50mm spotting scope - opinions

[yycyak]

Hi guys, hoping I can get a few opinions to point me in the right direction. I'm looking specifically at 50mm spotting scopes on purpose. Why? Well I'll mainly be chasing elk via bivvy hunt style, so weight matters. I also mostly meat hunt, so the most I need to worry about is answering the "Is this a 5pt or a 6pt I'm looking at?"

I've narrowed things down to these 3:

- Nikon ed50. Can get this one around $650. It seems to get favourable reviews all the time from everywhere.

- Leupold 15x30x50 compact. Around $560 in my neck of the woods. Have heard optically it's hit or miss. I like Leupold gold ring stuff because the warranty is outstanding. (As we all know, living out of a backpack can be hard on equipment...)

- Kowa 501. Around $430. Don't know too much about thus one, but hear good things about Kowa, and this beauty weighs in at 14oz

I'm leaning towards the Kowa, because of price. I'm slowly saving pennies for a 65mm Swaro, but that won't be on the table for a while. In the mean time, I'd like to hit the woods with something lightweight and decent quality. So if anyone has any thoughts on this, I'd certainly like to hear it.

(I purposely left out Vortex. Long story short, been there, done that. Not a fan, and don't want to go back to that world.)

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[mtnrunner260]

What binos are you running and do you use them on a tripod?
If you aren't I think you would find top end binos on a tripod good enough to not need a low magnification spotter for those needs.

 

[yycyak]

Im running 8x40 leupolds in a bino harness. I typically use the binos to spot movement or other interesting sign, and then follow up with the spotting scope.

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[sneaky]

If you bivy bivy mostly, I'd be saving pennies towards the Kowa 55 instead of the Swaro 65. Saves almost a pound, and about $800. You can get one of those for anywhere between $1249-1600, depending on how hard you look and if you time sales right. Dvor has them about once a month for $1249, they usually alternate between offering the angled or the straight model. BHphoto has them for about $1440.

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[Napperm4]

Hi guys, hoping I can get a few opinions to point me in the right direction. I'm looking specifically at 50mm spotting scopes on purpose. Why? Well I'll mainly be chasing elk via bivvy hunt style, so weight matters. I also mostly meat hunt, so the most I need to worry about is answering the "Is this a 5pt or a 6pt I'm looking at?"

I've narrowed things down to these 3:

- Nikon ed50. Can get this one around $650. It seems to get favourable reviews all the time from everywhere.

- Leupold 15x30x50 compact. Around $560 in my neck of the woods. Have heard optically it's hit or miss. I like Leupold gold ring stuff because the warranty is outstanding. (As we all know, living out of a backpack can be hard on equipment...)

- Kowa 501. Around $430. Don't know too much about thus one, but hear good things about Kowa, and this beauty weighs in at 14oz

I'm leaning towards the Kowa, because of price. I'm slowly saving pennies for a 65mm Swaro, but that won't be on the table for a while. In the mean time, I'd like to hit the woods with something lightweight and decent quality. So if anyone has any thoughts on this, I'd certainly like to hear it.

(I purposely left out Vortex. Long story short, been there, done that. Not a fan, and don't want to go back to that world.)

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I’ve been running the leupold for a couple years and love it.

Yyc in your handle for Calgary?


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[yycyak]

I’ve been running the leupold for a couple years and love it.

Yyc in your handle for Calgary?


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How is it for optics? Obviously I wouldn't expect it to be a leica/zeiss/swarovski, but does it work okay for general spot and stalk meat hunting?

Yes, yyc is Calgary.

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[yycyak]

If you bivy bivy mostly, I'd be saving pennies towards the Kowa 55 instead of the Swaro 65. Saves almost a pound, and about $800. You can get one of those for anywhere between $1249-1600, depending on how hard you look and if you time sales right. Dvor has them about once a month for $1249, they usually alternate between offering the angled or the straight model. BHphoto has them for about $1440.

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That's not a bad idea either, but I guess it would depend on if the Kowa 55 can compete with the bigger 65's? I've read a couple reviews, but don't really know what conclusion to come to.

My thoughts are that the Swaro 65 is kind of the measuring stick that everything else tries to be. The lightweight 50mm are more of a niche/novelty - they hopefully do their one job well, but don't expect them to be a high-end 65mm.

Having said that, if a guy could get a lightweight bivy-type scope that punches extremely close to the same as the bigger scopes, then that would be something worth looking at.

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[Napperm4]

How is it for optics? Obviously I wouldn't expect it to be a leica/zeiss/swarovski, but does it work okay for general spot and stalk meat hunting?

Yes, yyc is Calgary.

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I really like it, it’s no alpha as you say but better than the razor for image and warranty. Korth takes care of the warranty here and they’re in okotoks. Never been more than a day or 2 turn around for the same warranty vortex brags about but can’t honor.

I’m also in Yyc if you want to play with leupold in some low light conditions.


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[sneaky]

That's not a bad idea either, but I guess it would depend on if the Kowa 55 can compete with the bigger 65's? I've read a couple reviews, but don't really know what conclusion to come to.

