Spotting Scopes of Note

Minox MD 50W

Mid-priced Scopes Round-up, 2009

by Michael and Diane Porter

At a mere 21.7 oz., the Minox 50 W is a trim and tiny scope. The eyepiece twists up neatly, with indents. It comes with a built-in 16-30x zoom eyepiece, and it includes a nylon ever-ready case. A tripod attachment collar allows the scope to rotate to the side.

A major flaw in the Minox is the focusing ring that circles the lens barrel. It's stiff and hard to turn — so stiff that some of the judges said they could hardly focus because the turning effort disturbed the image.

This Minox is available in both angled and straight versions. The scope has a built-in 16-30x zoom eyepiece and includes a nylon ever-ready case and a tethered objective lens cover. Five-year, non-transferable warranty covers manufacturer's defects in materials or workmanship.

30x resolution score: 2.9; Overall score: 2.90

Copyright 2009 by Michael and Diane Porter.

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