Binoculars vs Spotting Scope

Binoculars or Spotting Scope – which is right for you? We've spent years at the shooting range behind various observation devices, so we'll tell you which we prefer and why.

Portability

Binoculars are significantly smaller than spotting scopes. Even Vortex Razor UHDbinoculars in 18x power, which are relatively large by the standard of modern binoculars, are still smaller than the Vortex Razor HD spotting scope. The more standard 10x or 12x power binoculars are smaller still. So, the first key difference is in portability. Being small, compact, and lightweight, binoculars take the lead in packing, carrying around, and speed/ease of deployment. Spotting scopes, on the other hand, require full stabilization to be effectively utilized.

Magnification

The trade-off for that requisite stabilization is the superior magnification capabilities of the spotting scope. Some shooters see that as a rather significant downside regarding binoculars. If you observe something at extended distances of well over a thousand yards, the spotting scope is probably the better tool for the job. In another example, let's say you're out hunting and must ensure you have properly identified your game before harvesting it. This situation might also call for superior magnification, especially if you are in a fixed position where quick deployment of your observation device isn't as relevant.

Field of View

Now, with that said, in terms of how we use observation tools here on the show, one of the things that we have noticed is being hyper-focused and zoomed in on a given area or, let's say, a 400-yard target, for example, being hyper-focused and zoomed in with extra magnification can actually make it more difficult to spot where an impact or miss is happening.

With the binoculars, not only are you applying binocular vision, but you have a generally wider field of view with a lower magnification that allows you to follow the trace of the projectile much easier, or again, at least that has been our experience. Instead of being zoomed far in on a given area, trying to see where a specific splash takes place, we prefer to zoom out further to see a wider area and watch the trace more easily for the totality of the projectile's flight path.

Reticles

One of the major advantages you can see when it comes down to spotting scopes is the inclusion of reticle eyepieces or having reticles built into the optic. That is also possible with binoculars, but it's relatively uncommon. Very few binoculars on the market today have reticles built into the systems. Now, reticles being built in can be important for various reasons. First and foremost, you can range a target using mils. Additionally, you can give a shooter specific correction on where they need to adjust a shot they've taken. With a reticle built in, you can literally see where the splash is, give the measurement, and put the shooter right back on target.

Lasers

Measuring and ranging targets via a mil reticle might be one option, but a laser is another option for ranging targets. In the last 10 to 15 years, we've seen binocular options such as the Vortex Fury HD5000 AB with exceptionally effective built-in laser range finders. Before that, you had to have your binoculars plus a range finder. The range finder lacked optical clarity, never mind the fact that you now had to switch between two devices. But now you can get a package that has all of that in one unit, which is a significant advancement.

Our Preference

Where do we see these items stacking up regarding the benefits and the cons and what we prefer? The advantage of being able to use both of your eyes is monumental, especially if you're spending exceptionally long amounts of time behind the glass. Even if you're not, we have still found that using binoculars gives us much better results than spotting scopes in terms of shooting in the zero to a thousand-yard range, which is where we are normally operating. Even something as low as the 10x power binoculars is sufficient to spot out to five or 600 yards. Once you start getting beyond that, going with a 15x or an 18x power works great for effectively seeing the splash of rounds coming in.

So, depending on what you're trying to do, you may come up with wildly different conclusions. You must identify what makes the most sense for your use cases, but for us, it's running the binoculars 90% of the time. Thanks for tuning in, and until next time, we'll see you on the range.

--9-Hole Reviews