Spotting Scope

[windjammer]

Saw an add in Guns & Ammo for a Zeiss 60 spotting scope. $5250.

I knew Zeiss was high, but $5250.......WOW

 

[mwtdvm]

OTOH you could have, like me, bought a Tasco.. Which is as close to worthless as a scope can get.. Poor resolution and chromatic aberration (Colors around the object you are viewing) OTA.

There has to be a satisfactory compromise somewhere, but I do not know where it is. Kowa seems to be well thought of but they sure aren't cheap..

Other opinions needed!!

 

[OKFC05]

Leupold has made some decent ones.
Haven't bought one in quite a while.
http://www.precisionscopes.com...8/product/SSLP-61060

 

[jkc]

I bit the bullet a while back and bought a very expensive Leica 20-60x/77mmAPO scope that is a marvel. I have described the features and clothing of humans observed at almost six miles distant. My only other experience with a quality spotting scope was with a friend's, Leupold 20-60x, which was adequate to allow us to determine sex, species, and score of deer at about 750 yards, and which may be adequate for most people's purposes, for lots less money.

 

[gunsmith11]

I think that is why I like aperature sights

 

[dave b]

The Zeiss 60 is high, but it comes with a cute little naked blonde to describe the view and give you a rub down.

 

[Blazin Bill]

Kowa's 77mm or 82mm spotting scope will serve you well. You can sometimes find a used 77mm pretty cheap.

 

[Dan Cash]

Originally posted by mwtdvm:
OTOH you could have, like me, bought a Tasco.. Which is as close to worthless as a scope can get.. Poor resolution and chromatic aberration (Colors around the object you are viewing) OTA.

There has to be a satisfactory compromise somewhere, but I do not know where it is. Kowa seems to be well thought of but they sure aren't cheap..

Other opinions needed!!

Check out http://www.jarheadtop.com/ He sells a KONUS scope for about $250. that is superb and has a satisfaction guaranteed plus a buy back offer if you want to upgrade to a KOWA. I bought the KONUS when I was shopping for a KOWA and am still using the KONUS. I shoot black powder cartridge matches with ranges to 1000 yards +. The KONUS works well for me.

 

[bummer]

Originally posted by Dan Cash:

Originally posted by mwtdvm:
OTOH you could have, like me, bought a Tasco.. Which is as close to worthless as a scope can get.. Poor resolution and chromatic aberration (Colors around the object you are viewing) OTA.

There has to be a satisfactory compromise somewhere, but I do not know where it is. Kowa seems to be well thought of but they sure aren't cheap..

Other opinions needed!!

Check out http://www.jarheadtop.com/ He sells a KONUS scope for about $250. that is superb and has a satisfaction guaranteed plus a buy back offer if you want to upgrade to a KOWA. I bought the KONUS when I was shopping for a KOWA and am still using the KONUS. I shoot black powder cartridge matches with ranges to 1000 yards +. The KONUS works well for me.

Dan, whats the eye relief like on your Konus? I wear glasses so I need 15mm or more.

 

[sar4937]

I bought a Leupold 60 for $450 for Highpower. It does not have the clarity of a Kowa, and I can not always see shots well enough to score them. I was new to Highpower and spotting scopes, and did not realize you don't get as clear of an image on high magnification.

 

[RonJ]

I'm not too happy with my Leupold either. Given their reputation for rifle scopes I'm surprised they put their name on their imported spotting scopes. I have a 25 year old Bushnell with 20 & 45 power eye pieces. It's clearer and more contrasty than the Leupold but the eye relief is poor. (See my ad in the classifieds.)
In the low to medium priced scopes I've heard a lot of good things about Celestron and that'll probably be my next scope.

 

[oldRoger]

I have a Nikon I bought refurbished, about 40% discount. Still not cheap but a very fine scope. When you decide what you want, I suggest a web search for the scope make and model "+ refurbished". You may find a bargain.

 

[s&wchad]

I have a Leupold Gold Ring 12-40 x 60 (not the HD version) and it's a decent spotter. It's compact and light enough to use it in the field and the image is crisp enough to make out holes in the black at 200 meters. I wouldn't pay $800 for it, but nice used ones sometimes turn up for $400-$500.

I've owned a Swarovski CT spotting scope for a while and I'm spoiled by it. It's a draw tube type with a focusing eyepiece. It's fairly long when extended and it's heavy, but it's wonderfully clear and bright. It takes a little longer to get set up on target, but it's the one I usually take to the range. It's a strange design and they don't seem very popular in the USA, so used ones sell cheap. Great glass.

This is it collapsed behind the Mountain Revolver.

Link to CT scopes:
http://www.obm.co.uk/products/db/ct85.htm

 

[perrazi]

in spotting scopes and binoculars,if the price doesn't bother you, then they aren't good enough. buy the best and only cry once.right now, the best are european,leica,swarovski, and zeiss. can't go wrong with any of them.

 

[Farmer17]

I bought a Leupold Sequoia for about $300 and it is not as clear as I would like so I guess you have to really lay out some serious cash to get something decent.

 

[m657]

Years ago I was too poor to get a good scope so I got the best one I could afford. And a year later another one, a step up. And a year later another one, another step up.

I finally stumbled into an incredible deal on a Swarovski AT80 from a guy on a birder forum, whose kids had bought him an ever better one....

The AT80 is most excellent. I have spotted things I never knew was out there, and I have observed the rings of Saturn with it. Not bad for a sub-4" scope.

You also need a reallyReallyREALLY good tripod to be able to use the advantages of really good glass.

My eyes continue to dwindle, but at least with teh Swarovski I can see fine while using it.

 

[skeetshooter]

Try this link
http://www.alpenoutdoor.com/html/spotting_scopes.html
I have the model 788 20-60X80 offset eyepiece and the Apex 10X42 binocular I also have the 10X40 Swarovski binoc and the Alpen are superb.

 

[perrazi]

that's one thing about really good glass. you will see things you never knew was there. anything in bright sunlight looks reasonable,but the really good stuff is usable when it's not.

 

[Babalooie]

Google Konus spotting scopes. After doing the same, I bought one.