Leupold Spotter or Nikon Spotter or Other.

[colockumelk]

Okay here's the deal.  I want to buy a spotting scope in the next year or so.  I want the best quality optics I can get without spending $2500-3000 bucks on European glass.  $1200 is as high as I'll go.  So I've narrowed it down to the Leupold Gold Ring and the Nikon Prostaff.  Here's my questions

Again does anyone own either of them, knows someone who has or has spent time behind these spotters.  If so what are your pro's and con's.  Which would you recommend.  For the Leupold owners would it be worth it to spend the extra coin to get the Gold Ring HD model or just stick with the original GOld Ring.  Is the difference that big.  Thankyou for your help.  I respect all of your opinions. 

[high country]

have a peek ath the pentax pf 80ed with a fixed eyepeice. I sold my swaro spotter after I looked through one. I bought it new on ebay for 750bux w/ a 20-60 eyepiece. I would get the fixed 45 if I were gonna do it over....less money and positively stunning optics

[colockumelk]

High country how do you like the 80mm size.  One of my concerns about the 80mm and why I was leaning more towards the 60mm size is the length and weight of most 80mm scopes.  Most of my hunting doesn't involve a vehicle and I wanted something I could easily carry in my pack.  I know you do alot of high stuff.  So would you have also rather have gone with a smaller spotter size?

[jameslong]

I bought a brand new Leupold Kenai HD. I bought the complete kit for 900 bucks. It comes with two eyepieces...30x fixed wide angle and 25-60x zoom. It's heavier than most people would carry, but then, I'm not most people. But I love the scope and there are some pix I digiscoped in my gallery. oh yeah, and i'm the one who voted 'other'.

[colockumelk]

LOL.  I was actually looking at the Kenai but for my purposes I was thinking a 80mm scope might be too big.  How do you like it Jamie?

[jameslong]

I have to say it's amazing so far! The definition is really the best part. I keep saying WOW.

[Jamieb]

I love my non-HD goldring so if I'm picking one off your list then it's the leupold.
BTW I'm a loyal leupold fan and most of my optics are leupold

[high country]

I started with the leuy gold ring, wanted more horepower and better digiscoping and went to the the st 80, sold it after looking through a pf80ed. I bought one for a song on ebay, it was lighter then the swaro, but still huge....tripped it for a pair of 15x swaro binos. the spotter is killer for seeing 22 holes at 700yds or counting anular rings on sheep at stupid range, but the binos are the ticket for all day glassing. I can still see 22 bullet holes at 300yds.

minox makes a heck of a pair of binos for cheap. just look for the 13x ones. they are about 95% of what the 15x56 swaros are......but  more then a grand cheaper.

also leica trinovids in 12x50 are pretty dang tough to beat. I have them as well and actually take them on many of my HC hunts. outdoorsmans makes a tripod adapter for them that works like the swaros

I never tried the pf65ed.....but heard good things.

[LCG]

I can give an opinion on the Nikon prostaff. I purchased it from Cabelas and thought it was a good moderately priced scope. Eventually I bought a Redfield to keep the kid busy. The Redfield is just as clear and had me wishing I would have saved the $400 or so dollars I spent on the Nikon over the Redfield.

Don

[Young Buck]

If your willing to spend $1200 I would go with the Nikon ED Fieldscope.  Thats the one I really wanted but I had some other things on my list so I had to settle for the Cabelas Big Sky HD 27-80 which is on sell for $799 right now (see my other post on that scope). 

[bullcanyon]

Wholesale sports has non hd swarovski scopes marked way down.  Just paid 625 for a sts-65 body.

[high country]

Wholesale sports has non hd swarovski scopes marked way down.  Just paid 625 for a sts-65 body.

that is a good buy, then add a fixed 30-45 eyepiece and you will be happy as a gopher in soft dirt.