first time buying a spotting scope

[keller]

I'm looking to buy a spotting scope and want to buy just one. I like meopta optics I have binos and rifle scopes they only have 80mm.would buy a swaro if I get 65.my hangup is 80mm or 65mm? straight or angled? 65 is lighter takes up less room?angled collect more rain vs straight? appreciate the input.
thanks john

 

[handwerk]

Over the years I've had a swaro 80mm (non HD) kowa 65mm, zeiss diascope 65mm and then found the sweetspot with my current swaro 65MM HD.
I like straight bodies scopes but you should try several out and see what works best for you.

 

[WCS]

I really liked the meopta s82, it's a great scope to look through. The one drawback is that it is heavy. I went with a swaro ATX 65 because it was the best scope in a 65 mm lens for my eyes. I also really liked the leica 65, but being my family is originally from Austria I had to go Swaro. As for angled and straight, try both and see what you prefer. My first scope was a straight scope and it took about 30 minutes to realize that I should have tried an angled first. I find the angled scopes are easier on my neck.

 

[ssssnake529]

What you should get depends a lot on what you use it for.

If you do long, mountain backpack hunts, then a lightweight spotter is going to be more useful because you will take it with you. (Most people I know don't bring heavy 80+mm spotters on long backpack hunts.)

If you want to see shots on paper targets at 400 yards, then a full size spotter is the answer.

If you mostly day hunt from a vehicle, but hike quite a bit, then a midsize spotter may be the ticket.

 

[dotman]

If you can look through a Kowa as well.

 

[AK Shane]

I prefer a 65mm spotter but I spend most of my time hiking and hunting the mountains. I also prefer an angled spotter. I think the only reason to have a straight spotter is if you do a lot of glassing from your truck window. Otherwise, hands down, angled spotter!

 

[mfllood3800]

I have the swaro 80 and 65. I notice the difference in distance for sure . But I like the 65 and use it more. I did put the 25x50 on it, and when ever I take out the 80 , the 25x50 goes on it as well.
I think I compared the weight of my 2 set ups. The 80 is like a pound heavier, but I have it on a heavier trip pod and head. If I switch those components around, I can get the 80 to same weight over all as the 65.


Its still a pound heavier or about there if I remember.
The 80 is huge in m pack. Mass not weight
I take the 65 mostly as it is way smaller in size but still gets me the visual I need.
Angled all the way, as one of my tri pods barely fits me at 5-9".
If scope was straight I would bend a lot if not sitting.

 

[Nick Muche]

I like my 80mm Swaro and I carry it wherever I go. I also have a cheap vortex nomad for my truck, it stays in there with a window mount attached to it.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

I think the only reason to have a straight spotter is if you do a lot of glassing from your truck window.

That's one of the reasons but not the only reason. I prefer a straight spotter because I do most of my glassing with binos and use the spotter mainly to get a closer look at what I just spotted. For that use a straight spotter is much more effective in my opinion because you can simply throw the spotter on your tripod and look at the animal without making any tripod adjustments. With an angled scope you would have to lower the tripod, then try to find the animal again. It's much slower and you can lose track of your animal in the process, and is why I went to the straight. A rotating collar has the potential to negate that advantage but I don't see people use them that way typically. Here's a video to visually show what I'm talking about incase I'm not explaining it well enough with words. I wasn't an English major in college....

Angled vs. Straight Spotting Scopes - YouTube

One of the other big reasons people use straight spotters is they're much better for steep downhill viewing. I do think angled spotters are more comfortable to use without question. If I used a spotter to grid I absolutely would go with an angled. Or if I intended to use it for multiple people of different heights all the time I would go angled. It kind of just depends on how you want to use it.

 

[excaliber]

I prefer the straight spotters. It's much easier to find your target switching back and forth with bino's. Downhill and especially steeper downhill viewing is way easier with a straight spotter. The only advantage to an angled spotter to me is glassing uphill but that can be minimized with a slightly taller tripod and a straight spotter.

 

[homebru.trout]

Lots of info out there on straight vs angled...comes down to primary use and personal preference.

As for size, I've carried the big meopta 82 (cabelas euro) a good long way in my pack and after a couple days of hiking it's not clear to me that my body could tell the difference between a 65 and an 82.

After carrying both sizes of spotters, I split the difference and traded for a Kowa 77 from a fellow member. If you can find one in your area, give it a good long look. Very nice glass.

 

[Gonewest]

Lots of info out there on straight vs angled...comes down to primary use and personal preference.

As for size, I've carried the big meopta 82 (cabelas euro) a good long way in my pack and after a couple days of hiking it's not clear to me that my body could tell the difference between a 65 and an 82.

After carrying both sizes of spotters, I split the difference and traded for a Kowa 77 from a fellow member. If you can find one in your area, give it a good long look. Very nice glass.

How does the Kowa 77 compare with the Meopta?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[homebru.trout]

I don't feel like I'm giving much if anything up optically though I never did a thorough evaluation side by side. The meopta likely wins at first and last light but not by much just due to larger objective. I had the Cabelas model which had the standard zoom eyepiece pinned so you can't swap it out. The Kowa has the WA eyepiece which I love. Really at this level and with my eyes and experience level, it's personal preference and nitpicking...both will hold their own against anything out there.

