Best 55-65mm lightweight portable spotting scope?

[Mr. Monday]

I am shopping for a 55-65mm objective lens spotting scope that ideally weighs less than 45 oz. The scope will be used for hunting and digiscoping with my Fuji X-T20. Compatibility with a top notch zoom EP that's bright and pin sharp at 40x is essential because I won't be using any fixed mag EPs. I would like to have both a coarse and fine focus knob and prefer an angled EP but I would sacrifice these features for better glass. My budget is $1000 but can be stretched up to $1200 if I find a scope that's a significant upgrade to the ones I can get for $1000. I'm only looking at used scopes and I'm willing to bide my time until the right deal presents itself.

I originally had my heart set on a used Leica Televid 62 APO with the 16-48x zoom EP but after further research it seems like this zoom EP doesn't take advantage of the glass quality of the Leica and there are reviews from people having issues with long term durability.

The Kowa TSN-553 seems like the perfect tool for the job, but it's new and there won't be any on the used market in my price range for a few years.

Others that I am considering include the Zeiss Dialyt, Meopta 75, Opticron MM4 60, Nikon 60ED, Kowa TSN 600 or 660 series, Minox MD 62, Pentax PF-65ED II, and Celestron Regal M2.

I am leaning toward the Opticron primarily because of the weight and the fine focus adjustment.

I would love to hear your thoughts on these scopes or any other scopes that you think I should be looking at.

 

[Bones]

There was a 62mm Leica in the classifieds that Broomd had listed. Lightweight with a wide angle fixed eyepiece. I have the 55mm kowa, which saves some weight and doesn't give up much optically unless you get much larger objectives.


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[dotman]

With your budget this is the best glass you will find http://www.rokslide.com/forums/roks...levid-62mm-apo-spotter-angled-wide-angle.html

 

[Mr. Monday]

There was a 62mm Leica in the classifieds that Broomd had listed. Lightweight with a wide angle fixed eyepiece. I have the 55mm kowa, which saves some weight and doesn't give up much optically unless you get much larger objectives.


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With your budget this is the best glass you will find http://www.rokslide.com/forums/roks...levid-62mm-apo-spotter-angled-wide-angle.html

I saw Broomd's classified post but I'm only looking at scopes with zoom EPs. Broomd said something about how he thought the Leica 16-48x EP was subpar which has put me off of the Leica 62 APO since I will only be using it with the zoom EP. I wish I could afford the 55mm Kowa, I can see myself picking one up on the used market in a few years.

 

[dotman]

I wouldn't be afraid of a fixed eyepiece, they usually are superior as they are perfected to a single power. If you can wait why not just save up for the Kowa 55, sounds like Luke will have his review out shortly. Use "rokslide" for a discount at sandsarchery.

 

[Mr. Monday]

I wouldn't be afraid of a fixed eyepiece, they usually are superior as they are perfected to a single power. If you can wait why not just save up for the Kowa 55, sounds like Luke will have his review out shortly. Use "rokslide" for a discount at sandsarchery.

I'm not afraid of fixed eyepieces, all my camera lenses are primes, but this specific scope will only wear a zoom EP so buying a scope that is compatible with a top of the line zoom EP is important.

It's a principle thing, I don't like buying anything new. I buy everything that I can used so that I don't have to take the initial depreciation hit and I can sell it for close to if not exactly what I paid for it in the future.

 

[outdoor_matt]

I saw that Leica, and thought, man what a sweet piece of glass.
However, I just purchased a Kowa 664M a couple weeks ago from the classified's here. Now the only other spotter I owned was a Vortex Viper 15-45x65mm HD, and the Kowa blows that thing out of the water. I've never looked through really high end, though, so keep that in mind. The clarity on the Kowa is brilliant, and if the conditions are good, it does just fine at 60x. For the hunting and scouting I do, I'm pretty sure I'll never upgrade after this, and I'm completely satisfied with that notion. I just can't seem to find a reason to spend more, when to my eyes, I can't imagine glass getting a whole lot clearer. Now I am sure the top 65mm spotters may have a little edge on this Kowa, but I have no problem with that.

BTW, I pretty much follow your buy/sell philosophy as well, most of the time it's your best bang for buck getting everything used.

 

[flyinsquirel]

Get that Nikon from Tanner if it ain't sold yet. Checks all yor boxes but the angled eyepiece.

