my experience is very limited..have had less then 6 and all were older jap production model scopes.. figured out right away i prefer the straight eye piece, but hated having my eyelashes hitting the glass to get a full view...thinking i would only buy used to avoid depreciation..always thought maybe a fujinon or a different kowa might fit the bill, but no one in my area has anything to look through

IMHO the finest spotting scope money can buy us the kowa prominar 88mm hd....simply stunning

hows the eye relief/ feild of view ?
thats alittle over a grand new, isnt it ?
if so, probably dont hit the used market much ?

I've had a leica 62, the zeiss 65, swaro 65 and now the swaro 80mm HD, with the last being the best for my eyes/ hunting needs.

At the range the Konus Spot 80 has the best resolution over the smaller 60 mm's.

Konus 80mm

A friend accompanying me on a sheep hunt 15 years ago brought his great, heavy Leica spotting scope. Optics are better today and excellent glass is easier to get. My new Leupold binos are about as good as my 1993 Leicas, and I just got a 15-30x50 Leupold spotter. As I get older I find that heavy stuff tends to stay in the truck--I need to take the optics out into the field!

My 12-40-60 Gold Ring is the best I've owned as of this moment

I've owned the Nikon 82 ED, Kowa 884 Prominar, Meopta S2, and had extensive use and time behind a Zeiss 85 T FL. The Meopta has proven to me to be the best.

Meopta MeoStar S2 HD 82mm (the Cabela's or Nightforce badged versions).

I like the Meopta S2. Good bang for the buck.

Meopta S2 82 HD Straight Spotting Scope

Our Price: $1,999.99

Price of $1999

That $1999.99 price is way too high.

The new Konus 80 mm spotter I have now has far superior resolution to the older spotters 60 mm I have.

They are only $230!

Konuspot 80

DumbassDon can't even run Google properly.

Not only does he NOT at least link to a sponsor of the Campfire, he even points out a HIGHER price than offered by said site sponsor.

See here to support the Campfire, Cameralandny (really good folks), have excellent customer support, and save some money.

Meopta S2 82 for $1899, via Cameralandny

Konus 80 only $230!

Konus 80 mm

Yeah and I'm pretty sure that one can be found blister-packed in yer local Walmart; no need to wait for the brown truck!

Good thinking Don! I'd really like to hear what your extensive side by side in the field comparisons yielded when you decided upon that model.

I have Leupold's 50mm mentioned above but am saving for a 60mm HD model. It just doesn't have the resolution I'm seeking for judging animals at distance.

He has this field where he goes "hunting" that he can drive his Cadillac right up to, and that is where he does his "glassing".

best I've used, Swarovski ATX 95mm (shown with 65mm objective that swaps with the big one like a camera lens). it's like being there, only better



I had a Konus 100mm as a range spotter for a while. it worked ok until it didn't. upside, I gave it to a buddy who sent it in, and they sent him a new one. but there is no way I'd call it 'the best I've owned/used'

Depends on the application. I have alpha glass for the range and bird watching. To bump around in the field I prefer the old school Leupold HD 60mm. You have to decide on weight, durability, cost, and optical clarity.

I haven't owned a lot of different ones, but Swaro is the best I've owned.

www.betterviewdesired.com is a bit dated, but what those birdwatchers recommend is still excellent. Swaro has the best zoom eyepiece, but use a fixed magnification eyepiece and Pentax is as good as any (kind of like their binoculars).
I wanted a factory camera mount so I bought an 80mm Pentax scope and adapter and a K5 camera.

Depends on use. I'm not an "optics" guy, but I've used some spotting scopes that work well for me.

For gun range use at 200 yards and beyond, I've found the Kowa 88 Prominar is hard to beat, but it's not cheap. For game spotting, it's much too bulky and heavy for daypack carry, at least for me.

For short gun range use, my 30+ year-old Bushnell Spacemaster 15x-45x is fine, and, as long as conditions are okay, is adequate for 200 yard spotting. I haven't shopped lately, but would guess there are many scopes in the $500.00 (or less) category that are optically superior to the old Spacemaster.

I have been wondering about those fixed power Pentax. I have been considering the 65mm witch would be 30 or 33 fixed.

Over the last 50 years I have owned or had the opportunity to use many spotting scopes. I recently purchased a Celestron Regal M2 65ED, and it is really nice all things considered. It uses standard 25mm eyepieces and the image quality is great with both zoom and fixed Celestron eyepieces I have. Everything operates smoothly and the overall size is convenient. I bought it from B&H for $409.99 + a $50.00 rebate from Celestron. The final price of $359.99 combined with the high quality of the scope makes it my current favorite.

The best one i had, but sold a few years ago was a Fujinon Super 60. That was around $600.00 if i remember correctly and was great. I am running a Celestron right now which is sufficient for my uses.

The first and only I've had is a 16-48x65 Vortex Razor HD, which for under $1000 has been great to me, not to heavy and had no issues finding Coues deer with it.

Swarovski and Leica are the two that I've had that I wish I'd kept. Swarovski for the sharpness and clarity, Leica for the color rendition/definition and the clarity.
Too bulky to pack with but I've done it for glassing for game in the mountains in SE NM.
Minox also has some really good glass in the 'lower' price range as well.

My Zeiss Victory 85mm TFL-amazing on 75X when atmospheric and light conditions allow. Wide angle on lower powers. Not perfect in every way but close enough. Bought a demo at a great price or I would own the Meopta 82mm or a Swarovski ATS 80mm HD instead.

Pentax PF 65 ED2 with their excellent XW14 wide angle eyepiece.Great but limited to the 28x the combo generates.

Nikon ED50 with 13x30 zoom. Better than you would ever think it would be. Weighs next to nothing.

