Which 80mm Buy Once, Cry Once Spotter?

lee peet

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Feb 17, 2014
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This is another reason to look. Zeiss has a blue tint to me which I can't stand.

If high magnification is your goal than the ATX is it. With the ME1.7 installed you get 100x on 65 and 85. On the 95 you get 120. It's just money right:)

SWAROVSKI OPTIK – ME 1.7x magnification extender
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I have not looked through the swaro extender and would really like to. Gotta admit thats why I thought I would buy the leica but 2 things stood out to me the biggest being the leica was beautiful up to 50x but as soon as the extender went on the image quality and definition went straight down hill. Also I wasn't a huge fan of having to unscrew the lens and put the extender in because any dirt or water on the lenses will be there and distort it or scratch it. In theory having a clean lens cloth would deal with that but my reality is by day 11 of a backpack hunt when its raining and all my lens clothes have been covered in dirt and wet since day 2 and i bust out the sleeve of the same shirt I've been rolling around in the shale with for the last 10 days doesn't seem like its going to do these high end optics any favors. So I really liked how the zeiss did it all in one package. One look through the swaro extender at 120x might change my opinion though and might have to find a way to make it work.

I agree with the blue/clear tinge on the zeiss, i prefer it over the green swaro tinge and the almost dark/clear tinge of the leica though.
 
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WyoRob

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Like binoculars, spotters are so subjective. Ten guys looking thought the same three spotters will tell you something different. So if you can, get them in the mountains and look through them.

Here are my top three
ATX 85
Leica Televid 82
Kowa 883

I agree with WRO.
Take all the emotions out of your purchase. Nothing is beating up on the ATX.

If you can I would also look at the
Meopta S2 and Maven Spotter.

The Meopta might just get best in show, if you take the price into consideration.


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The Meopta keeps grabbing my attention. If the quality is as good as many say for $1,600 it's hard not to consider over the Swaro at $3,000.
 

Ryan Avery

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Shoot2HuntU
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Like Shrek said, if you get the Meopta get the 30-60 WA


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dotman

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The Meopta keeps grabbing my attention. If the quality is as good as many say for $1,600 it's hard not to consider over the Swaro at $3,000.

I think your looking at the meopro not the S2, the S2 is around $2k. The meopro is on the same level as a vortex razor I do believe.
 
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WyoRob

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Nope and that is the one I posted not to be looking at 😜 Cabelas doesn't sell the S2, they sell the instinct but it is a fixed eyepiece.

If you are in the military or former military I think if you buy direct from Meopta they have a 40% discount.


Can you link me to the correct one?
 
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WyoRob

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Thanks, with a discount code I think I can get the Swaro from Cabela's for $2,700-ish so I think I'll just go that route.
 

WRO

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Thanks, with a discount code I think I can get the Swaro from Cabela's for $2,700-ish so I think I'll just go that route.

If you're willing to go used, you can get into a atx/stx 85 for that money, it is that much better IMHO.
 
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WyoRob

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If you're willing to go used, you can get into a atx/stx 85 for that money, it is that much better IMHO.

So the ATX > than the ATS?

I have no problem going used. What should I expect to pay for a used ATX setup?
 

dotman

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I think you would be lucky to get a complete ATX 85 for under $3k, used eyepiece is around $2k and used 85mm objective around $1300ish.

My guess your looking at $3100-3300 for a used ATX.
 

WRO

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I think you would be lucky to get a complete ATX 85 for under $3k, used eyepiece is around $2k and used 85mm objective around $1300ish.

My guess your looking at $3100-3300 for a used ATX.

I've seen the eye pieces a few times for around 1500 -1600, the Objectives run anywhere from 5-600 for the 65mm up to 1500 for the 95mm used. Just be patient.

You're going to want a BTX eventually, they really don't suck.

The X series is that much better than the S series, we ran them side by side on a week long trip, and its heads and shoulders better.
 

snakelk

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The Meopta keeps grabbing my attention. If the quality is as good as many say for $1,600 it's hard not to consider over the Swaro at $3,000.
WyoRob,

This thread interests me because, like you, I'm thinking the same thing (spending a good chunk of change on a nice 80mm spotter). I was interested in seeing what others had to say, in part because I had a chance to test several spotters side by side a couple years ago and out of what was available I picked the Meopta S2.

My buddy who was comparing spotting scopes ended up buying the S2 and I've had the chance to use it in the field since then. That firmed up my decision. For my uses, the S2 is the best value that I've looked through, and I want one! I just haven't spent the money yet.

I can't comment on the 80mm Swaro, as all we had was a 65mm Swaro, a Vortex Razor 82mm, a 60mm Leupold, and maybe another spotting scope that I can't recall. Hands down the Meopta S2 was the winner. We compared side by side and the Meopta came out on top. For a heavy and bulky 80+ mm spotter, it was the easiest to look through in terms of eye relief, and also was better at the highest power level than any of the others.

Yes, a big spotting scope like the S2 will require a solid, high quality tripod, and a high quality head, but I can tell you that after using my friend's S2 it made me a believer.

Like others have mentioned, I don't think you'd be disappointed with the Meopta S2. As for eyepieces, I've only used the 20-70x and I thought it was excellent at all power levels. A lot of guys rave about the 30-60x wide angle, so you'd probably be good with either.
 

WRO

WKR
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WyoRob,

This thread interests me because, like you, I'm thinking the same thing (spending a good chunk of change on a nice 80mm spotter). I was interested in seeing what others had to say, in part because I had a chance to test several spotters side by side a couple years ago and out of what was available I picked the Meopta S2.

My buddy who was comparing spotting scopes ended up buying the S2 and I've had the chance to use it in the field since then. That firmed up my decision. For my uses, the S2 is the best value that I've looked through, and I want one! I just haven't spent the money yet.

I can't comment on the 80mm Swaro, as all we had was a 65mm Swaro, a Vortex Razor 82mm, a 60mm Leupold, and maybe another spotting scope that I can't recall. Hands down the Meopta S2 was the winner. We compared side by side and the Meopta came out on top. For a heavy and bulky 80+ mm spotter, it was the easiest to look through in terms of eye relief, and also was better at the highest power level than any of the others.

Yes, a big spotting scope like the S2 will require a solid, high quality tripod, and a high quality head, but I can tell you that after using my friend's S2 it made me a believer.

Like others have mentioned, I don't think you'd be disappointed with the Meopta S2. As for eyepieces, I've only used the 20-70x and I thought it was excellent at all power levels. A lot of guys rave about the 30-60x wide angle, so you'd probably be good with either.
We're you over at vanes house with Lux?

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