The new Vortex Razor HD 13-39x56mm, The Mini Razor

[R55]

Thanks. Too bad CameralandNY doesnt deal Vortex.

Where is the best place to purchase/best prices, etc.?

Eurooptic has good pricing if you qualify for their MIL / LE pricing, but Expertvoice has an even better price. Downside to EV is they're often out of stock (like now). I've purchased from both. In my limited experience, Eurooptic seems to have better customer service.

 

[Hnthrdr]

So had both of my vortex mini’s out yesterday glassing in the evening a spot on the frontrange +/-3 miles away. Wish I had a kowa or atc to really get a better opinion, but between the two.

Old razor has better focus adjustment. (Didn’t find the new one hard to adjust or sticky, but people mentioned very small window of best focus. If that makes sense)

New razor edges out old one optically, but not by a whole heck of a lot. Seemed like better color, little more crisp and better clarity)

Pulled out 65mm razor hd, and found it superior to both, which begs the questions if I’m really needing/ wanting a spotter, the extra lb or so shouldn’t scare me off too much. If I am doing a lot more close in work, say one side of the drainage to the other or sub 1500 yards clear edge to the little guys, or if I am just using it to I.D. game at distance, but not evaluate size or maturity. Also must preface only time I really glass is Nov muley hunting and scouting, carry 8 or 10x for archery and that is it.

I will take them over to table mountain sometime soon hopefully and do a little 1000 yard and in glassing.

 

[donrleonard]

So had both of my vortex mini’s out yesterday glassing in the evening a spot on the frontrange +/-3 miles away. Wish I had a kowa or atc to really get a better opinion, but between the two.

Old razor has better focus adjustment. (Didn’t find the new one hard to adjust or sticky, but people mentioned very small window of best focus. If that makes sense)

New razor edges out old one optically, but not by a whole heck of a lot. Seemed like better color, little more crisp and better clarity)

Pulled out 65mm razor hd, and found it superior to both, which begs the questions if I’m really needing/ wanting a spotter, the extra lb or so shouldn’t scare me off too much. If I am doing a lot more close in work, say one side of the drainage to the other or sub 1500 yards clear edge to the little guys, or if I am just using it to I.D. game at distance, but not evaluate size or maturity. Also must preface only time I really glass is Nov muley hunting and scouting, carry 8 or 10x for archery and that is it.

I will take them over to table mountain sometime soon hopefully and do a little 1000 yard and in glassing.

This is fantastic info. Thanks for the field report!

I think what I am taking away is that I can bring my preferred chest binos (8x42) and the mini razor (either) for general hunting purposes and digiscoping. I’ll locate with the chest binos and verify, if needed, with the mini razor. If I’m ever lucky enough to go sheep hunting or chasing trophies, step up to bigger and/or better glass.

 

[Hnthrdr]

This is fantastic info. Thanks for the field report!

I think what I am taking away is that I can bring my preferred chest binos (8x42) and the mini razor (either) for general hunting purposes and digiscoping. I’ll locate with the chest binos and verify, if needed, with the mini razor. If I’m ever lucky enough to go sheep hunting or chasing trophies, step up to bigger and/or better glass.

Yep, I have buddies hunting elk during my deer hunt this year so I’ll have the new mini razor, and 65, and maybe either the old 65 or new 85 out there as well, so it will be great to see what is working, what is adequate and what is dead weight. I think you will be well served with that setup. Like I said I’d like to get my hands on some other mini spotters to do side by side stuff. Want to see atc next to mini razor to sus out if it is worth the extra 1300 dollars

 

[sodaksooner]

Where was this a few months ago? I picked up a 1st gen 85 and was thoroughly impressed with the clarity after spending a week and a half with it. Wouldn't mind a bit less weight, but for all the grousing about vortex quality, I really liked it. Brother has the 2nd gen and actully thought my older unit had better clarity(plus 20x versus 27x gets you on target faster).
I'll have to check this smaller one out. Sure don't mind the smaller footprint and less weight, although we were often looking many miles away so 60x versus 39x sure comes in handy. Hands down the spotter and tripod were the best purchases I made this year huntingwise. sure would like to try this one out.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Where was this a few months ago? I picked up a 1st gen 85 and was thoroughly impressed with the clarity after spending a week and a half with it. Wouldn't mind a bit less weight, but for all the grousing about vortex quality, I really liked it. Brother has the 2nd gen and actully thought my older unit had better clarity(plus 20x versus 27x gets you on target faster).
I'll have to check this smaller one out. Sure don't mind the smaller footprint and less weight, although we were often looking many miles away so 60x versus 33x sure comes in handy. Hands down the spotter and tripod were the best purchases I made this year huntingwise. sure would like to try this one out.

Well as someone who has own/ owned lots of vortex spotting scopes, I find them a good value. Definitely not a fan boy just what I bought could afford at the time. My FIL who lives in AZ has all swaro and yes they are far superior, but for what I do 90% of the time in Co vortex razors have been very adequate and are likely meet that need for many many hunters.

