Well, the title says it all.
My El-Cheapo spotting scope has irritated me for the last time. The chromatic aberration and lack of sharpness has finally sealed its fate. As an amateur photographer, I knew better that to buy cheap glass. Anyways.......
PB is in the market for a spotting scope. I am curious to see what the group here uses, brands etc.
Many thanks in advance for the info.
Pb2au wrote:I am curious to see what the group here uses, brands etc.
Despite the Weaver Scouts on my R92s, I am a hardcore Bushnell guy. I'm oneway based on the optics performance and the warranty service. My desert mule deer hunting cannot be successful without a good spotting scope. My choice was the Trophy XLT but then they introduced the Sentry 12-35X50 and it just didn't take me very long to make the switch.
Sentry.jpg
The Sentry is the size of a video camera but lighter. It does not take up any pack space and is rock steady with a full size or mini tripod, window mount or when held by hand. The focus knob is positioned so that your index finger can roll it back and forth.
Sentry_01.jpg
Mine is camo, I keep the case on it so that I can steady it against the strap.
Sentry_02.jpg
I don't know how many hours I've spent sitting on the ground, with my elbows on my knees, rock steady looking for game while the guy I'm hunting with keeps fiddling with his tripod! I do use this scope in my nilgai and whitetail hunting as well.
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I have an older Bushnell spotting scope and a Bushnell rangefinder as well as several Bushnell rifle scopes (Trophy, Legend, Elite 3000, Elite 4200) up to and including the 6500 model with the 30mm tube.
This includes and old Bushnell Scope Chief IV 2.5-8x40mm with the ingenious "Command Post" option reticule that is still in service after 30+ years of toughing it out on top of some heavy recoiling rifles.
I also have a multitude of Leupold scopes as well as a Minox 2-10x40mm.
Minox is the "light" version of the horrendously expensive Leica brand of scopes. The Bushnell optics are as good as any and a heck of a lot cheaper than some.
** I can't forget to mention my two trusty & faithful Bushnell Bore Sighters that have given me accurate "get on the paper" scope sight-ins for many years from my living room chair.
pricedo, we are quite similar in our experiences and choices. Two guys hunting two different parts of North American and have come to the same conclusions. Had Bushnell offered a scout scope, my R92s would be wearing them. Oh, I too have a Bushnell Range Finder and the Bushnell Bore Sighter that I purchased in 1968, still works as good as the day I bought it and has set up every rifle I have ever owned and hundreds of others!
My spotter is a Bushnell that I bought back in the last century. It's a 20X Sentry that I bought back in the 70's. It never gets into the house as it "lives" in my truck.
Steelbanger, NRA Life
Annual Member PRPA
Marlin - a hard habit to break.
I have a Bushnell 12-36x50 Sentry and my impressions matched the OPs complaints, probably because I come form a similar photography and astronomical telescope background and tend to be pretty picky.
It is light, handy and well armored, but it sees very little serious use as it is lacking in clarity and resolution and has significant issues with chromatic aberration.
My primary Spotting scope is a 20-60x60mm Vortex Nomad. It's still reasonably compact, it's armored and waterproof and has excellent optics for the money with good lens coatings, BAK 4 prisms and achromatic lenses. The resolution is excellent, it is clear and sharp from edge to edge, and there is virtually no chromatic aberration. It will easily spot .22LR rounds in flight at 200 yards and seeing .22LR holes in the black or the lines between rings on an A23 target at 100 yards is not a problem. Like most variables, the image quality starts to fade in the upper end of the power range, but from 20x to 40x it offers excellent image quality. My only complaint is that there is a slight amount of fore and act movement in the focusing knob, but it's a minor compliant. The angled version sells for around $340 in real world prices and it is, in my opinion, worth more than the purchase price.
To be honest the only Bushnell spotting scope I'd consider is the 15-45x60mm Spacemaster, and they sell for the same money as the Vortex Nomad, which is, IMHO, a better scope.
I really like the tripod on that particular Spacemaster model. Bushnell has sold it for years and it's excellent for prone or bench use. Vortex sold it as well for awhile but I have not seen it lately. The head is actually quite smooth in operation and is very easy to adjust and keep on target.
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The other factor in a good spotting scope is a decent tripod with a decent head on it. I use Vortex Ridgview and it's stable, adapts well to field conditions and is reasonably priced. I did not buy it with the ball head (and can offer no opinion on it) but instead got a Calumet Quickgrip Action Head for it. Total cost was around $250, which is about as low as you can go and still get a stable tripod and a smooth operating head.
If you are budget limited, then consider getting a used Star-D video tripod and head. They are very well made, prolific and normally sell for round $25 on e-bay in good condition.
Model 52 wrote:I have a Bushnell 12-36x50 Sentry and my impressions matched the OPs complaints, probably because I come form a similar photography and astronomical telescope background and tend to be pretty picky.
It is light, handy and well armored, but it sees very little serious use as it is lacking in clarity and resolution and has significant issues with chromatic aberration.
My primary Spotting scope is a 20-60x60mm Vortex Nomad. It's still reasonably compact, it's armored and waterproof and has excellent optics for the money with good lens coatings, BAK 4 prisms and achromatic lenses. The resolution is excellent, it is clear and sharp from edge to edge, and there is virtually no chromatic aberration. It will easily spot .22LR rounds in flight at 200 yards and seeing .22LR holes in the black or the lines between rings on an A23 target at 100 yards is not a problem. Like most variables, the image quality starts to fade in the upper end of the power range, but from 20x to 40x it offers excellent image quality. My only complaint is that there is a slight amount of fore and act movement in the focusing knob, but it's a minor compliant. The angled version sells for around $340 in real world prices and it is, in my opinion, worth more than the purchase price.
To be honest the only Bushnell spotting scope I'd consider is the 15-45x60mm Spacemaster, and they sell for the same money as the Vortex Nomad, which is, IMHO, a better scope.
I really like the tripod on that particular Spacemaster model. Bushnell has sold it for years and it's excellent for prone or bench use. Vortex sold it as well for awhile but I have not seen it lately. The head is actually quite smooth in operation and is very easy to adjust and keep on target.
The other factor in a good spotting scope is a decent tripod with a decent head on it. I use Vortex Ridgview and it's stable, adapts well to field conditions and is reasonably priced. I did not buy it with the ball head (and can offer no opinion on it) but instead got a Calumet Quickgrip Action Head for it. Total cost was around $250, which is about as low as you can go and still get a stable tripod and a smooth operating head.
If you are budget limited, then consider getting a used Star-D video tripod and head. They are very well made, prolific and normally sell for round $25 on e-bay in good condition.
This is all excellent info. Many thanks.
The tripod I am not worried about, as I use my Manfrotto tripod and ball head from my photography gear. I like the Manfrotto quick change plate system. That tripod and ballhead lock down rock solid.
