Which Spotter

[coues7]

I'm in the market for a new spotter. I'm trying to decide between the Swarovski 80mm and the Zeiss 85mm. I've have the Swarovski 80mm before and the only draw back I found that it had was the lack of a micro focus. I've noticed that the Zeiss does have both a macro and micro focus. Does anyone have any personal experience they can lend to my decision?

 

Scott

[Red Rabbit]

just some thoughts.

Have you looked at the Kowa Prominar?

Why 85mm vs 65mm? Not concerned with size/weight/packability?

 

 

[Bucks_N_Yotes]

Don't forget to look at the new Nikon EDG spotting scopes! You will not belive the clearity and sharp image!

[firstcoueswas80]

I like the Zeiss.

[scoutm]

I have the Swarovski 80mm and really like it. If I had to do it over again though I would most likely opt for the 65mm and save the weight and a little money. It's very seldom that the extra light gathering of the 80mm proves to be a significant benefit.

 

I'd also take a look at the Nikon scopes. They are very good too.

[Coach]

While those are both good scopes, the most comfortable spotter I've looked through is the Leica Televid 77. I guess it comes down to personal preference. The micro-focus IS a very useful feature BTW.

[Red Rabbit]

The Kowa TSN 880 and 770 have a fine focus also. (Wish I had the extra $ for a top end spotter like swaro/leica/kowa)

http://www.kowa-prominar.com/product/spott...tsn880/77ft.htm

[coues7]

If birders are the judge......which I'd say they smoke us hunters on day to day use, it looks that they prefer the Swarovski to Zeiss 50:1. I've been told by a few of the optics dealers when telling them that I'm willing to spend the money for a Swarovski, that always seems to be the one they recommend OVER all others.....

 

When it comes to 65mm vs 80mm.....the 65 can't touch the 80 when it comes to magnification (as I understand it). It would seem that with the 20-60 eye piece simple math tells me that the 80mm trumps the 65mm. I guess I'm not so much concerned with weight as I am magnification.

 

In talking to a few of the optics dealers the one down side to the Kowa is that it is NOT rubber armed.....but the birders seem to love it. Leica is way out of my price range.

 

 

[cactusjack]

I had the Leica 77 but never carried it because it was HUGE!! Now I have the 62. i love the Size and how light it is. Just sayin.

[DesertDweller]

There are some great prices out there on the Leica Televids... 77 or 62mm. I saw a 77mm with a 20-60x eyepiece for $1,000.00 at Bass Pro when in LV. Something to think about... I think Doug as some special pricing on them also. DD

[coues7]

Bump for more Personal experience.

[Coach]

Another one you might look at if you are thinking about a full sized spotter is the Pentax PF80 ED. It's been the "Reference Standard" in Better View Desired (birding optics site) for years.

 

http://www.betterviewdesired.com/Pentax-80...tting-Scope.php

 

I bought one of these from Doug at Camera Land and it is a very good scope. It's also significantly less expensive than full sized Swaro, Leica and Zeiss ED/HD glass.

 

Of course, it's big. I don't carry it very far. Primarily I'm learning to use it for digiscoping.

[coues7]

My shooting buddy has one and it actually trumps the Swarovski (in my opinion) when it comes to spotting bullet holes at 200+ yards.

 

I'm pretty sure I'm going to get either the Zeiss or Swarovski but I'm trying to decide between the 65mm vs. the 80mm. Leica is way out of my range.

 

Scott

[Coues Sniper]

Scott

My advice is to get the Swaro 80 mm. I don't have any experience with the Zeiss spotter, but the Swaro quality is obviously top notch and the warranty is enough to make the difference to me. They've fixed my 15's twice for nothing when it was my fault - even next day aired them to me on a Saturday for nothing! A good buddy of mine dropped his and they sent him a loaner which was brand new and just told him to keep the new pair. You probably know all this anyways. As far as the focus, I've never had it be a problem for me. And people that say the 80 mm doesn't make much difference are full of it in my opinion. Couple years ago I was in Mexico with my old man. He has the Swar 65, I have the 80. Anyhow about a half hour before dark pops flips out saying he has a big buck bedded. He asks me to come over to help score it. I come over and can't find the thing. Pops gets frustrated and grabs my scope to put it on the buck. Then he starts laughing. Turns out it was a bush. Both Swaros, both HD's, but it was OBVIOUS in the 80 what it was. He now borrows my scope all the time - even if it's just cloudy he can tell the difference. Besides, you're young enough that weight shouldn't be a problem .

