Welcome to our article about the best spotting scopes for 1000 yards! Before we get into the reviews of our top 6 models, let’s first discuss why you might want a spotting scope for long range viewing to begin with.
Table of Contents
Best Spotting Scope for 1000 Yards – Introduction
Binoculars perform well when you want to catch a glimpse of birds dotting a distant shoreline, circling hundreds of feet above you, or perched on trees as you go on your nature walk.
But for skilled hunters, nature observers, or advanced bird watchers, binoculars are just not enough. To be able to see detailed images at long distances, you need a spotting scope with high magnification.
A spotting scope that provides a clear image at 1000 yards can kick your outdoor adventures up a notch, allowing you to see details as small as an inch from long distances.
That power and magnification can give bird watchers crystal clear images, hunters can enjoy more successful hunts, and military and policemen can develop their target shooting skills to the fullest.
The best spotting scope for you may not be the most expensive nor the cheapest. The key is getting the one that suits your needs the most.
We’ve reviewed the best spotting scopes in every price range to present you with a full scope (pun intended!) of the market. Below you will find spotting scopes from $100 and $2500, each with their own pros and cons relative to their price points.
The Best Spotting Scopes for 1000 Yards Are:
- Gosky 20-60×80 Porro Prism Spotting Scope
- Celestron Ultima 80 Angled Spotting Scope
- Vortex Optics Diamondback 20-60×80 Spotting Scope
- Nikon Prostaff 5 Proscope
- Vortex Optics Razor HD 22-48×65 Spotting Scope
- Swarovski Optik ATS-65 HD Spotting Scope
Out of the list above, here are our most recommended scopes in each price range:
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If you’re on mobile, you can scroll across the table!
If you’re in a hurry, you can’t go wrong with any of the scopes in the table above. Each offer the best quality and accuracy in their price range.
Ok, now let’s get into the detailed reviews and pros and cons of each of our 6 models!
Price Range: $100 – $300
Gosky 20-60 X 80 Porro Prism Spotting Scope
The Gosky 20-60 X 80 Porro Prism Spotting Scope is a no-nonsense and streamlined spotting scope that has great performance and clarity for it’s price.
Key Features
Viewing Configuration: Angled
Magnification: 20-60X
Objective Diameter: 80 mm.
Close Focus Distance: 18 ft.
Length: 17.7 in.
Weight: 43.4 oz.
Field of View: 115.2.-57.6 ft/1000 yards
Eye Relief/Exit Pupil: 17-13.5 mm./4-1.33 mm.
The key elements of a high-quality spotting scope are all here in the Gosky, for an affordable price. The BaK-4 glass in its multi-coated 80mm green film objective lens, adjustable eyepiece and quality prism create clear, bright, and crisp images.
Its 20x to 60x magnification and dynamic lens focusing system make it easy to quickly zoom in on targets.
The Magnalium framework and rubber armor offer both durability and tight-fitting protection, making it water and fog-proof. This makes the Gosky perfect for outdoor adventures as it won’t be damaged by the weather, no matter how rainy or windy.
We found that the Gosky’s performance exceeded our expectations against its price point. We were able to zoom in on animals almost 2000 yards away, and see them with relative clarity. Not bad for a spotting scope that only costs a few hundred dollars!
The digiscope adapter, tripod, carry bag, and instruction manual make this the perfect choice for beginners who don’t have any pre-existing equipment.
The only cons we found with this spot was a slight decrease in image quality at maximum magnification and a limited field of view, but considering the price these are certainly not deal-breakers.
Celestron Ultima 80 Angled Spotting Scope
The Celestron Ultima 80 Angled Spotting Scope is a state-of-the-art spotting scope designed with an emphasis on quality, affordability, and comfort.
Key Features
Magnification: 20-60x
Lens size: 80mm.
Eye relief distance: 18mm.
Exit pupil diameter: 1.3-4 mm.
Eyepiece angle: 45 degrees
Field of View: 105 – 53 ft at 1000 yards
Close focus distance: 26.3 ft.
Twilight factor: 40-69
Weight: 57 oz.