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[Mr. Monday]

I saw that Leica, and thought, man what a sweet piece of glass.
However, I just purchased a Kowa 664M a couple weeks ago from the classified's here. Now the only other spotter I owned was a Vortex Viper 15-45x65mm HD, and the Kowa blows that thing out of the water. I've never looked through really high end, though, so keep that in mind. The clarity on the Kowa is brilliant, and if the conditions are good, it does just fine at 60x. For the hunting and scouting I do, I'm pretty sure I'll never upgrade after this, and I'm completely satisfied with that notion. I just can't seem to find a reason to spend more, when to my eyes, I can't imagine glass getting a whole lot clearer. Now I am sure the top 65mm spotters may have a little edge on this Kowa, but I have no problem with that.

BTW, I pretty much follow your buy/sell philosophy as well, most of the time it's your best bang for buck getting everything used.

The Leica is really tempting, I see them going for $8-900 on ebay with the fixed EP. Unfortunately it seems like it may not have the best zoom EP option. If I go with the Kowa I will probably opt for the 60mm version to save some weight, I really like the fact that it goes all the way to 60x even if it is a bit dim, it's handy to have for target shooting. I don't like the fact that it doesn't have a fine focus adjustment and I'm leaning toward the Opticron because it has the fine focus adjustment but it's hard to choose between the two.

Get that Nikon from Tanner if it ain't sold yet. Checks all yor boxes but the angled eyepiece.

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Link?

 

[flyinsquirel]

Relist, Repaired: Nikon Fieldscope ED 20-60x60mm

Relist, Repaired: Nikon Fieldscope ED 20-60x60mm

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[Mr. Monday]

Relist, Repaired: Nikon Fieldscope ED 20-60x60mm

Relist, Repaired: Nikon Fieldscope ED 20-60x60mm

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【TOP MINT】Nikon Fieldscope ED III Lens w/Case from Japan #277 | eBay

 

[Mr. Monday]

Just purchased the Leica APO 62 for $900 with the zoom EP, hopefully it doesn't suck.

 

[dotman]

I bet you'll be happy with it, thing with birders and even optic reviewers, they can be snobs and nitpick tiny things the majority of us don't notice.

Also they are being picky probably with this eyepiece when compared to other alpha glass, I bet most would take it over a razor.

 

[Mr. Monday]

I bet you'll be happy with it, thing with birders and even optic reviewers, they can be snobs and nitpick tiny things the majority of us don't notice.

Also they are being picky probably with this eyepiece when compared to other alpha glass, I bet most would take it over a razor.

I'm sure it'll be fine for my usage. I found that the zoom EPs were going for more than twice as much as the fixed EPs on the used market so it won't be too expensive if I want to switch over to fixed in the future.

The Vortex would have been about $100 cheaper and would have a better warranty but theres something about the retro styling of the old Leica's that I like, especially with the Leica green case.

 

[Broomd]

I bet you'll be happy with it, thing with birders and even optic reviewers, they can be snobs and nitpick tiny things the majority of us don't notice.

Also they are being picky probably with this eyepiece when compared to other alpha glass, I bet most would take it over a razor.

The fact is Leica's 62/77mm zoom is damn fine, but the simple truth is after eyeing any wide angle zoom of Swaro, Kowa, manufacture they never quite satisfy.

For the money the Leica with any eyepiece is awesome especially considering how long they have been around!

 

[dotman]

The fact is Leica's 62/77mm zoom is damn fine, but the simple truth is after eyeing any wide angle zoom of Swaro, Kowa, manufacture they never quite satisfy.

For the money the Leica with any eyepiece is awesome especially considering how long they have been around!

Yeah that's what I was guessing, after having the WA on my swaro I would say the same about the 20-60 from swaro.

 

[Mr. Monday]

The fact is Leica's 62/77mm zoom is damn fine, but the simple truth is after eyeing any wide angle zoom of Swaro, Kowa, manufacture they never quite satisfy.

For the money the Leica with any eyepiece is awesome especially considering how long they have been around!

Yeah that's what I was guessing, after having the WA on my swaro I would say the same about the 20-60 from swaro.

I wish I could use the newer Leica 25-50 WA on my 62 theres one for $450 that I would pick up in a heartbeat if it was compatible.

 

[Broomd]

Yeah that's what I was guessing, after having the WA on my swaro I would say the same about the 20-60 from swaro.

Yep, agreed. And I regard the swaro as slightly better, especially given it is a true 20-60, not a 16-48.

 

[Mr. Monday]

Anybody know what eyepiece is on the new Kowa TSN-553? Is it compatible with Kowa's WA zoom eyepiece?

 

[twall13]

Anybody know what eyepiece is on the new Kowa TSN-553? Is it compatible with Kowa's WA zoom eyepiece?

The Kowa tsn-553 has a fixed eye piece. I think they were trying to save weight but it's not removable. It's a sweet little spotter but it has a few drawbacks that you have to take into consideration.

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