More Information  · Supplied Accessories  · Images of Some Features

Another review, in Cornell University’s Living Bird magazine, commented that the Spacemaster “continues to hold its place as the best of the inexpensive scopes, and it’s an excellent choice for birders on a budget.” Yet another review, this one in Wild Bird magazine, noted that the 60mm Spacemaster “provided a brilliant, optically sharp image.”

This new version of that best-selling and highly-reviewed Spacemaster adds some new features that make the “long-standing favorite” an even better value for the price-conscious birder. For instance, the Spacemaster is now totally waterproof and fogproof. Its optics are fully multicoated for brighter and higher contrast images. And it now has special “Rainguard” water-shedding optical coatings for clearer images in wet weather, once a feature of only the most costly birding optics.

This Spacemaster Zoom Kit comes with a backpack carrying case and a short cartop/tabletop tripod at a special money-saving package price. Lightweight, highly transportable, with precise focusing for critical viewing and very good images at a very reasonable price, the Spacemaster has been one of our most popular and popularly-priced spotting scopes for years, and rightly so.

Optical features of this spotting scope . . .

Multicoated optics: All air to glass surfaces of the Spacemaster optics are fully multicoated with multiple layers of ion-deposited high light transmission materials for bright images and high contrast. These coatings increase the light transmission though each air to glass surface to over 99% per surface (there are over a dozen such surfaces in the objective lens, image-erecting porro prism, and eyepiece combined). Without these multicoatings, each surface would reflect back and lose 4% of the light falling on it (a total light loss through the system approaching 50% without the multicoatings).

Porro prism: The image-erecting porro prism system within the scope body uses costly BaK-4 glass prisms. These multicoated prisms provide high light transmission, without any vignetting or loss of brightness at the edges of the field, as you’ll find with lesser spotting scopes in this aperture and price range.

Water-shedding “Rainguard” lens coatings: External optical surfaces are treated with permanent “Rainguard” coatings. These special hydrophobic (water-repelling) coatings are so smooth, even at the molecular level, that water can find virtually no grip on the lens surface. This causes the condensation from rain, fog, snow, or your own breath to form in much smaller droplets than on standard optical coatings. Smaller droplets scatter less light, resulting in higher light transmission and a clearer image.

Zoom eyepiece: The built-in 15x to 45x zoom offers excellent observing flexibility. About a third of a turn of its helical power change collar moves smoothly from a 15x magnification, with a substantial 125’ field at 1000 yards for locating birds, to 45x and a still-reasonable 42’ field for close-up examination of field markings. The zoom eyepiece is permanently attached to the Spacemaster body to maintain the waterproof integrity of the scope and cannot be removed. A slip-on plastic eyepiece dust cover is standard. The Spacemaster is not adaptable to photography. Eye relief is limited (10mm at 15x), so there will be vignetting of the field for those who must eyeglasses while observing. The eyepiece has a soft rubber rim (but no eyecup) to keep eyeglasses from getting scratched when using the scope.

Mechanical features of this spotting scope . . .

Rubber-armored body: The rugged die-cast alloy body of the Spacemaster is clad in durable black armor to take every kind of rough treatment in stride. The armor also insulates the scope to keep it comfortable to the touch in all temperatures, and is ribbed and lightly textured to provide a sure grip in wet weather. The body has a tethered soft rubber slip-on objective lens cap (not shown in the images) that can’t be lost in the field. The lens cap protects the optics from accidental damage when traveling or moving with the scope through woods or undergrowth. A standard 1/4” x 20 thread mounting hole is built into the base of the scope for mounting the Spacemaster on any standard photo tripod.

Weatherproofing: The Spacemaster is O-ring sealed and nitrogen-purged to be totally waterproof, fogproof, and dustproof in all climate extremes – from the cold and mists of Attu to the warm and dripping humidity of the Costa Rican rain forests.

Focusing: A five-turn rotary focusing knob built into the right side of the body provides fast and accurate focusing from a 30’ close focus out to the horizon and beyond, even while wearing gloves or mittens. The Wild Bird review rated the Spacemaster focuser as being “highly effective . . . focusing is smooth and easy, and can be accomplished with one finger.” The focusing knob is partially recessed into the body to prevent snagging of clothing.

Peep sight finder: A non-magnifying peep sight finder built into the top center of the scope helps you center the Spacemaster on distant targets.

Carrying case and tripod: This Spacemaster Kit comes with a Cordura-type nylon backpack carrying case, and short (12”-16” adjustable height) cartop or tabletop tripod. The padded Cordura-type carrying case sheds water, if you get caught in a sudden shower. It has a padded handle for carrying, plus soft padded shoulder straps for more comfortable backpack-type use, and a generous zippered outside pocket for storing field guides, sunglasses, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and other similar birding necessities. The interior of the case has soft cloth pockets that hold both scope and tabletop tripod and keep them from rattling together.

Lifetime limited warranty: The Spacemaster is warranted against flaws in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the original owner.