[Coach]

One last tidbit while you are making your decision. I have swaro 10x42 slc and 15x56 slc binocs. Plus I have the Pentax PF80 ED, and have owned the Swaro STS 80, Nikon Fieldscope 25-75x82 and my dad has the swaro STS 65 that I have used on several hunts.

 

There are a "rare few" hunters that actually glass through a spotting scope for extended periods. Looking through one eye for hours is BRUTAL - I've done it. Most of us glass with binocs and the scope is a means only to get a little more detail. I've personally lugged too much glass and too much tripod over too many miles to find a spotter as a "necessary" piece of equipment. I now use my PF80-ED for rifle sighting in (bullet holes as you mentioned) and digiscoping.

 

When it's time for a hunt I have found spotting scopes to be less useful than the added bulk and weight warrants. To really get the advantage that a spotting scope offers over high power binocs, you have to go full size. That means a 77+ scope and a full sized tripod. Add 12 pounds to your pack right off the bat. No day packs or "hefty" fannies - you'll need a pack that can handle 6 pounds of spotting scope and another 5-6 pounds of tripod. That's just too much in my opinion. The smaller, 65 mm scopes don't offer anything substantial over a quality pair of high powered binocs like the swaro 15x56, or even the Minox and Vortex 15 power binos - and are a heck of a lot harder to sit behind for extended periods because you are closing one eye and glassing through the other. The human brain (and eye) just doesn't like to do that for long periods of time.

 

Just for comparison, I can stick my 15x56's in the back pocket of a Cabela's hybrid 2-in-1 pack - which is just a good fanny pack with shoulder straps, outfitted with the Jim White tripod adapter, set them on a Slik Sprint Pro tripod that straps right under my fanny pack with a 1lb stool. The tripod is under 2 pounds and is plenty stable for that weight of binocular. In all honesty, more often than not, I don't even carry the big 15's. I just carry my swaro 10x42s around my neck with the afore mentioned Jim White adapter and use them on-the-fly and then as long-range, long-day glassing binos on the Slik Sprint Pro tripod. So you get the binocs on a good harness at under 3 pounds on your shoulders and ready for use, the tripod at under 2 pounds and a 3 legged stool strapped under the fanny pack.

 

I've found this ultra-lightweight setup more than sufficient to get a VERY good idea of whether a buck is worth pursuing or not. Now, a high dollar outfitter that has to be able to judge the difference between a 110" and 117" buck - under client pressure - from a mile away might need that extra magnification. But in typical hunting use, I've found that great binoculars that can sit on a light-weight tripod are all I need to locate deer and get a VERY good idea of their rack size.

 

To put it simply, mobility and simplicity trump magnification in my experience. Small spotting scopes buy you nothing over good binoculars and large spotting scopes require too much tripod to be viable in the field. A Swarovski ATS80 is going to put you out over 2 grand plus the 12 pounds of extra weight, which will more likely than not sit in the back of your truck and will NOT make it easier to locate deer or glass for extended periods.

 

If you want the very best "coues setup", in my humble opinion, but based on looking through pretty much everything out there, go light. Forget the spotter and get a GREAT pair of binoculars - Swarovski, Lieca, Zeiss, either 10x or 15x that you can sit behind ALL DAY. Two comfortable eyes behind clear glass and the right, patient mind set will find you locating and judging deer better than any spotting scope can.

 

I know I'm probably cutting against the grain here, but if you've already got great binoculars, I think investing in a tack-driving rifle is more important than a spotting scope. You can find and judge the buck without a spotting scope, but if you can't make the shot when it counts, all those pricey optics become nothing more than pack-weight on the way out.

 

Once again - just my opinion. Good luck in your selection.