Pentax 80ED test, yes it can see the bullet holes!

J996

J996

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I have been after a spotting scope that can resolve .30 cal bullet holes at 500 yards in the white for matches, without breaking the bank.

I previously got to look through a friends Swarovski 80HD at the range and his scope did the above no problem. The trouble for me is the Swaro costs over $3000 and I just could not afford it, so the search began. After reading alot of reviews and research I settled on the Pentax 80ED and bought one. With the SMC 20-60 zoom eyepiece it comes in just under $1500 cad, a price which I could afford.

So for the test I set up a Fig 14 "Herman the German" target at just over 500 yards. This target had been shot previously and had holes in the black and white areas of the target. It was early afternoon on a bright sunny day temp 15 degrees C and there was a little mirage as the image was dancing slightly. With the zoom eyepiece set to 60X I gently turned the focus knob and voilla! I could make out all holes in the white parts of the target. Test passed.

I should mention that once mirage gets bad no spotter will show holes in paper, this only works in favorable conditions. You also need a good solid tripod. I had mine on a Manfrotto 190Xprob with 054 magnesium ball head, which can hold a 20 lbs rifle no problem.

I also have a XW10mm fixed astronomy lens for this scope which in the 80ED gives you 52X fixed mag and it is a wide angle. I popped this lens in after the zoom and the field of view and the size of the lens is phenomenal, so easy to get behind. This lens, although slightly less magnified also had no trouble resolving the holes in the target, it produced a very nice image.

Here is a crappy pic through the XW10mm fixed with me trying to hold an iphone up to it (far from ideal). The farthest transformer ranged at 514 yards and unlike this pic the actual view through the scope was sharp and I could read all the other numbers below the big number 25 clearly.

514 yards to far transformer.


The Pentax eyepieces are huge! The zoom is the size of a can of pop.



I am very happy with the purchase and can't wait to take this scope to its first match.
 
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Yep, pentax and Kowa spotters are gems.

The Pentax eye pieces are some of the best in the biz at any price and really make a spotter come alive.

For the money, it is always a toss up between Pentax and Kowa... I went Kowa as there were some features I prefered.

Remember that as there are scopes that see through mirage better then others, so will spotters. IF the goal is to see the object even in mirage, there are solutions but bring $$$.

For me, my spotter is there to SEE the mirage so I want very different glass and my Kowa does a superb job. On a clear day, the glass is stunning at LR but this muddies quickly as mirage picks up... exactly what I am after.

Enjoy...

Jerry
 
I have the 100ED, and wow, am I ever glad I bought it. If I did it again I'd save some $$ and get an 80ED with an angled eyepiece. You can jack the power with the eyepieces as you wish.

I was seeing doorknobs, etc on a house 2.5km away on the weekend, with the 7mm eyepiece (about 97x mag). Mirage is there though, no question.

I was amazed by how much better the fixed eyepieces are than the variables. I think I may actually sell my variable eyepiece.

I find that at 100x I have a tough time finding my target. I'm going to add a finder scope such as a this:

http://www.canadiantelescopes.com/orion-ez-finder-deluxe-ii-telescope-reflex-sight-7231.html

If you want any accessories look at Meade 1.25" eyepieces, or Siebert Optics from the US. The Pentax scopes have an abnormal focal length, so you can't just throw anything on them. I have a 90deg diagonal coming from Siebert, as well as a camera adapter. Harry Siebert is very knowledgeable on optics, etc, and can make a compensator if need be.

-J.
 
There are VERY FEW variable high mag eyepieces that do not degrade the chassis they are attached to.

Fixed eye pieces are by far superior as there are far fewer compromises. Also, consider that many eyepieces are not weather proof. If you will compete in the rain or use it for hunting, something to consider.

The optics world look at eyepiece as a separate purchase/entity vs the scope body. Some stuff will mix and match....

Jerry
 
I think most will mix and max, but the Pentax's have that weird focal length.....

