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Last Updated on August 24, 2024 by Paul Clayton
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Leupold SX-5 Santiam Straight Spotting Scope Review
Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Leupold SX-5 Santiam Straight Spotting Scope standing proudly under the spotlight. Let’s dive into its features, shall we? This little number is a gem among pebbles in the world of spotting scopes. Designed with both the avid birdwatcher and the sharpshooting marksman in mind, the Leupold SX-5 Santiam Straight Spotting Scope is to spotting scopes what a Rolls-Royce is to cars – a class apart.
Oh yea, its guaranteed for LIFE!
What sets this dandy apart from its peers is its spectacular optical quality and superior light transmission. 
No more squinting and cursing as that rare bird flits away just as you were focusing. This scope will help you spot a needle in a haystack, or in this case, a bird in the bush. And let’s not forget its rugged design that screams ‘I can handle anything you throw at me.’ From extreme weather conditions to drops and bumps, this scope is the Bear Grylls of spotting scopes.
The Leupold SX-5 Santiam Straight Spotting Scope is an elite piece of equipment that makes every spotting experience a memory worth cherishing. So whether you’re an ornithologist tracking a rare species or a hunter waiting for that perfect shot, this scope promises to be your reliable sidekick.
The Leupold SX-5 Santiam® HD 27-55x80mm spotting scope is certainly one of the best options money can buy, particularly if you aren’t looking to spend 2K+ on a spotting scope before you are sure you’re ready for something is feature-rich or as overbuilt as that price tag would command.
The Leupold SX-5 Santiam is available in one configuration, the HD 27-55x80mm configuration, and is purchased as a straight spotting scope which we are reviewing in this quick guide review.
Both of these configurations come with a top-quality carrying case and a handful of accessories that we will highlight in just a moment, making this entry-level spotting scope one of the smartest purchases you could make – particularly if this is the first scope you are getting your hands on.
Leupold SX-5 Santiam Straight Spotting Scope Review
Never undervalue the value of a good spotting scope. Rugged performance is a priority
in the design of the SXTM-5 Santiam® HD 27-55x80mm. This spotter will perform to the highest standard and under the most trying circumstances, whether you require all-day performance in the backcountry or a bright, clear image at the range.
While the straight eyepiece aligns with your line of sight and the adaptable 27-55 magnification range hits the sweet spot between performance and weight, it is easy to use for acquiring and tracking targets.
It boasts unsurpassed light transmission and is built around Leupold’s Professional-Grade Optical System to perform better in the harshest lighting conditions. The resolution and clarity will meet the needs of any professional guide or shooter in the field, and its industry-leading glare reduction offers a crisp image in bright, direct light. The SX-5 Santiam HD is the definition of unwavering performance.
Like all Leupold spotting scopes, the SX-5 Santiam HD is designed and assembled in the USA and is fogproof, waterproof, and guaranteed to work for life.
Measuring in at about 15.75 inches and weighing just 68.7 ounces, this isn’t exactly an ultracompact spotting scope – but it is in some monstrosity that you are going to regret carrying with you into the bush or out to the field, either. Here are a few more specs to consider.
| Magnification Max | 55 |
|---|---|
| Magnification Min | 27 |
| Objective Diameter (mm) | 80 |
| Linear FOV Low Mag (ft@1000yds) | 105 |
| Linear FOV High Mag (ft@1000yds) | 73 |
| Angular FOV Low Mag (Degrees) | 2 |
| Angular FOV High Mag (Degrees) | 1.4 |
| Eye Relief Low Mag (mm) | 16.6 |
| Eye Relief High Mag (mm) | 19.2 |
| Exit Pupil Low Mag | 2.9 |
| Exit Pupil High Mag | 1.5 |
| Close Focus Distance (ft) | 11 |
As far as quality concerns are considered when it comes to a spotting scope at this affordable price tag, you don’t have anything to worry about. This is, after all, a spotting scope that carries the Leupold brand name, one of the most recognized (internationally, even) and one of the most respected companies in the optics world today.
