I am in the market for a new spotting scope. I am considering a Cabelas Big Sky HD and a Minox ED. I have not looked through a Minox yet though. Also I have the option to buy a Leica Televid 77, 2 years old, for $700 from a friend. I know that's a great deal, but I don't want one that big. I took it deer scouting last weekend and packed it for 3 days and it was heavy and hardly fit in my pack with all my other stuff. Also, what about Leupolds HD spotting scope? Too many options. What are your thoughts? I don't have the cash to buy a new fancy Leica, Zeiss, Swaro., etc. Thanks.
Help on picking a new spotting scope
- Thread starter ELKLOVER
- Start date
D
deserthorn
Guest
For me Vortex are the way to go.
Jake
Jake
forkhunter
Active Member
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Sent you a PM on my suggestions. There are a lot of choices out there. Good luck.
mountainstalker
Member
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I would take a look at Vortex nomad or skyline.
Foreman4x4
Very Active Member
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LAST EDITED ON Jul-22-08 AT 06:10PM (MST)[p]Guarantee you'll never find a better scope for the money than that Leica 77. If it were me, I'd buy it in a heartbeat and deal with the little extra weight/size. If you're dead set against carrying the Leica, I'd still buy it and either try to find someone to trade with who has a Leica 62mm, or Zeiss or Swarovski 65mm and wants a bigger objective, or I'd resale it on Ebay and get what I wanted.
I talked to a guy last week who was selling a Vortex Skyline ED. Said he thought it was a good scope until he went scouting with a couple other guys who had a Swarovski 80mm and a Zeiss 85mm and the Vortex was left sucking hind tit. Basically said there was no comparison. Said he could tell they were looking at bucks, but the other guys could count points and pick out specific detail.
I talked to a guy last week who was selling a Vortex Skyline ED. Said he thought it was a good scope until he went scouting with a couple other guys who had a Swarovski 80mm and a Zeiss 85mm and the Vortex was left sucking hind tit. Basically said there was no comparison. Said he could tell they were looking at bucks, but the other guys could count points and pick out specific detail.
Foreman4x4
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A lot depends on condition of course, but I'd guess somewhere in the $1,200.00 to $1,400.00 range, depending on how quickly you wanted to move it.
R
RACKMASTER
Guest
the new Zeiss 85 is top new top dog...
but very pricey $$$$$$ LIKE $2200.
I'm thinkig of UPGRADING just looking for a deal!
rm
but very pricey $$$$$$ LIKE $2200.
I'm thinkig of UPGRADING just looking for a deal!
rm
N
nezzy
Guest
Nikon XL Spotter II, great glass, around $400. I really like mine
Q
qbeamit
Guest
i actually got my new vortex nomad in the mail yesterday. its amazing. i cant believe people spend 2k on a scope when you can get this for a fraction of the price...
save your money..
save your money..
S
Spencer
Guest
LAST EDITED ON Jul-24-08 AT 04:00PM (MST)[p]>I talked to a guy last
>week who was selling a
>Vortex Skyline ED. Said he
>thought it was a good
>scope until he went scouting
>with a couple other guys
>who had a Swarovski 80mm
>and a Zeiss 85mm and
>the Vortex was left sucking
>hind tit. Basically said there
>was no comparison.
I would hope there was no comparison between a $700 scope (Skyline ED) and a $2200 scope (Zeiss) or a $2300 scope (Swaro). What did this guy think he was getting when he bought the Skyline? Did he not look through any other glass before he bought the Skyline?
Scott
Member: RMEF, SCI, and NRA
>week who was selling a
>Vortex Skyline ED. Said he
>thought it was a good
>scope until he went scouting
>with a couple other guys
>who had a Swarovski 80mm
>and a Zeiss 85mm and
>the Vortex was left sucking
>hind tit. Basically said there
>was no comparison.
I would hope there was no comparison between a $700 scope (Skyline ED) and a $2200 scope (Zeiss) or a $2300 scope (Swaro). What did this guy think he was getting when he bought the Skyline? Did he not look through any other glass before he bought the Skyline?
Scott
Member: RMEF, SCI, and NRA
LAST EDITED ON Jul-24-08 AT 01:00PM (MST)[p]This is crazy, but true. Last night myself and 3 buddies who have all hunted and looked through optics for over 20-30 years each compared a Leica Televid 77 and a Cabela's Big Sky HD 20-60x - 66. We looked through them at the same spot on a ridge from an hour and a half before dark all the way till dark. 3 of us couldn't tell a difference between the two (MAYBE right at dark the Leica might have been a tiny bit brighter, MAYBE) and one of us actually liked the Cablea's more! We all have good eyesight and know what to look for in a good glass. So how do you explain that? Anyone know who makes the Cabela's Big Sky?
Q
qbeamit
Guest
they are probably all made at the same plant somewhere and distributed out to all the different vendors who put their little logo on it..and they say its the premier glass.
i felt a little guilty for not buying an american made leupold, until i realized they didnt feel guilty for charging me twice as much as my vortex cost.
i felt a little guilty for not buying an american made leupold, until i realized they didnt feel guilty for charging me twice as much as my vortex cost.
