New spotter?

[JGRaider]

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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Maybe so, but I have several diehard coues deer hunting buddies that own S2's for the reasons I described. I had close to 150 hunters in camps over a 15 year period for deer, aoudad and antelope. I was far from the only one who felt the S2 was at least on par with the Kowa, and the Kowa was the best I had ever seen at that time, including the ATS Swaro.

It's OK to agree to disagree though, and it's always a good idea to look through stuff yourself before you buy. Lot's of good optics out there nowadays.

 

[CGS55]

Cabela’s Instinct Euro HD scope is made by Meopta and is the same build, glass, and lens coatings as the S2. It’s on sale right now and at that price you’ll be hard pressed to find anything that outperforms it. Here’s the link:

Cabela's Instinct Euro HD Spotting Scope | Cabela's

When you're searching out your next trophy among the boulder-strewn valleys below or along the mountainside timberlines above, you'll want the eagle-eyed contrast and magnification you get from our

www.cabelas.com

 

[Rackseekers]

Thanks for the post. I've also heard good things about them as well but dont have any 1st hand experience with the cables brand. I guess it would help to also say I am fortunate to qualify for the Leo/military discount and they offer good deals on the optics mentioned above.

Doesn't seem like to many people have much input on the Leica, the S2 is hit or miss? I know the Swaro STS is good glass but idk if I could afford more than a used 65? And some have time with the larger Kowa but not the 77. I believe the 85 has better glass?

 

[.270]

I have the Leica APO 82 and I prefer glassing through it over the Vortex Razor 85 and the Zeiss Diascope 65. I can't compare it to anything else since that is all I have owned. I think that out of the big three for spotters that Leica probably has the smallest market share.

 

[Rackseekers]

Wonder why that is? I've always heard good things about them. I know back in the day swaro was known for the binos and Leica for the spotters. Guess times have changed? I really wish we had more of a selections around us so I could check them out. I appreciate all the help and input guys. Alot of articals and stuff I read seem one sided and bias. Glad to get alot of different views on each.

 

[.270]

I have no complaints about my Leica glass but I think Swaro just understands the Western hunting market and dominates it as far as Alpha glass goes. The adaptability of the SXT/AXT/BTX line of spotters is nothing that anybody else offers. They have also had the flagship 15x56s and 12x50s in the binocular realm. I believe the new Ziess RF with their ballistic calculations take the prize of rangefinder binos but in another category Swaro is usually on the top. Not a total Swaro fanboy, I own all three in different magnifications.
Where in AZ are you? Outdoorsman in the Phoenix area is a great place to get hands on with a lot of different optics.

 

[Rackseekers]

I live in Safford South Eastern AZ. Ive been to there shop but its been years. And id tend to agree atleast from my experience with the top tear glass and what i've read. I wish i could afford the STX for that reason just not in the budget anytime soon. I have a few buddies with the BTX i know there pretty sweet and ran a 95 BTX last year on a elk hunt for a week. Awesome piece of glass just too rich for my blood. Im just trying to dabble in the low end of the upper end glass.

 

[sneaky]

Thanks for the post. I've also heard good things about them as well but dont have any 1st hand experience with the cables brand. I guess it would help to also say I am fortunate to qualify for the Leo/military discount and they offer good deals on the optics mentioned above.

Doesn't seem like to many people have much input on the Leica, the S2 is hit or miss? I know the Swaro STS is good glass but idk if I could afford more than a used 65? And some have time with the larger Kowa but not the 77. I believe the 85 has better glass?

Several of us on this thread own the Kowa 77, myself included. It's a great scope, especially for the price. If I were sheep hunting I would probably have the 88, but for deer and elk the 77 does everything I need and it's a compact size for being a 77mm objective.

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[Rackseekers]

Several of us on this thread own the Kowa 77, myself included. It's a great scope, especially for the price. If I were sheep hunting I would probably have the 88, but for deer and elk the 77 does everything I need and it's a compact size for being a 77mm objective.

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Thanks for the reply, Have you had it side by side with any other glass? I talked to one of the guys at Kowa and he told me he would recommend the 77 as well for what im doing. Im just wondering how it compares to the other glass. I think its going to be the hardest for me to try and find someone to see if cant look through it.

 

[sneaky]

Thanks for the reply, Have you had it side by side with any other glass? I talked to one of the guys at Kowa and he told me he would recommend the 77 as well for what im doing. Im just wondering how it compares to the other glass. I think its going to be the hardest for me to try and find someone to see if cant look through it.

The only one on your list I haven't compared it with is the Leica. The one it's most compared with is the Swaro, both the 65 and the 80, as several of my hunting partners have those.

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[Rackseekers]

How do you feel it stacked up to the 65? asking because i know i wont be able to swing a 80

 

[sneaky]

How do you feel it stacked up to the 65? asking because i know i wont be able to swing a 80

It is every bit the equal to the 65, and multiple independent tests and reviews have born that out over and over. The 77mm objective gathers more light in a package that is practically the same size as the 65. You should read some of the reviews on the birding forums. Those people are way more picky than hunters will ever be.

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[Rackseekers]

Good to know, seems like it would be worth the little extra then to go with the 77 over the STS for the brightness.

 

[5 shot group]

For under 2k I would try to find a used Swaro ATX/STX 65.

Or be looking at a Kowa 553/554.

With the swaro though, you could always buy the 95 later

 

[Rackseekers]

Yea the ATX would be nice. Have t seen too many for sale tho.

 

[Rackseekers]

Hoping to meet up with my buddy this week and check out the S2 Atleast get alittle time behind it and see how i like it.

 

[Rackseekers]

Update... Its been awhile but I did get to do a side by side comparison woth the S2 and a buddies Kowa 883. We were glassing a canyon that we and the deer were both shaded ( sun setting over the mountain) but to my eyes the S2 and Kowa we about as clear. however the Kowa was alittlw bit brighter and had better edge clarity. I ended up ordering a 884 and have been running it this season and love it. Thanks for all the input and help.