Scanning. There have been plenty of times when 8x or 10x binos don't cut it and a proper, versatile spotter is necessary. Big eye binos have their place in some types of hunting but in mountains they are like carrying a folding lawn chair, and don't cut it when a guy ends up back in the timber. And still a guy still has to carry a spotter to zoom in to get a good look.
The problem with most spotters is the manufacturers insist on eyepieces that start at 20x or 25x. Too much magnified movement when when moving the spotter around and too much magnified tremor. A versatile spotter should start at 15x or lower and it needs excellent eye relief and a decently wide FOV to be versatile and scan with. Plus I have yet to meet a spotter 65mm or less that doesn't start losing resolution beyond 45x or 50x. Even my Swaro or other alpha spotters of that size. Eyepieces should start at 12x or 15x and end at 40x or 45x and then it would be easier to have a wider FOV. But alas, magnification sells just like magnum rifles used to sell.
Having said all this, I'm giving serious consideration to sell my Kowa 553 and buying the Leupold 60mm, even though the Leupold is straight.
It's kind've hard to argue with Mule Deer's duovids though..........
I'm with you on the usefulness of 15x on the lower end of the magnification range. I recently sold a straight 60mm that was 15-45x and I used 15x a lot especially for spotting impacts at medium range. And when 8x and 10x binoculars were insufficient for hunting.
I would have kept that scope but the image quality degraded noticeably at higher magnification. I just bought another straight 60mm to replace it which has 20x on the bottom end.
Just not sure how many people agree with us. I suspect that a lot of birders want much more magnification (i.e. 3x or 4x more) than their binoculars. They probably far outnumber hunters, but I could be wrong.
And I always keep my eyes peeled for a used Leupold FLP. Some good deals out there.
