Free shipping from CHF 100
Quality for over 20 years
Personal consultation
Spotting scopes and telescopes for hunting, birdwatching and astronomy. KOWA Prominar, Bresser Pirsch, Bushnell Forge & Co. – stocked in Switzerland.
KOWA from Japan, Bresser from Germany, Bushnell USA, Delta Optical Poland, Sightmark USA
Spotting scopes with fluorite optics (KOWA Prominar) and ED glass (Delta Optical Titanium)
Spotting scopes with 45° angled eyepiece for tripod use and straight for stalking
Spotting scopes from 9–27x to 30–70x – suitable for long distances
A spotting scope (also called a telescope in everyday use) is the right optical tool for observation at long distances – much higher magnification than binoculars, with the additional advantage of a steady image through tripod mounting. In the Swiss-Sale.ch range you'll find 25 spotting scopes and telescopes from five specialised brands: KOWA spotting scopes as the Japanese premium line with fluorite optics, Bresser spotting scopes of the Pirsch series with German engineering, Bushnell spotting scopes of the Elite and Forge lines with American tactical tradition, Delta Optical Titanium spotting scopes with Polish ED glass design, and Sightmark Latitude spotting scopes for the shooting sport. All spotting scopes are available from the Swiss warehouse – no waiting time, no customs fees.
The choice of the right spotting scope depends decisively on what you want to observe and under what conditions. The main use cases:
For the spotting scope for hunters, three properties count: long range, robust construction and good twilight performance. For addressing game at 300–800 m distances, magnifications of 20–60x are ideal, with an objective diameter of 60–80 mm. In the range, the Bresser Pirsch spotting scopes (9-27x56, 20-60x80, 25-75x100) and the KOWA TSN spotting scopes are the typical hunting models. Straight eyepiece is usually the better choice here: it allows quick addressing from the hide or while stalking without having to readjust. Those who want to address the buck from the hide while looking out, on the other hand, benefit from the angled eyepiece with tripod.
In birdwatching, angled-eye spotting scopes dominate today, because they allow comfortable observation over longer periods on the tripod – without having to contort yourself. Magnifications of 15–45x or 20–60x are standard here, paired with objective diameters of 50–80 mm. In the range, the Delta Optical Titanium spotting scopes with ED glass and the KOWA TSN Prominar spotting scopes with fluorite glass are the reference for demanding birdwatchers. Their glass quality reduces chromatic aberration and ensures contrast-rich, true-to-colour images – crucial for correctly identifying bird species.
For long-range shooting sport, hit pattern assessment on the shooting range and for tactical applications, there are tactical spotting scopes with reticulated eyepieces and particularly robust construction. The Sightmark Latitude tactical spotting scopes (15-45x60 and 20-60x80 XD) are specifically developed for this use, as is the Bushnell Elite Tactical 8-40x60. These spotting scopes can often be mounted on Picatinny rails in addition to the standard 1/4" tripod thread.
For stargazing and astronomy, classic astronomical telescopes are the right choice – with significantly higher magnifications than terrestrial spotting scopes. From the spotting scope range, however, the KOWA TSN-99A Prominar with 30–70x and the Bresser Pirsch 25-75x100 with the large 100 mm objective are suitable for the moon, planets and bright deep-sky objects. Those who primarily want to look into the sky should, however, consider a dedicated astronomy telescope.
Those who want to take a spotting scope on a hike or trip need a compact model under 1.5 kg with a smaller aperture (50–65 mm). In the range are the Delta Optical Titanium 50ED Zoom, the Bushnell Prime 20-60x65 and the Bresser Condor 15-45x50 Gen II. These travel spotting scopes are lighter and more packable than the larger models – with the trade-off that they are somewhat darker at twilight.
For documentary nature observers, there are digital spotting scopes with built-in camera. The Delta Optical Spectrum digital telescope combines a 50x spotting scope with a digital sensor and allows direct photography without an external camera. But: classic photo adaptation via smartphone holder is cheaper and more flexible – any spotting scope with standard eyepiece can be used photographically with a smartphone adapter.