Once you get that big/expensive in spotters you start crossing into astronomy scope stuff.....

-J.
 
Makes my $100 Bushmaster Canadian Tire special look pretty horrid (and it is, unless you like the view staring through a straw!)
 
sulisa said:
Makes my $100 Bushmaster Canadian Tire special look pretty horrid (and it is, unless you like the view staring through a straw!)
Click to expand...

I tried a "low cost" one too...... pay once, cry once.....

I found a Leupold Gold Ring on Kijiji for a great price (about 800 I think). That's for hunting, and the pentax is for LR, and now, astronomy!!!

FYI - if you find a GR, buy it, but don't bother with the kit. The tripod is crap, and the case isn't much better. The nylon cover is great, but you could buy that and a pelican case for less $$.

-J.
 
Thanks for the short review, I have been looking for a spotting scope which doesn't upset my wife for a while, that Pentax with eyepiece seem to fit the bill.
 
KND said:
Thanks for the short review, I have been looking for a spotting scope which doesn't upset my wife for a while, that Pentax with eyepiece seem to fit the bill.
Click to expand...

My very first CGN post was on my 100ED. A really helpful dude who knows guns and cameras chimed in to help with tripod and mounting head choices too....

I ended up with a manfrotto 410 gear head and a 055 tripod. Nice and stable, with precise adjustability.

-J.
 
Mystic Precision said:
Yep, pentax and Kowa spotters are gems.

The Pentax eye pieces are some of the best in the biz at any price and really make a spotter come alive.

For the money, it is always a toss up between Pentax and Kowa... I went Kowa as there were some features I prefered.

Remember that as there are scopes that see through mirage better then others, so will spotters. IF the goal is to see the object even in mirage, there are solutions but bring $$$.

For me, my spotter is there to SEE the mirage so I want very different glass and my Kowa does a superb job. On a clear day, the glass is stunning at LR but this muddies quickly as mirage picks up... exactly what I am after.

Enjoy...

Jerry
Click to expand...

I am still learning how to read mirage, I still have alot to figure out there. The more matches I attend though the more I'm learning. At the last match, watching my competitors rounds impact the berm and observing the resulting dust plume was very helpful for wind.
 
In time, you will learn to look at any and all wind cues. When starting, we tend to have tunnel vision and spend most of our attention at the target. BUT alot of times, the wind is happening else where and traveling to you.

When you "see" the wind, it may be too late to react.

So look around, you never know what will grab your attention and give you that little bit of info to keep you in the center.

Mirage is my friend. All my competition optics are geared to see it as quickly and as much as possible. Not for everyone but it has helped me more then any other wind cue over the years

Jerry
 
I just happened to be at the range today shooting my TRG-22 at 600m. My 65ED allowed me to see bullet holes on white paper at 600m but not bullet holes in the black. At 300m, bullet holes in the black was no problem. Conditions were quite nice, 20'C, slightly overcast, 102.9KPA and somewhere around 50% humidity.
 
I'm going to order an 80ED. Just wondering what fixed eye pieces I should get for ranges up to 500m. Is there one focal length that will do it all so I can see 223 holes on my targets at 100m and 500m?
 
Magnification of XW eyepieces when used with Pentax 80ED. Mine is the ED-A (angled) which gives just a hair more mag.

XW20 - 26X

XW14 - 36X

XW10 - 50X

XW7 - 71X

I would get the XW20 for general purpose and the XW10 for detail. I have used mine for a while now and have observed a few things. Bullet holes in the black, yes to 300 yards. Bullet holes in the white, yes to 500 yards sometimes. keep in mind this is with a big fat .30 cal.

Trying to look for bulletholes in targets during a match, forget it. I tried and there is no time to fiddle around to try and see it at 500 yds and if there is mirage it's not happening. I just look for bullet trace now to correct the next shot, learned my lesson.
 
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