Nikon Spotting Scope

[archeryasu]

I was wondering if anyone has one of these new Nikon ED 82mm fieldscopes. (20by60 power). They are Nikons version of a high definition glass that is top of the line. I looked through a smaller one (60mm) at sportsman?s and it was very clear...just a step under the swaros. They cost around $1,200 for the 82mm but i can get them at a cheaper price . I just wanted to know if anyone has one of these and has field tested it. It is hard to tell the quality in the store and there is a big difference from looking through one in the store and out in the field. Just want some input before i make a purchase.

[lfootmatt]

I've used the 60mm ED one while Coues hunting. It was very nice, turned a group of 4 does at 1200 yards into 3 small bucks and one huge 2X2 raking the heck out of a tree! I've been told (by people with them) that the 82mm is even better and not much more weight. Just make sure you get the ED version to get the best optics. Same grade optics that Nikon uses in their high end camera lenses. I've never seen an ED glass Nikon spotting scope at SW, I've always seen the lower end spotting scopes there.

 

I know of at least 2 professional guides that are using the 60 and 82MM ED spotting scopes.

 

Consider the Digiscoping rigs also. Makes some great pics at stupidly long distances.

 

My $0.02,

 

Matt

 

 

 

I was wondering if anyone has one of these new Nikon ED 82mm fieldscopes. (20by60 power). They are Nikons version of a high definition glass that is top of the line. I looked through a smaller one (60mm) at sportsman?s and it was very clear...just a step under the swaros. They cost around $1,200 for the 82mm but i can get them at a cheaper price . I just wanted to know if anyone has one of these and has field tested it. It is hard to tell the quality in the store and there is a big difference from looking through one in the store and out in the field. Just want some input before i make a purchase.

[Coach]

I had the non-ED version and it was pretty good. Definately not in the Swarovski/Leica class, but I've heard the ED glass makes a big difference.

[archeryasu]

Thanks for the input. The sportsmans in mesa has one 62mm ED with a camera and one without. I think i am going to purchase the 82mm ED one for a whitetail hunt. Hopefully i wont be disappointed with the clarity out in the field. I am also wondering how they are in low light conditions...???

[SunDevil]

I have the 82 ED. I would highly recommend it unless you are going to be doing back packing trips because it is pretty heavy. It is definetly bigger than the 60 ED. One of the other things that is neat about the Nikon 82 ED is you can get a variable power eyepiece that zooms out to 75X. I think Zeiss and Leica max out at 65X.

 

The first time I used this scope was on a scouting trip last year in NM. The NM coues country is BIG country. I glassed up a buck in my 15s and told my buddy where it was at. We were looking him over thinking he was a decent buck but nothing special. My buddy says to me "why don't you throw that scope on him so we can see what he really looks like". So I did, zoomed right up on him at 75X and my jaw dropped. Our "decent" buck was a really nice 3X4 that we estimated to be between 100 - 105. I was amazed.

 

When I got home I broke out the topo map. Both the buck and my buddy and I were on very prominent points so it was very easy to pinpoint our locations. I marked the points, measured the distance, checked the scale and we were 8/10ths of a mile away. With that 75X scope it was like we were right there.

 

The only thing I have noticed is that when it is twilight, the later it gets the more you have to back out the zoom. It is my understanding than when it starts to get dark there just isn't enough light to compress down to say 75X and it gets blacked out.

 

I do not think you will be disappointed. CB