Angle Eyepiece vs Straight?

[Propdoc03]

I searched on this but came up empty. For spotting which is more popular or preferable, straight or angled? My thinking is angled would be more comfortable for extended glassing but the straight might be more natural for getting on a buck once spotted with bino's?

My use will be glassing for deer.

Any feedback?

thanks
pd

 

[esshup]

My preference is angled for shooting at paper from a bench or prone, and straight for hunting.

I'll bet your replies will be 60/40 to 70/30 pro straight.

 

[Coues Sniper]

I'm with essup. I prefer straight for hunting. Much easier target acquisition.

 

[Timberbeast7]

Guess I'm in the minority. I prefer angled for hunting. Might take a little getting used to as far as target acquisition (really isn't that bad), but it is more comfortable when sitting and glassing IMHO. Plus, when you are glassing, you can scan with your eyes and binos without the scope being right in front of your face.

 

[ScottBerish]

Guess I'm in the minority. I prefer angled for hunting. Might take a little getting used to as far as target acquisition (really isn't that bad), but it is more comfortable when sitting and glassing IMHO. Plus, when you are glassing, you can scan with your eyes and binos without the scope being right in front of your face.

That's my preference too.

 

[Pdvdh]

For deer hunting either one might work fine. For sheep hunting, I prefer straight, as they've got 8X power eyes and the straight doesn't require me to be as exposed in order to examine their horns.

 

[jwp475]

Guess I'm in the minority. I prefer angled for hunting. Might take a little getting used to as far as target acquisition (really isn't that bad), but it is more comfortable when sitting and glassing IMHO. Plus, when you are glassing, you can scan with your eyes and binos without the scope being right in front of your face.

Yes, I agree. Once I got accustom to the angle spotter I love it and would never gp back to a straqight again. The angle can be rotated to anyone postion for comfortable, concealed viewing. All one has to do is to rotate the body to the proper postion and veiw away in comfort. One can eve lay down flat and simply look-up into the eye piece, perfect.

 

[AJ Peacock]

It takes a bit of getting used to, but I like the angled for the reasons listed above. Sometimes it still takes me a couple seconds longer to find a specific thing on a hillside, but the angled are more comfortable for me. I also like the angled better when spotting from a vehicle with the little glass clamp on mount. I can turn the eyepiece and usually end up with a very relaxed glassing position, with the straight scope, you really have no option besides turning sideways in the seat.

AJ

 

[Propdoc03]

Xlnt, thanks for the feedback guys!
pd

 

[Gene]

My straight eyepiece Leica is used only for range spotting. It has a small sight (similar to a rear open sight on hunting rifle)at 12 o'clock on the objective sunshade, intended to orient shooter getting on the target. Makes it quick and easy to do so.

 

[uncleB]

This is one of those topic's that I really hate to post on because I dont want to step on anyone's toe's.
To me this is a no contest category, A angled works great at the range and for bird watching and is superior for looking at the planet's and stars at night..... but if you are serious in long range spotting and shooting a straight is the obvious choice. the #1 reason is TARGET ACQUISITION.
I will give you one example, last fall I was sheep hunting and found a Ram laying under an overhang with my 15x56 swaro's on a tripod, I switched to my Leica77 straight spotter (also on a tripod) and I had to go back and forth between the two many times to get my spotter lined up where my bino's were looking. this was with my eyes looking in the same direction the entire time.
With an angled spotter I dont care how good you think you are you would have never spotted the Ram looking in the WRONG direction.
UB

 

[goodgrouper]

I agree with UB on this one. If you are glassing for hours a day, it is more physically sound to be looking through a straight spotter with your head in the normal looking forward position. If you are looking through an angled piece, your head is bowed down and your neck can get very sore because you're holding your head up against gravity with your neck muscles instead of your bones.

Then there are the aquisition problems UB mentioned. But what UB didn't mention was the incident of the ram he actually shot last year. It was RUNNING along a ledge straight up above us about 800 feet higher than us. It required us to get ahead of it and keep the camera, the spotting scopes, and the shooter constantly moving with the ram just to keep up. Not only did it require a straight spotting scope for aquisition, it required a pistol grip bogen tripod head to keep the ram in the field of view. With an angles spotter, there absolutely would have been no chance of seeing this ram let alone getting this ram.

Then there are the packing and storage issues. The angled spotters require an oversized case or for you to remove the eyepiece every time you put it away. Pain in the arse! WIth my straight spotter, I simply remove the scope from the tripod, and throw it into my Crooked Horn Outfitters spotter/tripod case and go. If I had to unthread the eyepiece to make it fit in the case every time I used it I would go crazy!

 

[Timberbeast7]

Then there are the packing and storage issues. The angled spotters require an oversized case or for you to remove the eyepiece every time you put it away.

?????

I guess I didn't get that memo. I have no problem packing/storing an angled scope, and I don't have an oversize case and I don't disassemble it every time. I fits quite nicely in the side pocket on my Eberlestock J104.

 

[ScottBerish]

I agree in concept about the straight vs. angled debate, but in reality, i think there is room for both and whatever works for YOU is best.

Scott