Rifle Scopes Help me choose a spotting scope

[SmokeRolls]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

I can only say that the Swarovski ATS-80 is great. trg42 said something important as well. Get a great tripod. I use Manfrotto. We might be able to aid you greater if we knew exactly what you are going to use it for. Range time only, range & pack hunting??? Weight and size matter when packing and trecking up mountains.......SmokeRolls

 

[Hurricane56]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheSmokeRolls</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I can only say that the Swarovski ATS-80 is great. trg42 said something important as well. Get a great tripod. I use Manfrotto. We might be able to aid you greater if we knew exactly what you are going to use it for. Range time only, range & pack hunting??? Weight and size matter when packing and trecking up mountains.......SmokeRolls </div></div>

I'm going to be using the scope for mostly range time, birding, and the occasional digiscoping. I really don't mind a larger size scope.

I'm wondering if anybody has some through the scope resolution test chart pics of the Vortex, seems like a great buy.

 

[ross2681]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

after 20 years of cheap scope i went to zeiss diascope 85mm happy with it but you also need a good mounting system for the big scopes.i have the creedmore $$ system with quick scope release. bird watchers use the movie video tripods that don't lose adjustment when moving the scope $$.

 

[Wabird]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: W.C.</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm wondering if anybody has some through the scope resolution test chart pics of the Vortex, seems like a great buy. </div></div>

W.C.
The difficulty with this is that you are adding in another factor, the camera. Megapixels, zoom/vignetting, stray light/reflections, stabalization and camera settings in general all factor in when creating a photo through an optics system such as a spotter.
This is of course if you're running a point and shoot as opposed a direct mounting system.

Take these two photos for example. The first is with no zoom from the camera, spotter eyepiece at 20x.
The second photo is still at 20x, but with the camera's zoom at 3x, set in order to eliminate the vignetting.
Just trying to show what a differenc adding a camera as a factor can do to an image.

 

[Wabird]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

disclosure: photos of flowers are acceptable within a 72 hour time frame of V-Day.

 

[XOR]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

Have you considered a pair of Canon Image Stabilized Binoculars? 15x50mm is a good range for what you are looking to do.

These binoculars have replaced my spotting scope in almost all cases. They allow you resolve bullet holes out to 300 yards with no problem. I can see impacts to 1000+ yards with no problem. They allow you to use both eyes which is more relaxing and gives your brain more ability to resolve things. That will give you 100mm of glass working for you. They can be used without a tripod as they are stabilized internally (but can be put on a tripod if you want to). They can be easily packed in a bag and are much smaller than a good quality spotting scope. I think the glass is phenomenal. They can be used for shooting, birding, sports, astronomy, etc. They also work extremely well in low light. They are also much faster for scanning terrain, following bullet traces, etc.

Don't underestimate the extra resolving power of being able to use both eyes at once. Your brain is made to use two eyes and this gives binoculars the edge in many ways over a spotting scope if you don't need extremely high power. With the image stabilization, I found that the binoculars compare with scopes that are 20X or even 30X in power in allowing my eyes to resolve details. In many cases, more power does not mean a better view. In fact, the zoom eyepieces usually wreck resolution at highest settings.

 

[steve123]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: W.C.</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheSmokeRolls</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I can only say that the Swarovski ATS-80 is great. trg42 said something important as well. Get a great tripod. I use Manfrotto. We might be able to aid you greater if we knew exactly what you are going to use it for. Range time only, range & pack hunting??? Weight and size matter when packing and trecking up mountains.......SmokeRolls </div></div>

I'm going to be using the scope for mostly range time, birding, and the occasional digiscoping. I really don't mind a larger size scope.

I'm wondering if anybody has some through the scope resolution test chart pics of the Vortex, seems like a great buy. </div></div>

I didn't go back reread all this thread.

When at the 09 NRA show I was looking through all the top spotters over and over but not side by side,except the $5000 Zeiss military type spotter.

IHMO,subjective.Here's how I would stack up the competing 77's-100's in order of WOW factor.

1.Kowa Prominar unbelievable
2.Pentax PF-100 bright and crisp...I bought one later cause it's best for $
3.Swaro Prefer the focus mechanism
4.Zeiss For some reason I just didn't think it was "all that"
5.Lieca Seemed like it needed a revamp.
6.New Vortex HD...Yep,you still get what you pay for.Not great,not horrible.

 

[sniperdude]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

I have a bushnell elite 20-60x80 ED it inly cost me about 550 new. the ed glass I think makes the difference. I use it for mainly 200 yrds but I have had good results with it out to 750 yds.

 

[Scott_at_Vortex]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DogboneS</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1911.it</div><div class="ubbcode-body">After looking through the Vortex I found it hard to imagine that the Kowa would be $1400 better so I kept the Vortex. My process was to research, buy a scope in incremental $ amounts, try it out, and keep it if I was happy with quality, features, value, etc. I stopped at the Vortex which I purchased from Cameraland and I continue to be extremely happy with it.
</div></div>

A couple thru the scope pics of the Vortex would be greatly appreciated. I am guessing the range reticle(which I'd prefer) is the only package available, yet it appears as an option in the "Tactical Brochure", can you confirm. </div></div>

As of right now the Razor HD does not come with the 30x ranging reticle. Although there is a possibility of this changing in the future.

Scott

 

[dpreston]

Re: Help me choose a spotting scope

+1 for Swarovski STS-65HD