Review of the Vortex Diamondback 20-60x60 spotting scope (1 Viewer)

[OrnithologyDevotee]

So I purchased this scope off eBay for $180 a few months back. I have it on a fotopro carbon fiber tripod. I think for the price it's an okay scope but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It's not super bright, small field of view, and a whole lot of CA. It is usable at low magnification like 20x but I find it absolutely awful at anything above 40x. It works for shorebird identification and distance birdwatching. I just don't find the optics enjoyable to use. I have tested some high end scopes before and think they are wonderful. I may have to bite the bullet and get a better scope with ED glass.

This is the scope on my tripod.


This is a Black-headed Grosbeak digiscoped with my phone at 20x magnification. It was very windy on my balcony today so the video is quite shaky.
View attachment IMG_2561.mov

 

[Ignatius]

I had that scope once. Gave it away together with my Diamondback and Crossfire binos when I bought my first Habicht (7x42 GA) in the early '20s. Would not buy anything from that company again, especially now.

 

[Peregrine Took]

... a whole lot of CA....I just don't find the optics enjoyable to use... I may have to bite the bullet and get a better scope with ED glass.

I found the current Diamondback, with barrel focus, to have the worst CA of any scope I've ever used. Mine went back on the same day that it arrived in the post.

Much better was the Viper (as good as the Razor, optically), but Vortex scopes seem to have a narrow field of view, so my experience of them, when trying the better ones out, was of looking down a black tube.
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