Spotting scope on a budget

[Erussell01]

Still have it and probably will keep it for my son. It's pretty decent. I'm getting a swarovski so I won't be second guessing the clarity. I have a Nikon ED 50 that is much clearer, almost perfect, but a little too dim in the morning and evening.

People really love that Nikon... i just wish it was a little bigger.

I am slightly hesitant to go with a spotter that small for almost no reason that I can even make sense of. Any validity to being hesitant of a 50 in your opinion?

My primary concern is not the size but the objective size for light gathering. Then again I have 8x42 binos, so that shouldn't really be a concern of mine

 

[Wanttohuntmore]

People really love that Nikon... i just wish it was a little bigger.

I am slightly hesitant to go with a spotter that small for almost no reason that I can even make sense of. Any validity to being hesitant of a 50 in your opinion?

My primary concern is not the size but the objective size for light gathering. Then again I have 8x42 binos, so that shouldn't really be a concern of mine

The 50 doesn't get enough light, especially compared to the cheap vanguard 82 HD. It's FOV isn't as good. It is amazingly clear, much clearer than a viper hd or vanguard (for reference). Their glass must be of great quality. I'm looking for a little bigger swaro for long range glassing while packing in. I'm even contemplating the 80mm ats.... The buy one cry once really is true with glass.

 

[GunsAreFun]

The main reason I got the ED50 is weight. I’m an ounce counter, and I just know I won’t take the Ares with me. You have to spend 2-3x more on a Kowa 553 to get a similar weight.

Side note: if you do get an ED50. Do some reading on the fixed eye pieces. I’m far from an expert, but many of the experts used the fixed ones for good reason.

 

[Russp17]

I would try to find a used Nikon Ed scope used… they pop up every once in awhile for 400-600 dollars and are hard to beat for the money


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[Centralcoastca]

Talked to Neil. That guy is a fricken hoot

Talked to Neil. That guy is a fricken hoot

I talked to him once too and I agree, I called with a pretty simple question and ended up talking to him for 15min. Great guy, Great personal customer service.

 

[Tac Beard]

I bought the Athlon Ares 15-45x65 from Doug almost two years ago and I’ve been super happy with it. I made a short unboxing video on YouTube. Really need to post a follow up video with some good through-the-scope footage I have.

It’s been on a couple backpack hunts and held up perfectly fine. It mostly has been used at the range, and it excels there also. The image quality is excellent and really hard to beat for the money. The other scope I was considering was the Razor Gen 1– I think the Ares is its equal optically for less money.

 

[Graybush]

Why have I not heard of pentax before until just recently? I must be down the rabbit hole far enough now to start to jear about more than what is sold at the local shop

Which power is the fixed eyepiece?

I have the XW 10, which equates to 39x on the Pentax PF-65EDII. I also have the XW 20, which is 19.5x. Both have a very wide field of view and great eye relief for me. The XW 10 sees more use at the range. The XW 20 travels into the field. Both are bright and have a a lot of fans in the birding and astronomical communities.

 

[ZackP]

I’m also a fan of the ED50 but with the 13-40 eyepiece.

It is a little dim during the morning and evening hours but the glass quality is above any of the other spotters you have listed.

FWIW I would go with the Ares. I was highly unimpressed with the Vanguard.

 

[Newtosavage]

The Nikon ed50

its been praised with great reviews over and over again

they are in your budget if you order from Japan

This. IMO there is no better bang for the buck out there. My ED50 lives under my truck seat and I never hesitate to throw it in a pack because it weighs less than my binoculars and takes up nearly no room at all.

I owned an ED60 III for a while too. Great scope. But didn't really do anything for me the 50 didn't do, plus it was much larger and heavier.

 

[Newtosavage]

I have the XW 10, which equates to 39x on the Pentax PF-65EDII. I also have the XW 20, which is 19.5x. Both have a very wide field of view and great eye relief for me. The XW 10 sees more use at the range. The XW 20 travels into the field. Both are bright and have a a lot of fans in the birding and astronomical communities.

