Feedback: swapping Swaro 20-60 eyepiece for 25-50 eyepiece.

Swaro ATS 80 mm Eyepiece: for hunting: 25-50 or 20-60


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Just posted my eyepiece (20-60) eyepiece (WTS).

Anyone out there swap their 20-60 for a 25-50 wide angle and have regrets?

I'm definitely interested in the increased FOV of the 25-50. Realistically, I don't do much work at 60x, and I much prefer the clear view between 20-40x. But..I have never looked through a 25-50 eyepiece.

Thanks
 
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I've done head to head with them, 20-60x all day long. The 25-50 gives a huge fov but it's curvature, super grainy and mirage easy, it can't judge at all. It's a luxury piece for maybe some rich guys pad over a big lake and just casual viewing a scene but not a serious hunters eye piece imo. Don't do it.
 
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I'm like stinky... Had both, sold the 25-50. But ultimately went fixed 30x. The 20-60 don't get much use anymore. The Vortex razor genI fixed 30x gets 90% of the time. Especially the mil reticle eyepiece..... The smaller diameter just fits me better, and is so much more comfortable on long sessions.

IMG_8430_zpsnmva1tfl.jpg
 
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Mule3006Elk
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I'm like stinky... Had both, sold the 25-50. But ultimately went fixed 30x. The 20-60 don't get much use anymore. The Vortex razor genI fixed 30x gets 90% of the time. Especially the mil reticle eyepiece..... The smaller diameter just fits me better, and is so much more comfortable on long sessions.

IMG_8430_zpsnmva1tfl.jpg
Nice. Thank you. I added a fixed eyepiece to the poll. Good call!

Vortex eyepiece fits your Swaro?
 

BBob

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I’ve owned all three eyepieces. 20-60, 25-50 & 30. I’ve used them on both the 65 and 80mm scopes a lot. Sold the 20-60’s and never use the 30 anymore. When I had the 20-60’s I’d use the 30 for longer glassing sessions when picking hillsides apart but the 25 took that job over and I don’t miss carrying the 30 at all and I don’t miss 60x even on the 80. I find the 25-50’s are brighter, an easier view and in my mind superior to the 20-60 especially on the 65’s.
 
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Mule3006Elk
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I’ve owned all three eyepieces. 20-60, 25-50 & 30. I’ve used them on both the 65 and 80mm scopes a lot. Sold the 20-60’s and never use the 30 anymore. When I had the 20-60’s I’d use the 30 for longer glassing sessions when picking hillsides apart but the 25 took that job over and I don’t miss carrying the 30 at all and I don’t miss 60x even on the 80. I find the 25-50’s are brighter, an easier view and in my mind superior to the 20-60 especially on the 65’s.
20-60, if I glass using 25-35x range is there much disadvantage over the 25-50x besides some loss of FOV? Clarity, brightness, etc.?
 

BBob

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^^^ 65 or 80mm body? If 65 I personally would move to the 25-50. On the 80 I still think the 25-50 is better but not as noticeable. When these scopes first came out they only offered the 20-60 we were very disappointed in the performance of the 65’s (very dark) compared to the 80’s that most went with the 80’s at the time. When the 25-50 came along we tested again and the 65’s became much more usable compared with the 80’s. The performance differences between the 65 and 80 noticeably narrowed with the 25-50.

Btw the fixed 30W on the early 65’s worked well. They have been discontinued for some time I believe.
 
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Mule3006Elk
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^^^ 65 or 80mm body? If 65 I personally would move to the 25-50. On the 80 I still think the 25-50 is better but not as noticeable. When these scopes first came out they only offered the 20-60 we were very disappointed in the performance of the 65’s (very dark) compared to the 80’s that most went with the 80’s at the time. When the 25-50 came along we tested again and the 65’s became much more usable compared with the 80’s. The performance differences between the 65 and 80 noticeably narrowed with the 25-50.

Btw the fixed 30W on the early 65’s worked well. They have been discontinued for some time I believe.
I have the 80.
 
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I use 60X enough on the 20-60x65mm HD to not want to give it up as a hunter. In my (limited) exposure to Dall sheep, Mt caribou and grizzly bear guides I never saw the 25-50X eye piece being used...all had 20-60x65mm Swaros 6-12 years ago.
 
