My Accidental Stakeout with the Vanguard Endeavor XF 60A Scope
Last Thursday, I wasn’t exactly winning at life. A congested head, half a box of tissues, and the grace of someone walking in ski boots, indoors. I'd basically accepted that nothing interesting would happen while I was nursing what I dramatically dubbed “the plague.”
But life, like a surprise wildlife sighting or forgetting your lens cap in the heat of a photo op, has a way of throwing curveballs.
Balcony or Bushveld?
My colleague called me out onto the balcony to “quickly test this spotting scope.” I dragged my sniffly self outside, planning to say something polite and generic like, “Wow, so clear!” while internally praying for a cup of hot coffee and my blanket. I mean, how impressive could a tube with glass be?
Plot twist: I looked through the Vanguard Endeavor XF 60A, and I saw people… on a Ferris wheel… 5km away.
Not silhouettes. Not “I think that's a person.” Actual humans waving like it was a parade and not me, mid-flu, watching from a distance like a very invested nature photographer with a weird subject.
Scope Specs That Made It Happen
This beast of a scope isn’t just marketing fluff and tech specs; it’s built for clarity, reach, and dramatic moments in questionable weather (like my sinuses). With 15–45x zoom magnification, a 60mm objective lens, and a body that’s waterproof, fog-proof, and rugged enough to survive both the bushveld and balcony banter, it turned my skepticism into awe.
As a photographer, I started calculating shutter speeds. As someone who occasionally shares memes about “spotting that buck across the valley,” I briefly considered whether this scope was part of military-grade gear.
I Almost Digiscoped the Ferris Wheel
I had the VEO PA-62 digiscope adapter ready. It’s a slick little tool that helps you connect your smartphone to optics for those “I swear this wasn’t taken with a Samsung” moments. It comes with a Bluetooth remote, too, which means no shutter shake.
But as I lined up the shot, I hesitated. Because, legally speaking, capturing strangers on a Ferris wheel from 5km away might qualify me for a whole different kind of newsletter. So I pulled back.
That’s growth, right?
Not a Stalker, Just Gear Curious
Let me clarify: this gear is for birders, hunters, and photographers who love detail. If you’re out there waiting for that kudu to peek from the thicket or trying to frame an eagle mid-dive, this setup brings the action to you, minus the awkward encounter or surprise mosquito ambush.
And if you’re wondering, yes, it’s comfortable and light enough to actually enjoy using. The view was so sharp, I started mentally composing captions like, “When the flu hits, but the optics slap.”
Final Thoughts from the Balcony
In my haze of pseudo-sickness, I discovered two things:
• This scope doesn’t just perform, it impresses.
• Maybe I have a future in long-distance people-watching (just kidding… kind of).
So here’s to testing gear in unexpected ways, to scopes that see farther than my weekend plans, and to adapters that make you reconsider your life choices mid-shot.
Next time, I’m photographing birds, not strangers