Ultimate Spotting scope

Money aside,

what is the ultimate spotting scope for hunting, I have an old Leupold 30 x 60 spotter that I was never really happy with & want to upgrade it.

For binoculars I use an older set of Swarvoski SLC 8x30's & reckon that are simply brilliant !

What do you recommend if the sky is the limit & you were investing in a life long spotter

 

Peter

I WOULD RECOMEND THE ZEISS DIASCOPE 85 T* FL SPOTTING SCOPE WITH THE VARIO 20X60 EYEPIECE. THE ZEISS WEIGHS 3.2 POUNDS AND IS 13.58 INCHES LONG. IT HAS A FULL LIFETIME TRANSFERABLE WARRANTY IN NORTH AMERICA. TO ME THIS IS THE ULTIMATE SPOTTING SCOPE. SWAROVSKI AND LEICA COME CLOSE BUT ZEISS ALWAYS STAYS ONE STEP AHEAD IN THE OPTICS DEPARTMENT.

The Swarovski is one of the best spotters you can buy and the same with Leica they have the best glass..

 

Very light weight by far the lightest of the larger observation telescopes.It has a sturdy light alloy housing, fully rubberised armouring for shock absorption.

Internal focusing for dustproof and watertight and lens thread for screw-in filters.With the ability to focus down to 16 ft and large grooves for quick focusing.

You can't go wrong if you choose any of the Swarovski products. 

 

The Leica is also a great spotter,these two are our best sellers.

 

    The legendary Leica  is easy to transport and pleasant to handle. The brightness and contrast on the Leica is extrordinary! Leica has a patented dual focusing technique, large focusing wheel and  the fluorite glass achieves an enhanced freedom of color fringes.This is the way to go!!

Edited by Chris

Leica optics and Zeiss optics are excellent optics, just like Leica M6 camera and Hasselblad 500 series cameras and BMW and Mercedes Benz, you could not go wrong about it because it is German technology [:)]

What does anyone know about the Pentax spotter available in 100 mm and also 80 mm versions.  I was very surprised to see them in this niche market and certainly interested to see their price tag was not at all expensive...Around $800.00 to $1200.00 U.S.  I have also seen some German firm at Optic planet advertising a binocular spotter with tripod for around ~$1900.00. 

           Chasseur106.

              P.S. Chris,

                     The sight I was referring to that is a head's up display model was the Hakko.

I have seen the 80mm Pentax with ED glass.  You can spend more, but I don't know that you can get much better quality.

 

ranburr

Peter, I recently went throught this same decision and did alot of research.  Basically in top of the line spotters it is Zeiss, Leica standard or APO, Swarovski standard or HD.  The Zeiss comes standard with Floride glass.  The Leica APO, and Swarovski HD have it as well.  The standard versions don't.  When I called SWFA and asked if you can see a difference between the standard version and the APO or HD and they told me not really.  Their opinion was for a hunting scope it wouldn't make a difference but it may make a difference if you were a birdwatcher or photographer.   I haven't been able to compare them side by side for myself though.  In the three top of the line comparison FL, APO, HD they really are so close optically it probably would be hard to see much difference but this is my opinion.

 

Large Scope 85mm

 

I would go with the Zeiss 85mm FL.  I think it is the best optically but only by slightly.  It has the largest objective and is the most compact.  I wouldn't buy the Swarovski 80mm for 2 reasons.  It doesn't have a coase and fine focus and it is way too expensive.  In the review I read the Zeiss had slightly better resolution than the Swarovski 80mm or Leica 77mm.  This is probably due to its noticably larger objective size.  I wouldn't buy any of these for a hunting scope because in my opinon they are all too large and not portable enough to carry in the field.  You may think that I am knocking Swarovski.  I am not trying to.  I just think that their features don't command the price that they are asking.

 

Smaller Scope 65mm

 

Between the Zeiss 65mm FL, Swarovski 65mm HD,  and the Leica 62mm APO, it is a harder choice.  In the reviews I read they are all very close optically.  The Zeiss and Leica both produced slightly better resolution that the Swarovski but only slightly.  Again I wouldn't buy the Swarovski standard or HD and here is why.  It doesn't have a coarse and fine focus and it is way too expensive.  The Swarovski standard scope is $1449.00 and the HD version is $1868.00.  The Zeiss FL is only $1329.00 and is slightly a better perfomer than the HD.  To me that is a no brainer.  The Leica however is also an awesome scope.  It is a different design from their larger 77mm scope.  It is probably the most compace of the three and I love its design (very small and streamlined).  The optics in the APO and the Zeiss are very close and they both have a coarse and fine focus.  The Leica also has a rubber armouring version for about 50.00 more and great accessories available.  The Leica standard is the least expensive for $1324.00 and the APO version is about $400 more.  I bought the Leica 62 APO and I think it is the ultimate hunting scope.  It has awesome optically, very compact and I got a really useful stay on carrying case that is great for the field.  However I do think that the Zeiss is the best value.  It has top of the line optics for the best price.  I got a great deal on the Leica and purchased the APO for the same price as I could the standard, but if I was paying retail price for them I would probably choose the Zeiss 65 FL.  Good luck and let me know if I can help.

