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new spotting scope options? hoping for some insight from others?

DR 3006

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2013
Messages
129
Location
NW oregon
Hello everyone, I am looking for new spotting scope. my current choices are zeiss 20-75x85, meopta-nightforce 20-70,and vortex????? I want a leica but funding tells me these are realistic options for now. was hoping I could hear some helpful insight from all of our members out there willing to help the pros and cons of these options???? I currently own a 15-45x65mm zeiss it does most of what I need I am just looking for more magnification. whats everyones opinions???
 
Find a used Swaro ats-65 HD with no eyepiece or one with the 25-50 wide angle eyepiece. Looking through anything else compared to my 80hd with the 25-50 is like looking through a keyhole. It is honestly night and day how much more you can see. Swaro has one of the best warranties in the business. And a used 65HD should be in your price range.
 
IMO if you are wanting something in the real high magnification range you half to go high end. The more magnification the more you need high end glass. You can really tell the difference in glass quality as magnification increases. Only money hehe
 
The Zeiss is a good bet if you can afford it. The 20x75 eyepiece is a compound eyepiece, wide angle at low powers and standard fov at high magnification. Because of this the eye relief changes between low and high power and adjustments have to be made to the eyecup. This is the only thing I do not like about mine. when atmospheric conditions allow the 75x is awesome. The scope is super bright also. I would not spend $3000 for one today. I bought mine as a demo for $2000.

The Meopta with either eyepiece is a best buy, can't go wrong decision. This scope will do everything you want.

The Leica has nothing on these two scopes.

I assume the Swarovski ATX 85,95 are out of your price range.
 
Hello everyone, I am looking for new spotting scope. my current choices are zeiss 20-75x85, meopta-nightforce 20-70,and vortex????? I want a leica but funding tells me these are realistic options for now. was hoping I could hear some helpful insight from all of our members out there willing to help the pros and cons of these options???? I currently own a 15-45x65mm zeiss it does most of what I need I am just looking for more magnification. whats everyones opinions???


I bought the 80MM Zeiss about 2 months ago and love it. Heavier than hell if you are carrying it but otherwise. I never even looked at Leica because I know for the extra $$ it wasnt going to give me that much better pics. All I know now is that I'll never need a "better" scope because there is none!
 
I run Meopta for binos ,and spotter ,and I find them spectacular ,and I was even able to do a field test next to a few different brands ,and I went with Meopta .
 
I have the Meopta S2 with the 30-60WA lense. I've run it up against the Vortex Razor, the 65mm HD Swaro and the 95mm Swaro ATX. The only one that it lost to was the 95mm ATX and it sure wasn't by much. We were glassing a deer up after sunset with my Meopta and two of the 95mm Swaros and both of their owners couldn't believe how well the Meopta compared. The big Swaro was better but it took till after sunset and some hair splitting to be able to tell a difference. The weight difference alone would make it hard for me to want the big Swaro but optically I don't know if you'll find anything better and the Meopta is very worthy of your consideration as a very close second.
 
I have the meopta S2 HD with the wide angle. You will be amazed what this can do. I have a few pics from this past spring. Bear is at about 2 miles bright sunlight. Elk at 1900yds. (I think) bright sunlight as well. Young moose at 650 yards, all were ranged with a terrapin borrowed from a friend. One thing I have learned from testing and using my phone for a camera is I get way better quality doing video then taking a snapshot during video replay instead of taking photos directly which induces shake/blurr when i touch my screen, The last few really show better.
 

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Here are what I think are some better ones using my video mode. Can't remember distances off hand. couple hundred
 

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I agree with all that has been said. I had the same decision to make recently and ended up deciding to get a KOWA. Give them a look while you are deciding.
 
well after looking around and finally deciding on a scope I ended up finding a leica for only 200 more than zeiss or meopta. so I am going to give it a try, not sure if I will like the angled lens though always used a straight in the past. once again thanks for all the input
 
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