KOWA spotting scopes are the premium brand in the range – the Japanese optics company KOWA Optimed (subsidiary of KOWA Company Ltd., Nagoya) has been building, as one of very few manufacturers worldwide for decades, spotting scopes with genuine fluorite glass optics (marked as Prominar series). Fluorite crystal is optically significantly better than ED glass – it reduces chromatic aberration even more strongly and delivers nearly perfect true-to-colour reproduction. For this, KOWA Prominar spotting scopes are also at a price premium. Models in the range:
The KOWA TSN series is the broad KOWA line with various objective diameters and eyepiece angles. Highlights: KOWA TSN-501 (angled eyepiece, 20-40x50, compact travel version) and KOWA TSN-502 (straight eyepiece, same optics). These spotting scopes are the ideal entry-level into the KOWA world – with multi-coating glass, magnesium-containing body and solid waterproofing.
The KOWA Prominar series is the premium line with fluorite crystal objective. Models: KOWA TSN-554 Prominar (compact 55 mm fluorite spotting scope), KOWA TSN-55A Prominar, KOWA TSN-66A Prominar (66 mm fluorite, the most recommended all-round model for birdwatchers) and KOWA TSN-99A Prominar Set (99 mm, 30–70x magnification, the pro top model). All Prominar spotting scopes have the KOWA-typical bayonet-style eyepiece change system and are 100 % waterproof. KOWA spotting scopes in the range.
Bresser spotting scopes are the broad-appeal choice for hunting, outdoor and sport observation. Bresser is an optics brand founded in 1957 in Rhede (Germany) and one of the best-known European brands in the outdoor optics market. Two lines structure the Bresser spotting scope range:
The Bresser Pirsch series is the dedicated hunting line with three models: Bresser Pirsch 9-27x56 (compact hunting spotting scope with straight eyepiece, ideal for the hide), Bresser Pirsch 20-60x80 (the best-selling all-round hunting spotting scope, high magnification) and Bresser Pirsch 25-75x100 (pro model with 100 mm front lens for maximum twilight performance). All Pirsch spotting scopes are nitrogen-filled, IPX7 waterproof and equipped with a durable rubber armor housing.
The Bresser Condor 15-45x50 Gen II is the more compact and lighter alternative to the Pirsch series – ideal for mountain trips, travel and hiking when weight counts. With 50 mm front lens and 15–45x magnification, it covers the standard observation areas. Bresser spotting scopes in the range.
Bushnell spotting scopes are the American line in the range, founded in 1948 in Kansas and today one of the world's largest sport optics brands. Five models cover everything from entry-level to tactical spotting scope:
Bushnell spotting scopes in the range.
Delta Optical spotting scopes are the Polish premium brand in the range – less well known than KOWA, but in the same league for birdwatchers and nature observers. The Titanium series uses ED glass (Extra-Low-Dispersion) for reduced chromatic aberration. Models: Delta Optical Titanium 50ED Zoom (compact travel spotting scope), Titanium 65ED LL Zoom (mid-range all-round model), Titanium 70 ED 45° (angled eyepiece, fixed setting range) and Titanium 85 ED 45° (pro model with 85 mm objective). Additionally, there's the Delta Optical Spectrum digital telescope with integrated camera. Delta Optical spotting scopes in the range.
Sightmark spotting scopes are the specialty brand in the range for tactical shooting sport. Sightmark is a US American brand under the Sellmark corporation and specialises in tactical optics. Represented in the spotting scope range with two models: Sightmark Latitude 15-45x60 Tactical (compact tactical spotting scope with reticulated eyepiece for long-range shooting) and Sightmark Latitude 20-60x80 XD Tactical (pro tactical spotting scope with XD glass and higher magnification). Both have robust Mil-Spec construction and are specifically designed for shooting sportspeople and shooting range operators. Sightmark spotting scopes in the range.
For spotting scopes, there are two design types regarding the eyepiece: angled (45° angle) and straight. The choice is not trivial and depends on the use:
| Aspect | Angled (45°) | Straight |
|---|---|---|
| Tripod observation | comfortable, less contortion | less ideal, strenuous with high objects |
| Quick addressing | longer learning curve | intuitive, scope points directly at target |
| Use with people of different heights | easy through tripod adjustment | difficult (tripod height must be perfect) |
| Stalking and mountain viewing | difficult | ideal |
| Long-duration observation | back-friendly | strains the neck |
| Ideal use | birdwatching, astronomy | hunting, mountain viewing, stalking |
Rule of thumb: birdwatchers and amateur astronomers choose angled, hunters and mountaineers choose straight. For simultaneous observation by multiple people, angled is almost always better, because the tripod only needs to be height-adjusted once.
