New spotter?

[Rackseekers]

So i'm slowly starting to save up for a new spotting scope. I've been looking at a few models but don't have any 1st hand experience with them. I do plan on trying and making a trip down to Phoenix before i purchase something but i though id ask on here and see what everyone though of the scopes i'm looking at. I'm primarily using this for hunting and digascoping in southern Arizona for Coues and Mulies. From these scopes what would you guys recommend and why? Thanks for your help.


Used STS Swarovski

Kowa 774 "77mm"

Meopta s2

Leica APO- Televid HD 65mm

 

[gr8fuldoug]

These 2 are excellent:

Kowa 774 "77mm"

Meopta s2

 

[Rackseekers]

Thanks for the reply I've been doing a lot of reading about the 4 mentioned and have come to the conclusion that they are amazing glass for my current budget. But you would recommend the Kowa and the S2 over the Leica and ATS? and if so may i ask why? Thanks for all the help and Info

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Quality for the price is why I singled those 2 out above the others. Brighter as well dues to the larger objectives

 

[Brian Fahs]

If going the kowa route get the 884. Bigger but better quality glass. I owned a swarovski sts and a leica apo and the kowa is in much better to my eye. I have no experience with the Meopta but their high end binos are fantastic for the $.

 

[Brian Fahs]

What is your budget?

 

[lundellhunting7]

You have a good list. I would go sit down behind each of them and figure out what your eyes like.

 

[sneaky]

What is your budget?

From reading his list an 88 series Kowa is over budget. He'll be just fine with the 77. He could buy a good pair of binos with what he'd have to pony up to get into the 88 series.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[JGRaider]

I ran across this review:

Spotting Scope Roundup: Testing and Rating $40K worth of glass - Guns and Ammo

A comprehensive roundup that€™s never been attempted by another hunting or shooting publication.

www.gunsandammo.com

I have personally owned the Nikon 82ED, Kowa 884, and Meopta S2. My mule deer hunting buddy and another bud currently own the Zeiss 85T FL. The Nikon 82ED is an excellent spotter that suffers from a poor eyepiece design if using the zoom. The fixed 30x make this spotter even better. I sold and replaced that one with the Kowa 884 which is fantastic. A couple of years later I bought the Meopta S2 and owned them both at the same time. I compared them many times side by side on tripods, and found that the S2 was the equal of the Kowa 884 up to magnification of about 40x. At higher mags out to 60x is where the Meopta excelled, remaining very sharp, while the Kowa was pretty good it was nowhere near as sharp at higher mags as the S2.

My buddy and I have had his Zeiss and my S2 side by side many times and it is very, very apparent that the S2 is far superior in every way. The Zeiss if sharp in the center, and not so much near the edges. The S2 is sharp to the edge.

I kept the S2 and am very satisfied with it.

 

[Rackseekers]

Trying to keep it around 2K on the budget so the wife doesn't kill me, We both drew Coues tags this year our 1st rifle hunts so trying to upgrade a few things. I already have a pair of SLC's but my current spotter is a Viper HD trying to upgrade before the hunt starts.

 

[Brian Fahs]

I ran across this review:

Spotting Scope Roundup: Testing and Rating $40K worth of glass - Guns and Ammo

A comprehensive roundup that€™s never been attempted by another hunting or shooting publication.

www.gunsandammo.com

I have personally owned the Nikon 82ED, Kowa 884, and Meopta S2. My mule deer hunting buddy and another bud currently own the Zeiss 85T FL. The Nikon 82ED is an excellent spotter that suffers from a poor eyepiece design if using the zoom. The fixed 30x make this spotter even better. I sold and replaced that one with the Kowa 884 which is fantastic. A couple of years later I bought the Meopta S2 and owned them both at the same time. I compared them many times side by side on tripods, and found that the S2 was the equal of the Kowa 884 up to magnification of about 40x. At higher mags out to 60x is where the Meopta excelled, remaining very sharp, while the Kowa was pretty good it was nowhere near as sharp at higher mags as the S2.

My buddy and I have had his Zeiss and my S2 side by side many times and it is very, very apparent that the S2 is far superior in every way. The Zeiss if sharp in the center, and not so much near the edges. The S2 is sharp to the edge.

I kept the S2 and am very satisfied with it.

Just curious what eyepiece you had on the kowa 884

 

[JGRaider]

Kowa 25-60x 11WZ wide angle. The S2 wears the 20-70x.

 

[sneaky]

Kowa 25-60x 11WZ wide angle. The S2 wears the 20-70x.

Sounds like you got a 1 in a 1000 S2 and a bad version of the 884. My experiences with those two spotters has been very different from yours. The OP really needs to find someone or a store locally that he can look through these before buying.

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[Rackseekers]

I have a friend who has a S2 I just have to get a day were both off to check it out. I maybe able to find someone who has a ATS and compare. but the Leica and Kowa will be hard to find around here.

 

[Brian Fahs]

Sounds like you got a 1 in a 1000 S2 and a bad version of the 884. My experiences with those two spotters has been very different from yours. The OP really needs to find someone or a store locally that he can look through these before buying.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I agree.

 

[Brian Fahs]

I have a friend who has a S2 I just have to get a day were both off to check it out. I maybe able to find someone who has a ATS and compare. but the Leica and Kowa will be hard to find around here.

My nephew had a Kowa 884 and I compared my sts80 side by side with it.
I now own a Kowa 884 and do not own the sts80........

 

[Rackseekers]

Anyone done a side by side with the Kowa 77 and the S2?

 

[1shotgear]

I would go with the STS Swarovski. I run the ATS Swarovski as my back country spotting scope and it works great. The system is crazy light and combined with Swarovski glass you will not be disappointed.

 

[realunlucky]

This happened to me this year when I wanted to upgrade. After comparing a bunch I ended up with a Kowa 77 it really is hard to top in it's price range.

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[hayesplow]

Swarovski EL 12x50