spotting scope

[grizzlygibbs]

Looking to get a spotting scope, would love to get one for this season, but with other expences probably wont happen, IE new truck, new baby, nah na nah...  

So what i am looking at will be the
leupold gold ring 12-40x60 hd
cabelas big sky 27-80x80 hd
cabelas big sky 20-60x66 hd

and for the price i will consider the leupold 20-60x80 sequoia



i would like some input on these optics as the only set i have laid my eyey in are the leupold golden ring 12-40-60 non Hd  thanks

[Bookworm]

I have the Leupy 12-40x60 non hd. I love it. My friend had the seqoua, said it was junk eventually took it back and got his money back. I never looked thru it. 

[300rum]

I have the Leupold and a buddy has the Sequoia.  I would take the Leupold if you can afford it.  I like the compactness of the Leupold and the Warranty.  They just sent me an eyecup today in the mail as the other one was cracked, no charge, not even shipping.  An  eyecup isn't a big deal but ask some other guys who have had their scopes damaged.  You can't beat Leupold's warranty.   

[grizzlygibbs]

my father in law has the golden ring and love it,


Anybody have experience with the cabelas?

[Red Dawg]

save your money and buy the best you can. I would buy the Leupold hd's for sure. The best glass out of the three and they are made in the USA. cant beat it. Plus like everyone says you cant beat there warranty.

[high country]

cabelas warranty is killer, but leuy spotters are easy to sell if you do not like it.

I had one of the 12-40x60's twas a good scope for the $$. I offed it and got a fixed 30 gold ring and a pf80ed. the pf is way more spotter, the fixed 30 is way lighter and more compact.........the 12-40x60 was an excellent comprimise. if I could only have one scope it would be that, the pf60ed, or the nikon.

[Intruder]

cabelas warranty is killer, but leuy spotters are easy to sell if you do not like it.

I had one of the 12-40x60's twas a good scope for the $$. I offed it and got a fixed 30 gold ring and a pf80ed. the pf is way more spotter, the fixed 30 is way lighter and more compact.........the 12-40x60 was an excellent comprimise. if I could only have one scope it would be that, the pf60ed, or the nikon.

+1

Based on the spotters you listed this is good advice.  My guess is that you'd be dissappointed with the Sequoia.  Check out the Vortex/Stokes spotters both ED and non-ED models if you're looking to save some $$$.   

[grizzlygibbs]

thanks for everyones advice, is there anyone who has 1st hand experience with the Big sky models from Cabelas?

[columbiaman]

I found the Vortex skyline spotter rather heavy to carry in the field. But I only tried their 80mm scope. It is usable up to 37-40x, the image quality becomes unusable at higher mag.

[high country]

I would encourage you to look at a fixed power scope.....30ish power. fixed scopes are waaaaaaay clearer than a vari. and less to go haywire.

[Intruder]

I would encourage you to look at a fixed power scope.....30ish power. fixed scopes are waaaaaaay clearer than a vari. and less to go haywire.

That's funny (not ha ha but ironic).  I think just the opposite.  I do agree with fixed being clearer but I really like the versatility of being able to adjust power to fit the conditions.  Poor light, low light, glare, etc. I can back down and get good clarity.  Under good conditions I can crank it up and see the ticks on their ass.  Well, kinda.... ya get my point. 

30x is a good fixed power though.... I wouldn't want to go much less than that.

Ohh... one other thing.  Regardless of the scope you get, get a decent tripod capable of handling the weight of your scope. 

[grizzlygibbs]

For what i am planning on using the tripod for, i believe am going to go for the leupold 12-40x60 HD, and it comes with a kit, hardside case, digital cam adapter and tripod.  any experience with these "kit" deals or are the tripods pretty much garbage?

[Intruder]

For what i am planning on using the tripod for, i believe am going to go for the leupold 12-40x60 HD, and it comes with a kit, hardside case, digital cam adapter and tripod.  any experience with these "kit" deals or are the tripods pretty much garbage?

Often, yes... the tripods are crap.  I'm not familiar with that particular kit but it has the Leu tripod w/ the little ball adjustment, that's a pretty decent tripod.

[ZRS-8x42]

I would encourage you to look at a fixed power scope.....30ish power. fixed scopes are waaaaaaay clearer than a vari. and less to go haywire.

That's funny (not ha ha but ironic).  I think just the opposite.  I do agree with fixed being clearer but I really like the versatility of being able to adjust power to fit the conditions.  Poor light, low light, glare, etc. I can back down and get good clarity.  Under good conditions I can crank it up and see the ticks on their ass.  Well, kinda.... ya get my point. 

30x is a good fixed power though.... I wouldn't want to go much less than that.

Ohh... one other thing.  Regardless of the scope you get, get a decent tripod capable of handling the weight of your scope. 

I agree with you, on almost all aspects. One benefit of prime power (fixed power) spotting scope is to provide larger apparent FOV (AFOV). Almost all zoom scopes has AFOV less than 60 degree, while wide angle fixed zoom can provide 60 to 65 degree viewing angle. It is a compromise someone has to decide: wider angle, better overall picture vs versatility of zooming power.

For obversation, most of the kit tripods are sufficient. But when we try to take digiscoping pictures through the scope, the quality of tripod becomes an important issue.  I now use manfrotto 055XB tripod with 3130 head.

[shag]

I returned a Bushnell elite 15x45x60.  I found the Alpen in the 18x36x60  much better.   It was very close to the leupold sequoia in comparison except the Alpen has better eye relief and costs $100 dollars less on average.  The Alpen is Fogfroof and waterproof and has sunshade.  I'm very impressed with the quality and the price.