spotting scopes 101

adubs · Jun 21, 2016

ok, I need some help here picking out a spotting scope. I just drew my first antelope tag in unit 67 in WY. I've been elk hunting the past 18 years and haven't purchased a spotting scope to this point because most of the units I've hunted it wasn't necessary (and my brother has a great swaro that I've been able to use on our hunts together). I'm only 36 years old and I have 8-12 pts for every species in every state out west that I can be building pts for. I know I will have a lot of hunts in my future where good quality glass will be extremely important. I honestly have very little knowledge about spotting scopes and feel a little overwhelmed trying to figure out which one would be best. (size, angled vs straight, brand, etc...) I know that its kinda a gmc/ford/dodge can of worms to be opening but I'd like some spotting scope basics from some of you that have spent a lot of time behind glass on hunts to pass along things I won't learn in a store. I know most of my hunts will be backpack style so I'm leaning at the 65's and I know from the research I've done that swaro's are at the head of the class for quality. Cost honestly isn't a deciding factor as I wouldn't mind saving money but the cost difference of $1500 and $2500 wouldn't sway me as I just want to get one that I know I'll be happy with when I'm on my hunts. I've learned over the years to just buy what you really want the first time and it will actually save you money in the long run. what are the different options with swaro's and what do you like or not like about angled vs straight? What eye piece do you like for what reasons? Also I live in farm country in west central WI so it's not exactly easy to find a place to look out at great distances to compare different scopes. Thanks for any tips or bits of knowledge you can pass on.

Cahunter805 · Jun 21, 2016

Swarovski all the way. Vortex razor hd if you want to save some cash.

Weiserbucks · Jun 21, 2016

I have the Swarovski 20-60x80 HD and I really like it . If you get a chance, try the wide angle eye piece, a lot of people like em

hunt30 · Jun 21, 2016

In my opinion, the Kowa 88 with the 25-60 eyepiece has the finest view, and the Kowa 66 with the 20-60 is the best value.

hank4elk · Jun 22, 2016

If I had the dough,Swaros.
Swaros,Kowa would be on my top end.
Leupold GR,Alpen,Vortex in mid range.
60's over 80's
I had the Leupold GR but they gave me eye problems w/long use.

My Alpen's are better than Vortex overall,by far.IMHO
My Binos are Alpen too,but I did upgrade my rifle scope to Zeiss from Leupold 2 years ago.

High quality glass is more $ and worth it.
Folks that think otherwise need to get their eyes checked...or get glasses.

hornkiller · Jun 22, 2016

Swarovski all the way! You can take all that leupold junk throw em all in a big pile and set fire to it. You can spend $300-$800 on mid range junk every 3-5 years in the end you screw yourself! save some more $ and buy good glass find and kill better animals imo.

mulebuck · Jun 22, 2016

Swaro or Kowa are my choices. Leica & Zeiss are great too.

I compared the Vortex Razor HD & Swaro scopes side by side (both straight, 80mm). At mid day they were very comparable. Slightly less heat waves in the Swaro and a hair more crisp. At low light conditions though, the Vortex was completely outmatched. Swaro gathered more light and clarity was better as well.
I ended up buying the Swaro 95mm. Since they are modular, my next purchase will be the 65mm objective for backpack hunts.

As far as choosing angled or straight, that can be tough. I'v always used straight so I'm accustomed to it. I've tried the angled and it just seemed foreign to me. For me, its easier/faster to locate game quickly when using a straight. That is, assuming you are panning with bino's, locate animals, then use spotter to evaluate. That can actually matter when animals are moving or in cover and time is limited.

Good luck. Let us know what you decide.

