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Swarovski Spotting Scopes

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imdunworkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imdunworkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Swarovski Spotting Scopes
    Posted: November/13/2011 at 19:40
Well I am thinking of going all out on a new spotting scope.  Is the Swarovski that good?  A question I have relates to the eye piece and why do they charge more for the 25x50 then the 20x60.  Is the HD model worth the extra money over the standard glass.  I will be using it for mainly hunting big game in Colorado and I will not be back packing. 
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JGRaider View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JGRaider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/17/2011 at 16:51
If you've got the money, the Swaro HD is great, and you can never go wrong with a Swaro anything.  You can save a few bucks and get the best spotter on the planet, being the Kowa Prominar 883/884.  The best value IMO is the Vortex Razor HD.  
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supertool73 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/17/2011 at 17:10
I have a Vortex Razor HD.  It is very very impressive.  
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lucznik View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucznik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/19/2011 at 11:18
All Swarovski products are high quality, though very overpriced.  You pay a serious premium for the "honor" of having their name and little eagle on your optic. 
 
 
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?
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imdunworkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imdunworkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/28/2011 at 21:27
well it looks like the Kowa is up there in price now.  Is it actually better then the Swarovski?  I have not founf a retailer in my area that has one in stock.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bitterroot Bulls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/28/2011 at 22:11
The Kowa 88 is the best.  Period.  The Swarovski HD is optically excellent, and lightweight for an 80mm spotter.  The 25-50 eyepiece is wide angle throughout the zoom. 
The Vortex performs at the Swarovski's level.
 
The HD version of the Swarovski shows little to no Chromatic Aberration (CA), which increases apparent sharpness and contrast over the non-HD model.  Is it worth it?  That is a personal choice.  It would be to me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JGRaider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/29/2011 at 09:28
Originally posted by imdunworkin imdunworkin wrote:

well it looks like the Kowa is up there in price now.  Is it actually better then the Swarovski?  I have not founf a retailer in my area that has one in stock.



Call Scott @ Liberty Optics.  Yes, it's better (slightly) than the Swaro, and everything else. 
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Klamath View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Klamath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/02/2011 at 21:29
Originally posted by imdunworkin imdunworkin wrote:

Well I am thinking of going all out on a new spotting scope.  Is the Swarovski that good?  A question I have relates to the eye piece and why do they charge more for the 25x50 then the 20x60.  Is the HD model worth the extra money over the standard glass.  I will be using it for mainly hunting big game in Colorado and I will not be back packing. 
The 20-50x is more expensive because it is a wide angle eye piece.  Worth the extra money too.  There is not a lot of fov in a spotter and any additional is a worthy achievement.  Field of view is a function of the eye piece design and to get a good wide angle view, the eye piece becomes more technically complex and more expensive.  If you really want to go all out I think the Kowa is the best of the bunch, specifically the Prominar 884.
 
The high end scopes are good, but I bet you would be surprised at something like the Razor HD.  The Razor HD owners will be really surprised at the ZEN ED 2 20-60x83 as well. Put the ZEN and the Razor side by side and I'd have to see for myself that the Razor owners could identify their scope over the ZEN by looking at focused images.  I think the ZEN is a little brighter, so their surprise might not be real pleasant Smile.  However the Razor HD is a whale of a good scope.
 
I did a review on the Kowa alongside the ZEN and a scope from Theron.
 
If you go to a good scope, do NOT scrimp on a tripod and a GOOD tripod head.  Better to spend less on the scope and be SURE you get a good tripod.  The best spotter optics in the world are worthless on top of a lousy tripod.
 


Edited by Klamath - December/02/2011 at 21:36
Steve
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muleycrazy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote muleycrazy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/27/2012 at 14:26
I have never looked through a Kowa so I cant comment there. I have a swaro HD 80 with the 20-60 eyepice and the 25-50w is WAY better on my scope.
 
 For the money thought I would say the Vortex razor HD is the best for the money. And there new viper HD is not a bad choice either. Good luck
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