Spotting Scopes

[tdot]

I'm very happy with my STX and BTX Swarovski's, it is probably the most versatile system with the best glass in the world. But I would take a Kowa over the STS lineup from Swaro. The Kowa 88 series is incredible. But I decided to pony up the cash for an optics system that would fit me for the next 20 years. It took a number of years and alot of disappointment in lesser scopes, but very happy I finally took the plunge.

[KodiakHntr]

I have never met anyone who has ponied up the money for top tier glass, who has said that they could downgrade to recover some money with a lesser product and be just as happy.



Sure see that with all other gear though. There are always ads out there for top shelf gear that has "can't justify the price of it to sit in the garage and get used once", but you never see "selling my Swarovski, down sizing to a Nikon".

[TARCHER]

now is a great time for buying used high end optics. I had bought a swarovski for a muskwa trip a few yrs back. Awesome scope. I sold it to buy a new rifle. A few weeks ago I bought a lightly used Zeiss dialyt 18-45x65 for basically half price. Its going to be handy for me to positively identify immature moose at 250-300 yds. I have zeiss 7x42 dialyts for the past 30 yrs but had to pass on a few animals as I wasnt sure. Last summer I bought Leica ultravid 10x42 hd thinking That would be the answer and had to pass on a small bull lasdt fall hence anothe spotting scope lol. If I could get any bull draw I could save some money.

[300rum700]

I have never met anyone who has ponied up the money for top tier glass, who has said that they could downgrade to recover some money with a lesser product and be just as happy.



Sure see that with all other gear though. There are always ads out there for top shelf gear that has "can't justify the price of it to sit in the garage and get used once", but you never see "selling my Swarovski, down sizing to a Nikon".

Every time your read a reply come back and read this post. Theres no short cut to good glass.

[blacksn95]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone!! I will read through it and hopefully have a chance and look through some Scopes once this whole Covid thing is over and see what I like..

Vince

[Krico]

Cheap optics suck, and I hate them all. Cheap spotters suck the hardest, and I hate them the most.

Mine is a Swarovski ATS 65mm with 20-60 eyepiece I found for a song ($1,500), when retail was like $2,500 -$3,000). I’d have happily bought Zeiss or Leica at that price too.

[HighCountryBC]

Cheap optics suck, and I hate them all. Cheap spotters suck the hardest, and I hate them the most.

Mine is a Swarovski ATS 65mm with 20-60 eyepiece I found for a song ($1,500), when retail was like $2,500 -$3,000). I’d have happily bought Zeiss or Leica at that price too.

Couldn't agree more.

Buy nice or buy twice.

[TeamGrizzly]

I use a Celestron Trailseeker 100. It's pretty big for a spotter and I mainly use it at the range. The price is good at around $500-600 and the image quality is good too. Though I am curious how it would stack up to high end glass. Also the availability is limited to Amazon since lower mainland telescope & camera shops that deal with Celestron seem to be unable to get their spotters. (Also Amazon is the cheapest.)

Mike

[HarryToolips]

I carry a Swarovski 20-60x65, and it is not bad glass. If I were doing it over again, I would wait and save more money and buy the Leica.

That said, I have used the Vortex Razor side by side at last light a few times with my Swarovski, and the image to my eye was a bit sharper. That was likely due to the fine focus on the Vortex vs the slightly coarser single focus ring of the Swarovski.


If you are a sheep hunter, and going to be using it every year, spend the money. If you aren't super serious about it then the Vortex will likely do fine for counting tines on muleys or moose.

I have the Vortex Razor 65 mm and really like the fine focus knob...I am very impressed with the quality of the scope but then again I've never compared it to higher end spotters...

[KodiakHntr]

I have the Vortex Razor 65 mm and really like the fine focus knob...I am very impressed with the quality of the scope but then again I've never compared it to higher end spotters...

Yeah, they definitely got the fine focus correct on the Vortex. It is reasonable glass for sure, when you consider the price point.