Sightmark 15-45x60 SE Spotting Scope Review
By Scott Dickey
This month's review will be a fun one! Our friends at Sightmark were good enough to provide us with a 15-45x60mm spotting scope. Let's jump right in.
First we examine the Sightmark 15-45x60 SE Spotting Scope (SM11027K). This unit came as a package, complete with tripod, window mount, lens filters, zippered soft case and a handsome and rugged hard carry case. The first thing I noticed was how well the hard case appeared it would hold up to long, dusty trips to your shooting location. The exterior of the case is durable and the interior is well padded and compartmentalized. Its tripod is easy to set up and gives the viewer 3.5 inches of travel, placing the eyepiece at 17.5 inches from your table or bench. Eye relief is a little over half an inch and the field of vision at the full 45 times magnification is 66 feet at 100 yards. As someone who wears eyeglasses, I always have to remove them while using most spotting scopes and this unit was no exception. The built-in, telescoping sun shade was a great feature, cutting the late afternoon excess, even on a slightly overcast day. A nitrogen purged body is standard and the unit is waterproof.
The body of the spotting scope itself has a slip-resistant outer layer that ensured a solid, comfortable grip and will provide the same whether wet or dusty. Magnification controls are easy to turn and hold their position well. Light transmission was acceptable on this cloudy outing and I could very easily make out the holes from my grouping at the 100 yard mark. The large black target body on the Birchwood-Casey paper can eat up your shot locations without good backlight. This was not the case today. I had a terrific view through the Sightmark. When placing shots at 200 yards, the sight picture remained much the same as at 100, only reduced in size, not in clarity. I even caught a glimpse of a gentleman having coffee on the deck of his country home that morning at a distance of 1100 yards. I was unable to make out the writing on his mug but would gauge the performance of the spotting scope to be satisfactory nonetheless.
I would be lying if I said I had incredible hopes in this spotting scope, considering the price. Turns out I was wrong. This reviewer was impressed with the optical and magnification quality as well as the value for the money. The fact that this comes as a package for under $120 is impressive by itself. Overall build quality was better than expected and the confidence of a lifetime materials and workmanship warranty should be further reason to bring one home. The Sightmark 15-45x60mm SE spotting scope will get you from the bench to the brush without bankrupting you.
Scott Dickey is an avid shooter and reloader who is always working to increase his proficiency at longer distances. Scott enjoys writing about the shooting sports and writes for the Long Distance Lifestyle blog. He is a husband and a father of three.
By Scott Dickey
This month's review will be a fun one! Our friends at Sightmark were good enough to provide us with a 15-45x60mm spotting scope. Let's jump right in.
First we examine the Sightmark 15-45x60 SE Spotting Scope (SM11027K). This unit came as a package, complete with tripod, window mount, lens filters, zippered soft case and a handsome and rugged hard carry case. The first thing I noticed was how well the hard case appeared it would hold up to long, dusty trips to your shooting location. The exterior of the case is durable and the interior is well padded and compartmentalized. Its tripod is easy to set up and gives the viewer 3.5 inches of travel, placing the eyepiece at 17.5 inches from your table or bench. Eye relief is a little over half an inch and the field of vision at the full 45 times magnification is 66 feet at 100 yards. As someone who wears eyeglasses, I always have to remove them while using most spotting scopes and this unit was no exception. The built-in, telescoping sun shade was a great feature, cutting the late afternoon excess, even on a slightly overcast day. A nitrogen purged body is standard and the unit is waterproof.
The body of the spotting scope itself has a slip-resistant outer layer that ensured a solid, comfortable grip and will provide the same whether wet or dusty. Magnification controls are easy to turn and hold their position well. Light transmission was acceptable on this cloudy outing and I could very easily make out the holes from my grouping at the 100 yard mark. The large black target body on the Birchwood-Casey paper can eat up your shot locations without good backlight. This was not the case today. I had a terrific view through the Sightmark. When placing shots at 200 yards, the sight picture remained much the same as at 100, only reduced in size, not in clarity. I even caught a glimpse of a gentleman having coffee on the deck of his country home that morning at a distance of 1100 yards. I was unable to make out the writing on his mug but would gauge the performance of the spotting scope to be satisfactory nonetheless.
I would be lying if I said I had incredible hopes in this spotting scope, considering the price. Turns out I was wrong. This reviewer was impressed with the optical and magnification quality as well as the value for the money. The fact that this comes as a package for under $120 is impressive by itself. Overall build quality was better than expected and the confidence of a lifetime materials and workmanship warranty should be further reason to bring one home. The Sightmark 15-45x60mm SE spotting scope will get you from the bench to the brush without bankrupting you.
Scott Dickey is an avid shooter and reloader who is always working to increase his proficiency at longer distances. Scott enjoys writing about the shooting sports and writes for the Long Distance Lifestyle blog. He is a husband and a father of three.