The Celestron’s multi-coated optics is equipped with anti-reflective coatings to maximize brightness and enhance the color and contrast of images, providing shaper and clearer images even in low light conditions. This makes it great for twilight adventures in nature, or hunting trips early in the morning.
It also has a large focus dial which makes it easy to quickly zoom in with razor-sharp focus, perfect for hunting or bird watching when there are only seconds to find and identify animals.
We feel that this spotting scope is a bargain, performance-wise. The images are clear and bright, and when testing it out we were able to read road signs over 2 miles away. That’s excellent clarity for an extremely affordable spotting scope.
The only potential downside we found revolves around the build of the scope itself. The eyepiece threads are made of plastic, the lens cover can be dislodged, and the carrying case has no padding. The construction seems a little cheap in some places, however if handled with care, this spotting scope should last a long time.
Price Range: $400 – $700
Vortex Optics Diamondback 20-60×80 Spotting Scope
The Vortex Optics Diamondback 20-60×80 Spotting Scope is an excellent choice if you are looking for powerful performance in a compact and lightweight scope.
Key Features
Objective lens diameter: 80 mm.
Magnification: 20-60x
Close focus: 22 feet
Eye relief at 20x: 20 mm.
Eye relief at 60x: 16.5 mm.
Field of view at 20x: 105 ft. at 1000 yards
Field of view at 60x: 51 ft. at 1000 yards
Length: 14.8 in.
Weight: 47.1 oz.
The Vortex Diamondback is equipped with fully multi-coated XR lenses, adjustable eyecups, a quick-focus wheel, and a built-in retractable sunshade that provides excellent light transmission and sharp images.
It is nitrogen-purged and O-ring-sealed for durability and water and fog-resistance, making it a great option for outdoor adventures. The rubber casing around the scope provides a more secure and ergonomic grip, while further protecting the scope itself from damage.
Its built-in tripod mount allows you to attach the scope to a tripod or car window mount for steady viewing, making it a great option if you already have this gear. However, this spotting scope does not include a tripod itself, so you will need to purchase a tripod (or window mount) separately if you want to use one and don’t already own one.
This scope feels sturdy and durable when holding it, and we would expect to get many years of quality use out of it. If you are looking to invest a few hundred dollars into a spotting scope, this would be the mid-tier one we would choose.
Nikon Prostaff 5 Proscope
The Nikon Prostaff 5 Proscope is a top-notch spotting scope that provides breath-taking images, a wide field of view, and excellent close-range focusing.
Key Features
Viewing Configuration: Angled
Magnification: 20-60X
Objective Diameter: 82 mm.
Length: 14.88 in.
Weight: 40.8 oz.
Field of View: 104.8 feet/1000 yards
Exit Pupil: 4.1-1.4 mm.
It features multi-coated optics that provide high-contrast images with true-to-life color renditions. We found it’s 82 mm objective lens strikes the perfect balance between size and brightness as it provides a bright field of view even in darker times of the day such as dawn and dusk.
It is nitrogen-purged and O-ring sealed, making it water and fog-proof. It is ergonomic, lightweight, and compact, making it great for all-day trips if you’re already carrying a lot of gear as it won’t weigh you down even more.
What sets the Nikon apart from other spotting scopes is its Porro prism design with internal surface texturing that greatly reduces the loss of reflective light inside the scope. It also has a built-in sunshade that eliminates sun glare and helps keep dust and rain off. Both of these features help this spotting scope produce crystal clear images.
Nikon’s next-generation technology is very evident in the Prostaff 5 Proscope, and its high quality performance and build are outstanding considering the price. You can easily focus on your subjects in their natural backgrounds and view every detail in bright colors and clear, edge-to-edge resolution.
Price Range: $1000 – $2500
Vortex Optics Razor HD 22-48×65 Spotting Scope
The Vortex Optics Razor HD 22-48×65 Spotting Scope uses Vortex’s cutting-edge optical technology and meticulous craftsmanship to give you a spotting scope that has been named one of the finest in the market.
Key Features
Magnification: 22-48x
Lens size: 65 mm.
