Bushnell Excursion 15-45x 60 Folded Light Path Spotting Scope

The optics on this spotting scope are very nice, especially for its price. The picture is relatively clear from edge to edge, the focus is good, and the brightness doesn't suffer too much at full zoom. Much clearer than the Leupold Sequoia 15-45x60 and comparable to the more expensive Nikon Prostaff 16-48x65. Optical quality is good enough that you'll spend more time worrying about heat and atmospheric distortion than lens distortion, which is good enough for me.

Major problem: balance. The hole for the mounting screw is 3.5" from the front lens, making the whole thing unbalanced and back-heavy which becomes important when you're aiming. You'll lift the back, un-tension the tripod swivel, nudge the scope up or down a few degrees, re-tension the tripod swivel again, and when you take your hands away the whole thing sags backward significantly. You end up having to aim low and hope you've aimed low enough. The problem is exacerbated by the cheap stock tripod, but I'm pretty...Read more