Another atx vs ats thread.

[charlie_horse]

Hey all Long time reader first time poster! So I'm in the market to buy upgrade my spotter very shortly here.

I am either going to buy a new 20-60x65 ats swaro or recently a good condition used 2 year old 25-60x65 ATX came up for sale for a couple hundred dollars more.

My question is the optics of the atx worth the weight penalty and extra couple bills compared to the ats? Anyone have experience?

The other thing I'm slightly worried about with the atx is the minimum zoom being 25x as opposed to 20x on the ats for field of view. Thanks.

 

[Matt Cashell]

The other thing I'm slightly worried about with the atx is the minimum zoom being 25x as opposed to 20x on the ats for field of view. Thanks.

Welcome to Rokslide!

Considering the ATX is much wider at 25x than the ATS is at 20x, FOV actually favors the ATX.

The ATX is slightly better optically, while the ATS is lighter.

Choose according to your priorities.

 

[Napperm4]

As Matt said above, the FOV @ 25 is better on the atx than the ats on 20x. A better comparison would be the atx with the wide angle 25-50 eyepiece.

I went with the stx as an upgrade over the ats and kowa 88. Optically with the wide angle eyepiece it’s really splitting hairs. I find the stx/atx series better in low light and the field flattener makes the edge to edge unreal.

The deciding factor for me was the modularity. Early season when I’m backpacking or going in deep and trying to be mobile being able to break the 65mm scope down is awesome. Disappears in a pack and I favoured the optics / FOV / 65mm lens over the kowa performance wise.

The ability to swap out to the 95mm for late season deer hunts where I day hunt based from the truck or early season scouts where I have room and weight to spare gave me the advantage of having a spotter that’s in a league of its own when I want to.


Either the ats/atx are amazing instruments, as I tried to state, the big factor for me was thinking about how and where I hunt and what would be most useful. Optically I think either would work for 99% of most needs.

 

[charlie_horse]

Awesome thanks guys. I guess the question really is: do I want a new ats or a 2year old atx at a bit more price.

 

[MtnMuley]

Might you want to add a BTX later? Possibly swap out from an 80mm obj to a 65mm for a backcountry trip? Later on possibly invest in the 95mm and or the 1.7 extender? Those are questions pertaining your last question.

 

[skierhs]

Awesome thanks guys. I guess the question really is: do I want a new ats or a 2year old atx at a bit more price.

My vote would be the atx. I run the 95mm on all my backcountry hunts even with the weight penalty. I like knowing that for 1k if I really needed to cut weight I could buy the 65mm and still have the best spotter out there.

 

[Shrek]

The ATX is a spectacular optical instrument. I’ve owned an 80 ATS HD and now own an ATX. I’ve owned both the 85 and 95 objectives and still own the 95. I’ve used a 65 objective also. For me the ATX is a slam dunk over the ATS. You’re not really going to feel the extra few ounces in your pack but the ability to switch objectives and the flat field of view are big positives. Not only is the field of view larger with the ATX but the useable field of view is also larger. It adds up to a big difference. I move the scope less and look around in my field of view more. The larger field of view being clear and flat makes it easier to catch the flick of an ear or the turn of a head. Please don’t get me wrong , the ATS is a very good scope but it’s not an ATX.

 

[charlie_horse]

Thanks for the help guys. I decided to go with the used atx just on the basis of down the road I can get the 1.7x or a bigger objective.

 

[skierhs]

Smart call, I bought the 95mm thinking I’d buy the smaller objective down the road but still haven’t. I’ve definitely become addicted to having the 95 on my back at all times so I can see it all.