W. Wrencoforge Sergeant of the Hide. Many buyers are looking for a scope to take to the range to verify hits on distant targets, whether paper bullseyes or steel plates. The Diamondback HD spotter makes an accessible, extremely usable optic for any number of well-lighted conditions. 3 reviews. And we conclude that the priceyou should be able to find this retailing for around $650was fair for the performance. Along with size, price varies dramatically. At about 40 ounces, it isnt the lightest scope, but it gives you an excellent performance to portability ratio. Scopes are generally sold either with a straight body or with the eyepiece angled up 45 degrees. Gosky Newest 20-6080 Dual Focusing Spotting Scope. This dot is what is often called the exit pupil, and refers to the actual dot of light that gets transmitted to your eyes through the lenses. Its a very solid scope with exceptionally high quality glass. In that case, weight and portability arent an issue; you should consider a full-sized scope, with magnification ranges from 20-60-power and an 85 or even 90mm objective lens. Athlon Midas BTR, Midas HMR, Midas TAC scopes - Also made in China to Athlon's specific specifications. Other labels you might see that all communicate the same thing are LD (low dispersion), SLD (special low dispersion), ELD (extraordinary low dispersion), and ULD (ultra-low dispersion). The Diamondback Tactical2 has much better glass than the ARGOS/HELOS at a cheaper price but the MIDAS has a slight overall edge in clarity image quality overall. xugz0212 New Member. The other half appreciated the Endurance EDs talents for a backcountry spotter. First focal plane reticle stays valid at all power settings allowing you to fully utilize the specially designed reticle that shrinks or grows along with your target as you zoom in or out. . You can get monsters with objective lenses over 100mm designed for leaving in place, or get something portable. You can learn about them at Leupold.com. Check it out on Amazon. The unit defaults to a 20-70x eyepiece, which you have to purchase separately from the body, but the wide-angle 30-60x eyepiece may have even more utility. Most of their consumer scopes are affordable, and are great options. -Vortex diamondback tactical 6-24x50 EBR -2C MRAD -Bushnell match pro 6-24x50 DEPLOY MIL -Bushnell nitro 6-24x50 -Bushnel forge 4.5-24x50 DEPLOY MIL -Athlon argos btr 6-24x50 gen2 APMR MIL -Athlon midas tac 6-24x50 APRS3 MIL -Athlon ares btr gen2 4.5-27x50 APRS5 MIL -Athlon helos btr 6-24x50 APMR MIL This can be important depending on what youll use your scope for. . While theres no shortage of angled-body spotting scopes, its rare to find a premium straight-body-design like the MeoStar S2, and its ability to trade out eyepieces makes it extremely versatile. Spotting scopes are usually used on a tripod, so you dont need to worry about your hands shaking and distorting high zoom images like you do with binoculars. About Us Policies. They have come to dominate those segments of the market. Makes sense. Its their higher end scope offering, but is still affordable. And while their telescopes are awesome for picking out constellations, their spotting scopes give you some flexibility to use in different situations. I chose these based on features and because the retail price is low enough to keep the rifle in NRL22 base class. Its angled body, with rotating tripod ring, allows for infinite adjustment, and the Arca-Swiss compatible tripod system mates up with any number of mounting options. Here are some excellent scopes for that purpose: Zeiss makes premium optics, and this scope is no exception. View Quote. Big 80 and 85mm scopes from premium brands can cost upwards of $3,000. Springers abuse the crap out of scopes. Some users like angled eyepieces because of their versatility. Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x50 AO Riflescope with Dead Hold BDC Reticle (MOA). Demerits include the slippery, non-textured armor and the underwhelming glass, which makes images above about 45-power pretty dark and grainy with some distorted edge detail. Gwine Well-Known Member Joined Mar 3, 2013 Messages 423 Location Southern Oregon Jul 3, 2020 #3 Welcome to the forum. Bino Expert is a member of the Amazon Associates affiliate program. The downside: Youre stuck with the 15-45-power zoom. Founded in the United States in 1907, it has been family owned and operated for five generations, an incredible feat for any company. Also, they are generous with the hash marks on their mil dot. We've rarely seen this much glass and optical horsepower for under $400. Still, the new spotters for 2022 offer plenty of choice and talent for hunters, shooters, and anyone who likes to see wildlife up close. The Mavens eyepiece is fixed, which means you wont be able to swap out eyepieces for different magnifications. We later measure the scopes optical resolution, or how finely they render details. CF2-31023. But we also assign a Price/Value score to each submission. Bresser Pirsch Compact Binoculars. Most are designed to be held directly up near your eyes and therefore have a short eye relief, and this works perfectly for most situations. The lenses are also fully multicoated, meaning better light transmission and clearer looks at the night sky. Therefore it stands to reason that you want the spotter labeled HD, right? Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm . 4 models Vortex Diamondback HD 20-60x85mm Spotting Scopes As Low As $498.49 Save Up to 17%. Vortex Diamondback Tactical VS Athlon Argos Gen 2. The Nature-Trek has some nice appointments, including the responsive center-barrel focus and the comfortable eyecups. The Athlon Argos BTR is an excellent mid to long-range choice. If we have a ding, its the tripod foot, which seems slightly undersized for the frame. Thread starter Wrencoforge; Start date Jan 20, 2020; Forums. As expected, the Nikon 5 8x42 is clearer and brighter than the under $200 non-ED glass Vortex Diamondback. Most of the above options will work just as well for any kind of wildlife viewing, but here are a few more options just in case you want them: Vortexs least expensive spotter series, the Diamondback is a top seller with great reviews. Spotting scopes work best from mid to far distances. While this Argos was very well built (and very similar in style and quality to the Vortex Diamondback which is a much higher-priced scope I've used in the past), I found the optical quality to not be as good . They especially are a good choice for astronomy if you need your optics to be compact and/or you want to use them for more than just stargazing. Getting up close images is the entire point of a spotting scope, so obviously zoom power is one of the most important things to know about the scope you are going to buy. The downside is that the scopes I have are all SFP, but they do make an FFP model. Purpose-built as an aid to precision rifle shooters, the integrated reticle in the LMSS2 allows spotters to effectively call shots for their teammates on rifle. thanks! It is used solely as a marketing hook by companies to make their optics seem very high quality. They are going to stop rifle optics but Nikon isnt going anywhere. That means you need to think about what you want and need a spotter to do. I would leave the range with headaches from it. The Athlon warranty is every bit equal to the warranty provided by Leupold and Vortex, which is saying something. The Maven has especially good manners. A product-line extension following Meoptas successful angled MeoStar S2, this 82mm spotter has the optical horsepower for just about any hunting situation, and the straight-barrel design makes it easy to slide into a backpack sleeve. I have a Hawke Vantage 3-9x40 on a Diana 240, and a Hawke Vantage SF 6-24x44 on a Savage Mark 2 22LR. Are you going to pack it deep into the backcountry? I would highly avoid getting a true budget scope (one that costs less than $200). They are young, and seem hungry to make a dent in the industry. Emarth 20-60x60AE Angled Spotting Scope (Spotting Scope Under $100) Athlon Optics Argos HD 20-6085 Spotting Scope. It also has ArmorTek technology that prevents the body from scratches. But if you made me choose, I would have to pick the Athlon Argos 20-60x85mm. Andrew McKean is Outdoor Lifes hunting and conservation editor, drilling into issues that affect wildlife, wildlands, and the people who care about them. Another great option that is even more affordable, this scope from Vanguard will give you everything you need as a target shooter. quigley257; Mar 17, 2020; Replies 6 That would mean that the scope has an adjustable zoom range of 20 to 60. They are well known for supplying many of the high end scopes used by military snipers and special operations units. Athlon Optics . At lower powers, you can get by without a stabilizing tripod. This year that nod goes to Athlons Argos HD. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Especially in low-light conditions, those extreme ranges are rarely usable. They offer solid products at affordable prices, as well as higher end options. Meopta is said to be on higher tier than vortex razor. Vortex is a well-known manufacturer of optical material such as binoculars, spotting scopes and rifle scopes. For example, the Athlon Argos we recommend has a field of view of 48-102 feet at 1000 yards. But for someone on a budget, it will do the job. If you are buying a lower-mid range scope, the odds of it coming from Bushnell in one form or another are very high. The Ultima 80 is the definition of the intersection between quality and affordability. The largest, most powerful spotting scopes are among the most expensive sports optics on the market. . This same middle-is-best trade-off applies to every magnification range, from 9-27-power spotters to 20-60-power eyepieces. A spotting scope helps you get crystal clear, up close views of birds, and can also help you take pictures of them. (Argos 6-24x50, Talos 4-14x44) Last weekend I mounted both of these . You can check the