Underrated or Overlooked Spotters?

[WRM]

Some good gospel for you, as well as some Swaro heresy!

Highlights that you really have to know what you are looking for. I am only familiar with the little 50, and I like it. If it's in your budget, go for it. It may seem puny, but 30x is a lot of magnification. True, it isn't going to be the best at light gathering with only 50mm, but that is where decent binos can help out. I'd much rather use binos than a spotter early and late--game should be moving around so you can spot animals much easier. Why not use both eyes and scan a lot of ground? Regardless, the 50s are compact and handy.

One other tip. Make absolutely sure you are getting an eyepiece. A lot of the scopes sold on ebay are "body only" and some of the sellers will do a lot to avoid highlighting this fact.

As far as the 50 goes, I believe if you are getting an ED 50 (with eyepiece) you are good. Can't speak to other models.

 

[WRM]

Here is a good place to start

Nikon Spotting Scopes | Nikon Fieldscopes

It may not detail all models, but should get you started.

 

[oenanthe]

Awesome info, thank you. Question: If it doesnt say on the ebay listing, is there an easy way to tell the difference between the I , II and III?

I'm in no rush. I can wait around for the right spotter for the right price. Seems like most of the ones on ebay have fixed eyepieces,. unless I am misunderstanding the listings.

The easiest way to tell the Fieldscope III is by the wide extendable sunshade. I and II don't have this.

View attachment 44531

Yeah, a lot of the listings have fixed eyepieces. it can be confusing because they have different power on different scope diameters.

Patience pays off! I waited for months for my 82ED to come along. Got outbid a few times, too. A man's got to know his limitations.

 

[WRM]

Almost always some little trick like that. I can't see the attachment.

I'm assuming that many of these guys (from where they are located, what they have said, or just basic assumption) are looking at a lot of game that is a long way off and are trying to decide if it is big enough to pursue, whether personally or for a client. I am not that person. I don't need to know the exact dimensions of the animals I am hunting. I am just glad to be out there and need plenty of practice stalking. I don't have to see much to know whether to go or not. And, I'm not in sheep territory where you really need to be sure before you move to close an often significant gap. There is a big reason in those situations to have glass you are absolutely sure is going to perform as you need it to. Many of us just do not need that level of performance in order to have an enjoyable hunt.

 

[oenanthe]

Sorry about the link - it works for me; not sure what's wrong.

Here's Nikon's site for reference:
Fieldscope III 20-60x60mm ED Straight from Nikon

And here's a page that can help sort out the eyepieces:
Nikon | Sport Optics | MC Fieldscope Eyepieces for Observation - Specifications

 

[WRM]

Cool. I couldn't find the "archived" section when I went to their page. Not all have it, so I just assumed they did not.

And, I second the above. Know your limits and don't get sucked into bidding. You have plenty of time to find something decent, unless you are planning a hunt next week.

 

[R_burg]

Sorry about the link - it works for me; not sure what's wrong.

Here's Nikon's site for reference:
Fieldscope III 20-60x60mm ED Straight from Nikon

And here's a page that can help sort out the eyepieces:
Nikon | Sport Optics | MC Fieldscope Eyepieces for Observation - Specifications

Gotcha, thank you. I see what you are saying about the hood.

 

[Comprido]

The thread is about low/mid priced spotters, it always has been.

There are some great products available, depending on budget and weight concerns...but once again the tripod and head need added to the equation.

From Opticron to Hawke to Pentax...OP what's your budget ?

OP's words

What say you guys? Doesn't have to be low end stuff. I'm looking for models across the spectrum.

I took that to mean anything you personally thought was overlooked as a spotter. If I was incorrect, my apology to the OP. I listed what I thought--Meopta binos (with doubler). I went out on a limb with that, and plenty of saws got whipped right out. The Kowas were in jest (for me), although I know others do use them. For most, however, they are "overlooked" with good reason. I agreed on Celestron Regal (current), and I also like the old Nikon Field Scopes. I have never looked through the Vanguard, but it appears to be a potential super deal.

This thread has taken a life of its own, and its fine with me if its strays from my original intentions (though maybe the bickering isn't needed.)

Since you asked, my budget is low to barely mid-tier - around $600ish and I’m happy to buy used - but I'd go higher for something that's a great value or happens to be on a closeout or some other way that gives me a big bang for my buck. (But yeah, the Alphas + Meopta + Kowa Prominar are hardly overlooked so I doubt I'm going to find a gem of a value there.)

Here's what has piqued my interest. They are admittedly all over the place.

-Nikon Fieldscope ED III on Ebay – over my budget, and probably have to order from a Japanese vendor.

-Vanguard Endeavor ED 65mm. Until the end of the year, it’s about $310 on Optic Planet (if you have a coupon code), and it comes with a coupon for $170 tripod. I do need a good tripod, so let’s say the tripod is worth $100 to me. That means I would only have $210 in the scope.
Not bad for the scope reviewed here:
Vanguard Endeavor HD 65S Spotting Scope - Shocking Performance & Value

(As I read that review for about the third time, it seems almost silly not to try it.)

