24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 737
S
SWJ Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
S
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 737
I’m going to upgrade my hunting spotter. Unfortunately, I don’t have a close place to compare the two I’m considering and would like some insight between the two. Both have great reviews so I suspect I’m down to hair splitting and personal preference.

The spotter will be used for hunting out west. I’m just starting with DIY hunts and do not expect to do a remote backcountry hunt for 3-5 years. Use for now will be walks to glassing spots and day hunts from a fixed camp. I’m looking at pronghorn, deer and cow elk over the next few years. If I discover that I am going to do a multi-day day backpack hunt I would consider a smaller spotter.

I wear glasses when I hunt but have good vision. I’m mildly nearsighted and spend most of my time without glasses. Point is, in the limited opportunities I have had to use good glass, I feel like there was a difference between high end glass and the mid-level glass I currently use. Nikon and Leupold mostly. A Pentax DCF ED 10x43 binocular had noticeably better resolution when used off a tripod than my 10 yr old Leupold 15x30 GR spotter. I’ve stolen looks through Swaro and Zeiss products on guided hunts and think I see a difference from my current gear. I also realize that my success on next years hunt doesn’t hang on me getting new gear. I would get more benefit from dry firing my rifle than posting about the minutia of optics.

The two spotters in my budget that I am interested in are the Kowa TSN-774 and the Meopta MeoStar 82 S2.

The price is the same and the weight with eyepiece is very similar. The Meopta is physically bigger and will be better in low light. The fluoride lens could also make a difference. I like the more compact format of the Kowa (closer to a 60-65) since it could work as backpack scope and that if I wanted a big spotter I could use the same eye piece with the Kowa 880 series. But that is about it, no real deal breakers. Like I said, probably splitting hairs. I have to find a place to do a side by side.

Until then, should I expect any difference in the quality of the optics?

Any other thoughts on the two? What are your experience with these two scopes?

Thanks

Scott

Last edited by SWJ; 03/17/18.
BP-B2

Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 13,336
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 13,336
Scott
Both are excellent scopes. Top of the lines choices. IMO the Kowa may be the better choice as the Prominar eyepiece is one of the finest made and as you stated if you ever want to go bigger the eyepiece will transfer.
I’m out of the store today, however, if you have time on Monday please give me a call and we can discuss this.
Have a great weekend


Doug @ Camera Land

[email protected]
http://www.cameralandny.com
516-217-1000

Thanks for the support.

[Linked Image from monstermuleys.com]
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,179
J
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
J
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,179
It's been a couple of years or so, but I owned the Kowa 884 and S2 briefly at the same time, and compared them several tmes side by side. Out to about 40x I could tell little to no difference. Both were very sharp to the edges. The closer I got to 70x, the better I liked the S2, as it maintained it's sharpness a touch better. When there's no mirage, the S2 is better at max ranges. I have never seen the 774, but I wish Meopta would come out with a 65mm S2 type spotter.


It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811
J
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
J
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811

I’ve got a Kowa 883 with prominar glass and I think the Kowa would be hard to beat.



I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,179
J
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
J
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,179


It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
IC B2

Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 297
S
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
S
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 297
I have the 773 with the WA Fluorite eyepiece. I’m still impressed every time I look through it. Beat out a Swaro STS 80 HD.

Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 737
S
SWJ Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
S
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 737
All, thanks for the replies

JG, I agree a 65 mm class spotter with the same eye piece would make Meopta vs Kowa even harder for me

Schaaf, how does the 773 perform at first and last light?

Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 32,129
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 32,129
I’ve got the Cabela’s branded S2. I got it on sale a couple years ago for $1600 and change. It’s been an incredible value.


Originally Posted by 16penny
If you put Taco Bell sauce in your ramen noodles it tastes just like poverty
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 15,638
G
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
G
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 15,638
It's more than an incredible value....


- Greg

Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 297
S
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
S
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 297
Originally Posted by SWJ
All, thanks for the replies

JG, I agree a 65 mm class spotter with the same eye piece would make Meopta vs Kowa even harder for me

Schaaf, how does the 773 perform at first and last light?


Amazingly well. It’s incredible for a spotter that feels like a 65mm

https://www.longrangehunting.com/th...-te-11wz-eyepiece-spotting-scope.200438/

IC B3

Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383
O
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
O
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383
I noticed S2's in abundance at the Winter Games. I bet that was a bit of a black eye for any Swaro exec watching.


Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
101 members (338reddog, 405joe, 7mm_Loco, 10gaugemag, 444Matt, 12 invisible), 1,390 guests, and 669 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,588
Posts18,397,869
Members73,815
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.106s Queries: 14 (0.002s) Memory: 0.8373 MB (Peak: 0.9296 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 08:28:02 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS