Roxant Blackbird Spotting Scope 12-36x50 HD – Best Spotting Scopes for Target Shooting, Hunting, Birding, Wildlife – High Power Angled Spotter Scope with Tripod, Case & Phone Mount

Looking forward to many years of not having to walk back and forth to my targets!I plan to use the scope to aid in sighting in my rifles at the range. It seems to be of good quality construction, and the clarity of the optics is very good.It's small and light enough to fit comfortably in my range bag. No issues there. The housing feels well constructed, and the rubberized pieces are well made.The rubber protective casing seems to work well, and I have no concerns about damage due to metal-to-metal contact. The scope will remain in its carry case for transport back and forth, however. The focus and zoom rings have a nice smooth operation. This is my first spotting scope, so no basis of comparison to other brands, but it feels just as smooth, if a bit stiffer, than the zoom ring on my Nikon telephoto lens. Definitely feels like a good quality piece of gear.The tripod seems appropriate for the size/weight of the scope. Solid construction. Definitely prefer metal components over plastic.This scope would make for a nice portable stargazing scope to take on camping trips.I will definitely recommend this scope as a gift or purchase to my shooting friends.No difficulty in figuring out the controls, although I was initially (first use) confused as I assumed the zoom function would be on the barrel, and the focus on the eyepiece. No bearing on functionality though.Price seems fair. Again, I have no basis of comparison, but this seems like a reasonably priced quality piece of equipment.The item description on the Amazon product page definitely influenced my decision to buy this scope. The explanation of the importance of quality optics versus the over-emphasis on "zoom" marketing hype lent credibility to the ad, and made it seem as if the scope was thoughtfully designed with an eye towards quality.

First, I intentionally waited a while before submitting this review so I would have a chance to use it enough to form a trustworthy opinion. And honestly, I am very happy with the Blackbird Spotting Scope. Here's why:I bought the Blackbird Scope to use when I am hunting. I am in Utah and hunt mule deer and elk, mostly in wide open country at high elevation. I've always carried binoculars, but I have been wanting to do more long distance glassing. So this review will cater more to hunters than to birders.I absolutely love the smaller size of the Blackbird scope. Many years ago I bought a big, clunky spotting scope of a well known brand. I took it on a few hunting trips, but I only used it two or three times. It was long, heavy, blurry, and worthless at higher magnification powers. Because of that, I stopped taking it at all. It just wasn't worth the effort. In contrast, the Blackbird is wonderfully smaller, lighter, CLEARER, and has a great image through all magnification ranges. I also love how it easily fits into my pack without straining the pockets and doesn't weigh me down. Despite the light weight, it feels strong, sturdy, and well made.I like how the the rubber casing provides better gripping ability. It also adds to the sturdy feel. I really like the large focus ring, and how it is not part of the eye piece. Both the magnification adjuster ring and the focus ring are smooth, and not too loose or too tight. It is easy to adjust to a fine focus. I also appreciate the well fitting lens covers that came with it.The Blackbird definitely feels like a quality piece of equipment, especially for the price. My first impression was, "Wow! I didn't expect anything nearly this nice." The carrying case is a nice touch and improves the whole package.I don't understand the reviews I read that complained about the tripod. For what it is, a table-top tripod, it works fantastic. I like that it is made of metal, not plastic. Some reviews said the tripod was made of flimsy aluminum. Well, not the tripod I got. The legs on mine are made of steel, and when it is folded out it is very stable, with a little heft that adds to the steadiness. I used the tripod at the shooting range while sighting in my rifles, and it worked fantastic. I don't see myself using it out on the mountain while hunting (I bought a separate tripod for that), but I didn't buy a tripod, I bought a spotting scope. So as far as I'm concerned, the tripod that came with the scope is just a very nice bonus.There is no doubt that this scope would be great in any situation where you want to get 'up close', without actually getting close. When I used it at the shooting range, I could easily see .243 bullet holes in plain paper targets at 100 yards. The image was much, much better than my old spotting scope. I have no doubt that it would also work out to longer distances.The Blackbird scope would delight any hunter/shooter as a gift. No doubt. And it won't break the bank.It was super easy to figure out. I didn't even look at the instructions. Of course this wasn't my first exposure to optics, but the Blackbird is very simple to use. Its simplicity is one of the best things about it.When I first got it in my hands (I bought online), and was able to really see what I had purchased, I was extremely pleased. The more I fiddled with it, the happier I got. For you hunters out there, you need to know that the Blackbird is not a Ziess or a Swarovski. But, for what you pay for it, it is an extremely good value. Will you be able to see mosquitoes on a bull elk's antlers at 1500 yards? No. But, you'll easily see how big the guy is and how many points he has on his head gear. In my experience and in all my research, the other scopes that cost three or four times as much are only half as good. I think the Blackbird is an excellent value.One of the best things about the Blackbird spotting scope is that the image stays good through the whole magnification range of 15x to 36x. Go read the reviews of more expensive scopes, with their higher magnification ranges, and you will notice the consistent trend that, unless you are spending big money, the image quality deteriorates so quickly at higher magnification that they become useless halfway up the power range. That was certainly true of my old spotting scope. So instead of pretending to have 60x, the Blackbird's realistic top magnification of 36x is actually useful. The image does dim a little bit at higher powers, but for only having a 50mm objective lens it does really good. Another big win for the Blackbird is that by limiting the max power to only 36x, it has a reduced size, less weight, a lower cost, and just feels less bulky. I have been seriously impressed with all aspects of this scope. There is a mountain top about a mile and a half from my front porch. On top of that mountain, someone put up a normal size American flag. You can barely even see the flag with the naked eye. If you didn't already know it was there, you would miss it completely. I put my Blackbird on the taller tripod I bought, and zeroed in on that flag. On 15x magnification, I could easily see that there was a flag up there. On 36x, I could see the individual red and white stripes waving in the breeze. A mile and a half! I knew right then that I made a great choice. I couldn't be happier and am looking forward to using my scope in the high country.

Construction of the scope was better than expected.Packaging was nice simple easy to open and protected the item well. Upon opening the package the scope is much smaller than I anticipated and really put a smile on my face. The compact size of the scope will make it very easy to add it to my range bag which is where will be used mostly. Construction of the scope was better than expected. I wouldn’t exactly say bullet proof but, for anyone that is spending any amount of their hard earned money I’m sure with some decent care the scope should last a long time. Rings were very smooth in function. The glass? Man, the glass was clear and easily visible out to 120 yards I plan to take it out further during tang visit tomorrow to really stretch the scope out. The tripod that was supplied with it seems decent enough initially. It is thinner gauge metal I’m sure over time that it may need to be upgraded but, for now will suffice and performs the way I would expect. The price of the scope seems pretty fair. I wouldn’t expect it to be any cheaper I wouldn’t expect it to be very much more than what it was purchased for. To justify the price increase I would possibly upgrade to a metal housing which would offer a bit more durability but would justify the price but at the same time. But that option might add more weight to the scope. All in all I think it’s a great piece of glass for any nature lover or any shooting sports enthusiast where your typical range doesn’t exceed 100yds. I’m sure the scope will work fine pass 100 yards but, unfortunately I have not put it through its paces past that distance but will soon. Thanks for a great product!