Spotters Best Value in ELR/XLR Spotting Scopes?
- Thread starter Milf Dots
- Start date
Leupold Mark 4 20-60
www.leupold.com
Mark 4 Spotting Scopes | Leupold
Trusted by countless military sniper teams, the Mark 4® Tactical spotting scope gives you the brightness and clarity necessary for positive target identification in any conditions.
www.leupold.com
The Tract looks appealing and has an 80mm lens... Kowa has a 55mm lens model with pure fluorite glass and I can get it for just a little more money...
I have a Tract and it is great for out to about a mile and a quarter. For longer, I'm beginning to think I need to go way up market (Swaro with binocular eye piece). Also, the Tract does not have a FFP reticle. The only way to get a reticle is to get a fixed 30x eyepiece. I have that as well, and it is super clear, but not so much for past a mile.
Overall, the thing is built like a tank and is ultra clear for its price point. I've spoken with the guys at Tract multiple times and have been impressed. If they had a unit with a FFP reticle, I'd be buying it today. Instead, I'm waiting on my bank account getting to the point where the ~$5k price won't make me gag... so much.
Buy once cry once Kowa Prominar 99 series 30-70x. $3000.00 free shipping no tax if Liberty (Scott) still has that sale going on.
Would have recommended Cameraland if their hadn't already sold out of their 25-60x 884s for $2499.99.
Kowa with their fluorite glass are simply the best.
Buy the 99A/99S and never ever need to upgrade... period.
The Japan made Tract Toric 27-55x spotter with German Schott glass isn't as clear as the much cheaper Chinese 20-60x Athlon Cronus UHD G2 spotter with Chinese UHD glass.
Would have recommended Cameraland if their hadn't already sold out of their 25-60x 884s for $2499.99.
Kowa with their fluorite glass are simply the best.
Buy the 99A/99S and never ever need to upgrade... period.
The Japan made Tract Toric 27-55x spotter with German Schott glass isn't as clear as the much cheaper Chinese 20-60x Athlon Cronus UHD G2 spotter with Chinese UHD glass.
That 55mm fluorite spotter only goes up to 45x. Not high enough magnification for your 2000+ yard needs you will really want/need more than 60x maximum magnification. The Kowa 99 series have the ability to accept the optional Kowa 1.6x zoom extender too for even higher maximum zoom capabilities IIRC up to 118X.
I don't buy china made products unless there's no other choice.
Another vote for the Kowa. I tried every option out there including the "big 3" Euro models and the Kowa took the prize. I used it religiously for almost 2 months scouting and hunting mountain goats, and use it all the time for shoots and other applications.
Whatever Kowa does with their coatings they just seem to have the formula figured out on spotters. I have the 88 version, I bet the 99 is incredible. I got mine from Liberty as well, great dude to deal with.
Whatever Kowa does with their coatings they just seem to have the formula figured out on spotters. I have the 88 version, I bet the 99 is incredible. I got mine from Liberty as well, great dude to deal with.
If you are in the buy once, cry once camp with deep pockets then you can't go wrong with either the BTX Swarovski or the KOWA Highlander. Your eye strain will be greatly reduced by using a binocular vs monocular spotting scope/ binoculars.
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I have a Hendsoldt spotter 45 and it’s been great for spotting out to 2500-3000yds. I had a Kowa 883 before that amazing optics.
I just got the Kowa Highlander binos. Much less eye strain and stupid clear optics. I found an optical store in Osaka Japan that will ship to the US. They sell the Highlander for under $3000. Only takes a few days to get to the US. Of course I found this after I got mine from Europtic.
I just got the Kowa Highlander binos. Much less eye strain and stupid clear optics. I found an optical store in Osaka Japan that will ship to the US. They sell the Highlander for under $3000. Only takes a few days to get to the US. Of course I found this after I got mine from Europtic.
I honestly think the Cronus Gen 2 is hard, if not impossible beat for $850 (at Camera Land) Id call Doug and grab is in a heartbeat
I don't buy Chicom shooting related stuff.
Swarovski, Kowa, Zeiss, and Leica are all exceptional. The Kowa is probably the best bang for your buck.
I bit the bullet and bought a Spotter 60 back in 2013. It’s probably the one piece of gear I don’t see ever replacing.
Thanks. I know they are popular in some disciplines but the fact that they offer no reticles would be a game changer for me.
If you're wanting a reticle in a spotter for 2k yards you're probably wanting to take a hard look at the Hensoldt
Doug, which of the non-Chinese, "high-ish end" spotters offer mil-dot reticle eye pieces? TY
I have a kowa 88mm and imo it absolutely competes with Swarovski and i think it beats swaro in low light, at half the price. And this is coming from a major Swarovski fanboy.
I agree. I have a set of NL Pure binos and I just sort of assumed I was going to end up with a Swaro spotter as well. After looking through the Kowa I just couldn't convince myself the Swaro was better.
Those NL pures are so nice haha. I was debating selling my ELs and picking a set of those up. I was in the same boat tho, my ELs are the best binos I’ve ever owned, better than my zeiss victory (tho not better than the pures those are swanky) and thought the same thing, swaro is the only way. But the kowa changed my mind as well.
Fair enough. I respect that. I have a laundry list of companies I refuse to support for similar reasons (Nike, Adidas, Gilette, Starbucks, Goodyear, the NBA/MLB/NFL, TARGET, etc) but avoiding Chyna all together is almost impossible.
Keep in mind with kowa that the 77mm does *not* have a fluorite crystal lens. A lot of times it looks like you can get a great deal on a 77 and wonder why on earth anyone would go with an 88 when they’re so much more expensive and that’s why. The 55, 88, and 99 use fluorite crystal, the 77 uses XD glass
Yes, however, the option for the TSN-77 Series has gotten sweeter while the sale price remains at only $1899.00 with the TE11-WZ eyepiece
There is absolutely no doubt that it is a great price for that scope. Just need to make sure you understand the difference and that it’s prob not gonna compete with the swaro TX line at that point. Would suck to think you scored a swaro level crystal lens sub $2000 only to find out after the fact that it’s glass.
Kowa Big eyes, Oberwerk, swaro 95MM …..
As for reticle, I tell my spotter width/height of target in Mils prior to shooting …. You get really good calling corrections without a reticle.
Swaro STR80 is lacking compared to the bino 95mm’s. No shortcut on spotting scope and tripod! You’re going to spend some $ in ELR/xlr.
Swaro bino 95’s are awesome with mirage …. Kowa and Oberwerk are very equal and are super super clear, and show depth of field in crazy clarity. After all…. Terrain alters wind. My vote is Oberwerk and kowa. It’s not close
Good shooting and best of luck.
Chris
Tennessee
As for reticle, I tell my spotter width/height of target in Mils prior to shooting …. You get really good calling corrections without a reticle.
Swaro STR80 is lacking compared to the bino 95mm’s. No shortcut on spotting scope and tripod! You’re going to spend some $ in ELR/xlr.
Swaro bino 95’s are awesome with mirage …. Kowa and Oberwerk are very equal and are super super clear, and show depth of field in crazy clarity. After all…. Terrain alters wind. My vote is Oberwerk and kowa. It’s not close
Good shooting and best of luck.
Chris
Tennessee