Fortis · Jun 23, 2016

I'll take the S2 from Meopta over anything made except for the Swaro modular spotters that go for $4k. I've had the Meopta side by side with my Kowa 884, Zeiss 85T Fl, and several others and I wound up keeping the S2. It's a phenomenal scope.

http://www.petersenshunting.com/featured/bes-spotting-scopes-of-2013/

muleymaddness · Jun 23, 2016

I hear lots of people recommend the Kowa. What model in the 66 lineup is best? Is it this one? Kowa TSN-664M

hunt30 · Jun 23, 2016

The TSN-664M is the straight version and the TSN-663M is the angled version. Both have the XD glass. Good Scopes

fatrooster · Jun 25, 2016

I'm a Swarovski man. Kowa, Leica and Zeiss are all comparable in visibility to the Swaro and it turns into a personal preference. The deal changer is Swarovski's reputation for honoring its warranty and the support of accessories for digiscoping and other activities.
For mid level I like Meopta for clarity and quality. Vortex has a great warranty and also has many accessories. If you aren't worried about money then buy once, cry once and get the Swarovski. You already know that its a great product from using your brothers spotter. Goodluck, fatrooster.

SHEDYGAGA · Jun 27, 2016

You have a couple pieces to a spotting scope.
The body which performs a certain amount of magnification, and you have the eye piece which performs the rest of the magnification.
If one body performs more magnification than another body, then it will use less eye piece magnification to get to the same power.

You have the objective which lets light in, and funnels it to the eyepiece. And you have the angle of view of the eye piece giving you two sizes, one on each end.
A larger front end lets in more light and gives you more glass to look through before you get to the edge and start to see edge distortion. However, on the eye piece end, using a wider angle eyepiece will give you more use of the front end and bring you closer to the edges of the front end. It may cause more edge distortion, but its worth the extra light and the extra field of view that allows you to locate subjects faster.

The materials used in the glass itself. Lenses made entirely of fluorite, or lenses that use fluorite will be higher end and better quality. You will see all kinds of crap advertising B.S. in the lens part of it. What matters is what the lens is made of and how it is made. Thinner, more compact, dense glass made of top materials will alter the light less as it passes through the glass, This gives you a better image.
Advertisers market the crap out of H.D. , E.D. , D.O. , and so on and so on. Its all a waste of time if the materials and the process is not there. Call it whatever you want, brand it whatever you want, it doesn't mean a hill of beans. Its just a label.

Quality of construction and coatings. I will throw these in together. I am NOT a big coatings guy. A scope that is built well, and tight is going to last longer and have less problems. All companies use coatings. They all argue that they have the best coatings and that the coatings are all important. Unless you get to use a Swarovski that has not been coated, and then use one that has been coated, how do you know what difference the coatings make?
Maybe they do, maybe its all a gimmick. We will probably never know. Argue that all you want, but in the end, I believe it is no different than a filter on the front of a camera lens.
Filters of all kinds and shapes have been used to give different effects.
Scope coatings act like filters, they are purpose built for spotting scopes and most likely help soften harsh light and enhance weak light, much like photographic filters.

Angled V/S straight, I give the hell up. Its a waste of time to argue it. I only use angled. Lots of guys wont use anything but straight. The only thing that matters is what you like. So, go try them and decide, then forget about it. Its a waste of time to argue it.

Scopes are not complicated. I don't care what one you get. Guys love their brand. Good for them. I have several brands. I have my preferences.

At the end of the day, I have seen guys with mega expensive glass get out glassed by guys with bottom of the barrel bargain brand scopes. You cant buy your way to being good behind glass. The only way to get there is to spend a lot of time behind it.

If you can afford the Kowa, or a Leica, and still be able to go out and use it, buy one.
If you buy a Swarovski and are so broke you cant afford to go anywhere to use it, you wasted your money.
Leupold, Nikon, Vortex, Meopta, ect all make decent gear at decent prices. Just make sure you can use your fancy new toy after you drop the cash.
And please, don't buy something you cant afford on credit, just so that you can feel like you got the best gear there is. Its not worth it. Be smart.

Don't be a fan boy. Be a wise consumer.