Thread: Spotting Scopes

I have decided to buy a spotting scope as I wouldn't mind the ability to evaluate animals from afar a bit better, also wouldn't mind extending the capabilities of my camera a bit with a digiscope attachment. The things I'm looking for in a scope are:

Good glass with good clarity and colour rendition at high magnification and long distance

70mm or smaller objective and reasonably compact so it fits in the optics pocket in my pack for walk in trips and isn't overly heavy or bulky

Magnification at least 45x(this I'm not real sure on as haven't used a lot) for decent evaluation of animals at 800+ yds plus route planning etc.

Good warranty and backup service

I would probably be reasonably comfortable spending around $2k which puts the likes of swaro out of my reach but I feel I should still be able to get something nice for that money.

Has anyone had anything to do with Kowa optics? They seem to have very good reviews on all their gear and this

Kowa TSN663 Prominar Spotting Scope W 20-60X66 Eyepiece - lens, scope, nitrogen, filled, class, tsn663, ... - Serious Shooters

Seems to fit my requirements

All advice appreciated, cheers

What about a high magnification camera? Nixon P900 has 83x.
$550 USD. Cuts down on gear and weight

I had thought about going down that route but even the Samsung WB2200 I have has a 60x optical zoom but it's definately not the same as looking through a good 60x spotting scope?

This is looking at a Chamois doe and her kid at 700yds the other day using my camera on 60x optical zoom. It's a wide angle lens though which may not help as wide angle is not really designed for "long range"

Could see them better through my 10x binos haha. Anyone that could post some long range shots with a similar type camera could possibly sway me...

I have an old Kowa 30x fixed which is good for what I do. They are well made.
A mate has a Canon SX50 camera and uses that for a spotter. Simply zoom in and snap the image, then magnify it again on the back screen and evaluate, awesome piece of kit. Two tools in one.

Yea I have a buddy that uses a sx50 and it is a lot more impressive than the camera I have, still wouldn't mind something with a bit more legs though

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Yea I have a buddy that uses a sx50 and it is a lot more impressive than the camera I have, still wouldn't mind something with a bit more legs though

I looked at the SX60 but its a lot bigger in the body, a bit more optical but bulky.

I'll try get some long range photos with my p900 in the next few days.
They are a big heavy unit compared to most. But not dslr heavy with lens

I run a canon SX60 and I know quite a few other hunters use them. The photos aren't greatest quality because they're taken simply to evaluate headgear. But when holding on them you can get it cleared because they go fuzzy because you shake it when you push the shoot. The photo with the stag was taken at about 500m and through the binos you could only see it had length but through these you can evaluate that its a nice 12pointer but still a young animal. The photo with the bull tahr under the rock was taken at 500+m and and you can quite easily see that its young and its bases are huge but it does have nice tips and is about 11-12inches but in a couple of years would be a great trophy. The more bleached coat bull was taken at about 700m hence why its quite fuzzy but i was able to see it was also about 11-12 inches however looked young and would benefit from more growth. The mob of bulls was taken between 800-1000m and although you can't see in detail how big they are you can see there looks to be some mature bulls that warrant inspection. Since I've got this camera its all i use for evaluating animals and i think its a really good way to do it. You then get the bonus you can take excellent picutures at close range also. By using this it means you don't have to carry both a camera and a spotting scope. Hope this is of some help
cheers

Hi Ryan,
If you still want to stick with a standard spotter, have a Nikon 16-48 60 Prostaff with an angled eyepiece. Packable, good optics and priced around the 1k mark. Got it from the photo wharehouse and they were really good as they got it in so could have a squizz. They are definately a good thing for animal evaluation in the open country, comes with me on every hunt. Actually use it to look into guts and gullies across valleys where the 10x just doesn't quite cut it, and it comes to the range as well. Cheers

I too have a nikon spotter a compact light one ED50 15-30 I bought the body (mint 2nd hand) and eyepiece (new) separately out of Japan on ebay and avoided paying customs. Haven't had it long but so far so good these were the ultralight spotter of choice till the new Vortex Razor HD 11-33x50 came out, these two have been compared extensively and the Razor comes out on top by a hair. My Nikon is very light and I have a superlight zipshot mini tripod with quickrelease that weighs about 300G it's hopeless in the wind, although I can support the scope with my left hand and use it at low power, I have an ultrec sitting model also which is also pretty light and much sturdier. I find myself throwing the ED50 and zipshot into the daypack as scope and bipod together is less than a kg the scope is only 470g! I like it for scanning patches of cover in the tussock country at about 20x The optics on the ED50 rate pretty well for a small scope, check the reviews

Use my sx50 a lot but no use for scanning an area looking for animals. Have a leupold you can try out over winter if your in no rush

Originally Posted by High Country Boy

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I run a canon SX60 and I know quite a few other hunters use them. The photos aren't greatest quality because they're taken simply to evaluate headgear. But when holding on them you can get it cleared because they go fuzzy because you shake it when you push the shoot. The photo with the stag was taken at about 500m and through the binos you could only see it had length but through these you can evaluate that its a nice 12pointer but still a young animal. The photo with the bull tahr under the rock was taken at 500+m and and you can quite easily see that its young and its bases are huge but it does have nice tips and is about 11-12inches but in a couple of years would be a great trophy. The more bleached coat bull was taken at about 700m hence why its quite fuzzy but i was able to see it was also about 11-12 inches however looked young and would benefit from more growth. The mob of bulls was taken between 800-1000m and although you can't see in detail how big they are you can see there looks to be some mature bulls that warrant inspection. Since I've got this camera its all i use for evaluating animals and i think its a really good way to do it. You then get the bonus you can take excellent picutures at close range also. By using this it means you don't have to carry both a camera and a spotting scope. Hope this is of some help
cheers

Try taking the photo with a shutter delay. You know, where you can push the button and get yourself in the picture.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Try taking the photo with a shutter delay. You know, where you can push the button and get yourself in the picture.

+1 it's bloody handy, sx50 is the left button and set it for 3seconds off the top of my head

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Try taking the photo with a shutter delay. You know, where you can push the button and get yourself in the picture.

Never thought of that will give it a go next time I'm out