Best all around spotting scope?

[PrimeTime]

I love Nikon products but am sticking with the "big eyes". It would be nice to throw a pair of Nikons together but that would cost too much for me. The Spacemasters in a bracket are pretty darn hard to beat. A buddy has a pair and they make glassing all day pleasurable. I tried my single scope and after a few minutes, my right eye starts to twitch and the left eye starts to sweat and shutter. Basically, the only way to view is with both eyes and most binos just won't cut it. You can buy a set of big eyes for around $700. Take care

[Ian M]

Best place to price out Nikon fieldscopes:
Check out a couple of the big camera dealers in New York - particularly Addorama and B&H. Easiest way is to go to the magazine store and look at a copy of Outdoor Photography or any other big photography magazine - Addorama's ads are usually outlined in a blue margin around each page.

I have dealth with the above companies in the past and if you can get past dealing with rude, impolite New Yorkers you will save a bunch of money.

[rlipson]

Well, we all LOVE those New Yorkers these days, right? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[rlipson]

Eagel Optics has the 60MM ED field scope III with the angled body for $688. This is for the the body only. Is this a good price?

What eyepice do you guys reccomend?

Roger

[Ian M]

Roger,
I am using a 20-45 and it is usually set on the lower end of the power range. They also sell a fixed 20 or 25 that might be all a person really needs. Usually in summer mirage prevents going very high with the power.

The angled eyepiece is very nice for range work, particularly prone shooting. I prefer a straight one as I use mine for hunting and prefer to point the scope where I am looking.

Not sure about the price, I would shop around as deals can be found on most optics if you work at it.

When you buy one I suggest a good tripod, we use a couple of different ones depending on what the scope is being used for. Obviously you need a low one for prone shooting and we also use taller camera tripods when the scope is being used back of the firing line.

There was a kit from Nikon including two tripods and a carrying case, not sure if it is still available.

Good luck.

[rlipson]

Here's a question. How important is the ED glass? A person could almost put two NON ED FieldScopes with 20x eyepieces together as BigEyes almost as cheaply as an ED scope with a variable eyepiece...

Roger

[Ian M]

Roger,
The way I see it, there are some considerations that will dictate the scope you should get.
Mobility - are you using them from one position, near a vehicle, or for hiking and climbing. My impression of big-eyes is that they are for situations that don't involve a lot of hiking, climbing etc. vs a rugged, smaller packable scope that will go into a backpack.
Optical quality - there are junkers, good spotters and superb spotters - your pocketbook will have to decide that one. If you are going to use it a lot the best optics are much easier on the eyes and really do offer performance that the others cannot.
Last might be versatility - not sure that I would use big-eyes at the range, prefer a smaller scope beside me on the bench.
Don't get me wrong, big-eyes serve a purpose, particularly for extended-use type hunting and shot-spotting. My 78 ED is a big scope, but I figure it is worth the bother to pack along on hunts. Wouldn't want anything bigger tho.

ED or non-ED - definitely worth it in my opinion. I have seen my ED Fieldscope blow away all of the current big name non-ED models - the owners admitted that their scope was not as sharp and bright under field condidtions. On several hunts the guides flat-out took over the ED scope, left theirs at camp.

I guess marketing dictates that Swarovski, Nikon etc. offer both non-ED and ED versions - under optimum light conditions the difference is not always as apparent as when the light is poor or when looking at a dark object against a dark background for instance.

Not sure that this will help with your decision, good luck.
ian