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ANGLED AND STRAIGHT SPOTTER

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pawoods View Drop Down
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    Posted: August/27/2015 at 08:47

I am new to the forum.  This is my first post.  I am sure this has probably been covered before.  I am in the market for my first spotting scope and not sure if I should get an angled or straight eye piece model.

I have tried a few different models out at Cabelas and Gander MT but I was standing up at the time - not seated or prone.   I and 6'5" and have a longish neck.   The scope will be used for hunting and at the range.

Any import would be appreciated. Thanks


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2015 at 09:33
Angled is a little more complicated to find what u are wanting to look at. But a straight is much more difficult to get behind as it has to be straight with your eye. Meaning you have to have your tripod way up in the air.

I have both and would pick the angled every time. Learning how to find what your wanting to look at just takes practice. The annoyance of trying to get behind a straight will always be there
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BeltFed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2015 at 09:40
I'm going with supertool on this one. It's easier to use an angled at the range, and it's not that hard to find something with a little practice.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peddler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2015 at 09:42
X3!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bugsNbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2015 at 10:31
My sentiments differ. I have a straight Kowa and it is easy to get behind and locate targets.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2015 at 10:51
I like straight as well. It comes down to a matter of preference.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peddler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2015 at 11:02
3 to 2 so far.

Laugh


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2015 at 11:17
I'm an angled guy too. I thought I would like a straight scope better, until I tried both and decided I preferred the angled.

As much as anything, angled permits lower tripod height since you're looking down. I find it's more comfortable and relaxed for my neck along a wider arc, and is easier to get on the eyepiece as you adjust viewing angle. With a straight eyepiece, you are forced to arc your head more according to the viewing angle, and it's especially more difficult as you angle the scope upward, unless you move the tripod height up really high.

It is easier to aim the toward a distant objects with straight spotters.

So, you have to decide which advantage you prefer and which disadvantage you're most willing to live with/ work around.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peddler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2015 at 11:32
That being said I still have an old sample that is probably 25 years old. It's a Nikon ED78 Fieldscope with a 20-45X eyepiece. Can't remember if they made angled back then or not.

Forgot to say straight.



But I still prefer angled!

4 to 2

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Edited by Peddler - August/27/2015 at 11:59
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billyburl2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2015 at 12:21
I prefer straight eye pieces. I believe they are easier to line-up on target, especially in field conditions.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote coyote95 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2015 at 10:13
Welcome to O.T  If your going to spend anytime standing behind spotter on tripod, you will want to go with angled for the reason Ted mentioned.  @ 6'5" your going to want it as low as possible.  If your going  to mostly sit behind it, that will be a personal preference. imo
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2015 at 11:37
Not to mention the fact that if you're a tall person, unless you have a VERY sturdy tripod, you'll have a much harder time keeping a straight spotter steady (especially in the wind) due to much higher tripod height. The higher you scope up a tripod, the less steady it becomes.

The angled eyepiece is also more adaptable to sharing your spotter with others of varying heights since you're already bending your head down to look into the eyepiece and therefore don't have to get the tripod exactly at eye height for comfort. The comfort aspect becomes even more important during extended viewing.

Many spotters come with a little sighting notch or tube that helps with the angled spotter's aiming speed disadvantage. I've found I simply pretend the eyepiece isn't there and look along the side of the body when aiming, then refine my aim through the eyepiece once I'm roughly aimed at the object. Plus, I use a joystick style ball head with my spotter, which speeds up target acquisition. With a little practice, I've gotten pretty fast at finding even the smallest targets. I've taken my angled spotter with me multiple times on prairie dog shoots. Nothing I can think of is harder to acquire in a high powered optic than a tiny prairie dog at extreme distance on a flat, featureless, treeless prairie, and yet I've had little problem doing it after minimal practice.

