| Bigger is not always better. Case in point? The unique new Bushnell Spacemaster collapsible 50mm straight-viewing spotting scope. If you’re traveling and don’t have much luggage space to spare; if you’re watching the feeders just outside your kitchen window; if you’re into all-day birding and don’t want to be tied down by a big, heavy spotting scope in addition to your binoculars – this 23 ounce gem might just be the solution. The body of the 50mm Spacemaster collapses from a fully extended operating length of 11.5" (with its retractable lens shade extended) down to a petite 8.5" for carrying and storage. And where do you put it when it’s ready to be carried or stored? It could fit into its handsome locking aluminum frame hard case with handle and shoulder strap that measures 12.5" x 6" x 9". It could be stored in its soft black canvas carrying case with a shoulder strap and belt loop for no hands carrying. It could be left in its unique “scope glove" that wraps around the scope body so you can safely hand hold the scope and operate it with one hand, with no fear of dropping it. That’s right, the 50mm Spacemaster is light enough to use at low power without a heavy tripod! The Spacemaster’s porro prism zoom optics are fully magnesium fluoride and UV-coated to prevent eye fatigue by reducing the glare from water, sand, snow, and haze. Turning a collar on the eyepiece changes the power smoothly from 15x to 45x. A very smooth and precise thirteen-turn rotary focusing knob built into the side of the body lets you focus with one finger, even while wearing gloves. You can focus down as close as 11’, making it easy to see the feeders in your back yard in sharp detail. There is a sighting line molded into the side of the prism housing to help you aim the scope at your subject. The Spacemaster comes with a very compact 3" high, three ounce, cartop/tabletop tripod. The tripod has rubberized feet that let you sit the scope on your car top without marring the paint so you can get an easy standing close-up view of nature over the roof of your parked car. The tripod also has a clamp that turns it into a car window mount so you can use your scope from inside your car at roadside stops while on trips. The very low tripod height and straight-through viewing angle of the scope can make it a little difficult to scrunch down low enough to use the scope when seated at a kitchen or outdoor table. The prism housing of the Spacemaster body and the retractable lens shade are black rubber armored. The rubber armor adds protection against bad weather and hard knocks. It does not make the scope waterproof, however, so a little care should be taken when using the scope in inclement weather. The soft carrying case sheds water, if you get caught in a sudden shower. The interior of the case has loops to hold scope, tabletop tripod, and the bonus 25x fixed magnification that’s included with the scope, should you not need the zoom’s high power or (heaven forbid!) you lose the zoom eyepiece. The 15x to 45x zoom offers excellent observing flexibility and reasonable eye relief, although those who must wear eyeglasses while observing will lose some of the field of view. Half a turn on its helical power change collar moves smoothly from 15x magnification, with a substantial 113’ field for locating birds, to 45x and a still-good 52’ field for close-up examination of field markings. The eyepieces thread into the rear of the Spacemaster and can be changed in seconds. Individual dust covers are provided for both ends of the scope and both eyepieces. The Spacemaster is not adaptable to photography. Lightweight, highly transportable, with precise focusing for critical viewing and very good images at a startlingly reasonable price, the Spacemaster is one of the most portable and intriguing spotting scopes to come along in years. The specifications given to the right are for the zoom eyepiece set for a magnification of 15x.
With the zoom set for 25x, the field of view is 110’ at 1000 yards and the usable eye relief is 8mm.
With the zoom set for 45x, the field of view is 52’ at 1000 yards and the usable eye relief is 10mm.
With the 25x fixed magnification eyepiece the field of view is 110’ at 1000 yards and the usable eye relief is 12mm.
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