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I'm like stinky... Had both, sold the 25-50. But ultimately went fixed 30x. The 20-60 don't get much use anymore. The Vortex razor genI fixed 30x gets 90% of the time. Especially the mil reticle eyepiece..... The smaller diameter just fits me better, and is so much more comfortable on long sessions.

IMG_8430_zpsnmva1tfl.jpg
I should caveat further for the crowd here. Judging is why I need and use a spotter, range work comes in handy too. Finding game is done typically by mounted binos. I had the swaro hd 65 20-60x, 25-50x and kowa 664 20-60x together for a head to head, the thread is here somewhere and added to the original discussion a few points. The swaro 20-60x was a nice piece, it has curvature to the scene where things bend outward, apparently reduces rolling ball effect while panning, the kowa 664 was very accurate reproduction of the scene, dead straight, all the poles lining the stretch of road remained straight and the kowa slightly out resolved the speed limit sign at 1885 yards. The 25-50x couldn't even play against the 20-60's for judging, so much curve in the image, fussier eye position in the fishbowl, and mirages up sooner than the non wide angles. Would be fine to scan for game so if that's your thing go for it. If judging is most important then go 20-60x. If judging and scanning are both done lots of then go swaro, but tough to beat the raw judging performance of the kowa if that's all you primarily do, why pay twice for the swaro in the pack if you only pull it out come judging time? I could certainly live with the 20-60x swaro as it's super close to judging equal. The 25-50x wide is a recreational eyepiece after I had them all together, nice but not for judging sheep or bullet holes on paper. That's about the best summary I can offer. You know how you want to use them and what you chase...I'd rather my 10x binos mounted for finding game than the swaro 25-50 by a factor about 100 to 1 lol. Get em all together and see what you like.
 
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Mule3006Elk
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All excellent feedback.
I do have the 20-60x80 ATS currently.
I use the spotter for picking apart the mountain on low mag 20-25x range and judging to an extent.
Mostly, to verify the deer is one my son or I want to go after (brow tines, width, etc.). I wouldn't consider ourselves purist in regards to trophy hunting. We are content with a solid mature buck at least 3.5 years old.
 

robby denning

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...That's about the best summary I can offer. You know how you want to use them and what you chase...I'd rather my 10x binos mounted for finding game than the swaro 25-50 by a factor about 100 to 1 lol. Get em all together and see what you like.
that's good summary.
 
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Comparing the two eyepieces side-by-side on ATS 65, the 25-50 does have a slight bit more mirage, but the increased FOV wins it over for me. But that’s because I don’t have 15s (yet), and use the spotter to find game. If you plan on using big binos, I would go with the 20-60.
 

Broomd

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Interesting thoughts here....imho, the 25-50 is light years better than the 20-60, I'd rather use the fixed 30xw than the 20-60. I currently have all three.

The 30xw is a fabulous eyepiece--wide angle and virtually the same edge-to-edge clarity and color as the 25-50 on '30' power, seems a shame guys are so hung up on "x" especailly when high power glassing is practically useless in most situations afield.
 

BBob

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All excellent feedback.
I do have the 20-60x80 ATS currently.
I use the spotter for picking apart the mountain on low mag 20-25x range and judging to an extent.
Mostly, to verify the deer is one my son or I want to go after (brow tines, width, etc.). I wouldn't consider ourselves purist in regards to trophy hunting. We are content with a solid mature buck at least 3.5 years old.
For your use and a way to save some $$$ is mby try to find a used 30W for the extended glassing. It’s an awesome lens for general glassing. I too far prefer large binoculars but when you’ve glassed everything at 15x and don’t find anything and it’s time to really pick it apart a 30x spotter will sometimes do the trick. Now days we have big twins and BTX for that but with those you’re getting more specialized and way more expensive.
 
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Mule3006Elk
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FWIW

I'm going to p/u NL Pure 8x42 (or 8x32) in bino hardness
I have NL Pure 12x42 for tripod
Spotter for picking/judging when needed

Not sure if that changes the 20-60, 25-50, 30, feedback. Sorry I should have mentioned that from the beginning.
 
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then 20-60 is the way to fly, the other two pieces are better for searching for game, if you have to judge sheep you want max judging, I only have to judge them to length so have gotten by with sharp 40x or 60x but those who have to age them as well(thin horn hunters) the max judging option would be best, it's a bonus on the range for finding bullet holes as well ;)
 
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