Mid Priced Compact/Lightweight Spotting Scopes

[JAYgs8163]

Look at read about the Pentax PF65ED. Lightweight and allows the use of your own selected eyepiece. I've found that being able to select a separate eye piece of very good quality makes a big difference. It has a universal eye piece body. Many of the high end telescope eye pieces will fit. There are numerous great reviews on this scope available for you to read as well. I use one and am very happy with it. I got mine from @gr8fuldoug at cameraland. The eye piece I settled on is the Vixen NLV Zoom.

 

[muleyhunter13]

I have used both Leupold and Vortex (viper, not razor) and now pack an Athlon Ares . For the money (even though it's Chinese glass) you can't beat the clarity to price ratio. It's better than a viper and in my opinion just as clear as a razor. The focus can be a little touchy at full zoom, but is fine once you get used to it. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a second one for my son when he gets old enough. Before you rule them out google their reviews or watch some consumer videos on YouTube.



A YouTube review comparing a vortex razor to an Athlon Ares

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

Returned a Vortex Razor 11x33- 50mm for the same reason I sold the Kowa 55mm, it is too light weight and not enough mass , it shakes with the slightest touch making it hard to focus and look through. The Kowa 55mm Prominar was way clearer than the Razor and when it was all said and done neither did anything my 5-25x56mm ATACR wouldn't do. I have to say I do love my 12x50 Razor binos.

Haha, I am sensing a trend here with you, I feel like your tripod head may be playing a factor here as well. It is a concern of mine though with too low of magnification not justifying the weight if it doesn't show much more than my rifle scope or binoculars do. In this situation my binoculars are 8x56 because I wanted them for lowlight and my hunting scope tops out at 20x. My precision rifle, however is a 27x Razor so an extra 3-6x doesn't seem like it is that beneficial. The 664M Prominar with the 20-60x eyepiece hovering near the top of my list, it seems you are not the only one who felt its performance was limited by its smaller objective lens.

Leupold 12-40 gold ring HD is a pretty nice scope for the price. Super compact, decent weight, great eye relief, and good glass. I have one I would sell if you are interested. Only reason I upgraded was to be able to age sheep by ring counting at a longer distance.

My shooting partner is a scout sniper and actually has one of these issued to him by his police department, and I have looked through it many times. I must say, while I do like the compactness of it, it hasn't wowed me with the clarity and glass quality. I like supporting US companies, but I typically feel like Leupold is a step behind everyone else at a given price point.

Look at read about the Pentax PF65ED. Lightweight and allows the use of your own selected eyepiece. I've found that being able to select a separate eye piece of very good quality makes a big difference. It has a universal eye piece body. Many of the high end telescope eye pieces will fit. There are numerous great reviews on this scope available for you to read as well. I use one and am very happy with it. I got mine from @gr8fuldoug at cameraland. The eye piece I settled on is the Vixen NLV Zoom.

I am checking out the Pentax, I know they have been in the game for a while but that is not a company you hear often when it comes to hunting optics. I do like the versatility of replaceable eye pieces, to me that would be a huge advantage no matter what optic I end up choosing.

I have used both Leupold and Vortex (viper, not razor) and now pack an Athlon Ares . For the money (even though it's Chinese glass) you can't beat the clarity to price ratio. It's better than a viper and in my opinion just as clear as a razor. The focus can be a little touchy at full zoom, but is fine once you get used to it. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a second one for my son when he gets old enough. Before you rule them out google their reviews or watch some consumer videos on YouTube.

I will definitely check them out, and certainly down to turn over a new leaf. I think part of what had originally turned me off were reports that their riflescopes had plastic internal components that really should have been made out of metal. I can't remember the specifics, but I do feel like they have really upped the standard of Chinese optics.


I really appreciate all the input, keep the information coming.

 

[JAYgs8163]

Haha, I am sensing a trend here with you, I feel like your tripod head may be playing a factor here as well. It is a concern of mine though with too low of magnification not justifying the weight if it doesn't show much more than my rifle scope or binoculars do. In this situation my binoculars are 8x56 because I wanted them for lowlight and my hunting scope tops out at 20x. My precision rifle, however is a 27x Razor so an extra 3-6x doesn't seem like it is that beneficial. The 664M Prominar with the 20-60x eyepiece hovering near the top of my list, it seems you are not the only one who felt its performance was limited by its smaller objective lens.




My shooting partner is a scout sniper and actually has one of these issued to him by his police department, and I have looked through it many times. I must say, while I do like the compactness of it, it hasn't wowed me with the clarity and glass quality. I like supporting US companies, but I typically feel like Leupold is a step behind everyone else at a given price point.




I am checking out the Pentax, I know they have been in the game for a while but that is not a company you hear often when it comes to hunting optics. I do like the versatility of replaceable eye pieces, to me that would be a huge advantage no matter what optic I end up choosing.




