First spotting scope advice

[Matt3479]

Looking at getting my first spotting scope. With the purchase of my first house just happening I imagine my budget being pulled back a bit. Would like to purchase my first spotting scope by April for shooting season to give me some time to save. I’m focused on vortex due to the fact I get an amazing discount on there products.

this spotting scopes main use will be for around home, driving around checking fields for whitetail and deer. Window mount. Ranges aren’t too long, 1000 yards is absolute tops around me (southern Ontario), with more like 600-800 yards. It will also come with moose hunting annually which then will be put to use over large clear cuts, tops of ridges scouting, and back lakes extending the range to 2000 yards roughly, with main areas being 500-1500.

i want nice and clear glass, reasonably relatively light weight, and solid. I think I’m leaning towards the razor HD 11-33x50 but would like to hear if the viper is good enough or if the added range of the 27-60x85 is necessary. The price jump from the 11-33 to the 27-60 is a big step up and so is weight. The 22-48 is another option but just don’t know what power is best used when I’ve never owned a spotting scope. Is angled or straight more preferred? I am leaning towards the 22-48

 

[OXN939]

The Razor 11-33 you mention is a great optic. One thing I'd add is to definitely get a decent tripod with whatever you end up with, as cheap tripods limit the utility of any spotter significantly.

To throw another alternative out there, I just picked up a Bushnell Prime 16-48x50 a few weeks ago. I'll be doing a full review of it soon, but the bottom line is that it's a very impressive little optic, especially for its price point.

 

[idahohikker]

People buy the Razor small spotter and sell it quickly. I know like five guys who’ve done it.

Buy a Razor or an Athlon Ares in the range you’re talking. I’m partial to the Ares myself to the size and weight, with the optical quality being similar.

 

[pnw]

pentax pf 65 ed is what I got after I sold my 11-33 razor I liked them both alright there is a lot more options out there now from when I had these but the pentax has a lot of options too with the eye piece interchangeability and is fairly compact for a 65 oh yea reason I sold the vortex because it was the first angled spotter that I had used in the field had a hard time relocating what I had seen with binos it is much easier with a straight spotter for me

 

[Napperm4]

If you’re doing mainly window / tripod mount I’d go with a straight objective. So so much easier from the truck and the compact vortex doesn’t have a rotating collar.

I’ve tried quite a few of the 50mm spotters and found I much prefer the benefits of a minimum
65mm. More usable zoom, brighter in the witching hours and better FOV among them.

If you’re going vortex I’d suggest the 65mm razor then the Gen 2 Viper HD.

The 11-33 wasn’t useable past 22x really for me under ideal conditions. The fine focus helped at the higher mags but took too much time for me. The FOV is super narrow so it’s like looking through a toilet paper roll. The wide angle eyepieces on spotters are a game changer for me.

 

[rickjames80]

Well, IMO from what you are saying I would skip the 50mm. The only time I would consider it would be for packing in a ways and limited on space/weight. For checking fields, targets, home stuff you would get better use from a 65 or 85mm. The Razor 65mm is a great compromise for size and weight. It is also very capable. If you are going to use it from a window mount straight is probably better, but angled would work also. The best thing would be to try both, see what you feel more comfortable with. My first spotter was straight and thought it was great. Then my second was an angled and I like that better. It is a little learning curve to find things so consider that.