Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Spotting scope is next!

Good point about the (HD). I got the Swaro ATS 80 with (HD).

Don, I'm not a HP competitor, but do they actually spot bullet holes at up to 1000 yards, as opposed to disks? In the black? I find that hard to believe.

That Swaro of yours is about as good as it gets. Have you ever set it up side-by-side with the Kowas that you usually see on the line? Not the Prominar, but the TSN or whichever model they use. Seems to me they would be in different leagues altogether.

My Zeiss 85 is pretty good, but I've yet to see range conditions where I could reliably see bullet holes at longer ranges, and especially in the black. Of course light conditions, etc., make a lot of difference.

Some of the toughest spotting I've ever encountered has been on black Schuetzen ring targets, .22 holes at 100 and 200 yards. Tough with my Zeiss, just about impossible with friend's Kowa (side-by-side comparison).

I'm not saying the traditional Kowas aren't fine scopes, but I just don't see them as a benchmark against which to judge other scopes. Looks like the new (Kowa) Prominar has claimed that spot. I'd like to take a look through one, but it would probably spoil me!

Paul

Well Swaro got me again!! With them discontinuing the ATS line for the ATM line, there are some bargains out there. The difference is basically 4oz I think. They're using Magnesium now in place of Aluminum. Doesn't matter to me. Anyway I was seriously contemplating the closeout deal for the non-HD version that Doug at Cameraland has.

Well, I made a comment to my dad that I was thinking of buying it but I was worried that I would wish I got the HD. So he asked why not find a closeout HD model. I said there weren't any. Which led to him pulling up a supplier he knows, who low and behold had 3- 65mm HD Swaro STS models on closeout specials ($1450).....Needless to say I hope my wife doesn't see this months credit card bill. I had no intentions of buying a spotter so closely after buying the Swaro Binos, but the closeout prices hooked me!

You won't regret it after you look through it. They're first rate. Was the eyepiece included in that price?

Raider,
No the eyepiece was extra. Still thats about $600 savings!

First, I have to say I am a died in the wool Swaro fan, owning bino's and scopes of theirs.

With regards the Swaro spotting scopes, the HD models had very mixed reviews over here when they first come out. When the HD option was introduced, it was universally seen as an improvement worth paying for, fully bringing the Swaro spotters in line with Zeiss and Leica.

With Zeiss and Leica, the introduction of HD type optics was percieved to be a smaller improvement; worth it if you were digi-scoping, but less clear cut for ordinary users.

So before buying the Swaro, I'd want to compare the HD and none HD models side by side, preferably out side in less than ideal light conditions.

With regards the Prominar, they are very highly rated over here too, but the price is much more comparable to the top end Euro scopes. I would also add the new top end Nikon, as that too is getting excellent reviews in the birdwatching press...

Pete:
Is the Nikon EDG spotting scope available in the UK? I know the
Edg bin, was only available in the US and now coming to Europe.

Good to hear about the Nikons, I have a Nikon 60mm Fieldscope and
really like it, and also I have a Nikon 10x42 EDG and they are first rate.

Good discussion here.

Jerry