Observation & Sighting Devices . You can think of it like the limits of your peripheral vision. But if youre going to be hiking with that scope on your back (and all kinds of other gear), suddenly the idea of a five pound scope isnt so appealing. Dispersion is an effect in glass that causes distortion as light travels through it, or actually with any kind of waves. Joined Jun 19, 2019 Messages 1,412 Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. 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. They also allow most of their products to be fully customized, so you can even get them in the exact color you want! The Mavens eyepiece is fixed, which means you wont be able to swap out eyepieces for different magnifications. This durable one-piece design keeps dust out of the innards but also prevents users from trading out the variable-power eyepiece for a different zoom range or a fixed-power alternative. Much faster target acquisition (angled scopes can be intuitive to find what youre trying to look at because of the angle). All the money is going straight into the glass. We found the usable magnification range extended to about 54-power, which is higher than many of its peers. Compared with the HD model, which was also submitted to this years test, the UHD version has much better glass and produces an image thats on par with spotters costing significantly more. The very best birding binoculars under $500 - What birds are in my If you hold any kind of magnified optic up to a light source and at least a foot away from your eyes, you will see a white dot in the middle of the lens. Thread starter Kyle Wheeler; Start date Nov 11, 2020; Nov 11, 2020 #1 Kyle Wheeler Well Known Rokslider. By Max Mutter and Benjamin Hickok. 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. Most spotting scopes have whats called a variable zoom, meaning you can adjust how close you are zoomed into what you are looking at. Get as big of a scope as is practical for your use. Athlon 214061 Argos BTR 6-2450 Riflescope APMR FFP MIL | eBay Not everyone can afford a Zeiss. Its optical shortcomings are evident in low light conditions, but thats to be expected at this bargain price. Andrew McKean is Outdoor Lifes hunting and conservation editor, drilling into issues that affect wildlife, wildlands, and the people who care about them. The Vortex Viper is a great choice. Field of view is obviously heavily influenced by the magnification power of your scope. The Vortex strike eagle 5-25x56 FFP The Athlon Midas TAC 5-25x56 FFP Are there people who have been able to compare these 2 scopes? Athlon Talos 20-60x80 Angled Spotting Scope | SCHEELS.com Moreover, weighing 24.6 ounces it is one of the lightest offerings from Athlon. Learn More . 20-60x. QUICK LIST: Best First Focal Plane Scopes in 2022. Its an expensive scope, but its worth a look. So for a brief period of time, I had both the Athlon Talos 20x60x80 and this Athlon Argos 20x60x85 side by side for a detailed comparison. Doug asked me to review two Athlon scopes for him. Vortex Diamondback Tactical vs Athlon Argos BTR 6-24 When you see 20-60x85mm, that means that the objective lens (the one that points out towards whatever you are viewing) is 85mm in diameter. Athlon Optics , Argos BTR, Riflescope, 6-24 x 50 First Focal Plane (FFP) 30 mm Tube, Illuminated APMR MIL Reticle, Black. Here are the main positives of each: Many scopes, particularly the higher end ones, are sold with the option of getting either straight or angled, so youll get to choose what works best for you. The ED glass delivers a bright image that showed only minor color fringing and slight deformity on the very edge of the image at lower powers. I shoot spring airgun and 22LR, and Hawke is on ALL of them. If you divide the objective size by the zoom, you get the exact diameter of the exit pupil. I honestly don't have experience with either model, but do with others of both brands. The upside: Its especially weather- and moisture-proof. Has anyone out there got first hand experience with this scope? 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. 0 B bdzjlz Member But if its the latter, than less expensive glass might be fine. As you have seen in our list of recommendations, both Vortex and Athlon offer multicoated optics. When budget isnt a limitation, I tend to recommend Swarovski. They rapidly expanded into a full suite of optics products spanning the entirety of the price ranges, which they still are today, though they mostly focus on the lower/mid range. . Should the spotter ever fail, its fully backed by SIGs excellent five-year warranty. The angled eyepiece and rotating tripod mount increase its versatility, and the controls are relatively tight and precise, especially for the at around $400. Delivery. Also, is 40 or 48 power enough to spot holes at 500 yards? Don't let the fact that it's cheaper than the Viper and Razor deter you, this thing provides stellar optics and is backed by their excellent lifetime warranty program. The Nature-Trek has some nice appointments, including the responsive center-barrel focus and the comfortable eyecups. But for scouting use its perfect, or for spotting from the road. If you like shooting, ESPECIALLY at distance, you really need a decent Spotting Scope. The Diamondback HD spotter makes an accessible, extremely usable optic for any number of well-lighted conditions. While the best binoculars for hunting have close focus of about 6 to 8 feet, spotting scopes can only focus to about 12 feet. So much so that it won our Great Buy award as the best bargain spotting scope. Spotting Scope Review after Testing. They sell their products directly to consumers similarly to Upland Optics, but they are at the higher end of the price/quality spectrum. Absolutely not, in fact some of the best scopes around carry the HD label. Therefore it stands to reason that you want the spotter labeled HD, right? Well, Athlon kept that in mind, and that is why they brought out the Ares ETR in different reticle styles. A dual focus knob is also great for fine tuning in on far away celestial bodies. Note that the price varies widely on these different models of Razors, with the smallest scope costing half as much as the biggest. Athlon Optics . Check the price here. Ask yourself when youre most likely to use the optic. The MIDAS uses what appears to be night and day difference SUPERIOR GLASS. A smaller company than some others on this list, Athlon continually impresses me with their quality mid range products. I have purchased 3 Athlon Argos BTR scopes, and zero issues with any of them. Any feedback on these two scopes? Similarly, if you live anywhere with a lot of wildlife activity, it can be a fun thing to have a spotting scope set up on your back porch, trained on your local ecosystem. Vortex got mentioned above a lot, and there are good reasons. While they have specialized in cameras, all of the knowledge theyve accumulated in building camera optics has transferred over into some incredible sporting optics. Celestron shows up in a lot of places on this list, particularly when looking for affordable quality. Reviews & Ratings for Athlon Optics Argos BTR 6-24x50mm - OpticsPlanet Vanguard is a smaller, more specialized company than many on this list, and they deserve your consideration for their quality products. Unlike some of the scopes that are out there, this one is available in both reticle styles. The point is..if you buy a Vortex, you have to check if the reticles are wire or not. Side By Side Review Athlon NEOS 10x42 vs. Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 Binoculars Home ADVENTURES Store About Updates Contact MIL/LEO Custom Shop Group Buy Polices UPDATE STATION . Minuteman. The UHDit stands for ultra-high-definitionglass also boosts its performance. Again thanks for everyones input, truthfully I had been leaning towards the Diamondback but the Athlon supporters swayed my decision. Athlon Ares Spotting Scope VS. Vortex Razor Spotting Scope Review A nice feature it has that I wish more scopes would include (especially angled scopes) is a sighting line to help you line up with what youre trying to look at. The other differentiation from the Argos HD model: the aluminum-alloy chassis of the Ares UHD. You can buy it here. The 45-degree angled eyepiece is also a nice touch, as it allows for users to use it in a number of different stances. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Vortex diamondback tactical 6-24x Vs Athlon Argos BTR 6-24x Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. If youre just casually looking at wildlife and dont want to spend the dollars on a premium scope, then this Gosky model will fill your needs. It's a 20-60x80 only weighting about 33ozs. 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. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links . 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. They just work as advertised. Its positioned just right between the companys big, bright, and spendy S.1 series and its big-boned B.5 binoculars, which sport 56mm objective lenses and magnifications from 10- to 18-power. One example is hitting the coldbore shots on steel often out to 1122Y. Since you're talking 22LR and not sure if you'll shoot competitive, I'm going to throw out Hawke here. Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25X56 - Best for Long Range. Dec 9, 2019 123 56. Or should I wait until the Element optics Titan comes out? . Only a few optics brands have new models, and those that are new for the year are product-line extensions, essentially new magnifications and sizes for an existing model. I just believe you get what you pay for. The Argos HD 20-60x85mm falls into the perfect category of spotting scopes for high power use. How versatile do you want your scope to be? And we conclude that the priceyou should be able to find this retailing for around $650was fair for the performance. 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. If youre a hunter who packs in deep its worth serious consideration, as its lightweight frame makes it easy to carry into the backcountry. I don't really want more than 3-4 x on the low end at least around here MDs are putting targets close and starting at 6x makes things tricky. 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. After consulting with other experts I compiled this guide that includes information about spotting scopes, how to choose the best one, and reviews of our favorites on the market right now. It's big and heavy, so you probably will mostly use it from your vehicle or a camp, but the power behind a scope this big is something awesome to behold. They are known to provide some of the best mid-range optics. Is the Athlon Argos BTR Gen2 the Best Affordable Long Range Scope? Joined Jan 16, 2018 . In this test, we mount all scopes on tripods, set their magnification to 20-power, and then measure how long they can see into the dark, averaging the results to assess performance. We were able to arrive at a consensus on the optical talents of this spotter. They have come to dominate those segments of the market. You can read more about them here. That brings us to the Vortex Diamondback 20-60x80mm straight eyepiece spotting . Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. Weve rarely seen this much glass and optical horsepower for under $400. $139.99 - $169.99. 8 Best Spotting Scopes for Elk Hunting - opticsrelated.com Spotting scopes come in a very wide selection of sizes, more so than any other kind of optic. It requires little equipment, can often be done from your home, and offers unlimited opportunities for expanding on the hobby with trips to see exotic birds. All in, theres a lot of scope here for $800, a price that represents the savings possible from the direct-to-consumer optics brand. Another very high end scope from an excellent optics company, the Kowa TSN-883 Prominar is a great option for bird watchers trying to get the best. If the exit pupil diameter of your scope is smaller than your eyes pupil, the image you see through them will appear darker than it does with the naked eye. They have many scopes under 500$ that comes in both straight and angled version. Thx, Colice "There are no dangerous weapons. Athlon Optics / RIFLE SCOPES / ARGOS BTR GEN2 / ARGOS BTR GEN2 6-2450 APMR FFP IR MIL. All else being equal, you want the biggest lens possible. At a fraction of that price, this Vortex delivers an adequate image in a durable, versatile package. The Athlon Argos BTR is an excellent mid to long-range choice. While the use and need of a good spotting scope extends well beyond those needs, it still is hard to bump it up the priority list, hence the need for affordable alternatives to the exceptional high end spotters available on the market that cost well over $2000 USD. A big, serious spotter with very good glass and responsive controls, the Ares UHD is the big brother to Athlons excellent 65mm Argos introduced a couple of years ago. Usually works better from a vehicle window mount. The Hide Armory. The SX-2 Alpine HD spotting scope is a must have for all serious hunters or shooters who are looking to add HD performance to their optics kit. Specifications. The Gosky 20-6060 HD Spotting Scope is a top seller in that price range, and gets decent reviews from its many users. It is worth a trip to your local sporting goods store to look through some scopes and make sure that your glasses do not interfere with the normal eye relief on models you are considering. Sold two to a friend(bought Athlon Ares and Tacticle). 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. And with $500, I would definitely buy the Diamondback 20-60x85mm. Models that have both designs typically have identical glass, magnification ranges, and components, so theyll likely deliver an identical image. After consulting with other experts I compiled this guide that includes information about spotting scopes, how to choose the best one, and reviews of our favorites on the market right now. I personally used it this last year when hunting pronghorn in Idaho extensively, and it helped me pick out minute details on horns from absurdly far away! So got the Argos in mail last night and got it mounted this afternoon. athlon leupold spotting scope vortex Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum Become a supporting member. Precision rifle shooters will appreciate the fixed 22-power lens that contains a milling PRS reticle, which allows users to make precise calls when spotting for a long-distance shooter. It has an 82mm objective lens, boasts ED glass for amazing image clarity, and has a field flattener lens system for crisp images all the way to the periphery. Athlon Argos Spotting Scope 20-60x85. W. Wrencoforge Sergeant of the Hide. Brands that might introduce a new binocular or riflescope every year are on a 2- or even 3-year cycle with spotting scope introductions. Find Athlon Optics Cronus Gen II 20-60x86mm UHD Spotting Scopes-311004 with New Product and 20% Off today at Rangefinders.com +1-800-504-5995 Live Chat Contact Us Check Order Status. You can check the price here. Best Spotting Scopes of 2023 | Outdoor Life There is a range of designations that manufacturers use, and unfortunately there isnt much standardization. Thoughts on Athlon Talos Spotting Scope. 20-60x80. We later measure the scopes optical resolution, or how finely they render details. Big 80 and 85mm scopes from premium brands can cost upwards of $3,000. Most importantly, they have a solid warranty and a great reputation for taking care of their customers. (130) Compare Product. You can learn more about them here. Easier to switch between binos and spotting scope. The redesigned Diamondback HD spotting scopes have all the horsepower the long-distance hunter needs, and they excel in lowlightright when you need it most. Spotter-Vortex Viper vs. Athlon Ares. If you spend a few hundred dollars, youre going to get something that will definitely improve on your naked eyes vision and help you be successful at whatever activity you are doing. Its a testament to the Hawkes spotter that it adequately handles all that magnification. $329.99 - $399.99. Products ( 2) Sort By. The Ares G2 placed second in our low-light rankings and turned in very good resolution scores. I'm looking at 6-24 versions and they seem similar. Its a pattern weve seen play out over two decades of the Outdoor Life optics test. The Vortex DB HD 10x42 are by volume the most sold pair of binoculars in . While this is likely the first spotter that a hunter or shooter may buyowing to the approachable priceit wont be the last. Athlon Cronus is up to 60 power but still have a reasonable size. However, with Vortexs best-in-class warranty, youll never have to worry if it fails to perform. If you are buying a lower-mid range scope, the odds of it coming from Bushnell in one form or another are very high. 