 

[sodaksooner]

Well as someone who has own/ owned lots of vortex spotting scopes, I find them a good value. Definitely not a fan boy just what I bought could afford at the time. My FIL who lives in AZ has all swaro and yes they are far superior, but for what I do 90% of the time in Co vortex razors have been very adequate and are likely meet that need for many many hunters.

I can't justify the additional cost of the Swaro's for as often as I would use them. 90% of the use for mine will be on the range. More than acceptable for what use it will see from me! Ive not had bad luck with any of my Vortex stuff as of yet.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I have the 65mm gen 2 razor and am trying to decide if I “need” to upgrade or want to upgrade.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I have the 65mm gen 2 razor and am trying to decide if I “need” to upgrade or want to upgrade.

Personally wouldn’t call it an upgrade, from my “testing” gen 2 65 was superior

 

[TheArdentOutdoorsman]

Mine came last Tuesday and I spent 4 different days glassing whitetails with it. For my use, it's exactly what I was looking for. I don't grid with a spotter. Only use to get a closer look after locating game with my binos. The optical clarity is crisp, particularly in the center of image. Though I do agree the window of focus is slim, I didn't find it to be a big deal. I think it's a great value for the price

 

[Hnthrdr]

Mine came last Tuesday and I spent 4 different days glassing whitetails with it. For my use, it's exactly what I was looking for. I don't grid with a spotter. Only use to get a closer look after locating game with my binos. The optical clarity is crisp, particularly in the center of image. Though I do agree the window of focus is slim, I didn't find it to be a big deal. I think it's a great value for the price

What ranges were you glassing at? focus was picky at 3+/- miles I’m wondering if I was looking closer in if it’s a little more forgiving

 

[TheArdentOutdoorsman]

What ranges were you glassing at? focus was picky at 3+/- miles I’m wondering if I was looking closer in if it’s a little more forgiving

I was mostly glassing animals around 1500yds. It is more forgiving at closer ranges but I still wish the window of best focus was more broad

 

[bigunit]

I ordered one Monday after work and got it Wed. I took it out scouting last night and am quite impressed with it. I had the 11-33×50 (still do but for sale now) so I'll do a bit of a side by side comparison today. I really like the new twist up eye cup design.

 

[donrleonard]

I ordered one Monday after work and got it Wed. I took it out scouting last night and am quite impressed with it. I had the 11-33×50 (still do but for sale now) so I'll do a bit of a side by side comparison today. I really like the new twist up eye cup design.

Would love to hear about the side by side test!

 

[Touchdown88]

Here's an unedited photo I took 15 min after sundown tonight. This was at full power.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Here's an unedited photo I took 15 min after sundown tonight. This was at full power.

Distance?

 

[Touchdown88]

Distance?

250 yards - 350 yards. I didn't have a rangefinder on me. Sorry.

 

[4th_point]

focus was picky at 3+/- miles I’m wondering if I was looking closer in if it’s a little more forgiving

I would suggest that the focus isn't the root cause problem. It sounds like aberration levels of the scope combined with the long distances, unless the viewing conditions were really good. The picky focus is a symptom.

The 56mm sample that I tried would not come to sharp focus at 39x, which is what I was expecting, but was cautiously optimistic that it would be better given the US assembly.

That is not unique to Vortex though. There are other makes/models where the image gets soft at higher magnification. And fine focus seems to help. But a well corrected scope will quickly go from blurry out of focus on one side, to sharp focus, then blurry on the other side. Photographers talk about focus snap and it never made sense to me until I experienced it with well corrected scopes. No fine focus needed.

 

[CMP70306]

So for eastern hunting what would be the consensus between something like this and the Razor UHD binoculars? I currently have a pair of Vipers and the 27-60 spotting scope, debating if it’s better to pick up a smaller spotter to pack with me or pick up better binoculars instead?

Mostly picking out deer in thick cover out to the 300 yards or so but will have the opportunity to occasionally look out to 600 to 1000+ yards depending on where I end up sitting.

 

[Tahoe1305]

So for eastern hunting what would be the consensus between something like this and the Razor UHD binoculars? I currently have a pair of Vipers and the 27-60 spotting scope, debating if it’s better to pick up a smaller spotter to pack with me or pick up better binoculars instead?

Mostly picking out deer in thick cover out to the 300 yards or so but will have the opportunity to occasionally look out to 600 to 1000+ yards depending on where I end up sitting.

I think some good 8x binos (maybe 10 too) to spot game, then this inside 1000yds to examine would be awesome for eastern.

I just spent 10 days in CO hunting about 1.5 miles of visual sight line with 12x binos. It was easy to pick up moving game in fields and timber. I could make out tines out to about a mile, but needed a spotter outside of that to get the detail I wanted. It was a solid combo for CO and dialing back a bit for east coast would be even better.