Vanguard Endeavor HD 20-60x60 Angled Spotting Scope with ED Glass, Waterproof & Fogproof for Bird Watching, Hunting, and Outdoor Observation

The Vanguard Endeavor HD 82A gives you a lot of scope for the money. I had the opportunity to compare this scope to another in its price range, as well as a couple much more expensive scopes.Up against the Celestron Regal 65 F-ED, the Endeavor HD wins overall. Up until 30x magnification, both scopes are sharp. Above 30x, the Endeavor takes a commanding lead, and is sharper at 60x than the Regal at 48x. The brightness on the Endeavor is much better than the Regal, much of which is the difference in the objective diameter. It is also my opinion that the quality of the glass and coatings are superior, it is just so much brighter. The Endeavor is also shorter, narrower overall, and feels lighter. The balance on the Endeavor is perfect, whereas, the Regal is very back heavy.Compared to the Vortex Viper HD 80mm, there is not a whole lot of difference in sharpness. However, the Endeavor is brighter, and is sharper with more contrast above 50x. The Vanguard also has a noticeably wider field of view at all magnifications. The Vanguard is more compact, lighter, and better balanced, as well. I was also able to see slightly more details through the Endeavor, probably due to superior contrast overall. I was very surprised that the Endeavor was better than a scope costing almost twice as much, especially one from a respected manufacture like Vortex.I also compared this to the 85mm Ziess Diascope. While the Ziess is noticeably better in every aspect, it amazes me how close the Vanguard actually comes. It really makes me wonder why I spent almost 5 times as much on the Zeiss.On the copy I have, the focus is smooth, although with a bit more resistance than I care for. Both coarse and fine focus works as it should. It is light, compact, and a very good looking scope. The optics are bright and sharp, and the performance from 50-60x is better than any non-alpha scope I have used. Performance in adverse lighting conditions is very good. I am very impressed with this scope.On another note, I have heard a lot of good things about Vanguard's products over the years, but the one complaint I hear most often seems to be Quality Control related. If you get a good copy, they are excellent, but it seems that getting that good copy can sometimes take a couple of tries. Hopefully, this will not be the case with this product, but I suggest buying from a company with a good return policy, or buying from a brick and mortar store, so you can try it out and exchange it if needed.To sum things up, it is my opinion, that you cannot get a better preforming scope without spending a lot more money. I highly recommend this scope to anyone not wanting to spend more than $1000.