Honorable mention-Vortex Razor HD 85-damn good scope for the money.

CameralandNY has fixed power Pentax eyepieces on sale most of the time. 2 fixed cost about the same as one Pentax variable. My variable eyepiece is as good as my vision can tell (I wear eyeglasses, so European scopes are kind of wasted because of the extra glass-air interfaces) until it's completely maxed out. Then even I can see the image degrade. Just like my Pentax 55-300mm camera lens.

Man, what a setup...fine glass abounds, but that 95mm is simply awesome.

Elkivory: I use my many and varied spotting scopes at the Rifle range and in the field for game spotting, Varminting and trophy assessment.
I also use them for entertainment for myself, my family and friends to view nature (Fox, Deer, Antelope, Badgers, game birds and the like) with from my homes sun rooms viewing windows.
When back-packing for Mt. Goats, archery season Elk, spring Bear and the like I refuse to lug along one of the larger spotters I own.
Your posting asked for "best over-all" spotter - and to that end I recommend either a 20 or 25 power old style (no longer made but are easily found on the used market) Leupold Gold Ring fixed power spotters.
These are armor coated and are weather-proof.
I do not recall eyelash interference with either of my Leupolds.
I have been using them for years and have as yet to find them lacking in any regard - and they are relatively light weight and compact.
Yesterday I headed out for a distant gunshow here in Montana and ended up buying a fixed 30 power armor coated Burris spotting scope at a great price - it is way heavier than my Leupolds but is very clear optically.
I spent the morning fixing up a carrying case for it and for a window mount so I can leave it in my VarmintMobile year round.
Best of luck to you with whichever you decide on.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I went with 85mm X series, I wish I went with the 95 and the 65..

I have GOT! to get me one of those Konus scopes just to finally see what all of the fuss is about. I have a question though; how is their resale value?

When you absolutely have to have the best.

The one you can actually carry reasonably. For economy, size and working in real life I'm still blown away with Nikon's 50ED 13-30. It impresses me because it's light and small enough to actually have it with me.

I have owned: Redfield from the late 90's 15-45x60, Nikon 30x Fieldscope, Leopold Gold Ring 12-40x60, Zeiss 15-45x65, Zeiss Image Stabilized fixed 20x60, Leica 16-48x62, and Swaro 20-60x85 collapsable. My hunting partner has a 1st gen Cabelas Euro 82MM Meopta.

The Leica is optically the best of the bunch, the Meopta is 2nd, Swaro is 3rd, and they're all very good and pretty darned close. The Pre-Fluorite Zeiss was better than the leupold I'd been using but a significant step down from the Swaro and Leica (I owned all 3 at the same time and was able to compare them side by side many times).

Those early USA-made Redfields are sleeper scopes. I used one in '13 next to my APO Leica and I was very impressed. I thought it was going to be junk, but was shocked with the edge-to-edge clarity. My friend told me it was an older scope handed down to him.

My all time fave is the APO Leica 62mm. Even the non-APO is right up there...
I have several scopes and my Swaro HD is really stellar ergonomically with it's large focus ring, but IMHO...pound for pound the lightweight Leica is the best glass ever--and to me as a backpack hunter it is all about weight and pack-ability.

The little 62mm is numero uno for its pricepoint....

Owned Kowa 77? and a 65, leupold 25x gold ring, 20x 50 steel Bushnell made in Japan, 3 Zeiss 65 FtL and 85 mm, Minox 50mm, Pentax 65 ED, 2 nikons, 1 fujinon 65mm(POS) and 1 unertl.

Easiest to use was the Kowa 77 with the 27x LER eyepiece.

Zeiss was and is the best, but the pentax is a close 2nd.

The old 20x bushnell steel tube made in the 70's was the best deal and it's very clear. 65.00 plus shipping with the tripod bench mount and a window mount..

I made the mistake of going to a local store that had a good selection of spotting scopes. I liked the higher end Vortex, Zeiss and Leupold but when I looked through the Leica Apo 65 I had to take it home. Fortunately they had mislabelled the price so I save a bit. The others were good but the Leica was great.... eye popping. Great brightness, color fidelity, sharpness and eye relief. I haven't regretted the purchase for a minute and as a side benefit no longer look at spotting scopes for purchase as I can't imagine better though a guy had a new Swarovski at the range which was as good. (Well to be honest I do look at the mini's as the 65 does have some heft)

Ya done good, North...that is fine glass.

I've heard great things about that little Leica myself, but make no mistake.....the highest quality larger objective spotters will out resolve one's with smaller objectives every time. Can't beat physics. The extra heft and size may not be worth it to some, I'll admit.

I wish there was a Leica dealer nearby that I could check out some of their spotters. Been pretty happy though with my Razor 65mm.

I still have the 85MM collapsable Swaro and the 62MM Leica. Side by side, nobody pics the swaro.

This... ^^^

COMPARABLE glass/highest quality glass is what I said. I owned that collapsable spotter myself and it is at least 20 yr old technology or older.

You may or may not find this interesting.....
http://www.petersenshunting.com/featured/bes-spotting-scopes-of-2013/

The difference between the two is twofold. 1. The Leica has a long enough eye relief that @ the highest powers, you still don't have to be touching it, allowing the scope to be as steady as your mounting medium is able to be. 2. The Leica's 2 speed focus is much more precise and user friendly than twisting the tube on the swaro, again, just too much movement on the bigger scope. My 62 Leica and 85 Swaro are within 3-4 years, the same age.

Good deal. It's not worth arguing about anyway, and it was not my intention to begin with. Just passing along information. My collapsable Swaro's eye relief was horrible.

I own the Swaro 95 STX and its the best I have looked through.