Hey guys I'm looking into picking up a spotting scope and bino's to get into some hunting. Ill also be using the spotting scope for the range. I have a tikka t3 .243 with a zeiss conquest HD5 3-15X50 if that makes any difference about which set of optics i should get. Im looking into the vortex viper HD 20-60X80 spotting scope and the vortex viper HD 10X50 bino's. Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Spotting Scope and Bino's for Hunting in the West
- Thread starter snowie19
- Start date
I'm a pretty big fan of Vortex optics, though I don't have any experience with their binos. I prefer a 8x over a 10x pair of binos myself. I find myself a bit steadier, with a larger field of view for scanning. You have a 15x on your scope, so in my mind all your doing with binos is scanning and spotting, not needing to identify.
Just my opinion, and it is not like there is much difference between a 8x and 10x anyways, so either will work just fine!
Just my opinion, and it is not like there is much difference between a 8x and 10x anyways, so either will work just fine!
I find the 8x40 binoculars to be the sweet spot size and weight wise. The larger field of view on the 8x binoculars is nice as binoculars are used for scanning and spotting game. The spotting scope is usually used to evaluate the animal, ex. 4 point buck, and not typically used to scan unless you are sheep hunting.
One of the things that looks bigger with higher magnification is the tremor that comes from holding the optical device. Spotting scopes are normally used on tripod or clamped to a window so you can use the very high magnification. A rifle held to the shoulder is a more stable support for its scope than your free hands for binoculars, so the latter are usually the worst for tremors and this limits the usefulness of high magnification in binoculars. Higher magnification also reduces the field of view and the brightness of the image at any given lens size. It used to be commonly said that 7x was the highest magnification that most people could use for long without tiring their eyes with the magnified tremor. 8x, 10x and even 12x seem to be pretty popular these days and I don't know if that's because lighter materials mean those users aren't shaking them as much (I still use 6x or 7x) or because it's more profitable to leave people uninformed and sell them on the idea that more magnification is better.
For brightness of image, divide the objective lens size by the magnification to discover the exit pupil, e.g. 7x50mm gives you a little over 7mm exit pupil, and this roughly matches the largest opening of an average young adult human pupil. So the same binocular (quality of glass and coatings) at 8x50 would give a smaller exit pupil and less bright image. A 6x50 would give a larger exit pupil but you wouldn't get the benefit of the brighter image because your pupil won't open wider to take in more light. And as you age, your pupil won't open as wide so if you are in your forties you probably aren't getting any benefit from an exit pupil bigger than 5mm. In that case, you might look for a more compact binocular with the same magnification, and getting better quality glass and coatings for your money becomes even more important.
But there is still field of view. Most optics will be marked on the package at least, if not the equipment itself, with the width of the field of view at a sample range.
People like to say "you get what you pay for" but it's more accurate to say you'll pay for what you get, and if you don't know what to look for, there are always makers who will sell you less performance for more money. Good quality optics aren't cheap, but expensive optics aren't necessarily good. You have to do your research to ensure you get the best performance at any given price.
For brightness of image, divide the objective lens size by the magnification to discover the exit pupil, e.g. 7x50mm gives you a little over 7mm exit pupil, and this roughly matches the largest opening of an average young adult human pupil. So the same binocular (quality of glass and coatings) at 8x50 would give a smaller exit pupil and less bright image. A 6x50 would give a larger exit pupil but you wouldn't get the benefit of the brighter image because your pupil won't open wider to take in more light. And as you age, your pupil won't open as wide so if you are in your forties you probably aren't getting any benefit from an exit pupil bigger than 5mm. In that case, you might look for a more compact binocular with the same magnification, and getting better quality glass and coatings for your money becomes even more important.
But there is still field of view. Most optics will be marked on the package at least, if not the equipment itself, with the width of the field of view at a sample range.
People like to say "you get what you pay for" but it's more accurate to say you'll pay for what you get, and if you don't know what to look for, there are always makers who will sell you less performance for more money. Good quality optics aren't cheap, but expensive optics aren't necessarily good. You have to do your research to ensure you get the best performance at any given price.
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Always buy great optics you won't be disapointed.
I personnally use for hunting both binos and Spotter. As mentionned spotting scopes are usually bulky and heavy. I bought last year a Minox MD50 and it is awesome. It is just slightly bigger than a set of bino but goes to 30X.
For Binos anything from Meopta or Swaro in HD version you'll never look back. I use a 10x HD Meostar and I can look through the scope all day without eye fatigue. It is extremely clear and definition is incredible.
Good luck in you shopping.
I personnally use for hunting both binos and Spotter. As mentionned spotting scopes are usually bulky and heavy. I bought last year a Minox MD50 and it is awesome. It is just slightly bigger than a set of bino but goes to 30X.
For Binos anything from Meopta or Swaro in HD version you'll never look back. I use a 10x HD Meostar and I can look through the scope all day without eye fatigue. It is extremely clear and definition is incredible.
Good luck in you shopping.
If I were to do it over Id bite the bullet and buy Leica or Swarovski right off the bat. If you can find glass that hasn't been marked up to reflect the current crappy dollar Id buy em. If you are happy with Vortex Id buy them and not worry about what others thought.
Cheers!!
Cheers!!
I also have a MD50 and am glad about that. You can get a better spotter for more money, I haven't looked through anything as good that wasn't quite a bit more money. I later bought an old Bausch&Lomb to get a bit more magnification for the range (16-45x60mm) but if I could keep only one it would be the Minox.
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Kowa for the spotter. Pentax is another great value spotter. I would personally pass on the variables. Fixed quality eyepieces are so much nicer.
Nikon for the binos...Read reviews by the Birding community. This is their sport and they test EVERYTHING. Pentax binos are also quite good if money is tight.
If you want great glass, bring money but these brands offer superb optics without being too crazy pricey.
My all time spotter is the Leica Trinovid but my Kowa lets me count points on the other side of my town in clear air.
Jerry
PS, out west could mean a couple of hundred yards or across a valley 1 mile away... just saying it really helps to define that type of hunting and needs you will have.
Nikon for the binos...Read reviews by the Birding community. This is their sport and they test EVERYTHING. Pentax binos are also quite good if money is tight.
If you want great glass, bring money but these brands offer superb optics without being too crazy pricey.
My all time spotter is the Leica Trinovid but my Kowa lets me count points on the other side of my town in clear air.
Jerry
PS, out west could mean a couple of hundred yards or across a valley 1 mile away... just saying it really helps to define that type of hunting and needs you will have.
