Opticron IS 18-54x60 WP Spotting Scope Angled - IS Eyepiece

Opticron IS 18-54x60 WP Spotting Scope Review

The Opticron IS 60 is a great little spotting scope if you're looking for an affordable, compact spotter.  Weighing in at just 25 ounces (without eyepiece) and with a length of 10.4 inches, it can be easily carried in a small backpack.  And fully waterproof construction with nitrogen purging means the scope won't fog in adverse weather conditions.

No lie, this scope is very compact, which isn't surprising.  Opticron somehow manages to consistently pack some excellent performance into their smallest binoculars and spotting scopes.  Not only is this a scope you can pack up and take with you just about anywhere, its light weight also makes it very stable on the most basic of tripods.  The IS 60 also features a rotating body with detents at 45 degree increments, a sliding sun shade, and a single focus knob on top of the body.  If you've read any of our other reviews, you know that we are pretty adamant about lens caps.  Good news, the IS 60 includes a rubber lens cap that attaches to the body.  It does a pretty good job of staying on the body, so chances of losing it are slim.

This IS 60 WP includes the 18-54x IS eyepiece, which offers some great eye relief.  So good, in fact, that the eye cup could use another extended position when at 18x.  

The view at minimum magnification is surprisingly clear and crisp for a non-ED spotting scope, with very little chromatic aberration (if any).  The field of view is also very flat, with that sharpness continuing to 80-90% of the entire sight picture.  As magnification is cranked up to the maximum, the sight picture will darken substaintially (which is normal), but the sharpness and clarity remain.  The long eye relief of the IS eyepiece come in handy at higher magnification as well, with still ample relief for viewing.

Overall, the Opticron IS 60 WP is an excellent entry-level option for the birder or hunter looking for something compact and reliable, but is also looking for better than entry level performance. This is another product from Opticron that we'll vouch for. 

IS WP fieldscopes are designed for the first-time user, frequent traveler and those on a budget. Available in 60mm and 60mm ED objectives with the option of straight-through and 45° angled viewing, these interchangeable eyepiece spottingscopes offer excellent value for money with high levels of performance and versatility in a compact, lightweight body.

Features and options include; nitrogen waterproof construction, 4 element fully multi-coated optical system with internal focusing, rotating tripod sleeve for use with photo/video tripods and bipods, retractable lens hood to protect against glare, accessories for SLR telephotography plus a comprehensive five year warranty.

IS 60 WP
An excellent all-rounder delivering good resolution and depth of field, the IS 60 WP fieldscope is easy to use and transport either on a lightweight tripod or bipod. Matched to the IS long eyerelief 18-54x eyepiece the model is the perfect choice for the first-time birdwatcher moving up from 'binocular-only' birding as well as the shooter or archer looking for accuracy at greater distances.

IS 60 ED WP
The IS 60 ED WP offers the opportunity to upgrade to significantly brighter and sharper images while retaining the core features of the IS 60 WP. Featuring a modified optical system with new components and a more rigorous quality control procedure this mini-60mm ED fieldscope is optically matched to the 40933S HR2 16-48x zoom eyepiece for premium performance in a very portable package.