I am the proud owner of Vanguard ED II 10x42s which I'm very happy with. I had never heard of Vanguard until I started shopping for bins a few months ago. Stumbling on the Vanguards was sort of the inspiration for starting this thread.



-Kowa 601 (Adorama still has the body for $201. With eyepiece you are looking at $500. Small and light, but alas, not ED.)

-Pentax 65ED

-Celestron 65F-ED (bigger and heavier than some 80mm scopes. I want a 65mm spotter so I can at least think about taking it on backcountry trips.)

 

[robby denning]

I remember when Darin Cooper wrote that article. He truly was shocked at the performance. If i remember right, he lost the spotting scope in his garage after he received it. About two months later I asked him when the review was coming and he said oh crap I forgot about that thing! I guess he wasn't that excited about reviewing it. About a month later he called and said the article was done and he couldn't believe what a good spotting scope it was.


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[WRM]

Sounds like you have the answer OP--it was truly the "overlooked" spotter!

 

[dotman]

I was really impressed with the Vanguard 80a, so impressed I sold my Vortex Razor, so yes that is a great deal and I doubt you are disappointed but I will say I never have looked through their 65 just the 80.

 

[realunlucky]

I also have the 80A and it really lives up to its value

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[rileybassman]

I have the 65a, and it is a great scope! Way worth the money!

 

[R_burg]

-Vanguard Endeavor ED 65mm. Until the end of the year, it’s about $310 on Optic Planet (if you have a coupon code), and it comes with a coupon for $170 tripod. I do need a good tripod, so let’s say the tripod is worth $100 to me. That means I would only have $210 in the scope.
Not bad for the scope reviewed here:
Vanguard Endeavor HD 65S Spotting Scope - Shocking Performance & Value

(As I read that review for about the third time, it seems almost silly not to try it.)

I am the proud owner of Vanguard ED II 10x42s which I'm very happy with. I had never heard of Vanguard until I started shopping for bins a few months ago. Stumbling on the Vanguards was sort of the inspiration for starting this thread.

Yeah, that review is very good and the reviewer loved the Vanguard for the money. I also own Vanguard EDIIs in 10x42 and I tried a few other pairs before I stuck with these. To me, they outperformed more expensive glass. What worries me with the additional glass in a spotter is the low light performance. I knew going in that the drawback to the EDII's is low light performance with their silver coating vs dielectric, and with a spotter (vs a 10x bino) that shortfall worries me more. I felt one thing lacking from that review was the spotters low light performance.

Any opinions from people that have used it versus other spotters?

 

[rileybassman]

I havent compared at low light, bt have compared to the viper, diamondback, lower end leupold (forget the name) and the compact razor... the vanguard out performed all of them. I van spot deer over a mile and a half away at last shooting light if its clear out... if its cloudy, within 10 mins of last light or so i would say. Obviously the higher the zoom the more light is required, so around last light you are looking at 30x or less zoom i would say.

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[rileybassman]

Here are a couple digiscope pics... sunset here is 4:56 and these were taken at 5:09, 5:11, and 5:12. First is 15x second is 30x and last is 45x. The cattle shed is almost exactly 1 mile away.
Slight blurryness is me taking the pic.

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[NevadaZielmeister]

...but technical spec reviews don't lie, and the Alpha's stand king for a reason. Of course great products can be bought in the mid/lower tiers, it just depends on needs and quality. The budget minded users get their sensibilities in a wad at the Alpha users, yet the Alpha users don't care what you use ?...that wad can cause a rash at some point

What technical spec reviews are you referring to? Are there objective tests regarding optics quality? I would like to see those.

The optic debates goes on for weeks on end at every bird site, in the end only your eyes and hands dictate the best model for you.

I agree with you here. In my experience, the end user's impressions of the ergonomics and glass/coatings themselves are the biggest determinants of optical quality. Simply put, each person's eyes are different and the optics manufacturers try their best to accommodate as many different consumers as possible. Which leads to the question: Isn't optical quality subjective?

 

[tater]

This thread has taken a life of its own, and its fine with me if its strays from my original intentions (though maybe the bickering isn't needed.)
-Celestron 65F-ED (bigger and heavier than some 80mm scopes. I want a 65mm spotter so I can at least think about taking it on backcountry trips.)

That is the first gen Celestron. The second Gen 65mm weighs 46.8 Ozs. You can tell Gen 1-2 by placemement of focus wheels and colour of armouring. Top wheels/grey is 1st, side wheels/green is second.

 

[Bwana]

That is the first gen Celestron. The second Gen 65mm weighs 46.8 Ozs. You can tell Gen 1-2 by placemement of focus wheels and colour of armouring. Top wheels/grey is 1st, side wheels/green is second.

The second generation is rated very high, and has rubber coating...the first didn't. New version has fine & course adjustment, on side as noted...also pull out sunshade. They also use the interchangeable 1.25" bayonet eye piece, so fixed or zoom options are easy with many brand options.

 

[Comprido]

That is the first gen Celestron. The second Gen 65mm weighs 46.8 Ozs. You can tell Gen 1-2 by placemement of focus wheels and colour of armouring. Top wheels/grey is 1st, side wheels/green is second.

I did not know that. The review I pulled my specs from was a few years old and said it weighed 61 oz. Thanks.