my question is?

if you had 3,000 saved up(been saving for 3 years) and wanted to buy a spotting scope to own for the rest of your life or for a very long time.and were going to use it mostly for hunting and probably 70% of the year out of the truck the other 30% on your back.mostly at dawn and dusk.wich one would you buy and why? it doesnt have to be for 3,000 just have that much saved and if i had to could put it into a spotting scope. thanks for your time

Hi

Any premium grade, 80mm class spotting scope from the big five will work - the Nikon Fieldsco/Nikon Edge, Leica Uktravid HD, Kowa 770/880 series, Swarovski ATS/STS80HD or Zeiss Diacope 85. Really more a personal rpeference than a performance issue in this quality range. Right now, the Leica and Nikon EDG are hard to come by, but the others are readily available. The Kowa 883 has been getting the best reviews at this point, but all are excellent.

thanks jne k i was waiting for your opinion, of the ones you mentioned would put them in order, in our opinion.as far as clarity and early morning late evening brightness.thank you

Hi

Sorry, I don't do ratings and don't believe in them.

Here's why. Which of these many factors do you consider to be the most important? The secondmost important? The thirdmost important?

Let's start just with optics. Choose between:
resolution
contrast
edge sharpness
lack of distortion
color rendition
color correction
depth of field
eye relief
field of view
image brightness

The fact is that no one premium grade scope I have tested, and I have tested them all many times, will ever score on top in every optical category. Which do you consider to be most important? Probably not the same one I consider to be most important or what someone else considers most important. Which would you rank number two? My choice will no doubt be different than yours.

We haven't even begun to talk about construction and mechanical features, let alone handling, which is far more subjective.

When you are in this quality range, it is much more a personal choice than a performance choice. Brand loyalty, for instance, is often the deciding factor. is

MT,

If, by "out of the truck" you meant that you will be taking the scope and setting it up on a tripod near the truck, then no problem with using a large 80 mm scope, either straight or angled, according to your preference. On the other hand, if you meant [u]looking[/u] "out of the truck" using a window mount, then I would suggest that you should use a straight-through design and consider a smaller (under 70 mm) scope.

for your consideration.

George

Definitely. Straight is a real neck saver on a window mount, though I have used angled and have the neck aches to prove it.

does it help the neck strain at all to pivot the body of the spotting scope or is straight just easier all the way around?

No, there is no best, all around and much of it is personal preference.

Staight bodied spotting scopes are easier to line up on target for beginners and also balance nicer if you attach a heavy SLR size camera for photography. Better choice for looking down at objects, as well, and are more convenient to use in a vehicle with a window mount.

Angled bodied scopes are more comfortable to look through for longer periods of time and are more stable, because they can sit lower on the tripod. Angled scopes are also a better choice for looking at objects at an elevation and are a better choice if you are sharing the scope with people of different heights. When digiscoping with a small point and shoot camera, an angled scope makes it easier to see the LCD screen. Angled scopes, however, do take a bit more practice to learn how to line up on target, but it becomes second nature after a little use.

Either configuration, however, will work for almost any application, with personal preference being the deciding factor. These days we sell 60% angled and 40% straight