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Nikon Prostaff 5 20-60x82 Spotting Scope Review (Angled Body)


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nikon prostaff 5 20-60x82 spotting scope
Image Credit - Nikon

Viewing Configuration: Angled
Magnification: 20-60X
Power Variability: Variable
Adjustable Eyepieces: Yes
Eyepiece included: Yes
Objective Diameter: 82 mm
Close Focus Distance: Not Listed
Length: 14.88 inches
Weight: 40.8 ounces
Field of View: 104.8 feet/1000 yards
Eye Relief/Exit Pupil: Not Listed/ 4.1-1.4 mm
Optics Coatings: Multi-Coated
Glass: Not Listed
Focus System: Focus Knob/Single Focus
Waterproof/Fog-proof: Yes/Yes
Digiscope adaptable: Yes

Best Uses: Hunting, For the Range, Birdwatching, Wildlife Observation, Photography

Nikon Prostaff 5 Spotting Scope

This Prostaff 5 fieldscope has multi-coated lenses, is fully weatherproof, and it comes with a couple of extra perks. It also features the mysterious internal surface texturing and digiscoping read design enigmas.

For its several hundred dollar price tag, it seems to have done extremely well. Online, the reviews have come in on the $500+ scope, and it's managed to get a pretty solid rating. As a high-end spotting scope and one of this brands most popular ones that buyers are lapping up, there's no doubt why this fieldscope has many featured reviews about it.

But, are these ratings reflective of positive feedback or is the Prostaff 5 really worth almost $600? For a full rundown on what $600 can get you, the Q&A has all the answers to your questions and more!

Pros:

  • Digiscope adaptable
  • Two tripod mounting locations
  • High power
  • Fully weatherproof
  • Removable peep sight

Cons:

  • Price
  • Marketing gimmicks

Prostaff 5 20-60X82 Angled Q&A:

Does this Prostaff 5 have two tripod mount locations?

I answer, "Why not?". Think about it, if you're hunting in steep, mountainous, or unpredictable terrain, and you've got the perfect location to set up a discrete spot, you've got two mounting locations to use.

You're likely going to need angles that are tough to maintain on a tripod without breaking the mount or it constantly falling out of place. This might just be the one feature about it that actually gets two thumbs up from me.

YouTube video

What is internal surface texturing and digiscoping read design?

The features sound awesome, but there's not much about it online or anywhere. Even more disappointingly, on Nikon's website, it just says it helps to minimize light loss inside the scope - this part I understand, and I'd understand it better if someone explained to me exactly "how".

So, I called Nikon US directly. If you're looking to waste 25 minutes of your life on hold before you ever speak with a human being, call them. I don't mean to sound harsh, but that could've been 25 minutes out in my backyard playing around with my scopes. If I could also post a screenshot of my phone to prove it, it would be here. But alas, I stray, away from my rant and disappointment and back to the scope...

Instead of an in-depth conversation on how this supposed texturing prevents light loss in the optical pathway of the porro prism fieldscope, I was given a ten second explanation of... "it helps with internal focusing when cameras are attached".

This led me to...

What is digiscoping read design?

I still don't know the exact answer to this, but it has something to do with how well the camera focuses. But, then I was given the impression that the internal texturing and the digiscoping were pretty much the same feature.

If there is an emoji for eye rolling and a ton of question marks, it would be inserted right here. Obviously the "tech" I got didn't know a thing.

If a better-informed scope expert has some light to shed on these what-could-be-amazing-features, please comment below!

What are the external component perks to the Prostaff 5?

There are two notable external perks that are worth mentioning. One of them is the built-in sliding sunshade - great for those angles where you just can't seem to get rid of the sun.

The second is a removable peep sight. Now you have it, now you don't - I love the option.

Is this a premium fieldscope?

The price range would indicate that it is, however, actual field use and other hunters' opinions reveal a different story.

This Prostaff 5 is more of a mid-range spotting scope, and its features and quality put it there, except the price suggests a high-end one. Unfortunately for Nikon, they didn't quite hit it out of the mid-range ballpark with this one.

Where they seemed like they tried to make improvements with features like internal surface texturing and digiscoping read design, they limited the scope's performance with having only multi-coated lenses instead of fully multi-coated. You should expect to see many high-end features for a scope over $500.

Noteworthy Features:

  • 20-60X zoom power for long range use
  • Two tripod mounting locations for optimal use in any terrain on any angle
  • Fully fog-proof and waterproof to endure all types of weather
  • Multi-coated optics for decent image quality in most conditions
  • Internal surface texture and Digiscoping read design
  • Backed by Nikon's Limited Lifetime Warranty/Without Electric Components

Our Verdict On The Nikon Prostaff Spotting Scope

The scoop on the scope is, the Nikon ProStaff 5 20-60X82 spotter has the potential to be an excellent unit for the hunter. If Nikon could release more in-depth information on what the premium features entail, it would be worth the buy. But, as it stands, it seems no one knows a darn thing about "Internal surface texture and Digiscoping read design." That's unfortunate since it could really boost a spotter's use for it.

However, the Nikon 13-30x50mm FieldScope ED 50 has excellent features for the money. You will spend slightly more with less ranging reach, but the eyepieces are interchangeable. It's not a bad deal so worth taking a look at.

But, the Vortex Optics Diamondback 20-60x60 Angled spotter that you can read our review on here holds excellent competition against most of the Nikon scopes. It's cheaper than the ProStaff 5, but it does lack the interchangeable eyepieces. However, Vortex offers transparency with all the features they advertise on the spotter - you can trust transparency.

And if you are still unsure about which scope you want to take home with you, you can always confuse matters further by checking out some of the other spotters we have reviewed here - https://www.targettamers.com/best-spotting-scopes/.

Nikon has the potential to really make the ProStaff 5 a great unit for the hunter and the wildlife photographer. With the features it has that we already know all about, it could be the perfect, high-powered optic for you!

Nikon unisex adult PROSTAFF STRAIGHT BODY, Black, 20-60x82mm US
16 Reviews
Nikon unisex adult PROSTAFF STRAIGHT BODY, Black, 20-60x82mm US
  • Built-in Sliding Sunshade-Eliminates glare in bright conditions, keeps dust and rain off objective lens in rainy or dusty conditions.
  • 82mm Objective Lens: An ideal balance of size and brightness

Further Reading

Photo of author

Simon Cuthbert - Founder

Simon is an avid outdoor enthusiast and the founder of Target Tamers. He is passionate about bringing you the most up to date, accurate & understandable information on sports optics of all kinds and for all applications. Simon has contributed to notable publications online and teaches beginners the technical side of optics through his extensive library of optics guides.

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