Does this model give clear view past 500 meters?

Yes. The ranging silhouettes go out to 600 meters, but the hashmarks on the reticle are in MRAD, and they give you about 100 mils of total elevation from top to bottom, and a 100 mils of total windage from left to right; and 15X magnification is sufficient for well past 1,000 yards. Vortex glass is not the very best you can get, but it is pretty darn good. I own a couple of Vortex rifle scopes and I am very satisfied with them and have shot past 500 yards with them. The glass in this monocular is comparable to the rifle scopes. My only complaint about this monocular is its size and weight. It is fine as a range instrument in the role of a spotting scope (it comes with a miniature flexible tripod that fits in the same case), and it is fine in a backpack for an extended hunting trip on foot for long range hunting purposes. Where it fails is as an EDC optic for daily use, where the 8x36 Solo R/T is a better choice. I bought my son the Solo R/T for Christmas last year, and it is much lighter and smaller, and more convenient to carry daily in your EDC kit. It has the same reticle, but with "only" about 70 vertical and horizontal mils, and at 8X, it has more than adequate magnification for any uses most of us will run into......even out past 500 yards (by comparison, 4X magnification on an ACOG takes you out to 600 yards), in a package that is significantly smaller and lighter. Would I recommend the 15X monocular to someone else? Sure. I'm happy with mine. But the truth is that for most people, in most situations, it is a little bit of overkill.

Is this in first focal plane?

Focal plane is irrelevant for this optic because it's a fixed power optic. It has a focusing ring, but it it has no variable power ring. The image does not zoom in or out, therefore it's not relevant whether it's FFP or SFP. That said, the glass is very clear - at least as clear as my Vortex Viper PST (FFP) 4-16x50 riflescope - and the reticle appears to be the standard Vortex MRAD, with the addition of ranging silhouettes for 300m, 400m, 500m, and 600m located in the lower right quadrant. It's a very nice piece, but it is bigger and heavier than I thought it would be. I gave my son the 8x32 Recon R/T Tactical monocular for Christmas a couple of years ago, and while it is less powerful, it is much more practical for everyday use. Both of my longer range riflescopes, the above mentioned 4-16x and a 5-20x, are more powerful at full magnification than this optic, and also have MRAD type reticles, so this monocular doesn't even get used as a spotting scope. I think where it probably shines is for use by the spotter of a 2 person sniping team for ranging targets.I hope this information helps.

Is this night vision, thermal, or just for day time?

It’s a day time optic, with a non-illuminated milling reticle. The glass is really clear. I have used it to watch lunar eclipses at night, but otherwise it has the same night time limitations as any other quality daytime optic. I like mine, and keep it in my EDC bag. It’s a little too big to carry on the belt, even though the carrier includes a belt loop. But I have used it a number of times, even as a improvised spotting scope at the range when spotting for other shooters.

Brand	Vortex
Color	Camo Digital
Style	Monocular
Sport	Archery, Hunting
Item Weight	15.2 Ounces
Material	Composite
Magnification Maximum	15 x
Objective Lens Diameter	50 Millimeters
Magnification Minimum	15.0
Compatible Devices	Rifle
Mounting Type	Picatinny Mount
Night vision	No
Eye Relief	15 Millimeters
Field Of View	215.0
Model Name	Recon R/T Monocular
Manufacturer	Vortex
Reticle Type	MRAD
UPC	637509658748 875874002296 796254144842
Global Trade Identification Number	00875874002296
Item Package Dimensions L x W x H	9.1 x 4.9 x 4 inches
Package Weight	1.8 Pounds
Item Dimensions LxWxH	4.5 x 9 x 4 inches
Brand Name	Vortex
Country of Origin	United States
Warranty Description	Unlimited, unconditional, lifetime warranty.
Suggested Users	unisex-adult
Number of Items	1
Part Number	RT155
Model Year	2015
Included Components	Monocular, Rain/dust hood, Uni-Daptor tripod adapter, Utility clip, Picatinny rail, Flip up objective lens cap
Size	15x50mm

Vortex Optics Recon R/T 15x50 Tactical Scope Monocular

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