I will definitely check them out, and certainly down to turn over a new leaf. I think part of what had originally turned me off were reports that their riflescopes had plastic internal components that really should have been made out of metal. I can't remember the specifics, but I do feel like they have really upped the standard of Chinese optics.


I really appreciate all the input, keep the information coming.

No you don't hear about them in the hunting world often but a spotting scope that's overlooked and designed and renowned in the wildlife viewing/observation is something I consider as a positive. Kept the price down for me. I looked at a Swaro 65 body not too long ago and I own the Swaro 15x56 HD Binos because I'm a avid Coues deer hunter. I was ready to spring for a new spotter but when I saw how my Pentax stood up to the Swaro 65 I couldn't justify spending the money. I spent it on a new Mark5 scope instead.

 

[muleystalker]

"Haha, I am sensing a trend here with you, I feel like your tripod head may be playing a factor here as well. It is a concern of mine though with too low of magnification not justifying the weight if it doesn't show much more than my rifle scope or binoculars do. In this situation my binoculars are 8x56 because I wanted them for lowlight and my hunting scope tops out at 20x. My precision rifle, however is a 27x Razor so an extra 3-6x doesn't seem like it is that beneficial. The 664M Prominar with the 20-60x eyepiece hovering near the top of my list, it seems you are not the only one who felt its performance was limited by its smaller objective lens."


brcfo,
I understand what you are possibly getting at with my tripod head but I assure you thats not the case. My pack tripod is a Surui T-025X carbon fiber with a Outdoorsman Jim White Fluid Panhead 2.0 , Its made for hunting/glassing with spotters and binoculars and I also use their bino mount.
https://outdoorsmans.com/collections/outdoorsmans-tripod-system/products/jim-white-pan-head-2-0

My second tripod is a 2-Vets carbon fiber with a pan head and a FIESOL VH-60 Fluid video Head

FEISOL Video Head VH-60 - Video Heads - Heads

<p><b>The FEISOL Video Head for DSLR – Larger Load Capacity</b> <br /><br /> Designed for larger loads – up to 18 lb - we are now introducing our brand new video head VH-60 to our product line. It features fluid-like motion without the drawbac

www.feisol.net

My third is a GEARBUGGY Spotting scope stand
https://gearbuggy.com
https://gearbuggy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Brian-Litzs-with-Stand.gif

Its just a weight/mass issue, obviously the lighter something is the more it is influenced by outside forces. Just rolling the focus wheel causes a little movement and makes it harder to focus quickly, it takes several tries with removing your finger before you get it focused crisply. Don't get me wrong the KOWA 55mm Promiser has some phenomenal glass its just a little difficult to use and the Kowa 66 series just does it better and is still a very packable spotter. There is a reason why most guides carry nothing smaller than an 80mm even though they are a beast to pack. I assure you I have spent many 1000's of hours over the years in a spotting scope glassing for game and many more hours glassing through binoculars on a tripod. I also put on average 12 hrs a month behind a spotter shooting and scoring twice a month in F-class matches.

Believe me I sure wanted to love both the Vortex Razor 11-33x50 and the KOWA 55mm spotters, they are so small and cute and fit in a pack like nothing is there but they just didn't do what I need them too in the end. Good luck with your search and let us know what you decide to buy.

Dave

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

brcfo,
I understand what you are possibly getting at with my tripod head but I assure you thats not the case. My pack tripod is a Surui T-025X carbon fiber with a Outdoorsman Jim White Fluid Panhead 2.0 , Its made for hunting/glassing with spotters and bingo's and I also use their bino mount.
https://outdoorsmans.com/collections/outdoorsmans-tripod-system/products/jim-white-pan-head-2-0

My second tripod is a 2-Vets carbon fiber with a pan head and a FIESOL VH-60 Fluid video Head

FEISOL Video Head VH-60 - Video Heads - Heads

<p><b>The FEISOL Video Head for DSLR – Larger Load Capacity</b> <br /><br /> Designed for larger loads – up to 18 lb - we are now introducing our brand new video head VH-60 to our product line. It features fluid-like motion without the drawbac

www.feisol.net

My third is a GEARBUGGY Spotting scope stand
https://gearbuggy.com
https://gearbuggy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Brian-Litzs-with-Stand.gif

Its just a weight/mass issue, obviously the lighter something is the more it is influenced by outside forces. Just rolling the focus wheel causes a little movement and makes it harder to focus quickly, it takes several tries with removing your finger before you get it focused crisply. Don't get me wrong the KOWA 55mm Promiser has some phenomenal glass its just a little difficult to use and the Kowa 66 series just does it better and is still a very packable spotter. There is a reason why most guides carry nothing smaller than an 80mm even though they are a beast to pack. I assure you I have spent many 1000's of hours over the years in a spotting scope glassing for game and many more hours glassing through bingo's on a tripod. I also put on average 12 hrs a month behind a spotter shooting and scoring twice a month in F-class matches.