price here. Darling of our best spotting scopes test is the new compact CS.1 from Maven, but we also like a couple of nicely priced full-sized spotters. They are quick and easy to use when you are based out of your vehicle. Far less expensive than the other scopes on this list, it doesnt offer the same kind of glass or build quality as the more expensive scopes. These coatings help the scope transmit and gather light better, thus increasing the quality and clarity of the image it delivers. The viper has better glass, but I am able to see .22 holes in paper In the shade at 350yds with the Argos. If youre spending close to (or upwards of) $1,000 for a spotter, make sure it has either ED (extra-low dispersion) glass. There are some spring airgunners that swear by the Hawke Sidewinder. ! They have been used and recommended by a lot of the most influential people in the industry, like Steven Rinella from Netflixs Meat Eater. Here are my top recommendations: If youre a serious bird watcher and want to see every detail of the birds youre looking at from a long way away, Swarovski is probably going to be your go to brand. In normal bright conditions, your pupil will usually be open about 2mm. We test spotting scopes the way you use themby subjecting them to the rigors and insults of the field. $199.99. The Argos gives excellent images for a scope in this price range, is large enough to be seriously powerful, and has intuitive, solid controls. The Argos HD 20-60x85mm falls into the perfect category of spotting scopes for high power use. The optic with the highest Price/Value score wins our Great Buy award. Though its the same size and about the same in terms of zoom power, the money is spent on the quality of glass. JavaScript is disabled. They are one of the largest and most popular companies in this space. There is no easy answer on which is best as there are tradeoffs. 0 B bdzjlz Member They just offer the absolute best performance you can possibly get out of a tube filled with glass. Still, if you use this scope in daylight and dont max out its magnification, its a worthy companion for most hunting situations or first-time buyers. The Hide Armory. Apart from its compact design, it is also ergonomic. Budget is a very firm $500 or preferably less. But you wont be tempted to compare the image delivered by the Maven to that of a Swarovski or Leica. Did a quick sight in using a snow bank ( makes things so quick and easy being able to see impact as it happens), and was able to start hitting some targets. The Bushnell Elite Tactical LMSS2 is the perfect companion for precision rifle shooting. $139.99 - $169.99. I'm an optics snob and all my rifles sport Vortex Razors, AMG, Nightforce NSX, Swarovski and Zeiss. Rifle Scopes Athlon Argos vs Vortex Diamondback. Vortex diamondback tactical 6-24x Vs Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x I'm looking at either the new vortex dback 6-24x tactical or athlon Argos BTR 6-24x to get into long range shooting. Athlon Argos BTR is $280-$370ish, depending on the model. A great all-around spotter, the SIG OSCAR8 has enough optical horsepower for most hunting situations and exterior styling that fits right at home on a rifle range. Pros. Its more than up to the task at picking out bullet holes from long range, saving you a lot of walking. It may not have their optical clarity, but it is more than good enough for the vast majority of bird watchers. This scope has extra low dispersion glass, and is one of the least expensive options that has that critical spec. This scope is offered in either an angled or straight body, and either way you can get a 16-48x65mm or a 20-60x85mm for viewing far off wildlife. Objective Lens Diameter. If the exit pupil diameter of your scope is smaller than your eyes pupil, the image you see through them will appear darker than it does with the naked eye. much better than the Athlon and Vortex and on a close out sale now. Thread starter idahohikker; Start date Apr 21, 2018; Apr 21, 2018 #1 I. . Athlon submitted two full-sized spotters for this year's test, but the Argos HD version (as opposed to the Argos G2 UHD) version represents the best combination of price and performance. Youll notice the images starts to get dark and grainy at about 45-power, and our low-light test confirmed that, compared with its UHD brother, the Argos HD will wink out several minutes before its peers. If you want a spotter to carry into the field to help you assess distant game, then consider a mid-sized scope, generally 20-50-power built behind a 65mm objective lens. So got the Argos in mail last night and got it mounted this afternoon. Likewise, the triply more expensive Vortex Viper is optically superior to the Vortex Diamondback. It also has a dual focus knob, one of our favorite features on any scope that allows you to focus it both quickly and precisely. Most spotting scopes have whats called a variable zoom, meaning you can adjust how close you are zoomed into what you are looking at. You can read more about them here.