What spotting scopes to look at?

[Scot E]

Just my opinion in hopes it helps. I went through the new spotting scope research phase a couple years ago and trying to find the best bang for the buck is tough. Not because there aren't good options out there but more because it is very difficult to compare spotters as everyone's eyes are different and necessitates a specific need more than the next guy, ie color rendition, CA, resolution, brightness, etc. Also, trying to determine what is enough and what is more than needed (at twice the price sometimes) isn't easy.

I owned an old Redfield spotter and a baush and lomb spotter and wanted to upgrade to something that would give me better result at viewing animals at the distances you mentioned and further. One thing I can tell you is that for most guys the high end glass from the big 3 isn't neccessary for viewing big game. For seeing bullet holes and other small targets then they become more important as the highest resolution, color rendition, etc helps pick out the smallest details. If you are looking for a good big game power range it is my opinion that most scopes are overpowered. Mirage can be nasty even at 20x in bad conditions and can make viewing rough. and scopes with 60x on the high side need the very best glass to be of any use IMO. I wouldn't hesitate to have you look hard at the mid range scopes to be all you need for your intended purpose. Many times guys can't tell the difference in any aspect they consider important.

I ended up buying the swaro HD 65 and ended up upgrading to the swaro 80HD because i wasn't impressed with the increase I got over my old scope. The 80HD was a bit better but if had to do it over again I wouldn't have spent the money. Don't get me wrong it is good glass but not nearly as big of a jump as I thought there would be after reading all the goodies on new optics.

Some options I would consider now- in no particular order
Vortex Razor is top notch IMO, the skyline ED is very good for the price.
Bushnell Elite ED is really good glass. way underrated IMO
For an all round package the Leupold 12-40x60HD is tough to beat. I love the small package and weight, the lower power is nice too and the HD glass makes a big difference for this model. I am not a big fan of Leupold glass but they got this one right IMO. Weight and packability is a factor for me though so I tend to shy away from the larger objectives, where you may want to go with 80+mm. Not much can beat light gathering when it comes to spotters.
The Bushnell Excursion FLP is supposed to be a copy of the Leupold Gold ring and has ED glass for about half the price. I have no personal experience with this but have read some really good reviews. May be worth a look.
the nikon ed is very good.
Pentax isn't as known in the hunting world but makes very good glass. Their upper end binos compare with the best IMO. Their ED spotters in 65 and 80 are pushing the level of the top tier scopes IMO.
Another line would be the Alpen series. I have their Apex Binos and they are as good as all but the very top tiered glass. Another very underrated company when it comes to good glass.

Hope this helps.

 

[Scot E]

Also, you many want to look at spotters that offer fixed power eyepieces. This makes a good spotting scope great. You loose the convenience of zooming but all aspects of the viewing experience get better, ie field of view, brightness and clarity. This is one of the reasons I really like the Pentax line. They make some of the best eyepieces around and their spotters are capable of excepting most standard 1.25 inch eyepieces.

 

[kenai_king19]

Scott E- I read Eastman's article about the Nikon ED, then the reviews on Pentax, which I haven't heard of too much in the hunting world but wow, they are impressive according to reviews and to JUDD here. I don't mind the weight but I think the PF-80's would be more practical if I can see out as far as I need to, but if I absolutely had to get the 100's I shouldn't need to. Plus the costs are better than lets say the swaro's. Course thanks to JUDD, he sent me to a site where I can get Zeiss, Nikon, Swaro, Pentax, etc. at way cheaper costs. I am still looking around but I have a more difficult time because I can't put a decoy or antlers that I have gotten before out at 1200 yards and see if I can count tines easier or not under multiple conditions. I don't have a place that you can test optics easily like that. I will most likely have to travel around 6 hrs one way to go and do that. All I am going to do is look into a reviews of several spotters ask to see them at my local sporting goods store and test them thoroughly there of what I can, then possibly go the 6 hrs and test out the scopes that made my approval and see which ones qualify or not for sure.