Believe me I sure wanted to love both the Vortex Razor 11-33x50 and the KOWA 55mm spotters, they are so small and cute and fit in a pack like nothing is there but in the end they just didn't do what I need them too in the end. Good luck with your search and let us know what you decide to buy.

Dave

Believe me, I appreciate your experience on this. A lot of things seem like a good idea until you buy them and try them for yourself, and I have blown a lot of money doing exactly that. Since I don't have many friends to try/borrow equipment from and I haven't spent a lot of time behind spotting scopes I am relying heavily on everyone's expertise here. Thank you for all the feedback, and I will definitely let you guys know what I end up going with.

 

[JAYgs8163]

^^^^^ The Jim White head by Outdoorsmans is a super high quality unit. I have 2 of the original designed models by him before he passed. I also use a Outdoorsmans tripod and also Proview Carbon Fiber tripod. Sometimes I carry both tripods if I'm not hiking far into the back country chasing the Gray Ghost. When carrying both tripods I use a Triclawps and mount my rifle into it for setting up LR shots when not able to shoot prone. Good luck as well in your search for a nice spotter. Gray Ghost season starts a month from today for me.

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

^^^^^ The Jim White head by Outdoorsmans is a super high quality unit. I have 2 of the original designed models by him before he passed. I also use a Outdoorsmans tripod and also Proview Carbon Fiber tripod. Sometimes I carry both tripods if I'm not hiking far into the back country chasing the Gray Ghost. When carrying both tripods I use a Triclawps and mount my rifle into it for setting up LR shots when not able to shoot prone. Good luck as well in your search for a nice spotter. Gray Ghost season starts a month from today for me.

I was wondering about glassing tripods versus shooting tripods and if anyone actually carried both. Right now I have an FLM CP30-S4 II with matching ball head and Arca clamp which I shoot off of and love it. Stable enough for range work and nice to bring up a mountain. Definitely planning on getting a lighter tripod with a fluid head for the spotting scope but whether or not I would bring it with me anywhere but the range I guess depends on a lot of things. Most likely will get an Arca plate for the spotter for the versatility. I am not new to hunting or long range shooting, but new to combining them, especially for big game. I have a lot of questions which I think will be answered with more time in the woods, provided CA doesn't completely burn down before I can get out.

 

[muleystalker]

I was wondering about glassing tripods versus shooting tripods and if anyone actually carried both. Right now I have an FLM CP30-S4 II with matching ball head and Arca clamp which I shoot off of and love it. Stable enough for range work and nice to bring up a mountain. Definitely planning on getting a lighter tripod with a fluid head for the spotting scope but whether or not I would bring it with me anywhere but the range I guess depends on a lot of things. Most likely will get an Arca plate for the spotter for the versatility. I am not new to hunting or long range shooting, but new to combining them, especially for big game. I have a lot of questions which I think will be answered with more time in the woods, provided CA doesn't completely burn down before I can get out.

I carry both sometimes if I am not going far and I know the area may require setting up in other than the prone position. I also use a Modular Evolution Bipod, with interchangeable legs in different lengths and also has a tripod mount that mounts on the bipod, for when I am going in light. It truly is a great bipod setup. I have to admit there are many times I go in without my spotter as I spend 95% of my time in my 12x50 Razor Binos mounted on my tripod.

 

[Elkaholic Hunter]

I am curious what people's thoughts are on mid priced ($650-$1200) spotting scopes which are compact and lightweight for backpack hunting and some target shooting. I have been eyeballing the Kowa TSN-554 for a while, and even though I can afford it, I am having a hard time justifying the expense for the amount I will use it. This had me looking at more affordable alternatives and I came across the Nikon Fieldscope ED50 which has had my attention for a while with its very positive reviews. Then just last night I came across the newer Maven CS.1 which is a little heavier but has a larger objective and more magnification out of the box. Now I have no illusions that either are even close to the Kowa, but I find the price tag more justifiable and am less worried about them getting damaged or thrashed in the backcountry.

Any thoughts or experiences with the above mentioned optics? Any other recommendations for scopes in this price range?

Essentially looking for:
2.5lbs or less
Under a foot long
ED glass
<70mm objective
At least 30x, but preferably more, or have the ability to change eye pieces.

I know this is a fairly specific criteria, but I appreciate any help.

