Nocs Provisions Long View 85mm spotting scope review

The Nocs Provisions 85mm spotting scope is a new product from Nocs, and it's clear that it's been well thought out, with plenty of rigid, rubberized casing material. It has an IPX7 waterproof rating, for the body only, and we thought it appears to be robust enough to withstand some abuse.

For users who can't decide between binoculars or a telescope, the best spotting scopes are a fantastic middle-ground optic that can be used for both astronomy and wildlife observation. We loved observing the craters and fissures on the moon, as well as spotting Little Egrets at a local nature reserve.

We've compiled a list of other optics to use whilst observing wildlife in our best wildlife observation equipment guide, and, as you can see, it's a tough market with plenty of top-quality alternatives.

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Nocs Provisions Long View 85mm spotting scope review

Nocs Provisions Long View 85mm Spotting Scope: Set up

• The product box employs a resource-saving approach by printing the setup instructions on the inside of the case
• Simple three-stage instructions with images
• No website address included in instructions

The instructions for the Nocs Long View spotting scope are printed on the inside of the box. They are straightforward to follow. The diagrams are self-explanatory with arrows to highlight the written instructions. However, it would have been helpful to include a link to additional online instructions for further assistance.

The unit would be easy for a beginner to set up, and most people would have the unit working in a few minutes.

The scope has too large a magnification to be used without a tripod, although it is possible to use it if it can be rested on a stable surface.

The carry bag is compact and appears to keep the unit safe, although the zip on the objective lens of the case is quite tight to undo with the unit in situ. Putting the unit back in the bag is also quite tricky due to the lower zip, and we feel the design could be improved here.

Nocs Provisions Long View 85mm Spotting Scope: Design

• The outer casing has a good grip and feels of good quality
• Focus ring and eyepiece adjustments are smooth and precise
• The glare hood feels flimsy and cheaply made

The scope is encased in a rubberized material, which we found pleasing to use. There is plenty of grip, even in wet weather, including when using gloves. The chassis is made of aluminum, with the eyepiece adjuster also made of aluminum. The tripod mount is made of plastic, but it is strong enough.

The tripod mount is well-balanced in the middle part of the unit, but, as with all scopes, a careful choice of a tripod is essential. At these magnification strengths, any vibration is amplified through the glass. Therefore, we wouldn't recommend using a cheap tripod with this unit.

The case has a handle and a shoulder strap that need to be attached. The body of the unit is rated at IPX7 waterproof, but the eyepiece has no waterproof rating, which is something to be aware of whilst in use.

The device comes with a body-shaped bag for transporting it to the location. There are two zips on this. The lower zip fits around the objective lens, and we found this a very tight fit. The scope has to be pulled through the end of the bag to remove it, and invariably, it was challenging to sit in the case. Not something that would be easy to do if you were trying to pack the scope away in a hurry.

There is a shoulder strap that attaches to the bag, not the scope. This is disappointing as it means the scope has to be put in the bag when carrying. We would have preferred the strap on the actual scope.

The scope weighs 3.86 lbs. This is relatively lightweight for a spotting scope, making it easy to carry to and around your chosen location. You will also need a tripod, so this needs to be factored into your trip planning.

Nocs Provisions Long View 85mm Spotting Scope: Performance

• Fully multicoated
• 85mm objective lens
• Body waterproof and fog-proof

The 85mm objective lens on the extended scope is large enough to produce decent images during daylight hours. Still, if used at anything but its minimum focus, there's the usual drop-off in quality and light transmission. This is because magnification reduces the exit pupil, which is the amount of light getting through the eyepiece. When this becomes smaller than the pupil, it becomes difficult to see light and image through the scope.

With the scope mounted on a tripod, to reduce vibration and shake from our hands, we were able to gather decent images of the blood moon. All magnification ranges performed well, and a significant amount of detail was captured. At 60x magnification, observing the moon was an absolute delight. The moon was clear and we were able to see craters and fissures clearly. Further afield, the conjunction of the moon with the Beehive cluster was captured with the scope. We were able to distinguish between the larger red giants and white dwarfs here with the scope at its maximum magnification.

The air at night is just starting to cool down, making lens fogging an issue with some scopes, but the Nocs remained clear even in these conditions.

Using the scope on a recent trip to Hurst Castle Spit Nature Reserve in the New Forest, UK, views of Little Egrets were clear, and there was minimal chromatic distortion. Although at full magnification, moving birds were difficult to find until we started with the scope at its minimum magnification and therefore greater field of view, and worked up the magnification once the target was in view. The scope has a wide field of view, but even with this, the suggested technique is still proper.

Using the scope to watch birds at the very start of the day proved tricky, even with the 85mm objective lens. The lack of light transference made for somewhat soft images, but there didn't appear to be too much blurring around the edge of the view.

The scope takes two hands to focus. One on the eyepiece and one on the barrel focus. This meant that we quickly became accustomed to using these two controls simultaneously, making tripod use particularly useful.

Should you buy the Nocs Provisions Long View Spotting Scope?

Overall, we were impressed with the Nocs Provisions 85mm spotting scope. Its entry-level pricing hasn't meant that the scope performs poorly. We enjoyed the scope's ability to focus clearly in good light conditions, and the rubberized casing gives the scope a feeling of quality. We'd happily recommend the Nocs Provisions 85mm spotting scope for beginners and entry-level to intermediate users, both for birdwatching and astronomy.

The glass used is of reasonable quality, with valuable additions of multicoatings to extract as much detail as possible, given the constraints imposed by the low price point.

The Nocs Provisions 85mm spotting scope is a really nice addition to this end of the spotting scope market. Its overall performance on our test was pretty good considering its low price, and if it had been slightly sharper, it would have received a higher star rating.

If this product isn't for you

If the Nocs Provisions 85mm spotting scope is not for you, then how about the top-quality but much more expensive Swarovski Optik ATX/STX/BTX modular spotting scope. Or if good nighttime performance is on your list, then the Zeiss Victory Harpia 85 may be up your street. For those who are budget-conscious, the Bushnell Trophy Xtreme 20-60x65 is a good option.

How we tested the Nocs Provisions Long View spotting scope

We tested the scope during the summer, for over two months. For our birdwatching test, we went to the Hurst Castle Spit Nature Reserve in the New Forest, where we rose early at 05.45 in order to catch the dawn wake-up period of the native and migratory birds. To test the Astronomy side of the scope, we went to St Alfred's tower in the Cranbourne Chase Dark Sky Reserve with low-level sky pollution and a Bortle score of 4.