https://www.kowaproducts.com/Kowa-TSN-550-Series-Spotting-Scope/ https://www.swarovskioptik.com/birding/spotting-scopes-c2102 http://www.vortexoptics.com/category/razor_hd_spotting_scopes

The wetlands at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park in Georgia are great for wading birds including Glossy and White Ibis, shorebirds including Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and raptors like Bald Eagles. When I go birding at this hotspot, I prefer to carry a spotting scope for high-magnification views. But my hikes there are often five or six miles long, so carrying a full-size scope that distance is a drag. New developments in compact spotting scopes offer an appealing solution for long hikes. Compact spotting scopes are also much easier to pack when traveling, particularly via airlines with luggage limitations.

Different companies have different approaches to reduce size and weight in spotting scopes. Swarovski takes an innovative strategy: Most spotting scopes have a long body and a small eyepiece. Swarovski’s ATX/STX Modular Scopes redefine spotting scope design by creating two pieces that are more equal in length – the eyepiece and prisms are housed in one piece, which attaches to the barrel of the body. When the two pieces are separated they are smaller and easier to pack. Although this design doesn’t reduce size or weight when you carry the equipment over long distances, the two smaller pieces easily fit into backpacks and carry-on luggage.

Kowa’s TSN-550 Series is a traditional scope design, but it is truly compact and nearly fits in the palm of your hand. This might-mite offers all the superior optics of the full-sized Kowa 880 line, but the compact is 47 percent lighter and about two inches shorter, making it easy to pack and carry in the field. When matched with a lighter-weight tripod, such as one made of carbon fiber, this combo is well-suited for long birding walks or travel on rough terrain.

The Swarovski and Kowa scopes are top of the line and on the expensive side. A more affordable compact scope is the Vortex Razor HD 11 33x50—it’s less than one-half the cost of the Kowa 550 and less than one-quarter the cost of the Swarovski ATX/STX. This spotting scope weighs in at 25 ounces and is about 10 inches long (roughly the same size as the Kowa TSN-550) and offers an 11x to 33x zoom lens and many of the features found on the more expensive models. Check out the video extolling the features of the Vortex Razor HD spotting scope at http://www.vortexoptics.com/video/razor_hd_50mm_spotting_scope

Compact spotting scopes offer an appealing alternative to full-size models, especially if you carry your equipment long distances in search of interesting birds.

Article by Peter Stangel