I went with the Kowa because of the size...It's 13" long which is tiny for a 77mm objective.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

It would be our pleasure to chat with you about different options.
The Swaro 65 is a great scope, however, I would also suggest you consider the Kowa 55 or 77 as they are amazing. If you haven't already see this thread, http://www.rokslide.com/forums/optics/82024-kowa-tsn-553-review-luke-moffat.html about the Kowa 55

As I "said" it would be my pleasure to discuss options with you. Give a call, 516-217-1000, if you have time

 

[boom]

it is my least used optics. i dropped my optics money on my binoculars.

i did buy Vortex 65mm talons for my once a year trip to visit the couse deer and say HI. they work pretty fantastic for what i need them for. since i never ever arrowed a couse, i am not looking for horn quality..i am looking for horn. perfect application.

for me, i prefer the straight scope.

 

[snakelk]

There's a new Meopta S2 (Cabela's Instinct) in the classifieds right now for $1550. Good deal right there. It might be heavier than you want, but to me the extra weight and bulk are worth it. Just depends on your own situation/application.

 

[frankrb3]

2 years ago I bought a vortex razor 65mm straight spotting scope. If I could do it again today I would buy a 80mm or bigger angled spotting scope.

 

[HellsCanyon]

Have used all the vortex spotters, the older Razor's made in Japan aren't bad, better than the newer ones I believe.

Have used a Swaro 65 STS non HD last year a lot, and recently got to put the Kowa TSN 554, TSN 774, and Swaro STS 65 next to each other and glass through the end of daylight watching a sage covered mountain at about 3 miles. The Kowa TSN77 was noticeably brighter than either the Swaro or the smaller 55mm Kowa, as it should be. All three were VERY close at the same power for clarity/sharpness. I ended up picking up the Kowa 77 as I've had complaints of losing light in the Swaro at last light and glassing into shadows the last 30 minutes of shooting light and long distances (1 mile+). I would've very much liked to pick up a STS65 HD scope as well if I'd found one in my price range (got the Kowa used).

Was damn impressed with the little 55mm Kowa. It gave up nothing to the Swaro 65 at 45X. I liked the eye piece on the Swaro better, but like the fine/course focus wheels on the Kowa better.

I do 85% of my glassing downhill at a lot of steep angles, I also use my binos off my tripod the majority of the time. Being able to switch to the spotter without adjusting tripod height is very nice. I feel like a lot of the AK people on here use the angled spotters and it makes sense to me. For my style of glassing though, straight is where it's at, and I've had multiple seasons with both straight and angled.

Mike

 

[Fedster]

I have my opinions but they count for myself. Before you put out a lot of coin, try to handle and use as many spotting scopes as you can. Feel how much they weight, try them in low light etc. Keep also in mind that, if you get a spotting scope you need a tripod, and the larger the spotting scope the larger the tripod: a flimsy tripod might hold up a scope, but you would get enough vibration to negate the advantages of better/larger glass. Ideally, buy from someone who gives you full refund or a replacement if you test the scope and find it defective (learn how to do a star test, start looking here: A beginner tries doing a star test - BirdForum). In theory more expensive brands should offer better glass AND lower manufacturing variability, which should decrease the chances of lemons -- yet test the damn thing when you get it.

Generally speaking, a larger lens gathers more light (good for low light work), and provides better resolution (which you would really only care for if you bird as well -- mammals at a distance you can hunt them are never at the resolution limits of a well made scope with good glass. I tested my own scope and it outresolves my own eyes, making me the limiting factor. I would not say my scope is anything but average for its model). A larger lens means more glass and thus is much heavier. A straight scope needs a higher column or tripod, which are heavy and might increase vibrations if flimsy.

Finally, keep in mind field of view -- I hate some objective lenses and scopes because they cause too much of a tunnel effect.

 

[1shotgear]

I'm looking to buy a spotting scope and want to buy just one. I like meopta optics I have binos and rifle scopes they only have 80mm.would buy a swaro if I get 65.my hangup is 80mm or 65mm? straight or angled? 65 is lighter takes up less room?angled collect more rain vs straight? appreciate the input.
thanks john

I was in those same shoes a few years back 65mm or an 85mm. I ended up going with the Swarovski 85mm. I got to test both out and have to say the light transfer you get with the 85mm is a hundred times better than the 65mm. I also went with the angled eye piece just for the fact of sitting on a ridge or glassing from the bottom of the mountain, the chances of you having to adjust the tripod with a straight are a lot higher than it is with the angled eye piece. Plus the straight eye piece in my opinion is for most people who are shooting long range and are laying down to look through. Yes the weight is more than the 65mm, but you'll be a lot happier with the 85mm than you would with the 65mm. I recently changed to the BTX and that blows every eye piece out of the water. It's a fixed magnification so that sucks, but it is way better than the angled eye piece or the straight eye piece.