FWIW,
I'm partial to my Leica Televid APO 77mm with Leica 20-60 zoom and 32x fixed eyepieces. The 32x fixed is simply incredible while the zoom is a necessary evil. The scope is carried in a Leica
Ever Ready Field Case and is mounted on a Manfrotto Tracker with Fluid Head...


Regards, Matt.

Btw, Please ignore the "tactical sock" located in the upper right hand corner of the second photo...(grin)

After all the considerations,research & ultimately a field test, I purchased the Swarvoski ATS 80HD, It was only ever a choice between the Leica & the Swarvoski, I put them side to side in the field, the Swarvoski doesnt have fine adjustment, but it doesnt need it, the Swarvoski was definately optically the better of the two, hands down!!!!

Sure the Swarvoski is the dearest of the bunch, thats for sure, but at the end of the day, as with everything, you get what you pay for !!!

Ive now had the 80mm spotter for approx 6 months & being so impressed with its optics, I went out last week & purchased another, the STS 65HD to compliment the 80.

 

My initial question in this forum was- MONEY ASIDE, what is the ULTIMATE spotting scope for hunting.

 

The question has now been answered !!!!!!

 

If you WANT THE BEST buy the Swarvoski !!!!!!

 

 

the ultimate spotter is 2 sts65 bodies with a wide angle eyepiece mounted in tandem as bigeyes. no eyestrain even after hours of glassing. anything else is like looking thru a straw. check them outin the photo contest miguel morales has a pair. 

 

 

 

Ok... 

        There have been some very fine "inventions" here.  But how many of these are lightweight enough to hump into the Rocky mountains.  I mean who here among us has hunted with these "contraptions"  on anything resembling a hunt in the Rocky Mountain elevations.  Both of these shots seem as though they were made in the flatlands just outside someone's house in Mexico/ Texas.

        I am trying to outfit for a hunt in Idaho next year.  I need the ultimate, and the lightest... 

            I am trying to keep my pack at 60 #'s or lighter.

                        Thanks.

                               Scott

Scott,

         I own both a pair of Swarvoki's 65 & 85 HD's, I hunted Wyoming & Idaho this fall, for Black bear, Mule deer, Elk & Bison. The Mulie & Elk hunting were both physically demanding, Realistically there is very little weight difference between the 2.

The 65 is a bit smaller & will fit into your pack better & for this type of hunting its all you really need, a small lightweight tripod is real handy too.

However make sure you have a very good set of Bino's, I use a pair of 8 x 30 SLC Swarvoski's, they are about 15 years old now, they are light, compact & optically brilliant.

You will use your bino's all the time while glassing, when you find a critter you will zero in on it with your spotter, I was glassing Elk at up to 1500yds & then checking them out closer with my 85 HD's.

A word of warning, you wont be carring your 60lb pack very far while climbing the Rockies, If you really need a 60lb pack, best you take a pack horse along because you just aint going to be able to hump a 60lb pack & a rifle up & down those hills!!!

That is unless you are Hercules.

 

 

I though he was being facetious.

Chris wrote:

 

Man that's an awesome looking setup. I wonder how much this would set a guys wallet back.   I am betting somewhere in the $3500 range. I am sure it would be heavy but could be used for open country hunting where packing it wouldn't be a concern.

 

Scott,

If you're going to bring a spotting scope, ditch the tripod and use your pack to rest the scope on. My preference is a scope with an angled eyepiece because it reduces neck strain for me. As for Peter's comments, I don't think he has ever done any backpack hunting. I have hunted in the Sierra Mountains with a 60-70 lb. pack. Properly packed, this will give me 7-10 days in the backcountry. For your information, you only have to haul the pack in for 1-2 days and set up a base camp, the rest of the time is spent hunting with a relatively light day pack. This method allows me to get away from road hunters and most others that don't venture too far off the beaten path.

Sounds like a good plan.