About Optics Mag

Trying to pick the best product that best fits your needs can be a real challenge. More so when you are confronted with so many choices, not to mention all the information and marketing jargons that may seem over your head. And like any shopper, you’d want to get it right the first time. The last thing you want is to waste time and money on a product that fails to deliver the results you want.

This is particularly true when it comes to birdwatching, astronomy, hunting, and other outdoor activities. Choosing the right equipment with little or too much information can both be frustrating to say the least.

Optics Mag is a site designed to help you find products that best fit your needs. It keeps you up-to-date by sharing the latest information and trends about products like binoculars, monoculars, and spotting scopes. On this site you will find informative content, how-tos, tips, top-rated products, reviews, resources, comprehensive buying guides, and so much more.

Our Team

Robert Sparks

Editor in Chief

Robert Sparks

Robert’s obsession with all things optical started early in life, when his optician father would bring home prototypes for Robert to play with. Nowadays, Robert is dedicated to helping others find the right optics for their needs. His hobbies include astronomy, astrophysics, and model building. Originally from Newark, NJ, he resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the nighttime skies are filled with glittering stars.

Maryanne Flynn

Associate Editor

Maryanne Flynn

Our resident birdwatching expert, Maryanne has a lifetime of experience with scopes of all sizes and a B.S. in Orinthology from Cornell University and a M.S. in Zoology from Oregon State University. Her passion for wildlife observation has led to travels across five continents, and she’s written several authoritative guides to birdwatching and birdwatching tours. When she’s not birding, Maryanne lives in Eugene, Oregon, with her family and pets.

Brant Isser

Head Writer

Brant Isser

Brant grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where he developed a love for target shooting, hunting, and archery. Now a resident of Orem, Utah, he works as a field technician for a surveying company and collects vintage binoculars in his spare time. Brant has a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Colorado, and formerly worked for a telescope manufacturer based in Taiwan. A consummate writer, Brant oversees all our product reviews.