At $700, what spotter?

[Beluebow]

Not lite nor compact, but a decent deal....I believe this is a Gen1 scope so extended eye relief is pretty much non-existent.

Vortex Optics Razor HD Spotting Scope 20-60x 85mm Angled

The Razor HD spotting scope from Vortex features a sophisticated apochromatic lens system that utilizes extra-low dispersion High definition glass and...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[eric1115]

To what degree is objective size more (or less) important than lens coatings or other image quality variables?

Unfortunately it all matters, in different ways for different reasons. A Kowa 554 (their small but very advanced spotter) is amazing in good light. Sharp, clear, bright, but simply can't compete with a good larger spotter at first and last light. Last 15 minutes of usable light it was, to me, no better than the 20 year non-hd Swaro 65 I was comparing it to. Up until then it was substantially better. It has more advanced coatings and better glass by most accounts, but the 55 vs 65mm objective is a big hurdle.

Some of these challenges have work arounds that can help. Smaller objective (Nikon MD50) or older technology (Kowa 662, Leica APO, older Swaro) tend to be prime candidates for fixed magnification eyepieces. A fixed 30x usually has a field of view nearly as wide as a 20-60 at 20x, better detail at 30x than the variable has pretty much anywhere, and better light transmission in marginal lighting conditions.

A great scope can make use of the zoom eyepiece. I would never run a fixed 30x on an HD Swaro 80mm since it's so good in the middle with the variable already and can really make use of 60x.

 

[Pro2A]

….for western deer and elk hunting. I'm a day hiker, but still am not sure a spotter needs to be 5lbs.

What is out there? What do you like? At $700 budget is it better to stick with bino's only?

How about

LEUPOLD - SX-4 PRO GUIDE 15-45X65MM HD SPOTTING SCOPE

at $699?

Bushnell LEGEND TACTICAL - T-SERIES SPOTTING SCOPE 15-45X60
This scope is a lot for the money. with a MIL hash mark reticle. See reviews on YouTube. I ordered at under $400 (price seems to have jumped.....thanks Sleazy Joey???) in 2021 and ended up getting for free with CC points on Amazon. Got for the kids to use rather than my Hensoldt Spotter 60 or NF TS-82. Hmmmm.....showing OUT OF STOCK on Bushnell and Amazon today. Discontinued??? If so, bummer.

to$624.99
A robust 15-45x magnification range and FFP MIL-Hash reticle with a large 60mm objective lens combine to bring you bright, detailed images of distant objects.

• Flat Dark Earth with Straight eyepiece
• ED Prime Glass - Bushnell's highest quality glass delivers amazing color, resolution and contrast, even in low-light conditions.
• RainGuard HD - Patented, permanent water-repellent coating resists moisture from rain, snow, sleet and condensation for clear viewing, even in inclement weather.
• IPX7 Waterproof construction - O-ring sealed optics stay dry inside, when immersed in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes.
• MIL hash mark reticle.

 

[Old Rooster]

I was told years ago that you will walk past more elk than you will see.
For that reason I used to carry a spotting scope.I can't walk that far now but you will be amazed at what most hunters walk by.

 

[Teri Anne]

Well I just bought a new Vortex Diamondback 20-60x85 angled primarily for going back to long range (600 and 1000) yard competitive shooting with my Tikka 30-06 or Browning 300 WM. I bought it direct from Vortex at their store in Barneveld where I had the opportunity to compare the different models. Now let me preface this with the acknowledgement that my vision has deteriorated over the years. The net result being that I could see no real significant difference between the Diamondback, the Razor or the Viper. Looking out the window at the showroom I sighted in at the horizon which is about a mile or more away. There is a farmyard that one cannot even hope to see even if you know where it is at an estimated magnetic azimuth between 190 and 200 degrees from the showroom. Once found and zoomed in and focused I could see people walking around the farmyard and traffic on the road in front of the farm. With these tired old eyes I figured that if the scope was this good, it was mine. So for a retail price of $599.99 instead of over $1000 for either the Viper or Razor it fit my needs, and I pretty much would fit the long range needs of most shooters. At 60.9 ounces it is not lightweight, add the weight of a decent tripod and one is going to be packing some 7 pounds. OK on the range but don't know if I would want to be packing that out in the mountains on an Elk hunt. Your thoughts?

 

[chav0_12]

Your thoughts?

My thoughts are that while I'm sure the Vortex Diamondback is okay for some uses it's not likely that good of glass. For hunting, you'll start to notice a huge difference when it's not a bright sunny day and near first and last light. It's probably perfectly sufficient for shooting at the range when it's nice and sunny out. I know, I went and tried binoculars in the $1k range and to my eyes the Vortex Razor HDs were the absolute worst I looked through in that category, by a long shot, and that has turned me completely off from Vortex optics. I do have some Vortex riflescopes that all in the Razor line and I don't think that I'll personally be buying anything else. When there is superior glass out there in a similar price range it's hard to justify.

 

[jebel]

I have a suggestion that will not require the full $700. I own a big, heavy, high-quality spotter and love it. But I find that on some hunts I don't need that much magnification and don't want to carry the weight. In those cases, I carry a Kowa TSN-501 20-40x50 which retails for about $350 and weighs 14 ozs. I pair it with a carbon fiber tabletop tripod that costs $100 and weighs 1 lb. Together, this pair works well from a sitting position and it has a combined weight of 2 lbs. The 20-40x magnification provides that extra I need over binoculars without much weight. Admittedly the glass is not the best, but it's good enough for this use case.

Later you may well spend the cash for that big, heavy, high-quality spotter, but this little rig will still be useful to you depending on the hunting situation so it will not be money lost.

Here's an example of a tabletop tripod that fits the bill.
Amazon product ASIN B0053EBI1S

 

[Old Rooster]

jebel amazon did it to you too.
It won't allow us to post a link.I'll go to amazon and bird dog it