Customer Reviews

Leica APO Televid 62 Angled Spotting Scope

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I have been using the Leica APO Televid 62 Angled scope for a couple of years and have been positively delighted with it. The images are so beautiful, I can't help but smile every time I look through it. Whether it's an egret, an owl, an otter, or an ibis, the view is simply spectacular. When other people on the trail ask what I'm looking at, they gasp in amazement when they see how big and bright and colorful the image is.

The small size, light weight, and rugged design are what allow me to bring it out on the trail in the first place. The unit fits easily in my carry-on bag, along with my very compact carbon fiber tripod. With a nylon case, the two are easy to carry on a shoulder strap while hiking. Compared with the larger Televid 77, this is where the 62mm angled scope shines - its short length and small diameter mean it isn't cumbersome while slung over the shoulder, and the light weight, upturned eyepiece, and moderate magnification permit you to use a small tripod.

It's easy to adjust to other people's height, too, thanks to the angled body that can rotate, allowing the eyepiece to point upward for tall people, downward for kids, sideways, or any angle in between, all without losing the subject in the viewfinder. Once the position is set, you can lock it in with a set screw.

The sunshade has a handy aiming feature that allows you to aim the telescope at the subject before putting your eye to the eyepiece. I purchased it with the 16-48X zoom eyepiece that makes quick work of finding a subject, then zooming in on it for a good look. There are two easy-to-reach focus knobs, one for course adjustment, and one for fine. By my taste, the course adjust knob requires a bit too much force to turn, making it less responsive in fleeting situations than I would prefer. The other quibble I have is that the eyepiece doesn't positively lock onto the body, allowing it to occasionally partially unscrew during zooming. It has never actually come off, but I would like an unlock button just to be safe.

If you don't need to carry a spotting scope on an airplane or take it far from the car, a larger scope will give more satisfying magnification. But if you need mobility, the APO Televid 62 is a terrific travelling companion.