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Best 50mm Spotter?

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REMF View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote REMF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Best 50mm Spotter?
    Posted: November/25/2014 at 22:33
Soliciting opinions on the best 50mm spotter currently available.

Criteria & Info:
1. 50 mm OBJ
2. Straight Body
3. No Cost Constraint
4. Used to clamp on window and evaluate pronghorn during daylight hours

From what I can tell, here are the options for a 50mm spotter (in order by SWFA price):
$39.95 - Firefield 20x50
$49.95 - Konus 15-45x50 Konuspot
$89.95 - Barska 15-45x50 Naturescape
$99.95 - Barska 18-36x50 Blackhawk
$104.95 - Bushnell 18-36x50 Sentry
$119.95 - Burris 15-45x50 High Country
$120.95 - Bushnell 12-36x50 Sentry (Compact)
$164.95 - Bushnell 14-45x50 Natureview
$178.95 - Bushnell 15-45x50 Trophy XLT
$199.95 - Barska 12-36x50 Naturescape ED
$293.95 - Bushnell 12-36x50 Legend Ultra HD
$299.00 - Minox 16-30x50
$399.95 - Leupold 15-30x50 Compact Golden Ring
$699.95 - Vortex 11-33x50 Razor HD
$829.95 - Nikon 13-30x50 ED Fieldscope
$1,249.95 - Kruger 7-25x50 Lynx Tactical (Compact/Illuminated)

I'm sort of leaning toward the Leupold or Nikon, but if the Burris is just as good for only $119.00…

Please let me know if you've had experience with any.  If you've looked through more than one, please rank them.

Thanks,
REMF

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cr500 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cr500 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/30/2014 at 18:39

I looked through some of these recently with a friend who needed one for archery

We looked at

Vortex 50HD

Bushnell trophy 50mm

Barska 50mm (cant remember which model)

He ended up going with the cheap Barska as it was all he needed to see his arrows in the target no more than 50y or so away. I preferred the more expensive Vortex which was better in every way than the other scopes, but as I already have a few other scopes I didn't need it. Now that my Pentax 65HD is broken again from dropping it, I might look into an angled version on the Vortex 50HD as a more portable version of my current 85mm HD. I know someone who has the Nikon and likes it a lot for a small scope, but I haven't done any sort of comparison yet.




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/30/2014 at 20:26
If you do a search here you will find that the Nikon 50ED is very highly rated. I preferred it over any other 50mm I looked at. I like it so much that I rarely use my Pentax 80ED any more.
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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/30/2014 at 22:58
The best 50mm spotter is the Vortex Razor HD.  Nothing else is close.  In terms of image quality it is kinda like the improved version of Nikon Fieldscope ED except the Razor eyepiece is designed to be used by humans.  The Fieldscope eyepiece seems to have been designed primarily to irritate me.  

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/30/2014 at 23:23
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:


 The Fieldscope eyepiece seems to have been designed primarily to irritate me.  

ILya


Interesting. How so? I guess I have not had any issues with using mine.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cr500 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/01/2014 at 05:45
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

The best 50mm spotter is the Vortex Razor HD.  Nothing else is close.  In terms of image quality it is kinda like the improved version of Nikon Fieldscope ED except the Razor eyepiece is designed to be used by humans.  The Fieldscope eyepiece seems to have been designed primarily to irritate me.  

ILya

Koshkin. What eye piece does your Vortex 50HD have? I was hoping to get the long eye relief one so it is easier when shooting prone.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote REMF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/01/2014 at 09:14

Koshkin, you're the first I've seen to mention having an issue with the eyepiece on the Nikon.  Reviews on the Nikon (elsewhere) are pretty uniformly positive - while I've seen a few negative comments on the Vortex.

The Nikon arrives tomorrow.  There wasn't any response on my post for almost a week, so I just figured nobody really cared about my question.  You guys must have just been too busy eating turkey, so I went ahead and launched.

I'll let you know what I think about the Nikon.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/01/2014 at 13:07
Having owned and enjoyed the Nikon ED50, I now have, and prefer, the Vortex Razor 50.  I like the dual focus, better eye relief, and better apparent sharpness. 
-Matt
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote REMF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/24/2014 at 11:28
Based on your recs, I swapped the Nikon for the Vortex without even taking the Nikon out of the packaging.  I don't think I'll be sorry.  I love the compact feel of the Vortex, and the picture is pretty darn nice.

Thanks again for your help!
REMF
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