Not to be that guy that changes the subject, but I think it is worth asking what binos do you have? With the limited budget that you have I think you would be way better off selling you binos and taking that money and the money for your spotter and getting a "good" pair of 12x binos and put them on a tripod. First time I put my binos on a tripod my mind was blown. Felt like I doubled my magnification. I have Vortex razor HD binos, which I would consider low end of good, if you can go better. I have looked through Vortex's little 11-33x50 spotter side by side (which is in your price range) and I'd take the binos any day over the spotter. I wish it weren't the case but I feel like only spending $650 on a spotter is a waste of money... just my $0.02

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

Not to be that guy that changes the subject, but I think it is worth asking what binos do you have? With the limited budget that you have I think you would be way better off selling you binos and taking that money and the money for your spotter and getting a "good" pair of 12x binos and put them on a tripod. First time I put my binos on a tripod my mind was blown. Felt like I doubled my magnification. I have Vortex razor HD binos, which I would consider low end of good, if you can go better. I have looked through Vortex's little 11-33x50 spotter side by side (which is in your price range) and I'd take the binos any day over the spotter. I wish it weren't the case but I feel like only spending $650 on a spotter is a waste of money... just my $0.02

You're fine, I run the Meopta MeoPro 8x56 binoculars which I really like for low light and because they are easy on the eyes when spending a lot of time behind them. I also thought they were a good value for the money, which is what I am looking for here. My thoughts on a spotting scope would be to complement my existing gear, and see beyond what my rifle scope can. The targeted price range is because I hike in through brush, chaparral, and dirt over crappy terrain and I really just don't want the most expensive spotting scope to do that with. All my hunting stuff is mid priced for that reason, not because I can't afford better, but because I know everything will get thrashed because it always does. If there isn't any mid priced spotting scopes worth spending money on, then I hope to find that out here before I open my wallet prematurely.

 

[JAYgs8163]

You're fine, I run the Meopta MeoPro 8x56 binoculars which I really like for low light and because they are easy on the eyes when spending a lot of time behind them. I also thought they were a good value for the money, which is what I am looking for here. My thoughts on a spotting scope would be to complement my existing gear, and see beyond what my rifle scope can. The targeted price range is because I hike in through brush, chaparral, and dirt over crappy terrain and I really just don't want the most expensive spotting scope to do that with. All my hunting stuff is mid priced for that reason, not because I can't afford better, but because I know everything will get thrashed because it always does. If there isn't any mid priced spotting scopes worth spending money on, then I hope to find that out here before I open my wallet prematurely.

I kind of agree with the prior post about getting some nice Binos. Wider field of view and usually less distortion as you don't have a zoom feature to deal with. My 15's are my go to and I rarely use my spotter unless I'm really looking to review a trophy type buck. That being said, the clarity of my 15's outshine any spotter. Also you have to deal with the dreaded eye fatigue of a spotter. I don't know if you've ever viewed through a spotter for a longer period of time but it's not fun getting your eyes acclimated back to normal. Especially if trying to get behind a scope to make a clean shot. The Vortex Kaibabs are some great 15's reasonable priced. I also just saw some Swaros 15's demo model for 1699 which is a steal. If you don't have powerful Binos that's where I would begin. Spotter should come after. Just my 2 cents.

 

[muleystalker]

Not to be that guy that changes the subject, but I think it is worth asking what binos do you have? With the limited budget that you have I think you would be way better off selling you binos and taking that money and the money for your spotter and getting a "good" pair of 12x binos and put them on a tripod. First time I put my binos on a tripod my mind was blown. Felt like I doubled my magnification. I have Vortex razor HD binos, which I would consider low end of good, if you can go better. I have looked through Vortex's little 11-33x50 spotter side by side (which is in your price range) and I'd take the binos any day over the spotter. I wish it weren't the case but I feel like only spending $650 on a spotter is a waste of money... just my $0.02

I agree with Elkhunter about the binoculars, I spend most of my time in my 12x50 Razors on my tripod. For me the Razor binos work great for me , I had a pair of Meopta and they were nice glass but way too heavy and they didn't fit my face as good as the Razors. I also had a pair of Swaro and sold them once I got the Razors, the Swaro were also nice but I didn't feel they did anything more that the Razors for me and the Swaro were also quite a bit heavier. Like Elkhunter said once you put them on the tripod it seems like it's goes up in power and you can see so much more than with a spotter. That is another reason I got rid of the two smaller spotting scopes. I don't want to sound like I'm a Vortex fan but their Razor binoculars are very nice but I haven't looked through the new HD Razors.

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

This is good info. I am running my current set up for opening day this weekend/the beginning of next week. I will use it as a re-evaluation period and think about a higher power set up and mount. I had looked at the Outdoorsmen's mount a while ago but didn't feel like it was as necessary on an 8x, but will revisit it.

Thank you all for the solid feedback, I really appreciate you taking the time to share both your experience and expertise on here.