Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Let's see your Big Eye setups...!!

The Outdoorsmen with the pan adapter is much nicer!



Take care, Willie

My system is pretty simple:

Leica 8x32 Ultravids--general glassing search.

Leica 15x56 HD Geovids with Velbon PHD-42Q tripod--picking apart the scenery. Makes glassing a pure pleasure.

Zeiss 20x60 65T FL on a Manfrotto 3405B--tripod--evaluating potential target.

I spend, conservatively, 300-400 hours a year behind my 15s. I, as well as several of my buddies tried the pistol grip heads. The original Bogen ones were junk. The spring would let them creep and required constant readjustment. The Outdoorsman one is better with the little finger hook thing but still not a good choice for grid glassing for unseen animals. I also have gone through two of the Swarovski adapters. They too loosen over time and cost more than the better Outdoorsman adapter. They are also heavier. Guys that don't glass off tripods a lot may not notice these thing but I literally spend day after day behind them.

I have a tripod that I can stand up behind. I do a lot of glassing this way. Sometimes you can't see very good on flat ground. I also do a lot of glassing from the top of my truck and this is where you have to stand as well. My tripod is an EL Carmagni model or something.

The guys at the Outdoorsman tried to tell me that the carbon fiber tripods set up bad vibrations when glassing. I have never observed this so I am glad I have the one I do.

A lot of guys like the Jim White head. I personally do not. It is very well built and serviceable but pales compared to the Manfrotto fluid heads. I had a little Bogen ball head for years and even it was better.

Other than the cheap, junky pan heads that come in some combos, the pistol grip ones look cool but are not much fun to use day in and day out and are the worst possible choice.

If you think the stuff you need to use the 15x56s is expensive, you should see what it costs to outfit a Kowa Highlander- the Cadillac of big eyes!

Here is the Highlander setup.






502HD head is the lightest one rated for 15 lbs. Outdoorsman recommends the 500AH which is only rated for 11 or 12 lbs but swear it works fine. We just use the 502HD and it works really well.

Here is my main setup but with a spotter on it. Can't find any with binoculars.

Dennis, that is a MONSTER! What's the magnification on that? Thanks for your input. It's really good to hear from guys who spend a lot of time behind big eyes.

Awesome feedback everyone! Thanks for contributing!

Eric

If I was looking for high magnification optics to be carried aroundI would have looked at Cannon binos with image stabilization. Evaluating both against star lit sky should help to evaluate quality of glass and coatings. If the Cannons past the test you would not have to carry "canes" with you. I suspect good deal of money could be saved as well.

I've not handled but have read reviews of the Canon s with Image Stabilizer--not good. IIRC, they don't have the objective size you need and the optics were poor relative to The Big a Three or Four.

The Highlanders come with either 30x or 50x eye pieces and weigh about 14# without either. Head is $500 and tripod is $500. Glass is $5000.

The Canon binoculars are a joke.

The Fujinon stabilized binoculars are actually quite good. I have spent many hours behind them in aircraft.

Here's my Highlander---and a pair of Minox ED 15 x 56 (barely visible on the far right). Gonna test the Minox against a Doctor 15 x 60 this weekend and cull the loser.

Jordan

You'll love the 12x50s on the Outdoorsmans set up. I have the pistol grip and medium tripod and love it with both 12x50s and 15x56s. Their bino adapter system works great.

I'll replace the pistol grip with a pan head before my next hunt, it's great with binos, but the pan head is better with a spotter.

I also have two carbon fiber tripods, but prefer the Outdoorsmans aluminum one for hunting, FWIW.

Kilmer,

Thanks, I'm glad to hear this good feedback.

How do you like your medium tripod? The fellas at Outdoorsmans recommended the tall for its versatility. The liked the extra length for standing, sitting on slopes, etc. Do you ever wish you had the tall? I wish they were more compact at 21.5" compressed (versus 18.5" in the Medium or 13.5" in the compact Medium) but the versatility is good.

Cheers,
Eric

The Swaro adaptors are junk. Went through two last year. I actually prefer the Vortex adaptor. It's bulletproof.

I run a Swarovski 15x56 on a Manfrotto Carbon Fiber MT294C. Like Dennis it easily allows me to glass standing.

I just switched heads to a Manfrotto Junior 391RC2 which I'm totally digging.

I do not prefer pistol grip heads or the Outdoorsman's tripods. Too heavy and expensive.

Do you guys that have had trouble with the Swaro adaptor take it on/off a lot? I've used my Swaro's a lot in the last 12+ years and have never had trouble. I think the only time it comes off is when I send them in for service.

I've spent a lot of money looking for the "one" do it all tripod and haven't found it yet.

Greg, it looks like your tripod/head combo is a pound heavier than the Outdoorsmans setup...?

MT294C3........... 3.53 lbs
391RC2 head.....1.26 lbs = 4.79 lbs.

OD Tall tripod...... 3 lbs
OD pan head..... .6 lbs = 3.6 lbs.

I agree, the OD stuff is not cheap!

Eric

I have no idea the weights of my setup. All I know it that its way lighter than all my buddies who lug around the Outdoorsmans stuff. Not sure what specific model they have -

There isn't a head in the world that weighs .6 pounds that will handle a Swarovski 15x56. I think that weight is a typo.


As for the Swaro adapters wearing out or breaking, I take mine on and off some but usually leave it attached. It just wears from all the weight on the pivot. I had ruined two and lost one. They won't warranty them when they are worn out. They get loose and sloppy.

I haven't used the Vortex one but the OD adapter is good.

remember, I use mine a LOT, hundreds of hours a year. I am probably going to go through stuff more than the average guy. I just sent my 8x30s in and had 4 new lenses put in them and the focus mechanism replaced. They lasted 8 years before they broke. $150 for new lenses. they came back looking like new. They even replaced the armor.

Good deal Dennis - I left my Swaro adaptors attached. Maybe why I went through two in one year. Really flimsy design.

Headed out right now to scout for my wife's rifle mule deer hunt. I'm almost at 100 hours now since August...grin...

Thanks.

Good input, guys. It's always great to see what's working well in the field!!

Eric