Which mini spotter would you pick?

[TimberHunter]

Not sure I want to spend ATC money, so was considering the new razor 56. Any other suggestions? Already have a razor gen 1 85, just looking for lighter weight


Additional info:

I already have 10x zeiss SFL I use on a tripod

 

[NickyD]

I have the maven CS1.A and I really like it. I haven’t compared it to the razor 56 but I imagine they’re similar quality level. The ATC is definitely a lot better than my maven, I’m looking to upgrade in the next few years

 

[Ultracarry]

Just an FYI - a good pair of Swarovski 15’s can do more and honestly you will be able to see clearer than the ATC or small spotter / hands down more than any vortex product… buy once cry once.
search the optics classifieds for upgrades to products you think you can afford at retail .. and extra couple hundred or thousand can increase your hunt quality well beyond the money spent . And you won’t have to keep buying upgrades until you reach “alpha glass” …

 

[kcm2]

I have the old Nikon 13x30 ED compact. Great spotter, and not expensive on the used market. I paid $400 for it. A bargain. You can find them on Ebay.

 

[Maverick1]

Similar to the poster above, I found that a good pair of binoculars on a tripod outperformed a small spotting scope. Maybe not in magnification (or weight) but in image, clarity, and ability to glass for long periods of time.

 

[TimberHunter]

Just an FYI - a good pair of Swarovski 15’s can do more and honestly you will be able to see clearer than the ATC or small spotter / hands down more than any vortex product… buy once cry once.
search the optics classifieds for upgrades to products you think you can afford at retail .. and extra couple hundred or thousand can increase your hunt quality well beyond the money spent . And you won’t have to keep buying upgrades until you reach “alpha glass” …

Appreciate the insight but I actually sold my swaro 15s (bought them new a year or two ago) because they just weren’t enough zoom at times so I then had chest bumps, 15s and a spotter in my pack


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[TimberHunter]

Additional info:

I already have 10x zeiss SFL I use on a tripod


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[Ultracarry]

You may want to go put your eyes through some then - my 15’s were leaps and bounds clearer and low light conditions the ATC would work but not as good. Here is a 4x5… 1/2 mile away … iPhone 13pro zoomed all the way in …

I’m carrying some RF leicas and will throw a BTX 65 in my pack …

 

[Shō[t]gun]

Appreciate the insight but I actually sold my swaro 15s (bought them new a year or two ago) because they just weren’t enough zoom at times so I then had chest bumps, 15s and a spotter in my pack

Not enough magnification for the distance or not enough for verifying detail?
I leave the spotter at the truck sometimes if I bring a phone adapter with 10’s. Just using the phone zoom thru alpha binos is enough to count tines pretty far away.

 

[StupidLightweight]

If you're dead set on a mini spotter, the best I've found is Nikon's ED50. However, it's critical to use the fixed 27X wide angle eyepiece. Together, this is a magical setup that weighs right at a pound. I've had mine since 2009, and to this day, it's the only spotter I use, and I've had high end Pentax, Leupold, etc.

During daylight, it's incredible. Low light, it's not the best, but there's always tradeoffs. For protection, I built a neoprene cover out of my father's old waders.

 

[Hotmail]

Kowa 554

 

[TimberHunter]

Kowa 554

I would agree until I had one and the eye box was pretty tight, especially with glasses


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[TimberHunter]

Not enough magnification for the distance or not enough for verifying detail?
I leave the spotter at the truck sometimes if I bring a phone adapter with 10’s. Just using the phone zoom thru alpha binos is enough to count tines pretty far away.

Good idea… I didn’t think about using my phone and attachment through my Zeiss SFL


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[TimberHunter]

You may want to go put your eyes through some then - my 15’s were leaps and bounds clearer and low light conditions the ATC would work but not as good. Here is a 4x5… 1/2 mile away … iPhone 13pro zoomed all the way in …

I’m carrying some RF leicas and will throw a BTX 65 in my pack …

Thanks for the picture. There are times I’m glassing 2+ miles (not counting points) away so if this is 1/2 mile away I think I will need to stick with a spotter


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