- Meet the Go Birding M One Smart AI binoculars
- It’s the world’s first with AI hardware and it can record 4K video
- Subject detection, autofocus and bird identification also have features
Spotting scopes are traditionally a wildlife and birdwatching essential, offering a stable and highly magnified view of distant subjects – much larger than monoculars can – but little has changed in these devices for decades. That was until now.
Meet the Go Birding M One Smart AI Binoculars – it looks like a regular pair of binoculars, only equipped with AI hardware and a host of handy tools that can change wildlife and birding.
Following in the footsteps of the premium Swarovski Optik AX Visio binoculars that we tried and tested, the Go Birding AI spotting scope features ‘industry-leading AI recognition’ and can identify up to 10,000 bird species.
It will do this with the ability to shoot 4K / 30fps video, 1080p / 120fps slow-motion video and 8MP photos (RAW & JPEG), with a 30x optical zoom that can be digitally extended to 120x, supported by actual optical image stabilization for clear (tripod-supported) viewing and shooting.
There’s also autofocus that’s said to be capable of tracking fast-moving subjects, and you’ll be able to view and share the spotting scope’s image through a connected device loaded with the Go Birding app, potentially making wildlife viewing a shared experience even in the field (see images below).
In short, the Go Birding M One Smart AI is the world’s first ‘smart’ spotting scope.
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The future of spotting scopes?
As far as spotting scopes go, the Go Birding M One Smart AI offers a decently high magnification display and is housed in a standard-sized body, although at 800g it’s about twice the size of similar units, given its unique built-in imaging capabilities.
Traditional scopes are for viewing only, and you need to connect a separate camera to the eyepiece using an adapter to capture the device’s view – also known as digiscoping. However, the Go Birding has a 1/2.7-inch sensor and direct photo and video recording.
Made by Chinese optical manufacturer Apexel, the device features a 15x eyepiece magnification, 13.25mm eye relief, 43.5-degree exit pupil FOV and a focus range of 2m to infinity. Simply put, the telephoto end of the optical zoom corresponds to the 900mm focal length.
The display is actually a 0.49-inch OLED type with 1080p, not the optical type you get with traditional scopes, which could be a dealbreaker for some. On the flip side, though, the device will connect wirelessly to a smartphone or tablet through the Go Birding app (for iOS or Android), meaning multiple (simultaneous) ways to see what the spotting scope is looking at.
There’s a built-in 6,300mAh battery, which offers up to 6 hours of continuous use / 72 hours of standby – another potential dealbreaker for long trips vs battery-less types – but at least it supports 2-hour fast charging.
The Go Birding M One Smart AI spotting scope is currently in a crowdfunding phase. Its estimated price is $699-$999, with an expected launch date of late August 2026. Backers do so at their own risk.
We are currently testing the device and will report back with how it performs in the field, along with any further developments on pricing and availability. We’re eager to see if this really is the future of birding and if it can replace superzoom bridge cameras or some of the best wildlife cameras for the wholesome hobby of birding and photography.
Are you an avid bird watcher? What do you think of the new AI spotting scope? Have your say below.
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