Cornell Ornithology Lab spotting scope rankings

[ScottBerish]

LongRangers,

I'm a big believer in data and research....it's my background, even if the research is subjective in nature. Like hunters and shooters, birders are avid optics entusiasts and pretty fussy too. I think their requirements and needs are a little different, but nevertheless....here is a link to the COL Scope Quest 2008 reviews, along with a link to the summary table. While I don't agree with how everything rated (I think the new Nikons would have fared much better but I don't believe they were used for this test) I think you will enjoy the review.

Take care,

Scott

Scope Quest Review 2008, Living Bird
http://www.livingbird.org/netcommunity/bbimages/lb/pdf/ScopeChart2008.pdf

 

[WildcatB]

I'd really like to see real measured resolution, contrast, low light performance tests, not 100% subjective tests like this one.

Does anyone know of any?

 

[ScottBerish]

There are a few out there, I know of one done for sniper scopes, by I believe a Finnish publication, that was pretty scientific. I'll have to dig up the source and whether it's in English yet.


Bottom line, subjective is what we will get most of the time due to the cost and time involved in researching this stuff.

 

[ScottBerish]

Well, I'll spring the surprise, the top spotter was Kowa Prominar!!

Slightly higher than Swarovski.

Good stuff!

 

[Pdvdh]

Scott,

Did they compare to the 65mm or 80mm Swaro models? I see the Kowa's come in 60, 66, 77, 82, and 88mm objective lens models. And do you have a link to this study (is it available on-line)?

 

[ScottBerish]

Scott,

Did they compare to the 65mm or 80mm Swaro models? I see the Kowa's come in 60, 66, 77, 82, and 88mm objective lens models. And do you have a link to this study (is it available on-line)?

Yes, they compared them to the Swav 80 and 65mm HD models, their very best.

Just click on the links in the initial post for all the 411.

This is not the end all and be all of spotter studies, but it provides more info in a field where extensive data is still lacking, IMHO.


Scott

 

[jmden]

Ohh...now the fur will start flying...

 

[lowprone]

Scopes

Well, figures don't lie and all that. Try this, take ANY spotting scope you want ,up to and including the Unertl team and compare it with the 100mm
Optolyth side by side. Awesome!

 

[Pdvdh]

I wish they had tested one of the 66mm Kowa's in their scope comparison. That's about as large a spotter as I could pack around on my Alaskan backpack hunts. Oh well, the Kowa's are something to consider. I currently use a Zeiss 65mm Diascope.

 

[ScottBerish]

Well, figures don't lie and all that. Try this, take ANY spotting scope you want ,up to and including the Unertl team and compare it with the 100mm
Optolyth side by side. Awesome!

I honestly believe the birders hate this scope because of it's "mean, tactical" look. I even read a comment to this effect. It's also BIG. For the range, they are as good as anything in the world.