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What is a Spotting Scope? - types of Spotting Scopes and their uses

What is a Monocular? - types of Monoculars and their uses

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The monocular - perfect for all your outdoor distance viewing

A monocular is a small low-powered telescope which operates like binoculars but is used by viewing with one eye only. It is similar to a spotting scope but usually smaller and lighter.

It is really a modified refracting telescope which magnifies the image of an object in the distance by passing light through a number of prisms and lenses.

The term mono means single and hence the monocular by definition is a simple and single refracting telescope, used generally to view images in an enlarged format. By using a monocular you can easily magnify any distant object and images for clarity and perfect vision.

With the help of the lens and prisms, far distant objects and images appear so close it’s almost as though you can touch them to be as if you can touch them. That’s beauty of a monocular or spotting scope - they allow you to enjoy seeing things at close hand which, under normal circumstances, would be beyond of your range of vision.

Monoculars are often small enough to fit in your pocket and extremely useful when you’re outdoors and need to view something in the distance. It’s also a very useful device for people with poor eyesight and is great for reading signs. They also used on shooting ranges to take a close look at the hits on a target.

A monocular or spotting scope is the handiest and most compact device for many activities including bird-watching, walking, hiking, star-gazing, hunting, concert-watching, horse racing viewing and surveillance or finding golf balls on the golf course, but binoculars are better for keeping eye strain to a minimum if you plan to view objects for long periods of time.

A spotting scope usually features higher magnification capability than a monocular and is much heavier and larger - for that reason it often needs to be used with a tripod. So a monocular is clearly the way to go if you want something lightweight that can be carried around everywhere with you.

It’s important to consider the magnification number when buying a monocular. A magnification of 5X or 6X is ideal and very practical - the higher the magnification the more difficult a device can be to focus and use. Some people opt for a zoom monocular but their narrow field of view sometimes makes them difficult to use.

Every monocular or spotting scope will have two significant numbers in its description - for example 5X15. The first number is the amount of magnification while the second relates to the size of the front lens in millimetres. Generally speaking, the larger the second number the better the overall optical performance of the monocular. You should also consider the field of view capability when shopping around for a monocular. This relates to the territory which can be seen when using the device - for example if you imagine a hedgerow which is 500 yards away and a monocular has a field view of 200 feet at 500 yards, you will see 200 feet of the hedge. And eye relief should also be taken into consideration - this relates to the distance your eye is permitted to be from the monocular eyepiece and still be able to see the complete field of view.

You should also give some thought to the close focus capability - this is the minimum distance from which a monocular will focus on something. A short distance will allow you to study insects, for example, at close range. Close focus is great for children who want to use a monocular to take a close-up look at insects and plant life in your the garden and countryside.

Some monoculars are waterproof and ideal for anyone interested in doing distance viewing on a boat.

Monoculars come with various grades of lens coating which relates to image brightness. The best monocular will be fully multi-coated, while others are multi–coated or fully coated.  

Whether you’re looking for a monocular or a spotting scope, we have huge range of products from the top outdoor leisure and photographic and camera stores in the UK including Jessops, Conrad, Carson, Vanguard, Safield, Golf Online, Jacobs Digital Photo and Video, Homebase, Warehouse Express, Outdoor Gear UK and Savapoint. We also feature monoculars from Amazon which include helpful product reviews.

All our featured stores operate secure online shopping facilities so you can make purchases safely from the comfort of your home - so it’s really simple and safe way to buy a monocular or spotting scope.

There are many top makes of monoculars and spotting telescopes - including Zeiss, Leica, Konus, Celestron, Cowa, Swarovski, Pentax, Barr and Stroud. Tasco, Nikon, Bushnell, Yukon, Opticron, Visionary, Luger and Acuter - plenty of them are featured here to buy at the best prices around.

Some of our monoculars include night vision or digital capability and others come complete with a tripod and other accessories such as a carrying case, strap and cleaning cloth. Some have a 10 year guarantee too which gives you peace of mind when using your monocular.

A monocular is a great device for a range of outdoor activities which require distance viewing - and we’ve tracked down the best UK prices around.

They are very popular with bird-watchers, walkers, trekkers, aircraft spotters and provide an ideal solution for taking a close look at any landscape object.

A monocular is effectively a miniature or pocket telescope and - as with spotting scopes - is basically a singular barrel version of binoculars.

We have rounded up many of the best monoculars and spotting scopes available from the top stores - from cheap to expensive, small to large - and also feature some top quality night vision monoculars.

Monocular and spotting scope prices start at under £20 with top top models costing more than £1,000 - and we can save you hours looking for the right product.

Whether you’re interested in a compact, zoom,waterproof or night vision monocular you’re sure to find something here that catches your eye!

More information about monoculars and spotting scopes below

Useful reading:        What is a monocular              How a spotting scope works