Lerch- Thanks for the info. I don't wear glasses so no worries there and weight isn't an issue till its not practical at all.

 

[SBruce]

One thing you can do, is take a newspaper to the place that you intend on buying or looking through different scopes. Ask them if you can tape it to a far wall and then look/compare contrast, resolution and so forth. Doesn't have to be a newspaper, but anything with fine print. Maybe even try to put it in a darker corner of the building or something..........just an idea.

 

[kenai_king19]

Sbruce, I like that idea, thanks. I just don't know yet what can narrow it down to roughly 4-6 scopes. I have a for sure idea of what I want to look through. not in any particular order but, Leupold golden ring, Bushnell, Pentax, zeiss, swaro, nikon, vortex. Not including Leica because they are just WAY too spendy, almost 4 thousand for a scope, I can't justify that. I have an idea through all the research and reviews I have read on which particular ones but won't know till i view them all at the store and hopefully do a resolution test or do something like what you said, then go on the road trip to find out exactly what I need.

Firecat, I have really been looking into the Vortex HD Razors. What did you think of them? Same questions I asked before, can you spot legality in good conditions at 1000 yards or passed?

I'd like to thank everybody on here. The suggestions, ideas, and brands are very helpful, I have a good list to start and eventually narrow down.

 

[Firecat]

Kenai, Thanks for asking. In my opinion the Vortex Razor is "the" complete package at half the price. Shape and size is good. The glass is on par with the Swarovski and Leica scopes. The Warranty is the best in the industry. You could beat the thing with a golf club and they would replace it no questions asked. Last but not least, it will not completely break the bank to own one. Remember that a scope is virtually useless if you don't have something quality to mount it on. Especially at high power settings. So you can take the money you save and invest in a high quality tripod.

My buddy has a Swarovski 20 - 60 x 80 Angled HD. I own the Vortex 20 - 6- x 80 Angled ED. We went on a scouting trip and were running them side by side. I honestly could not see a difference between the two scopes except for possible one more minute worth of vision at dusk. However color, clarity and sharpness were very comparable. His scope will run you $3000.00 plus. Mine was $750.00. He was not happy when he realized that he didn't have to have the "Swarovski" to have a good scope. Now the Razor will run you $1600.00. And it is a much better scope than the ED. The razor will be everything that you need it to be and much more. If I were to do it again having looked through most High end scopes I would buy the Razor.

Now everyone is entitled to their own opinion and this is mine. I just don't see spending $1400 to 1800 dollars more for What? A Name? Whatever you do buy I would tell you this. Only buy an HD or equivalent scope. HD, ED, Fluorite Coated are all the same. The difference between the two is the HD has an extra lens inside that helps with color apparition. There is no question that it is a must. Have fun with your shopping. The only other scope that I could recommend besides the Vortex that I think is an excellent value would be the Nikon Field Scope HD. They are a great value and the glass is also incredible. However, even though Nikon has a good warranty. It does not hold a candle to Vortex.

 

[B23]

I would agree with most on here so far about the Swaro 80 HD. Have both a older non HD fieldscope and a new as of last year Swaro 80 HD. I started out buying the Swaro STS 80 wasn't all that impressed and was convinced by the salesman the 80HD would be much better. It is better but I am still not sure it's worth the big price jump better. But, where I notice the Swaro HD80 being much better is in low light conditions. Early morning or late evening light the Swaro flat gets it done where others struggle. I'm still not convinced it's worth the much extra price tag but how do you put a price on seeing something with definition versus not.

 

[lerch]

After shooting this morning I have to admit again how impressed i am with our Vortex HD razor. it truly is a awesome scope and it is so beneficial for us to have a reticle that directly applies to our shooting in our spotting scope. We sell the 85mm HD Razor Straight spotting scope for $1482.00 and i have one in stock right now. I still have not really got to push the scope through all the paces as of yet but I plan on shooting tomorrow morning and trying her out some more.

