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VORTEX RAZOR VS. KOWA, ZEISS, SWAROVSKI |
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338LAPUASLAP 
Optics Journeyman 
Joined: October/17/2009 Location: STATESIDE Online Status: Offline Posts: 487 |
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 Topic: VORTEX RAZOR VS. KOWA, ZEISS, SWAROVSKIPosted: November/06/2009 at 15:43 |
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http://swfa.com/Optolyth-20-60x80-SA-Spotting-Scope-P8910.aspx
http://swfa.com/Kowa-88mm-High-Performance-Spotter-P7246.aspx
http://swfa.com/Zeiss-20-60x85-Victory-FL-Diascope-P12869.aspx
http://swfa.com/Swarovski-ATS-80-Spotter-P1556.aspx
http://swfa.com/Vortex-20-60x65-Razor-HD-Spotting-Scope-P13265.aspx
I was looking at the above spotters...
I am wondering if people could give any input as to narrowing this list down. I like the under dog / looking at the Razor Vortex need input on this.
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P.B. J.M. R.L.
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Mike McDonald
Optics Journeyman
Joined: September/01/2004 Online Status: Offline Posts: 652 |
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Posted: November/07/2009 at 08:31 |
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Have experience with the Swaro AT80 and ATS80 scopes and the Kowa units.
Just purchased a Vortex skyline 80mm ED angled, and thus far fiind it to be ( subjective) better than the Swarovskis and the equal to the ED kowa.
I would imagine the top line Vortex would be an improvement over that.
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JGRaider
Optics Journeyman
Joined: February/06/2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 352 |
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Posted: November/07/2009 at 16:38 |
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The Kowa 883/884 is considered by many benchrest shooters, birdwatchers, and many others to be the best in the world bar none. I did look through one at the range and it is all its cracked up to be for sure. My neighbor has a Zeiss 85t FL and it is excellent also, but no better than my Nikon 82 ED which I compared side by side (only advantage to Zeiss was the more forgiving eyepiece). I would have considered the Razor also but i do not like angled eyepieces at all. The Bird Watchers Digest just did a review on high end spotters. I believe the new $3400 Leica and the Kowa mentioned were determined best. Considering my neighbors Zeiss goes for $2200 minimum, and I got my Nikon 82 ED for $1000, I consider it the best value in an alpha spotter available, and it is fantastic.
Edited by JGRaider - November/07/2009 at 16:39 |
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RifleDude
Optics Jedi Master 
God of Fire Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 7696 |
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Posted: November/08/2009 at 17:58 |
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The Kowa Prominar 883/884 is most frequently regarded as the best scope you can get, bar none by all who have reviewed it. I have looked through one, and I can't dispute that claim, as it is superb. I'm sure the new Leica is fantastic too, but it is so astronomically expensive, I can't see how anyone can justify it.
The Zeiss Diascope is very nice, but it is a little soft at the field edge. Not a big deal, but worth noting. All of the Swarovski spotters are incredible. They are usually near the top of comparative reviews they are included in. I don't personally like the central body mounted helical focus as well as the dual ratio coarse/fine focus knobs that the others have. I find it much easier to get the image in crisp focus without moving the scope with the dual ratio knobs. I saw the Vortex Razor at a show, and it looked very good -- as best I could evaluate its optics inside a building. Even though I wasn't able to compare it side to side with the likes of Swaro and Zeiss, I was impressed enough by the image that I might be tempted to buy it based on its price. I've never been disappointed by any of Vortex's higher end optics. |
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Ted
You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans. -- Ronald Reagan |
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mike650
Optics Jedi Master
Joined: May/14/2006 Location: No. Cal Online Status: Online Posts: 8816 |
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Posted: November/08/2009 at 18:35 |
You probably already know this but some of the spotters you listed don't include the eye piece. Also the Swaro listed is not the HD flavor but is still considered in the" top 10 or so spotters" out there per most "birdie" reviews I've read. |
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-Mike
"Fish to Live - Live to Hunt" "All fishermen are liars except you and me and I'm not so sure about you." |
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338LAPUASLAP
Optics Journeyman
Joined: October/17/2009 Location: STATESIDE Online Status: Offline Posts: 487 |
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Posted: November/08/2009 at 18:53 |
 Yes, I do realize the eyepiece is not inlcuded...
I was trying to compare them at the same price ranges vs. the features of them and peoples reviews of the "base" or body tube lenses vs. viewing eyepiece...
I am not to suprised by these comments leaning heavily on them also really wondering about the under dog "razor" have just heard nothing but fantastic things wondering if anyone puts them aside to the "TOP 10".
I am again open to anything If any "no name" spotter should be considered tell me...
Short of putting a full telescope on a table I am not looking for any field work just tableing it for sight ins and long distance targeting.
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P.B. J.M. R.L.
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RifleDude
Optics Jedi Master
God of Fire Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 7696 |
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Posted: November/08/2009 at 19:01 |
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The Razor is so new to the market that you aren't likely to get many comments about it vs the others. I have no doubt it is a great spotter, and Vortex is a good company backed by an excellent warranty and c.s.
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Ted
You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans. -- Ronald Reagan |
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Tranan
Optics Apprentice 
Joined: February/09/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 66 |
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Posted: December/17/2009 at 20:01 |
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I owned a long range of spottings scopes, from cheap ones to very expensive, among which such as Diascope 20-60x85, Nikon ED 20-75x82 and now own a Kowa HD 883 20-60x88 and I can tell you, there is no other scope like it. It is absolutely top of the line with all the rest following after, so if the buck is not a problem, go for it my friend!
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CHARLIE DON'T SURF!
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JGRaider
Optics Journeyman
Joined: February/06/2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 352 |
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Posted: December/17/2009 at 21:07 |
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Tranan, I never see a good, used Kowa 884 for sale. Is there a place a guy could look, or do you just keep surfing the internet hopefully stumbling into one? Is the 883/884 line tough? Thanks, I'd like to find one of these.
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Tranan
Optics Apprentice
Joined: February/09/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 66 |
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Posted: December/22/2009 at 19:46 |
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Unfortunately I must agree with you. I have actually never seen any used ones out there yet. That could be due to the fact that they are still very new or to the fact that those who own such a scope do not sell it unless they are forced to.
As far as toughness is concerned...hard to say. It feels very robust. I have however, never used mine "the hard way". I am very careful with the way I treat it. I purchased the KOWA stay on case to it which gives it an extra protection and have it mounted on a good quality Zeiss tripod. Though many optics are supposed to be tough, I am the last man to say that because optics are like jewels to me. I make sure I treat them as gently as I can, though I am a very intense user.
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CHARLIE DON'T SURF!
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Sparky
Optics Journeyman
Joined: July/15/2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 320 |
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Posted: January/06/2010 at 16:54 |
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Just an FYI. Bird Watchers Digest apparently just did a review that had very good things to say about the Razor. The article was High End Scope Review. I have not read it but a friend told me about it.
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koshkin
Optics Jedi Knight
Dark Lord of Optics Joined: June/15/2004 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 6306 |
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Posted: February/05/2010 at 21:25 |
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I just got a Razor HD loaner from Vortex and will be reviewing it over the next few weeks. It is pretty impressive so far.
ILya
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