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. The first spotter from this direct-to-consumer is a versatile powerhouse. Vortex Diamondback HD vs Athlon Argos G2 UHD Binoculars What this means is that if you look at a hill that is 1000 yards away, you will see an image that is between 48 and 102 feet wide based on how zoomed in you are. A good spotter can help you see your shots from where you are shooting, eliminating the need to go down range as often. Athlon Optics Ares ETR UHD 4.5-3056 First Focal Plane Riflescopes Not everyone prefers the same type of reticle. quigley257; Mar 17, 2020; Replies 6 Dec 12, 2019. brushandbay. I built a 6.5 Creedmoor for my son in law.he wanted the mid level Athlon. 10 Best Spotting Scopes February 2023 - MSN But we also assign a Price/Value score to each submission. Replies 44 Views 30K. A spotting scope is sort of a low-power telescope, while also offering better magnification than a set of binoculars. Athlon NEOS 10x42 vs. Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 Makes sense. I have a Hawke Vantage 3-9x40 on a Diana 240, and a Hawke Vantage SF 6-24x44 on a Savage Mark 2 22LR. Learn more about their long, family owned history here. The Ultima is a fairly affordable but still massive and powerful scope that works great for astronomy and stargazing. An exception might occur if you are going to be looking through glasses first and then your spotter. How you use your scope will impact the type of scope body you get. Vortex Viper HD 20-60x85 Spotting Scope (Angled Viewing) V502 - B&H Photo . If you got sick of reading about scopes (or, lets be honest, you saw there was video and skipped ahead! If you want to be counting antler points on mule deer from a few miles away youre going to have to have perfect conditions and a very high end scope, regardless of the zoom power. The scope tracks as well if not better than my Vortex Diamondback tactical which cost . Diamondback HD 20-60x85 (Angled) - Vortex Optics Glass was pretty good for the price. If youre a bird watcher that likes to photograph your quarry, youll be happy to know this scope has a ton of available accessories for connecting to cameras of all sorts. I'm not going to claim that they track perfectly, and I did have reposition the parallax knob on 6-24, but for sub-$200, even sub-$150, they are the best thing I've run across and the glass smokes vortex crossfire. Brands make a big deal out of the upper end of the magnification range for their spotters, but that doesnt mean those higher powers are very useful. I'm an optics snob and all my rifles sport Vortex Razors, AMG, Nightforce NSX, Swarovski and Zeiss. Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. I have both and would buy another Athlon. You can check the price today and see if its the right fit for you. They offer some of the clearest scopes on the market, and while you definitely pay a premium, they have a very loyal customer base among bird watchers. $249.99. 2 Best Spotting Scopes for Elk Hunting Buying Guide & FAQs. But most commonly, you will see ED (Extra-low Dispersion) used, and that is what you want. The image delivered by the 23-70-power eyepiece is stunning, and the amount of light delivered to the eye through the 95mm objective lens makes even low-light glassing a pleasure. These seamless connections will give you crystal clear images. arken sh4 6 24x50 vs vortex db tactical vs athon argos btr gen2 - AR-15 Spotting Scope, Soft sided case, Lens caps, Cleaning Cloth: Spotting scope^hard case^soft case^instructions^tripod: Athlon Optics 315001: 20-60X80 Spotter: Soft Carrying Case, 20-60x zoom Eyepiece, Spotting Scope, Soft sided case, Lens caps, Cleaning Cloth Item Dimensions: 16.9 x 4 x 4.5 inches: 18.25 x 6.5 x 9.5 inches: 16.5 x 3.75 x 6 inches . Big, grippy, and durable, the Santiam is a no-nonsense full-sized spotter that feels a little heavy for a walk-about optic but will give years of service as a base-camp, shooting-range, or pickup scope. Bushnell is owned today by Vista Outdoor, a large conglomerate of outdoor products companies. Athlon Optics Argos HD 20-60x85 Spotting Scope - 45 Degree, Green/Black These coatings help the scope transmit and gather light better, thus increasing the quality and clarity of the image it delivers. It can be had with three different sizes of objective lenses, so you can choose just how big your scope is going to be. All these attributes make it an ideal budget option for hunters. The Athlon HELOS uses what appears to be ARGOS GLASS if that matters to you at all. In fact, those factors increase substantially as you go up in objective sizes. 1. Maven has a few great spotting scope options (all of which are customizable if you order through their website). This Japanese scope uses pure fluorite crystal lenses, which is unique in the industry and gives them excellent optical clarity. 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. Hook it up to your camera with Zeisss extensive catalog of accessories and youll be taking pictures you never thought possible.