Vortex Razer HD 11-33x50

[coloyooper]

I saw an old review on this spotter but wanted to see if anybody using this model has any thoughts. I just picked one up from a vendor at work and am excited to use it. It'll be the first spotter I've ever owned and figure the size will be great for backpacking in.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

I think it's a solid option for the price, and good enough for many people's uses. Here's some digiscoping photos I took when I had one. I took all these pictures freehand through an iPhone without a digiscoping adapter so they're not all centered perfectly.

Spike elk at roughly 850 yards. About 45 minutes after the sun was up.

Coues deer does at around 400 yards. Midday.

OTC desert muley buck at 600 yards or so. Right at sunrise. This is actually a video still and my freehanding wasn't great here.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

I use one. Not the biggest fan, but it works okay. Mine won't zoom in and out anymore. It just stays at 11 power no matter what I do. It started happening during my 4th season hunt last year. During the off season I sent it into Vortex. It worked during scouting season this year. During 1st rifle this year it started happening again. I still used it, because I needed it for 3rd season and potentially 4th season. I need to send it in again, but I'm not happy that it has happened two years in a row.

 

[coloyooper]

Thanks guys. Those pictures look pretty solid. I got the scope for free, so I don't have any real financial investment.

It wasn't until after I ordered it (no returns) that I saw they also offered Viper HD 15-45x65mm and 20-60x85mm. I've not had experience with either of those but wonder how those compare.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

I saw they also offered Viper HD 15-45x65mm and 20-60x85mm. I've not had experience with either of those but wonder how those compare.

I compared the 11-33x50 Razor HD to the older model Viper HD 15-45x65 when purchasing, and the 50mm Razor HD was significantly better from my tests. The difference in glass quality is apparent at those sorts of magnifications. I'm not sure about the 85mm but that would be comparing a 25 oz scope to a 76.6 oz scope.

 

[idahomuleys]

Took a video of this buck with the razor right at sunrise, zoomed into 33 and my phone camera zoomed in as far as it could go. These are a couple screenshots I took from the video that I then zoomed in more on and cropped. I estimate he was 2+ miles away looking back on it from google earth.
The scope is impressive for its size. Great for observing antlers at a distance but wouldnt use it if you're a guy trying to count inches.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[coloyooper]

I'm not an inch counter, so that's good to know. Thanks for the pictures - I'm happy I picked it up and am excited to take it out.

 

[idahohikker]

I would definitely go with a Viper 65mm. With it I can judge animals as far as I need and glass until right around legal shooting light. Everyone I know who's bought a 50mm that isn't a Kowa or something nice ends up unhappy with it. What's it do that 15s couldn't? I really think, as I've heard people say, that it doesn't do much beyond binos. People often mention light gathering issues as well.

 

[idahomuleys]

I have a pair of cabelas euro hd 12×50s. While the spotter doesn't pick up light quite as well as the binos, it does see antlers better than the binos. I dont locate animals with a spotter though, so guys that do might not be impressed by it.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[wannakillabigbull]

What's it do that 15s couldn't? I really think, as I've heard people say, that it doesn't do much beyond binos.

Two years ago I went on a backpack coues hunt. I had binos and the 11-33x50 Razor HD, the guys I ended up hunting with had 15x56 Swaro SLC. Their 15x56 SLCs were not sufficient for sizing up game at extended ranges whereas the 11-33x50 Razor HD was. I was as surprised as they were that the Razor outdid the 15s when it came to counting points on those little deer and following them as they picked their way through the brush, but that was what happened. When it came time to direct Anthony on stalks at coues that were over a mile away we were using the Razor, not the Swaro 15s.

Long story short, the Razor 50mm can do a lot that binos simply can't. 15s are better for locating game of course, but they're a different tool than a spotting scope.

 

[idahohikker]

That's sweet, man. I really respect your optics opinions so that is good to know. OP- take note. I haven't looked through the 11-33x, just heard from guys. It makes sense that 33 times magnification over 15 is a meaningful difference.

 

[chindits]

I have had 11-33 for about 5 years now. It is definitely my go to spotter for backpack scouting and hunting. Even for day hikes or yote hunting I’ll grab my 11-33 rather than two larger scopes. I don’t know what’s so hard about finding critters with them, I don’t have any problems with just a range finder and the 11-33.

I have two complaints: the eye cup sucks and the lens caps suck. The lens caps kept falling off so much I glued strips of bike inner tubes to the caps and then attached the ends of the strips to the body of the scope in order to keep enough tension on the lens caps so they stay on the lenses.

 

[Dave0317]

I'll be honest, I've got plenty of experience with a few Optics, but not a lot of variety of spotting scopes. I've used the Leupold 12-40x a lot.
This year I got to use a buddy's Razor 11-33x a good bit, in a desert environment in varying lighting conditions.
Compared to the Leupold, I was not impressed with its brightness at the higher magnifications. It's enjoyable to glass with, and very clear/bright in the 11-20x range. As you get up to the 33x mark, brightness drops very noticably. Eye relief also got annoyingly short. Eye relief isn't a big deal if you can get set into a comfy position, but if you need to set up and use it quickly at awkward angles, the eye relief/eye box was finicky.
The 33x end would still be very useful to occasionally zoom in and verify details.

I'd reccomend it for someone that has a good pair of binos already, and needs something lightweight, but also lots more magnification than their binos. Again if you plan on glassing with it a ton, you will probably stay around 20x to get a balance of FOV/brightness/eye releif. If you will spend lots of time using it at its max magnification, there are probably better spotters out there.

 

[Wrongside]

I had one for a few years and was happy with it, for what it was. Sold it to buy a x85mm scope and miss having a x50mm spotter. I will be getting another 50mm soon. Probably either the Razor or new Kowa.

 

[huntnfolk]

Have had one for several years. I'm not a trophy hunter but area i hunt requires 3 point or better for elk. The 11-33 has worked great for me up to a couple miles away. Nice and compact to pack when I'm hiking and biking several miles in.

 

[rustyN]

I really like my 11-33 Razor. Super small and light. I use it at the range and has been more than enough for 1k yard shooting. Didn't get out to Mule deer hunt this year, but expect it will be great for that.

 

[rodney482]

Coupled with the summit tripod its perfect for 90% of hunting applications. Less than 5# for complete system

 

[tdhanses]

Coupled with the summit tripod its perfect for 90% of hunting applications. Less than 5# for complete system

Put it on a KDC granite peak tripod and drop almost 3lbs off your total weight.

 

[coloyooper]

Thanks everybody. Scope came in - so far so good. Will have to put it to the test in the off season.

 

[belly-deep]

I have three spotters (50, 65 and 85mm). My 50mm gets the most use by far because it is so light. I carry it everywhere. I prefer one of the bigger ones for really sitting down behind a spotter, though. I use the 50 mostly to field judge animals I've already picked up with my binos, so I don't spend a whole ton of time behind it.

Second place goes to the 85, but if I could only own one, it would be the 65.