Here’s what you get
When you choose to invest in the Leupold SX-5 Santiam spotting scope, you’re not only going to get the scope itself but you’re also going to get:
- A high-quality soft-sided carrying case that protects your new spotting scope when you are bringing it out into the field
- A hard-sided protective carrying case for transportation and storage
- A retractable lens shade that can be effortlessly deployed at your discretion
- A compact tripod with a digital camera-compatible mounting system so that you can attach this spotting scope to your camera, should you choose to
- Twisted-up lens covers that protect your lenses when you aren’t using the Leupold SX-5 Santiam spotting scope
… As well as an instructional manual, maintenance care guide, and information about your warranty directly from the folks at Leupold.
That’s a pretty decent amount of accessories to get up and running with the Leupold SX-5 Santiam spotting scope, and all of them have the same kind of durability that you’d expect from any product bearing the Leupold name.
Benefits of the Leupold SX-5 Santiam
We would be remiss not to mention – right out of the gate, no less – just how impressive the Leupold SX-5 Santiam spotting scope is.
This video has been included for its clarification of the topic matter. Credit goes to
Leupold Optics
This is about as affordable a spotting scope as you are going to find anywhere on the market today (above the cheap department store options that aren’t worth the box they come in) but still has the kind of quality optics and specialty features that you’d expect from any of the Leupold branded optics.
Another huge benefit of the Leupold SX-5 Santiam has to be the interchangeable eyepiece mechanism that it includes, and the innovation that the folks at Leupold have really helped to pioneer and innovation that has allowed them to produce standardized equipment that can be customized to the user in particular – dramatically improving the comfort of using these optics while at the same time dialing it into your exact configuration settings without any headache or hassle whatsoever.
The Leupold SX-5 Santiam spotting scope also includes a very tight focus distance, giving you the ability to dial in this straight spotting scope with incredible precision without ever losing the target that you are citing at the same time. The user control system for the magnification ring as well as the focus adjustment platform is intuitive to use and straightforward, without any real manipulation difficulty even if this is the first spotting scope that you have ever used.
The option of a quality tripod and hard case for protection and storage is another huge benefit of this spotting scope. The tripod is quality across the board and not some cheap “throw-in”, but instead something that you are going to be able to leverage for years and years to come.
Of course, like all other Leupold products, the Leupold SX-5 Santiam spotting scope includes the Gold Ring Guarantee. This lifetime warranty protects every square inch of your Leupold SX-5 Santiam spotting scope, giving you a lot of peace of mind to take full advantage of everything it offers even the most challenging of settings and situations without fear of breaking something that cannot be repaired or replaced.
Drawbacks
There aren’t a lot of things to be disappointed in when you are talking about the Leupold SX-5 Santiam spotting scope.
It certainly would have been nice to see a handful of other accessories (including a car mount or adapter kit, perhaps) thrown into the mix when you purchase a spotting scope like this, but at the end of the day the price tag connected with the Leupold SX-5 Santiam scope excuses the lack of inclusion of those kinds of accessories.
This video has been included for its clarification of the topic matter. Credit goes to SAHN OUTDOORS
Final Verdict
All things considered, the Leupold SX-5 Santiam is one of the top-notch spotting scopes money can buy – particularly at this price point, but really almost any price point (aside from the really high-end options out there right now).
If you want to get your hands on a quality piece of equipment from a brand name you know you can trust, a name with decades of tradition behind the reputation for making only the finest optics on the market today (especially for outdoors people, shooters, hunters, and those looking for adventure), you really can’t go wrong with the Leupold SX-1 Ventana 2 spotting scope.
Quality components are used across the board, it features the legendary Leupold reputation for engineering and design, and its usability is about as straightforward and as simple as can be. This is a perfect addition to your kit!