To me, the comfort, viewing angle convenience, and lower tripod height more than compensates for the slight loss of aiming speed, and after a little practice, I'm not even sure the aiming speed is even much different anymore.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bugsNbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2015 at 12:28
Originally posted by RifleDude RifleDude wrote:

Not to mention the fact that if you're a tall person, unless you have a VERY sturdy tripod, you'll have a much harder time keeping a straight spotter steady (especially in the wind) due to much higher tripod height. The higher you scope up a tripod, the less steady it becomes.

The angled eyepiece is also more adaptable to sharing your spotter with others of varying heights since you're already bending your head down to look into the eyepiece and therefore don't have to get the tripod exactly at eye height for comfort. The comfort aspect becomes even more important during extended viewing.

Many spotters come with a little sighting notch or tube that helps with the angled spotter's aiming speed disadvantage. I've found I simply pretend the eyepiece isn't there and look along the side of the body when aiming, then refine my aim through the eyepiece once I'm roughly aimed at the object. Plus, I use a joystick style ball head with my spotter, which speeds up target acquisition. With a little practice, I've gotten pretty fast at finding even the smallest targets. I've taken my angled spotter with me multiple times on prairie dog shoots. Nothing I can think of is harder to acquire in a high powered optic than a tiny prairie dog at extreme distance on a flat, featureless, treeless prairie, and yet I've had little problem doing it after minimal practice.

To me, the comfort, viewing angle convenience, and lower tripod height more than compensates for the slight loss of aiming speed, and after a little practice, I'm not even sure the aiming speed is even much different anymore.


Precisely why I bought the tripod I did. It's lightweight (relatively), very sturdy and well built. It's the Jobu Design Algonquin. It would be great for a person up to 6'5"-6'7" (or more) depending upon the head configuration.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Marine24 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2015 at 13:17
I prefer the angled as well particulary my Zen Ray ED2 that has the rotating tripod ring.  That allows me to stay seated and still look through the scope with the eyepiece rotated to be parallel with the deck.  Use a Phone Skope or similar product with my iPhone and you have a nice setup for the range.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2015 at 16:29
Straight for prone shooting, angled for all else.  

I hunt sometimes from blinds with high shelves for building a solid shooting position.  In those blinds, straight are much better.

My go-to spotter is an angled Vortex Razer HD, and it will be for awhile.  I hope.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sucker76 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/29/2015 at 13:18
Is there any optical advantage one way or another?  I also have been looking around for spotters and sometimes the angled is a different price than the straight. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peddler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/29/2015 at 14:06
Personal preference, there should be no price difference.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BeltFed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/31/2015 at 09:41
If you want to split hairs, the straight would be better, because the angled has to send light through an extra lens, but I doubt you can tell a difference between a straight or angled version of the same scope.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/31/2015 at 11:45
Originally posted by BeltFed BeltFed wrote:

If you want to split hairs, the straight would be better, because the angled has to send light through an extra lens, but I doubt you can tell a difference between a straight or angled version of the same scope.


Not really. The difference in eyepiece orientation is accomplished by using different prism designs --
Typically a straight scope uses a porro prism or schmidt pechan prism, and an angled scope typically uses a roof prism.

With today's advanced dielectric prism coatings, there is no noticeable difference in light transmission or image quality between angled and straight, when comparing two high quality spotters of the same series.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BeltFed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/31/2015 at 12:28
Originally posted by RifleDude RifleDude wrote:

Originally posted by BeltFed BeltFed wrote:

If you want to split hairs, the straight would be better, because the angled has to send light through an extra lens, but I doubt you can tell a difference between a straight or angled version of the same scope.


Not really. The difference in eyepiece orientation is accomplished by using different prism designs --
Typically a straight scope uses a porro prism or schmidt pechan prism, and an angled scope typically uses a roof prism.

With today's advanced dielectric prism coatings, there is no noticeable difference in light transmission or image quality between angled and straight, when comparing two high quality spotters of the same series.

That's what I said, but at least I got one of the smart guys to explain itBucky
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