Two values are specified for spotting scopes: magnification range (e.g. 20–60x) and objective diameter (e.g. 80 mm). This results in the typical designation 20-60x80. General reference values:
| Objective diameter | Application | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 50 mm | travel spotting scopes, hiking | 0.7–1.0 kg |
| 60–65 mm | all-round observation, light hunting | 1.0–1.5 kg |
| 70–80 mm | standard for birdwatching and hunting | 1.4–1.8 kg |
| 85–100 mm | pro, high twilight performance | 1.8–2.5 kg |
Higher magnification is not automatically better: at 50-60x without tripod, the image is hardly steady enough. Rule of thumb: from about 25x magnification, a tripod is mandatory. Twilight performance is also co-determined by the objective diameter – an 80 mm spotting scope delivers noticeably more details at twilight than a 50 mm model.
Standard spotting scopes use multi-lens optics with cast glass. For demanding observers, there are two premium glass types: ED glass (Extra-Low-Dispersion) and fluorite crystal. Both reduce chromatic aberration – the colour fringe that appears especially at bright contrast edges (bird against blue sky). Effect: more contrasting image, easier identification of fine details, more colour-faithful reproduction. Fluorite is even better than ED, correspondingly more expensive. Models with ED glass in the range: all Delta Optical Titanium, Bushnell Engage DX and Bushnell Forge. Models with fluorite glass: all KOWA Prominar spotting scopes. For hobby users, ED glass is the ideal sweet spot between image quality and price; for ambitious birdwatchers and heavy users, the jump to fluorite optics is worth it.
We've focused our spotting scope range on five clearly positioned brands – KOWA as premium specialist, Bresser as the German all-round line, Bushnell as the American versatility brand, Delta Optical as the Polish ED premium and Sightmark as the tactical specialist. This way the range covers the entire application spectrum from the entry-level spotting scope to the 100 mm fluorite top model. Personal advice in our showroom in Menzingen or by phone at 041 755 34 33.
In everyday use, spotting scope and telescope are often used synonymously – both describe a monocular observation instrument with magnification. Historically, «telescope» was the older term, «spotting scope» is the more specific designation for the modern, terrestrial observation scope with zoom eyepiece and tripod connection. When you search for «buy spotting scope» today, you almost always mean what brands like KOWA, Bresser, Bushnell and Delta Optical offer. To be distinguished from these are astronomical telescopes (Newtonian, refractor design with long focal length) and binoculars (two eyes).
For the hunting spotting scope use, three models from the range are the most recommended: Bresser Pirsch 20-60x80 (the all-round hunting spotting scope with good price-performance ratio), Bushnell Engage DX 20-60x80 (premium variant with ED glass) and KOWA TSN-554 Prominar (premium choice for twilight with fluorite glass). For pure hide hunters, straight eyepiece is usually the better choice. Those who also want to use the spotting scope for birdwatching are more flexible with angled eyepiece.
For birdwatchers, spotting scopes with angled eyepiece, medium magnification (15–45x or 20–60x) and ED or fluorite glass are the right choice. Recommendations from the range: Delta Optical Titanium 65ED LL Zoom as all-round model, Delta Optical Titanium 85 ED 45° as pro model, KOWA TSN-66A Prominar as high-end choice with fluorite glass. Birdwatchers usually have spotting scope plus separate binoculars in the set – the spotting scope for addressing rare species at long distance, the binoculars for quick observation.
Fluorite glass (more precisely: fluorite crystal) is a special optical component with extremely low chromatic dispersion. That means: chromatic aberration (colour fringe at bright contrast edges) is reduced even more than with normal ED glass. The resulting image is more contrasting, more colour-faithful and delivers finer details. Fluorite optics is optically the absolute high-end for terrestrial observation – correspondingly at a price premium. In the range, all KOWA Prominar spotting scopes have fluorite glass: TSN-554, TSN-55A, TSN-66A and TSN-99A.
