In an optical device, the exit pupil is a virtual aperture. On a pair of binoculars, for example, it can be seen as the bright circle in the center of each eyepiece when you hold them about a foot away from your eyes with the objective lenses pointed towards a bright light.
The Importance of the […]

If you think that all binoculars are the same, you should keep reading! The fact is, there are several different types of binoculars, and they all have their individual advantages and disadvantages.
Let’s take a look at the various types of binoculars, along with what they’re good at and where they fall short. After reading this […]

It’s a common term used when describing scopes, but how well do you understand what parallax is? Even more important, is it something you should worry about? The answer to the second question is a definitive yes, if you’re a long-range hunter or shooter. Let’s explore more on what this term means and how to […]

Spotting scopes might be specifically designed for use observing landbound or airborn subjects during the day, but the design of the glass is basically the same as a refractor telescope. In many ways, there is no real reason why a spotting scope cannot be used for stargazing and basic astronomy, as long as you take […]

You’ve seen those great YouTube videos of people hunting, and you think it would be great to do the same thing, right? Unfortunately, you don’t even know where to start. That’s where we come in, since we’ve seen it all and done most of it. Using the GoPro camera, you can create awesome videos of […]

Okay, so you’ve determined that you have a problem with parallax. Maybe you know about parallax already, or maybe you figured it out from our previous article on parallax and how to figure out if it’s a problem.
However you came to the conclusion that your parallax is set wrong, you know that you need to […]

The reticle, or more properly reticule, is the arrangement of aiming point or points that you see when you look through a rifle or crossbow scope. The most commonly used term for reticle is also the most common shape, the crosshair. Back in the day, actual hairs were crossed inside the scope to create an […]

Optical rifle sights like scopes have been around by the 1840s. In fact, the first practical optical rifle sight was invented by a competitive rifle shooter named Morgan James, who described a scope and mount of his own design in the 1844 book, The Improved American Rifle. By the 1860s, scopes had become accurate enough […]

You’ve seen the magical wonders that a rangefinder can perform, telling you in a matter of seconds how far away that deer is. Or maybe you haven’t seen it in action, but you’ve heard about it and are considering picking one up for yourself.
Whether you’re in the market for a new rangefinder or just want […]

When you’re trying to decide on the best spotting scope for your particular needs, one of the biggest sources of confusion is whether to buy a straight or an angled scope. Straight scopes keep the eyepiece and barrel in the same horizontal plane, but angled scopes put the eyepiece at an angle to the barrel. […]