Spotting scopes offer a variety of magnification ratings, with the most common falling between 8x and 60x. A “low-power” unit, for example, may have 8x–24x magnification. These can be used for close-range hunting, air rifles, or situations where you need a large field of view. A 20x–40x scope is effective at 100 meters or more and features an excellent magnification-to-field-of-view ratio for birdwatching or short/medium-range hunting. For long-range scoping, hunting, and surveillance, a 20x–60x model is probably your best choice.