Angled or Straight Spotting scope?

[mtelkhntr78]

I am seriously looking at a new spotting scope. My sights are on the new Zeiss Victory FL 15-56x65. The two options with this scope are the straight body or the angle eye piece body.

This is the scope I am going with but my question is:

The straight or the angled eye piece scope? what are the advantages of each? disadvantages?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jwp475]

I prefer the angled spotter for the field and the bench. Just more confortable to use IME

 

[Broz]

Straight might be a bit easier to get on target. But I now have an angled and it rotates side to side. This allows for easy viewing from the window mount or setting above it on a hill side glassing. Also like already mentioned it is friendlt on the bench too.

I am completely happy with my angles and use it almost daily.

Jeff

 

[AJBello]

I've tried and used both and prefer the straight. The angled is just awkward to get on target, for me. It would be nice to have for window mounting, but I just feel way more at ease with the straight model.

 

[XWrangler]

I have to give the straight the vote. I have used both and after hours of glassing for elk and deer my neck is hurting after using the angled. I dont think your neck muscles are designed to be bent over for that long of time. If you are using it on a bench for targets I think it could be great but for hours of spotting the straight is the best for me. It is also alot easier to get on target in a hurry.

 

[jwp475]

I have to give the straight the vote. I have used both and after hours of glassing for elk and deer my neck is hurting after using the angled. I dont think your neck muscles are designed to be bent over for that long of time. If you are using it on a bench for targets I think it could be great but for hours of spotting the straight is the best for me. It is also alot easier to get on target in a hurry.

Why rotate the eye piece upward and look down? The beauty of the angled is the ability to rotate the spotter to the most comfortable position for viewing

 

[Gene]

Why rotate the eye piece upward and look down? The beauty of the angled is the ability to rotate the spotter to the most comfortable position for viewing

Agreed, but I prefer the straight lens because it is quicker to orient to the target.

BTW, a friend and I have identical Leica 77 spotters, both with 10-60x power. Only difference is mine is straight, his is angled. We have compared them side by side and we both agree, mine is a tiny bit more clear than his at 500M.

 

[B23]

For me, always having had and used straight spotters the angled spotter feels very awkward to use and I struggle to get on target quickly.

One of my best friends is an angled spotter user. It's all he has ever had and used and wouldn't have anything else but he does get on target much quicker than I do when he is looking thru my straight one.

IMHO, they both have their pros and cons and more than anything it's all in what you get used to. But, I do believe it is easier for a "angled user" to acquire the target easier/quicker with a straight than it is for a "straight user" when using an angled.

 

[partisan1911]

I have a straight eyepiece for my swarovski but I wish I had gotten an angled one. It may take a little more to reaquire the target but it also allows you to get a shorter tripod which lowers the center of gravity. Once you start using the higher powers on the spotting scope it gets hard to keep a clear picture because a little wind etc moves the scope around just enough to make it fuzzy. I normally glass while sitting on my butt. I would think the angled eyepeice would allow you to glass from the prone a little easier. My neck gets tired from having to be kinked up looking through my scope in the prone.