Compact Spotters - Budget Options

[nobody]

Hey Roksliders! Looking for some hands on experiences, trying to help my brother out. He’s young and his finances are stretched, new baby and everything. But he loves to hunt and is slowly buying things on deals as he can afford them.

He doesn’t have a spotter, and due to the way we hunt, he’s come to the conclusion that he wants one of the compact options, and wants to stay under about $800. He’s got it narrowed down to the following 4 options:

1. Maven CS1A
2. Vortex Razor 11-33x50
3. Kowa TSN-501
4. Leupold GR 10-20x40

We’ve looked through the Maven and the Vortex, but never the Kowa or Leupold. Oddly enough, the Leupold was suggested as another option by one of the Vortex employees at the Expo as another viable option. I’ve looked through other Kowa optics, but never the compact 501 budget spotter.

Can anybody chime in on the Kowa I’ve listed above or the Leupold? Anybody used them? My guess is the Leupold is dim because of the 40mm objective.

Help is much appreciated, thanks everyone!

 

[Mag_7s]

I'm my opinion I would rule out the Vortex 11-33x50 Vortex. I have one and I'm not a fan. I'm not sure how this is in their Razor line. If they improved the eyepiece, then maybe I would have a different opinion. Seems like there is alot of respect for the kowa on here.

 

[realunlucky]

High quality 15's will do everything better than a midgrade 50mm spotter, and have better resell value when he wants to upgrade. I'd personally definitely lean that way everything is a compromise in that price range.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[philos]

I would consider the Hawke Endurance ED 13-39 x 50. I am not a spotting scope expert but it works as well any small spotter I’ve looked through. Very clear and sharp. I know it is not on your list but it is less than $500.00 (I think anyway) and honestly I believe it is as good or better as any of those you’ve listed. It’s the one I went with

Cameralandny is a great source for info-and a Rokslide sponsor

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Would strongly recommend that he save up some more as an individual can regularly get the Kowa 55x for about $1300.

 

[BarCO]

The Nikon 50mm has worked well for me. They are typically for sale here on a regular basis.

 

[nobody]

Thanks to everybody for the replies so far!

As to the recommendations to increase his budget, I have tried. That’s a conversation that has been had ad nauseam for roughly the past eight or nine months. I love my brother, and I love his wife, but she didn’t grow up in a hunting family and doesn’t understand why all of our gear is so expensive. On top of that, my brother, being an accountant, is very hyper focused on the end price. I’ve recommended buying used, saving longer, lots of different things. But what it comes down to is, there’s just no way he will spend a penny over $800. He uses $300 binoculars, and even though he has spent some time looking through my $2000 binoculars as well as our dad’s, he just doesn’t see the dollar value in the glass. I’m not saying his right or wrong, I’m just saying that’s his position. Like I said, I’ve been having the conversation for eight or nine months at this point. There’s nothing that I haven’t brought up, resale, price, product, longevity, customer, service, company, reputation, infield viewing pleasure, he has just made up his mind, and decided where he can, financially operate, and is sticking to it. In many ways I admire him for it, I dint have that skill and my wallet is lighter because of it

I appreciate the recommendations for other options in his price bracket, as we really are looking for the highest value per dollar spent in this space. Please keep them coming!

Please keep the feedback coming, it really is much appreciated!

 

[BarCO]

For half the budget there are a couple Nikon ED 50 in the classifieds, might leave enough over to pickup the mcii 13-40 variable eye piece as well. It works fine with the fixed eye piece as well, I think they perform much higher than price point. They are also very light,

 

[BLJ]

I have read (“read”, no first hand experience) good things about the 15-45 Athlon Ares.
If I was in the market, I’d give it a look.

 

[Steve O]

Would strongly recommend that he save up some more as an individual can regularly get the Kowa 55x for about $1300.

This is the best advice.

25 years ago I invested in a Zeiss Diascope 65mm. I noticed I could read the newspaper sized writing on my targets at 100 yards. If your budget spotter can’t do this you are wasting your money. I recently purchased a Swarovski ATC. It passes that test.

This is what I could read the other day at the range:

 

[Dos Perros]

I had that Votex 11-33. The upper half of the zoom range was kinda blurry. I expect others in the price range will be similar.

The best way I can justify better optics is all the walking, elevation lost and gained, that quality optics will save me. With lower quality optics you have to get closer to resolve the same amount of detail.

Let your brother buy the cheaper optics and then when y'all go hunting make him drop a bunch of elevation a few times to get a better look at an animal. When he gets back he'll buy the nicer optics.

 

[WRO]

This is the best advice.

25 years ago I invested in a Zeiss Diascope 65mm. I noticed I could read the newspaper sized writing on my targets at 100 yards. If your budget spotter can’t do this you are wasting your money. I recently purchased a Swarovski ATC. It passes that test.

This is what I could read the other day at the range:

View attachment 519796

I've used a few he has listed.

I would carry 0 of them.

The STC/ATC is the first compact I would consider owning..

 

[Grassymike]

Pentax PF 65 ED can be had for $800 or less. This or used Alpha. Big 3 or Meopta.

 

[SwiftShot]

First question, what are you doing with it? Are you trying to judge sheep, if so none of those. If you are trying to pick out bears on a clear cut at 1000 yards all will work. Finding coues deer in the desert you should look into big binos. I get less eye strain with those. Backpacking in to glass elk well the Mavens, but you will probably have a harder time in the evening judging points. Mule deer you will need better glass to pick out at distance. If they have a lot of cover.
Mavens are good optic. Is it top of the line, no are there better options yes but there are always more expensive better options. I would avoid the Vortex that optic has issues, the 33 just stinks. Leupold never had it so cannot give input.

 

[Grassymike]

Curious what did he end up going with ?

 

[6mm Remington]

Leupold Gold Ring 15-30x50mm Spotting scope. I have one and sure love it.

 

[Lytro]

Leupold Gold Ring 15-30x50mm Spotting scope. I have one and sure love it.

I have one of these that I bought new last year. I packed it a few times, but it mainly stayed in my truck because I prefer just using 12x binos for everything. I wouldn't mind unloading it if anyone is interested. $400 local/$450 shipped

 

[Barrettscarvings]

Kowa tan-501