A amazingly impressive scope to say the least

steve

 

[bailey1474]

One morning while shooting west w/the sun coming up behind me, I was able to see and count 6mm bullet holes in a laundry detergent jug I was shooting at at 975 yds w/our Swaro 80mm HD. I don't know how anyone could be dissapointed in that!! The only thing I don't like about the Swaro was the price but for the most part nowhere is it more true that you get what pay for than in optics. Where you will see the biggest difference between the Swaro and the less expensive scopes of "similar" quality is the ease at which they are to look through. You can look through them for hours and not get fatigued. I do it two or three times a year while scoring UKD steel matches. While the others are good, I can't look through them all day as comfortably as I can the Swaro. Just my 2 cents worth to further muddy the waters

 

[kenai_king19]

Alright, thanks. That is one scope I will test out for sure. Then figure out how to do a 1000 yard field test. Course might be able to tip the salesman a few bucks and probably the manager and see if we can go to this one area in their rigs that I know and wouldn't have to travel 6 hrs one way.

 

[kenai_king19]

Okay I went out today to look at scopes and everything and did some side by side comparisons. I looked at the following, Alpen 20-60-80, the Nikon 20-60-60, nobody had the Pentax 80's but will look at those when they restock them, and then the Vortex Razor HD 20-60-85, then the same Leupold Sequoia I have now to compare it all, all at longer distances, +1000 yards. The store locations were very lucky for me in this regard. The Alpen was good but not the ED/HD/etc. glass and I could tell when it was side by side to the Nikon ED, so compared to the others that is a no as well. No bushnells were available at either store, so no for those. I also don't think I need a swaro, zeiss, Leica, etc, so no for those. In fact one place that I went to had only 1 Razor display model left in stock, the people that I talked to which was 3 people total, 1 good looking blonde gal, 1 middle aged guy, and then an 1 older guy, all knew their stuff, were talking to each other comparing the zeiss and swaro to the Razor and saying it is almost as good if not better, mind you they didn't even say that directly to me as a sale pitch. Then the middle aged guy said, yes the Razor I think beat the Zeiss at least for me it did, thats why I bought one. He was saying this to the older guy, while the little gal was getting everything ready to go outside. Good sign thus far and they didn't think I could hear them either when they were talking about it all the way across the display case. I was looking at some other things and they weren't saying that to entice me either you can tell when people are, they didn't push me to buy anything but just wanted to help me out as much as possible, truly genuine about it. The Nikons were really good to, I could see ducks, gulls, etc, at about 3-4 miles away flying and see decent color, at around 1000 yards it did really well. I was impressed. It will be a few weeks before the Pentax 80's arrive there and I will look at those as well before I decide anything, but thus far the Razor HD's are the ones to beat I'd have to say. I compared them to the Leupold Sequoia the model I have now, no comparison. At 1030 yards on this one house I could count roofing tiles, how it was textured, the difference in colors between each tile both in mid-day and dusk, the sequoia I could focus it half way decent but the house roof looked like one solid piece and color and was a little blurry. Although not as blury as the one I have but no comparison what so ever. However, the sequoia they had didn't seem to have the overall blurriness and lack of focusing power that mine has, but still not close to the Razor HD in quality. Still love the Sequoia scope though. The winner with a knock out is the Razor HD. In a few weeks, Razor HD 85 vs Nikon ED 82 vs Pentax 80s, then I will probably make my final choice.

 

[joseph]

My neighbor bought a Tele Vue 60 and according to him it is supposed to blow the socks off any spotting scope made. I have not looked through it yet, but am anxious to do so.

TeleVue TV-60 APO Doublet Refractor Telescope OTA - Telescopes at Telescopes

joseph

 

[Rimfire]

Anyone use Kowa? A few years back it was the only one on the line other than the Swaro that was able to see bullet holes the day I was shooting.

 

[JUDD]

I use Kowa's.

Two 80mm in a bracket.