New spotter or binos...?

[6t4nova]

I'm going to look for the rocketfish tripod after reading the reviews. Sounds like for the price its going to be hard to beat.

 

[HellsCanyon]

There's a review of it by some kid on Youtube somewhere. You gotta skip a lot of pointless crap but overall it really looks like a quality piece. Mine shipped today so I'll update this thread when I get it to let ya know what I think!

Mike

 

[HellsCanyon]

One last thing I'll mention is I heard back from Minox today (some gal in Europe got a hold of me through email!) and said that they have an exchange policy and needed my serial # on the binos. Gave it to her and she said that their US person would be in touch with me NEXT week. I'm thankful for the hopefully decent exchange policy, but really appreciate the speed with which great CS companies work (Vortex for example)! I'll keep ya'll updated.

Mike

 

[HellsCanyon]

Spotter showed up today! VERY happy with this thing. Its heavy enough to feel like quality, but doesn't feel nearly as heavy as the 80 mm HD version we've previously used. Edge to edge clarity, you lose a little brightness and eye relief around 40X magnification but it is still very usable at there and max power. Very easy to focus, I really like how you can rotate the scope to put the focus knobs on one side or the other instead of right on top! Neoprene cover is adequate, but I'm about to bust out the scissors and open up the area around the focus knobs. Just waiting on my tripod to get here tomorrow and hopefully the Tines Up kit gets here this week to before the weekend scouting trip!

Mike

 

[Yellowknife]

One last thing I'll mention is I heard back from Minox today (some gal in Europe got a hold of me through email!) and said that they have an exchange policy and needed my serial # on the binos. Gave it to her and she said that their US person would be in touch with me NEXT week. I'm thankful for the hopefully decent exchange policy, but really appreciate the speed with which great CS companies work (Vortex for example)! I'll keep ya'll updated.

Mike

I've been less than impressed with some of the Minox branded stuff I've owned (just traded the last one away), but I will say the their CS in the US was good. The major drawback is that, with the exception of the rifle scopes, stuff gets shipped to be repaired in GERMANY which from personal experience takes about three months!

However, the seem to be pretty willing to exchange stuff. When the eyepiece on the spotter filled with water, a new one was on my door in a week. When the spotter body turned out to be a lemon (after the trip to Germany), they gave me a new set of 8x43 HG binos in exchange with no quibbling, and again I had it in about a week.

Yk

 

[HellsCanyon]

I've been less than impressed with some of the Minox branded stuff I've owned (just traded the last one away), but I will say the their CS in the US was good. The major drawback is that, with the exception of the rifle scopes, stuff gets shipped to be repaired in GERMANY which from personal experience takes about three months!

However, the seem to be pretty willing to exchange stuff. When the eyepiece on the spotter filled with water, a new one was on my door in a week. When the spotter body turned out to be a lemon (after the trip to Germany), they gave me a new set of 8x43 HG binos in exchange with no quibbling, and again I had it in about a week.

Yk

Good to know thank you! Do you happen to have a contact still for their US customer service?

Mike

 

[Yellowknife]

Minox USA

Greg Clark

Tel: 603-287-4840
Tel: 866-469-3080
Fax: 603-287-4834
E-Mail: [email protected]

 

[HellsCanyon]

Thanks YK!

Mike

 

[Matt Cashell]

you lose a little brightness and eye relief around 40X magnification

Geez Mike!

You may want to call Vortex about that. You should maintain 18mm of eye relief throughout the magnification range with that eyepiece. I have seen the Viper HD spotters and never experienced a change in eye relief.

 

[HellsCanyon]

Really? I don't think I've ever been behind an optic that didn't lose eye relief a little as you zoomed in. From rifle scopes to spotters... The 18mm sounds about where its at at full zoom, but at 15x I bet its more like 24mm.

Anybody else with this spotter have any experience or input here?

Mike

 

[Matt Cashell]

There are lots of optical designs with constant eye relief, including many quality spotter eyepieces. Vortex' specs list a constant eye relief of 18mm for that spotter. I just pulled out my Razor, and with my eye in position (with the eyecup fully extended) I could see the full field of view from 20-60.

 

[HellsCanyon]

Interesting! I'll give them a call tomorrow about it... I have full FOV with eye cup fully extended at 15x, but at 45x its not quite the same! Though honestly its not hard to get full FOV at 45x and its comfortable for me... want it to be right still!

Mike

 

[HellsCanyon]

Ok I just checked it on the scope. And while the image and lighting gathering suffers slightly more at 45X, the eye relief is minimal. I can still get a full picture with the eyecup fully extended, its just not as clear/crisp at 45X as it is at 40X (naturally). Its . I've never liked looking through binos/spotters with an extended eyecup so the eye relief isn't an issue for me. Pretty sure I won't worry about sending it in...

Mike

 

[Matt Cashell]

It sounds like it should work out for you, Mike. Can't wait to see some digiscoping results!

 

[HellsCanyon]

It sounds like it should work out for you, Mike. Can't wait to see some digiscoping results!

Hopefully my adapter kit from TU gets here before Thursday afternoon (ordered friday) but haven't gotten anything but a order confirmation email when I placed it.
Tripod is coming in tomorrow too so lookin forward to trying em out this weekend!

Mike

 

[HellsCanyon]

Tripod got here today! This thing has got to be the best tripod out there for its weight and cost! $45 shipped to my door brand new. Without the scope adapter piece the tripod weighs right at 2 lbs 15 oz (a little heavy, I was expecting around 2 lbs), and my spotter with adapter and neoprene cover comes in at 3 lbs 9 oz. Total of 6 lbs 8 oz. Not too horrible for a spotter setup, but definitely not ultralight either.

Its windy as heck here today and I just took the combo out on the deck. In 15 mph winds with gusts up to 30 mph I'm still able to effectively glass hillsides at a verified 2 miles. Just a TINY bit of shake but its really solid. Was nervous about the ball head and it having some slop. NONE! You twist it finger tight and its locked on target. Have no doubt this could hold our 80mm HD spotter as well. Overall I'm very happy and don't see a need to replace anything on this combination right now. Thanks to Dotman for recommending the tripod!

Also, I talked with Minox today. They are going to fix my binos FREE of charge and they have a repair shop here in the US that they can do it at. Turn around time should be 4-6 weeks but the rep said they should be able to rush it and get 'em back to me so I don't lose out too much on summer scouting trips. Just gotta pay shipping so I'm thankful for this situation!

Mike

 

[dotman]

I knew you would like that little hidden gem of a tripod Good new from minox!

 

[HellsCanyon]

I knew you would like that little hidden gem of a tripod Good new from minox!

You bet!

 

[Nick Muche]

Now you have another set of binos! Perfect!