My thoughts are that the Swaro 65 is kind of the measuring stick that everything else tries to be. The lightweight 50mm are more of a niche/novelty - they hopefully do their one job well, but don't expect them to be a high-end 65mm.

Having said that, if a guy could get a lightweight bivy-type scope that punches extremely close to the same as the bigger scopes, then that would be something worth looking at.

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What reviews have you read? The Kowa uses pure fluorite glass, not even Swaro can say that. Lots of good first hand accounts in the review thread from Luke on here using the Kowa

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[yycyak]

I really like it, it’s no alpha as you say but better than the razor for image and warranty. Korth takes care of the warranty here and they’re in okotoks. Never been more than a day or 2 turn around for the same warranty vortex brags about but can’t honor.

I’m also in Yyc if you want to play with leupold in some low light conditions.


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Korth is actually the reason I'm a huge Leupold fan. I had an old Vari X 3 from what must have been the 1970's or something. The front glass fell out one day for whatever reason. I mailed out the package on a Friday to Korth, and by Tuesday I had a brand new VX-3 on my porch.

Ever since I've been a Leupold fanboy. Their optics might not be on the same level as some of the others, but if they ever break the warranty is outrageous.

The thought was if the Leupold was somewhat able to compete with the ed50, then I'd be comfortable shelling out for it as a niche scope.

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[yycyak]

What reviews have you read? The Kowa uses pure fluorite glass, not even Swaro can say that. Lots of good first hand accounts in the review thread from Luke on here using the Kowa

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I just Googled "kowa 553" and read the first few that popped up. I will check out Luke's comments and go from there.

I would certainly be a happy guy if it can compete with the bigger objectives. That would be a heck of a package.

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[Napperm4]

Korth is actually the reason I'm a huge Leupold fan. I had an old Vari X 3 from what must have been the 1970's or something. The front glass fell out one day for whatever reason. I mailed out the package on a Friday to Korth, and by Tuesday I had a brand new VX-3 on my porch.

Ever since I've been a Leupold fanboy. Their optics might not be on the same level as some of the others, but if they ever break the warranty is outrageous.

The thought was if the Leupold was somewhat able to compete with the ed50, then I'd be comfortable shelling out for it as a niche scope.

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That’s how I ended up with this spotter. Had an old 20x50 from the ‘70s or 80’s. Glass fell out I emailed and had a new spotter before I even got the old one in the package


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[6mm Remington]

I bought the Leupold 15-30x50mm Gold Ring scope last fall and I'm very satisfied with it. It performed perfectly for me on my antelope, deer, and elk adventures. It also worked well at the range looking for bullet holes in targets. I feel that the optical performance is pretty darn good. I'm pleased.

 

[mcseal2]

I replaced a Swaro STM65 with the Kowa 55mm. The Swaro did not have HD glass but I felt like I upgraded in every way except field of view. The little Kowa spotters are very impressive. Mine far exceeds my ED50 in every category and the ED50 isn't a bad little spotter either.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Welcome to the forum.
The Kowa 50 is a nice little scope and will do what you want it to do. The price is closer to $300.00 than over $400.00. Please give us a call to discuss what might be best for you

 

[VernAK]

YY,

Doug is the Go-To guy for most of us looking for new optics.

 

[MallardSX2]

I have the leupole 15X30 spotting scope. The eye relief sucks for people wearing glasses. You have to take them off to look through it. But I have it rigged up pretty sweet on my grid spotter system...

 

[gr8fuldoug]

YY,

Doug is the Go-To guy for most of us looking for new optics.

Thank you. Always a pleasure working with the members here and "meeting" you all

 

[Mt Al]

I had the Nikon ED50 and went with the Swaro 65. HUGE upgrade! The Nikon just didn't cut it at all in low light or long distance - just like you're point "is it a five or six point I'm looking at". Middle of the day it was fine and the weight can't be beat.

Regardless of which one, I strongly recommend taking them outside the door of the store and trying to look through all three side by side if you can.

The Swaro 65 is incredible, awesome. However, it's still pretty big for bivy/light weight endeavors. I still bring it of course but am always looking.

I haven't looked at the Kowa 55. IMHO I'd take a very hard look at that glass. The lower cost, lower weight and awesome Kowa glass may be just the thing. You look at "light transmission" and how the area of the objective lens goes up exponentially with the radius of the glass - the 55 might be a big jump over the 50 with just 5 more mm. Would love to hear your report.

 

[ssssnake529]

I just Googled "kowa 553" and read the first few that popped up. I will check out Luke's comments and go from there.

I would certainly be a happy guy if it can compete with the bigger objectives. That would be a heck of a package.

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I own the Kowa 554 (straight version in the 550 series.) Optically, its as good as any non full size scope I've used. I would rate it better than the full size Vortex Razor I used to have. Have to go to a 80+mm Swaro or Kowa scope to surpass it.

Only complaint I have about the Kowa 554 is that the eye relief sweet spot is narrower than on larger scopes I've used.