Longrange spotting scope help!

[pyroducksx3]

The NEX system does not currently have a great Digiscoping-compatible lens that I have seen. I know GMan has had some trouble removing vignetting. I use the Nikon 1 w/ 10-30 and tu adapter and it does very well with the Zeiss, but I had to epoxy on my own threading adapter to make it work. Many point and shoots will work very well with the tines up system.

I have an older canon powershot sd550 that maybe Ill just epoxy an adapter ring on and use the tines up adapter for now then.

 

[Matt Cashell]

The saturation in the images are not as different as they appear.

However the Meopta's saturation is still noticeably better. It is the standout feature of the scope. It is a very nice scope and eyepiece. Yet the Zeiss maintained brightness better in the fading light last night. Brightness is the standout feature of the Zeiss. The Zeiss controls glare better looking towards the sun. You CAN see that in the pic from the Meopta. That glare is visible to the naked eye, but only when it is at the right (wrong) angle to the sun. Right now, the air is stable and overcast and both spotters are resolving sharp detail without any glare.

 

[luke moffat]

Luke's pic is cropped and/or using a bit of camera zoom. A moose will not fill the field of view at 800 yards.

A bit of both. Since the waterproof camera doesn't allow the lens to move as close to the lens as say the standard tines up cannon offered a fair bit of zoom is required to get there, but still in the optical (not digital) zoom, and reduce the vignetting or whatever its called. But the camera still seems to do well even when cropping the zoomed image which I was pleased about.

Here is another, man this little dude had some UGLY top points!!!

 

[pyroducksx3]

Now you guys know the headaches I have been giving Aron! He has had to deal with me on all my backpaking questions and I have been every bit as difficult picking out a spotting scope as on all my equipment purchaces so you can just start to imagine how much he hates looking at his phone to see my number ringing him. But I appreciate everyones patience, help, advice and knowledge.

 

[HOT ROD]

Matt whats Ur take on the meopta? How does it hold up to the zeiss, razor? I wish U had the other 20x70 eye peace.. U can find sum pretty good deals on the meopta..

 

[Matt Cashell]

HOT ROD,

So far it is a competitive super spotter. The only things I have seen I didn't like was the glare issue, and the helical focus is pretty fast and requires delicate turning to sharpen up the image. More time is needed to really check it out. LOVE the color saturation.

 

[HOT ROD]

Thanks Matt. Keep us posted. I am really interested in the new meopta.

 

[Rizzy]

I got my eye on the S2 also, for me it comes down to if the difference in price is proportional to the difference in performance. I have also seen some good prices for the Meopta on Ebay, its tempting....

 

[HOT ROD]

eBay is worth watching. The new me opts with the 20x70 eye peace. And the eye phone adaptor. Starting bid 1700??

 

[pyroducksx3]

well the ziess is ordered

 

[justin davis]

Nice the zeiss is top notch

 

[trdhunter]

Let us know how you like it after you get a chance to use it. I am still debating on which scope to buy and am interested in any and all opinions. Good luck

 

[pyroducksx3]

Just an fyi cabelas is having a clearance sale on all thier swaro atm/stm line. the 65mm non hd is 1300 something? the 65mm hd is 1710$ the 80mm non hd is 1649$ and 80mm HD is 2,000$ something? Killer sale and if your cabelas doesnt have one in stock they can order it in from another store. All prices are including eye pieces.

 

[pyroducksx3]

I just got an email that the ziess has shipped already, so hopefully Ill be able to comment on the scope soon.

 

[pyroducksx3]

Scope gets here monday, that was fast!

 

[dotman]

Who did you order from?

 

[pyroducksx3]

Pro motive.com, its a membershipship type site. Then ziess ships it directly to you. I ordered it at 1130pm sunday and it was shipped monday morning, arriving to me this coming monday.

 

[OBP]

Just an fyi cabelas is having a clearance sale on all thier swaro atm/stm line. the 65mm non hd is 1300 something? the 65mm hd is 1710$ the 80mm non hd is 1649$ and 80mm HD is 2,000$ something? Killer sale and if your cabelas doesnt have one in stock they can order it in from another store. All prices are including eye pieces.

Yep, my 8omm HD ATM arrived today, 1799 with the 25-50 eyepiece. This will be my first high end scope, loooking forward to spending a lot of time with it in the field. I wasn't really planning on a new scope as I'm looking to order a DT1 but that deal was too good to pass up, looks like my new pack will have to wait a couple months until spring.

 

[dotman]

So the more research I do on warranty leads me straight back to vortex. I like the fact if an accident happens they will replace it and I'm not sol. Meopta only has a lifetime mfg defects warranty so even if it is good it's off the table. Zeiss is still there just need to wait and see what demos will be available and I still wonder if anything new is coming out next year. Swaros I need to look more into, what is the diff between atm and stm? Please don't let it be as simple as straight vs angled . Just shows I haven't checked into to them much but now with some good deals to be had I'm more interested.

Matt think you could write up a quick review of your top 5 scopes with simple comparisons including warranty?

 

[Matt Cashell]

ATM = Angled magnesium body
STM = Straight magnesium body
ATS = Angled Aluminum body
STS = Straight aluminum body

ATX = angled modular spotter
STX = straight modular spotter

I would like to see a few more options before writing a "recommended" article, but here are my current thoughts: Right now, my favorite spotter is the Diascope 85. There is no getting around the flexibility of an eyepiece that goes from a wide 20x to a powerful 75x. The Swaro 80HD is a close second, and the Meopta is right with the Swaro. The Leica is a nice scope, but just doesn't make its full potential with only a 25-50 WA eyepiece eyepiece available.

The Kowa 88 could be king, and is optically incredible, but I prefer rubber armoring in a hunting scope, because I don't like to bring a case.

The Razor HD is still the best bang for the buck out there. With street prices under $1400 it is just the deal to beat. It may be only partially armored, but Ii am pretty sure you could frame a house with it, if you couldn't find your hammer.

I really want to see the ATX. Swaro is saying it is a noticeable optical improvement over the 80HD. I am warming up to the modular concept, and could see the benefit of having a 65mm modular objective for backpacking and a 85mm modular objective for general use. The 95mm objective is certain to be super bright, but that is getting pretty huge for putting in a pack.