Longtats Head to Head Optics Nikon v. Leupold

[LongTatLaw]

Hey guys...when in Iraq,,,one of the few things I can do for hunting season next year is to shop...

I already picked my new rifle scope...

Now I need Help on the Spotting scope and the Binos.

Price was a factor...I have narrowed it down to two choices per... Ill listen to other options Ive not considered in the same price range but I primarily want opinions based on these products.

Thanks for the help...unfortunately, both will be bought while Im here without me being able to test them.


                                    - SPOTTING SCOPE -

NIKON prostaff 20-60x82mm  599$
                         
                         or

Leupold Sequoia 20-60x80     515$



                                            - BINOS-

Leupold Wind River Pinacle  12x56  479$

                          or

Nikon Monarch ATB  12x56  430$


both are upgrades from 30$ spotting scope and 30$ binos so either way life will get 100x better!

[jdb]

I am a die hard leupold man the fact that there made here in the PNW is a huge point  IMHO plus there gaurantee is second to none. that said my dad is a nikon guy and has absolute great success with nikon. I dont think you can go wrong with either it will come down to personal preference. My  JB

[boneaddict]

I am also a Leupold man, but as jdb said, you can't go wrong with either.

[1bowhunter1]

I have the Nikon Monarch.....AWSOME!!!  Catches all the light,  when there really is'nt any and clear as any scope I have used in the past....so far

[JPhelps]

LongTat, I know neither of my reccomendations are on your list but I will still give you my $.02.

For a spotting scope save some money and buy a vortex nomad.  I know we are not comparing apples to apples but the 60 mm nomad lets in more light than the 80 mm leupold.  I am telling you this from real worl experience.  With the Wind river you could not go past about 25 power before you ran out of light and clarity, where with the nomad 40x was clear and crisp.  Plus the nomad is lighter.  Don't have any experience with the Nikon.

[LongTatLaw]

hmmm vortex?

that one I have zero knowledge of

seems like very few people have tested these side by side?

Kinda thought the two of them were kinda the go to model in those price ranges?

anyone wanna say Im way off on the power specs??

the idea idea glassing big clear cuts and long long looking with the Spotter...

[Bookworm]

Why not keep an eye out on e-bay for the Leopould gold ring spotter. I got mine there for $500.00 and I still see them on there once and a while for that price. The seqouai isn't worth buying.

[C-Money]

Leupold all the way! Enjoy!

[jackelope]

12x56 is too big IMO for a pair of bino's you plan to carry if you plan to do any kind of hiking...also you'll possibly have a hard type holding them still enough. especially if you will also be carrying a spotter...i use the monarchs in 10x42 and think thats about perfect.
i don't think you'll go wrong with either of your other choices.

[robodad]

I too have the Nikon 12.5x56 and for the exit pupil you really can't do better and they are clear as a bell but really only good for the dash board of the truck because of their size, I now have the Zen-Ray in 8x42 and they are much lighter and the quality of the lenses are just as good as the Nikon's IMO. Zen-Ray is also coming out with a set of binos that I'm told will compare with Swaro in quality but will only be around $400 they are on my list !!!

The Nikon's are really great don't get me wrong but a little big to be packing all day !!!

[GoldTip]

As far as pwer levels go, I would be surprised if you could hold a pair of 12 power bino's steady enough by hand for really effective glassing.  At that power you will notice the pulse in your wrists while glassing, I would stick with a 10x42.  I will second the motion to take a hard look at the vortax spotting scopes as well.

[croix]

Just a thought - but I would consider using all of that money and finding a pair of Swaro SLC binos, and saving my pennies for a Swaro spotter down the road. In the interim the SLC binos can be used with a tripod (adapter required) for scanning those cuts. Plus - in the end you have Swaro's all around - tough to beat.

If waiting on the spotter is simply not an option, I would go with Nikon Monarchs but 10x42, not 12x56. If you are totin a spotter I think the lighter/smaller 10x42 will work out better. I don't have any experience or opinion on either of the spotters but have read less than stellar reviews on the Sequoia model from Leupold.

 

[skinzner]

just thought i would post this because i saw your post and this deal popped in my head. In my opinion this is a smoking deal on a vortex spotting scope and 2 sets of binoculars. The sandpiper spotter was originnally 369.00 but evidently is being discontinued because it and another vortex spotter are similar and they dont see the point in carrying both in their line now its 199.00 at camera land he bought them up.then you get a 239.00 pair and 149.00 pair of binoculars also for 399.00 total.the warranty i believe is no questions asked it will be repaired or replaced.Maybe someone on here has some experience with vortex and will chime in. If you want to do some research before you buy there is a 24hr campfire forum for hunting optics that has a ton of info.

http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/vortex.pl?page=vortexsandpiper

original price over 750.00 msrp for 399.00 and you can also get a digiscoping adapter for the spotting scope too.i have no experience with vortex, but this was a tempting offer because of the price ,below is a spotting scope review link. page 4 mentions the sandpiper.

Scope Quest Review 2008, Living Bird
http://www.livingbird.org/netcommuni...eChart2008.pdf

oh yeah i used to have the leupold sequoia and hated it ,this was when they first came out and maybe they have got better since then but i was really dissapointed with that spotting scope. Nikon monarchs are sweet binoculars i dont own them but i have several friends who do and they are nice. I agree with the above poster on getting a really nice pair of binos now and get a spotter later.I have spent about as much buying  cheap to intermediate binoculars in my life as i have on my swarovski slc's and if i would have just bucked up and bought quality binoculars in the beginning i would have been that much farther ahead. Anyway good luck with your choices.

[snohohunter]

In regard to the Vortex warranty...hands down, the best folks I've dealt with.  A week before Elk season, I knocked my vipers off my bench in the garage and jammed the adjustment for the lens when they slammed the concrete -     After having a moment of anger, I figured I'd give Vortex a call and explain my situation, timing, etc.

No questions, they said that rather than sending mine in for repair, which would take a few weeks, they would just sent me a new pair and asked that I return my old ones.    As if they couldn't do any better, they sent them overnight. 

I went through Elknut for mine...you might want to give him a shout and see what he can do before buying them elsewhere. 

[Intruder]

12x56 is too big IMO for a pair of bino's you plan to carry if you plan to do any kind of hiking...also you'll possibly have a hard type holding them still enough. especially if you will also be carrying a spotter...i use the monarchs in 10x42 and think thats about perfect.
i don't think you'll go wrong with either of your other choices.

Agree.... 8x or 10x in a 40mm or 42mm are much more practical for hunting.  For all around, 8x42 is hard to beat.  10x is nice if you know you'll be doing more open area glassing.  Once you get above 10x it is damn hard to really glass for long periods and you end up giving up light gathering capacity.  

It'll be interesting to see what your viewpoint is on the spotters.  I didn't look through the 80mm stuff but I did look through the 65mm ProStaff, 60mm Sequoia, and a 65mm Vortex.  I thought the Nikon and the Vortex were nicer than the Green Ring.  

However, for the $ I really like the 8x42 and 10x42 Green Ring binos.  I was really, really impressed with them.

Leupold and Vortex have better warranties and customer service.....