Both glass types reduce chromatic aberration. ED glass (Extra-Low-Dispersion) is a special glass composition with lower dispersion than standard glass. Fluorite crystal is optically even better and offers the lowest available dispersion. For ambitious hobby users, ED glass is the sweet spot, for pros and heavy users the jump to fluorite is worth it. ED models in the range: Delta Optical Titanium series, Bushnell Engage DX, Bushnell Forge. Fluorite models: KOWA Prominar series.
Both optics have different strengths and often complement each other. Binoculars are binocular, offer more relaxed observation, have a wide field of view and are mobile – ideal for quick addressing at 30–300 m, while moving and without tripod. A spotting scope is monocular, significantly higher magnifying (15–70x instead of 8–12x) and brings fine details out at 300–800 m distance – for this it needs a tripod and a calm observation position. Many birdwatchers and hunters use both: binoculars around the neck for quick recognition, spotting scope in the backpack for exact identification. From about 300 m, binoculars get too weak, from this distance the spotting scope territory begins. Binoculars in the range as a supplement to the spotting scope.
A tactical spotting scope is a special spotting scope design type for shooting sport, long-range shooting and tactical applications. Differences from the normal spotting scope: reticulated eyepiece (line plate for range estimation and hit addressing), particularly robust construction, Mil-Spec standard, often Picatinny-compatible mounting. In the range: Sightmark Latitude 15-45x60 Tactical, Sightmark Latitude 20-60x80 XD Tactical and Bushnell Elite Tactical 8-40x60. Tactical spotting scopes are more specialist tools – for normal nature observation they are overdimensioned.
Yes, to a limited extent. Terrestrial spotting scopes are not real astronomical telescopes, but well suited for moon observation, bright planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Mars) and some deep-sky objects like bright open star clusters. For star observation in the narrower sense (galaxies, faint nebulae, high-resolution planets), you need a dedicated astronomy telescope with significantly larger focal length. The spotting scopes in the range that are best suited for astronomy: KOWA TSN-99A Prominar (99 mm) and Bresser Pirsch 25-75x100 (100 mm) – both with large objective diameter.
Spotting scopes are usually very long-lasting – with a few simple rules. Clean lenses only with microfiber cloth and a little lens cleaning fluid, never dry-rub on dust (that scratches the coating). Set up the spotting scope in tripod mode when not actively being carried – this avoids pressure points on the body. When not in use for weeks, put on the eyepiece and objective caps. When carrying with tripod, tighten the pan brake so the spotting scope doesn't dangle. Waterproof spotting scopes handle rain without problem – but rinse off saltwater immediately with fresh water.
That depends on the use. For normal nature observation at 100–300 m distance, 15–30x is enough. For birdwatching and hunting at 300–600 m, 20–60x is standard. For long-range shooting or mountain viewing, 30–70x comes into play. Above 60x, image stability is tight even with tripod, and twilight performance breaks down. Rule of thumb: rather choose somewhat lower magnification with large objective diameter than the opposite – an 80 mm spotting scope at 30x is sharp and bright, a 60 mm spotting scope at 70x is dark and shaky.
The tripod is just as important for the spotting scope as the spotting scope itself. Rule of thumb: load capacity at least double the spotting scope weight. For light travel spotting scopes (50–60 mm, under 1.2 kg), photo tripods with 2–3 kg load capacity are enough. For standard spotting scopes (70–80 mm, 1.4–1.8 kg), a tripod with 4–5 kg load capacity is mandatory, ideally with video head for smooth panning. For pro spotting scopes (85–100 mm, from 2 kg), you need a stable tripod with 6+ kg load capacity and fluid head. Important: carbon tripods are lighter and dampen vibrations better than aluminium – correspondingly more expensive. Tripods in the range – from travel tripod to pro model.
Yes. All spotting scopes from KOWA, Bresser, Bushnell, Delta Optical and Sightmark are available from our Menzingen (ZG) warehouse – no waiting time, no customs fees. Free shipping within Switzerland and Liechtenstein from CHF 100. Personal advice in our showroom or by phone at 041 755 34 33. In case of dissatisfaction, our 30-day voluntary right of return applies.
KOWA Prominar · Bresser Pirsch · Bushnell Forge · Delta Optical Titanium · Sightmark · stocked in Switzerland. Advice at 041 755 34 33 or info@swiss-sale.ch.
| id | title | price | manufacturer |
|
from *
/ |
