ensure better glassing.

If you are a beginner in the field and need to decide between angled vs Straight spotting scope for birding, we recommend a straight spotting scope to practice on before moving to an angled scope.

Angled scopes tend to be more complicated to use. However, once you’ve mastered them, they can be more convenient. You can even birdwatch while sitting or lying down.

Weight And Size

In choosing a spotting scope, a lightweight and compact scope is ideal especially if you would be doing some hiking.

For example, the BARSKA 20-60×60 WP Blackhawk Spotting Scope is a straight scope that weighs only 2.86lbs which makes it easy to carry but delivers remarkable image detail.

On the other hand, the Diamondback 20-60×80 Angled spotting scope weighs 2.94lbs and guarantees excellent magnification in a compact package.

Some scopes are designed so that you can disassemble them to two parts. This allows easier weight distribution. On the other hand, some scopes require only small tripods for support.

When making the choice between angled vs. straight spotting scope for birding, you should also consider the weight of your tripod. Different brands offer scopes with various weights and sizes. Be sure to opt for a lighter scope that you can carry along with your tripod.

Spotting Scope Protection and Durability

Another thing to consider when deciding between angled vs. straight spotting scope for birding is protection for the eyepiece and the body. This is important because bad weather conditions could affect your scope’s performance.

Angled and straight spotting scopes are sealed with O rings to prevent liquid and air from destroying their parts. Both scope types have rubber armoring on the body for grip and for water, fog, and shock protection. Some are even purged and sealed in dry nitrogen or argon. This ensures maximum protection for the body.

Some spotting scope manufacturers provide eyepiece caps and objective lens covers for extra protection. The Razor HD 27-60×85 Angled Spotting Scope even has Armortek coating to prevent its lenses from accumulating dirt, scratches and oil.

Angled vs Straight Spotting Scope For Birding – Magnification

The magnification range of the spotting scope is adjustable according to one’s preference. The most common zooms for straight and angled spotting scopes are 15x-45x and 20x-60x, but for others it can reach up to 150x. An example for higher zoom is the Visionking Spotting Scope which has a zoom range of 30-90x.

There are also two types of eyepieces: the fixed eyepiece, and with zoom.

For fixed eyepieces, you will need to buy 2 or 3 more eyepieces with different magnification to achieve optimal magnification power.

For scopes with zoom, they have adjustment rings on the eyepiece itself. These can be turned clockwise or counter-clockwise to adjust magnification.

Note that higher magnification does not always mean quality images. Humidity, dust, and drizzle are factors which can affect the quality of the image you are magnifying.

Optical Quality

A huge factor in choosing among angled vs straight spotting scope for birding are apochromatic lenses. The BARSKA 30-90×90 and Razor HD 16-48×65 have triplet apochromatic lens which promise great resolution and balance of color.

You should also consider the size of the objective lens. The bigger it is, the more it gathers light to produce better image quality. The best lens you should aim for is the multi-coated ones, such as the Diamondback 20-60×80 for effective light transmission.

Conclusion

The decision between angled vs straight spotting scope for birding depends on your preferences and budget.

If you are a beginner and opt for birdwatching in the comfort of your car, choose a straight scope. If you are more on the adventurous side and want the full experience of birding, choose the angled scope.

There really is no wrong choice here. Birding is a hobby, so a simple and cheap spotting scope is often enough. However, if you wish for best quality images in birdwatching, you must be willing to spend more.