Field of View: 138-84 feet at 1000 yards
Eye relief distance: 16.7-17 mm.
Twilight factor: 37.8-55.9 mm.
Close focus distance: 26.2 feet
Exit pupil diameter: 1.3-2.9 mm.
The Razor’s 65 mm. central lens, 22 to 48x magnification, and high-density, extra-low dispersion are designed to give you razor-sharp images, clear color differentiation, and edge-to-edge sharpness. The eyepiece rotates quickly and easily so you can zero in on your target in seconds, making it great for hunting and bird watching.
The lenses are equipped with XR Plus anti-reflective coatings to provide high brightness in low-light conditions. They are also equipped with Armortek coatings to protect them from scratches, dirt, and oils.
This scope is argon-purged and O-ring sealed for superior water and fog-proof performance. The rubber armor protects the body of the scope and makes it durable and easy to hold. This scope is also lightweight and compact.
They say you get what you pay for, and that is true with this spotting scope. It is one of the premium scopes available in the market and its performance certainly matches it’s price tag. Some have stated that it is a hunter’s dream come true and that they were able to easily spot a target’s antlers at almost 1500 yards.
If you use spotting scopes often but aren’t ready to pay ultra premium prices, this spotting scope is the one to go for.
Swarovski Optik ATS-65 HD Spotting Scope
The Swarovski Optik ATS-65 HD Spotting Scope features perfect optics using tried-and-tested technology to provide you with a lightweight spotting scope known for its outstanding edge-to-edge clarity, sharpness, and color integrity.
Key Features
Objective lens: 65 mm.
Close focus distance: 9.84 feet
Filter thread: M67x0.75
Magnification: 20-60x
Field of view @1000 yards: 108-64 feet
Exit pupil diameter: 3.3-1.1 mm.
Eye relief: 17 mm.
Twilight factor: 36.1-62.4 mm
Dimensions: 3.6 x 2.2 inches
Weight: 9.12 oz.
The Swarovski Optik’s most notable features include an aluminum body with rubber armor for protection against bumps and shocks, and fluoride-containing HD lenses which reduce color aberrations that provide high-contrast images with precise outlines.
The lenses are equipped with Swarodur or Swarotop coatings that create beautifully bright images even at dawn or dusk. They also feature a non-stick Swaroclean coating on their outer surfaces so you can easily clean them of tree resin, mineral residues, dust, oil, and water from condensation.
The scope is also dustproof and waterproof up to 13 feet, so no stress if you get caught in a shower or a dust storm, or even if you drop it in a lake!
We loved trying out this spotting scope. The images that it provided couldn’t have been clearer, even at it’s highest magnification. We were also impressed with how sturdy and sleek it felt to hold. The ergonomical design and the user-friendly focusing wheel make this feel even more expensive to use than it is.
This spotting scope also comes with a limited lifetime warranty, so you will never be out of pocket if it malfunctions for any reason. This, coupled with it’s exceptional quality, makes it an incredible investment.
If you use spotting scopes regularly and you want the best quality and performance money can buy, go with the Swarovski.
Best Spotting Scope for 1000 Yards – Conclusion
As you can see, there are a wide range of spotting scopes out there, each with their own features, benefits and price points.
The right one for you will depend not only on your budget, but also on how often you use a spotting scope, and the kind of performance you want out of it.
If you’re a beginner, we’d recommend opting for the low to mid tier spotting scopes as they provide excellent images without such a large investment. If you’re an experienced outdoorsman looking for the next level in optics, we highly recommend investing in one of the higher-tier spotting scopes that will enhance your experience and provide you with exceptional optics for years and years to come.
We hope you’ve found this review of the best spotting scopes for 1000 yards helpful! Here are some related articles you may also enjoy:
Best Spotting Scopes for Hunting
Best Window Mounts for Spotting Scopes
About The Author:
Hi! I’m Will Scott, the author of this post. I’m an outdoor enthusiast with over 10 years experience. I love trying out new gear and reviewing it so that other adventurers can get the most out of their experiences. I hope you’ve found my website informative, educational and helpful.