Yea, I think those Pentax spotters are very much overlooked. If you get one that takes astronomy 1.25" eyepieces, you can save a ton on eyepieces and still have lots of options depending on your situation.

 

[Erussell01]

This. IMO there is no better bang for the buck out there. My ED50 lives under my truck seat and I never hesitate to throw it in a pack because it weighs less than my binoculars and takes up nearly no room at all.

I owned an ED60 III for a while too. Great scope. But didn't really do anything for me the 50 didn't do, plus it was much larger and heavier.

Do you ever feel under scoped using the 50?
I haven't found a decent price for the 60 anywhere, but it seems like people also really like that model as well. If you had to have one, do everything kind of scope would it be the 50?

 

[Russp17]

Do you ever feel under scoped using the 50?
I haven't found a decent price for the 60 anywhere, but it seems like people also really like that model as well. If you had to have one, do everything kind of scope would it be the 50?

I have the 60 and it is about perfect... I have used the 50 and I think you give up a lot on light gathering. I would hold out they come up every now then I saw a guy selling one here for 550 last year I believe.

 

[Newtosavage]

Do you ever feel under scoped using the 50?
I haven't found a decent price for the 60 anywhere, but it seems like people also really like that model as well. If you had to have one, do everything kind of scope would it be the 50?

Sure I do. But every optic is a compromise between performance, weight and cost.

Your question is a difficult one to answer. If I had to have one do-all scope for the truck, it would be a 60 or 65. But as soon as I'm thinking about putting one in my pack and taking it with me, that ED50 jumps ahead as the best choice. And of course, it still works from the truck.

 

[Erussell01]

Sure I do. But every optic is a compromise between performance, weight and cost.

Your question is a difficult one to answer. If I had to have one do-all scope for the truck, it would be a 60 or 65. But as soon as I'm thinking about putting one in my pack and taking it with me, that ED50 jumps ahead as the best choice. And of course, it still works from the truck.

Would you answer change if you knew you would rarely pack it?

 

[Newtosavage]

Would you answer change if you knew you would rarely pack it?

So, that's how I initially approached the spotter question - thinking well, I'll probably only take it every so often... And my first scope was a average size and weight 65mm spotter. What I learned was I didn't take it with me away from the truck as often as I expected to. Mainly because I'm not a trophy hunter and I am only trying to determine whether a bull or buck is legal. That doesn't require nearly as much glass as if you're trying to decide if it measures a certain size, for example. So the ED50 works great for me. I sometimes forget it's even in my pack since it's so small and light. It's just not much of a penalty to have it with me. I already have my tripod and binocular mount anyway.

Another thing I learned is that with a really good quality pair of 8x or 10x bins, on a good solid tripod mount, I can usually determine whether an animal is legal up to a mile away. A few years ago, I was able to determine a bull was legal from 2.4 miles away (measured on OnX) with my 10x binoculars, and my buddy killed it the next day. So after getting some really good bins and a solid mount, the need for a spotter just didn't seem as important as it had before.

 

[ZackP]

Elk - Vanguard 65 on 15x within 500 yards
Antelope - ED50 w/ 13-40 on 13x within 100
Not apples to apples. All hand held. FWIW the Vanguard was harder to get the camera to line up.

 

[TagEater]

After watching the Backwoods Pursuit video, I bought the Athlon Ares as has been mentioned multiple times. It stacks up with my friends $1k+ scope! Couldn't be happier

 

[dreamingbig]

Athlon Ares is a very good value. Loving mine. Had it for over a year.


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[wyoduster]

I have a Kowa 873 Love it.. But when I go for a road hunt up the mountain I just throw the Tasco in the truck to clamp on the window. But at Long range can't beat a Kowa..

 

[Honyock]

Athlon Ares UHD G2 15-45X65 from Doug. For the money, I don't think you can beat it.