Foreman4x4
Very Active Member
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LAST EDITED ON Jul-26-08 AT 02:34PM (MST)[p]>LAST EDITED ON Jul-24-08
>AT 04:00 PM (MST)
>
>>I talked to a guy last
>>week who was selling a
>>Vortex Skyline ED. Said he
>>thought it was a good
>>scope until he went scouting
>>with a couple other guys
>>who had a Swarovski 80mm
>>and a Zeiss 85mm and
>>the Vortex was left sucking
>>hind tit. Basically said there
>>was no comparison.
>
>I would hope there was no
>comparison between a $700 scope
>(Skyline ED) and a $2200
>scope (Zeiss) or a $2300
>scope (Swaro). What did this
>guy think he was getting
>when he bought the Skyline?
>Did he not look through
>any other glass before he
>bought the Skyline?
>
>Scott
>Member: RMEF, SCI, and NRA
Probably the same thing as everyone else who thinks they're getting a free lunch by buying Vortex....
>AT 04:00 PM (MST)
>
>>I talked to a guy last
>>week who was selling a
>>Vortex Skyline ED. Said he
>>thought it was a good
>>scope until he went scouting
>>with a couple other guys
>>who had a Swarovski 80mm
>>and a Zeiss 85mm and
>>the Vortex was left sucking
>>hind tit. Basically said there
>>was no comparison.
>
>I would hope there was no
>comparison between a $700 scope
>(Skyline ED) and a $2200
>scope (Zeiss) or a $2300
>scope (Swaro). What did this
>guy think he was getting
>when he bought the Skyline?
>Did he not look through
>any other glass before he
>bought the Skyline?
>
>Scott
>Member: RMEF, SCI, and NRA
Probably the same thing as everyone else who thinks they're getting a free lunch by buying Vortex....
S
Spencer
Guest
>Probably the same thing as everyone
>else who thinks they're getting
>a free lunch by buying
>Vortex....
I actually think the Vortex holds up well, perhaps even better, against the other scopes in the $700 range.
Scott
Member: RMEF, SCI, and NRA
>else who thinks they're getting
>a free lunch by buying
>Vortex....
I actually think the Vortex holds up well, perhaps even better, against the other scopes in the $700 range.
Scott
Member: RMEF, SCI, and NRA
B
bullmania
Guest
Leica in my opinion is hard to beat. You answered yourself though looking thru different optics at the same object and distance under the same light conditions.
Bull
Bull
GoatT
Active Member
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I had the Cabela's HD and Hated it. I traded it in and went and bought me a Vortex Nomad. While there isn't much difference in the glass and light that it lets in they are both very similar. I decided on the Vortex for two reasons: Price and packability (Weight)...
http://www.trophyblogger.com/Goat
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http://www.trophyblogger.com/Goat
http://www.trophyblogger.com
T
tufcntry
Guest
there is an antelope guide in wyoming using a fujinon spotting scope and a friend of mine wasw out there with his swarovski and said the fujinon was right there with it.
Q
qbeamit
Guest
obviously any of these scopes made in 2008 will perform well enough...so why pay 2k when $300 vortex will do all you need.
vortex:
break it, so what. lose it, so what. stolen, so what.
swaro:
scratch it: cry.
vortex:
break it, so what. lose it, so what. stolen, so what.
swaro:
scratch it: cry.
Foreman4x4
Very Active Member
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- 2,127
>vortex:
>break it, so what. lose it,
>so what. stolen, so what.
Prezactly! You should write adds for them.....
>break it, so what. lose it,
>so what. stolen, so what.
Prezactly! You should write adds for them.....
Scouting versus hunting.
Their is a difference...some guys want to count the hair on a animals nose when scouting, and thats great! If I lived out west and had the time, I am sure I would have a $2000 spotter.
But being a guy that goes out west once a year who doesn't have the money to scout, the cheaper spotters work.
All I want to do, is be able to tell that the animal is a shooter. Put the spotter away/make a plan/ and go for it.
Last trip I went on, my buddy used an old winchester 20x50x60. Deer was about a mile out. I could see his width/height..he was the best one we saw in 3 days...we made a stalk and my buddy got him 3 hours later.
Just wanted to let some of these guys know, you don't have to spend thousands to acomplish YOUR goal.
Not trying to put anyone down that has a high dollar spotter.
Their is a difference...some guys want to count the hair on a animals nose when scouting, and thats great! If I lived out west and had the time, I am sure I would have a $2000 spotter.
But being a guy that goes out west once a year who doesn't have the money to scout, the cheaper spotters work.
All I want to do, is be able to tell that the animal is a shooter. Put the spotter away/make a plan/ and go for it.
Last trip I went on, my buddy used an old winchester 20x50x60. Deer was about a mile out. I could see his width/height..he was the best one we saw in 3 days...we made a stalk and my buddy got him 3 hours later.
Just wanted to let some of these guys know, you don't have to spend thousands to acomplish YOUR goal.
Not trying to put anyone down that has a high dollar spotter.
W
wyoelkchaser
Guest
I have two spotting scopes that I use for scouting and guiding. One is a Swaro HD and the other is the Leupold HD. I use the Leupold in my pack and I think it is about the best and most versatile scope on the market. It doen't take up a lot of room in the pack, it's light, and for predawn and dusk at 12x with the 60mm objective it draws in more light the binos, and for the most part 40x is more that enough to see far. Anything over that and the heat waves really affect the image anyway. Plus Leupold has a digital camera adapter for it and with the HD glass it takes great scouting pics.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
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