Yet Another "which 50-65mm scope" Thread

[ZackP]

FWIW I had the 50mm Razor for all of about 3 days before I sold it. Although the glass was decent I wasn’t a fan of the eyecup or the port holing effect I experienced looking through it. I sold a newer 65mm Viper in favor of it and looking back would’ve stuck with the Viper over that 11-33. Everyone’s different, just wanted to share my experience.

 

[MWK3800]

FWIW I had the 50mm Razor for all of about 3 days before I sold it. Although the glass was decent I wasn’t a fan of the eyecup or the port holing effect I experienced looking through it. I sold a newer 65mm Viper in favor of it and looking back would’ve stuck with the Viper over that 11-33. Everyone’s different, just wanted to share my experience.

I tried the Razor at Scheels last week and hated the rubber fold down eyecup too. As I zoomed to the upper limit, I had to press my eye into the rubber hard causing it to flex. I'd need to fold it down and I don't wear glasses.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

I tried the Razor at Scheels last week and hated the rubber fold down eyecup too. As I zoomed to the upper limit, I had to press my eye into the rubber hard causing it to flex. I'd need to fold it down and I don't wear glasses.

Good to know, the Athlon ares hd is getting harder to find now that it's been discontinued which is a bummer since the uhd is substantially heavier. At 50ish oz it seems like it's just worth bumping up to the hawke 68 since the hawke 60 doesn't have the collar. Argh....

 

[gr8fuldoug]

When we started running low on the Ares ED's we did many comparisons to find a suitable replacement and we found these two to be on par optically:

#56200 Endurance ED 16-48x68 Angled Spotting Scope - Green reduced from $629.99 to only $499.99
Extra-low dispersion glass for optimum clarity
Dielectric coatings designed to increase light reflectivity
Fully multi-coated optics to produce sharp images
Close focus - see detail from 16.4ft/5m
BAK-4 porro prisms for intense color and contrast
Dual focus knob to achieve ultra fine focusing
Body rotation for viewing in virtually any position
Stay-on soft scope cover for maximum protection
Twist-up eye cup and pull out sunshade
Digi-scope compatible for use with your camera

For something slightly lighter and smaller they offer the #56194 Endurance ED 15-45x60 Angled Spotting Scope - Call for special price
Ultra compact and lightweight construction
Extra-low Dispersion glass for optimum clarity
Dielectric Coatings designed to increase light reflectivity
Fully Multi-Coated optics to produce sharp images
Close focus – see detail from 8.2ft/2.5m
BAK-4 Porro prisms for intense colour and contrast
Dual focus knob to achieve ultra fine focusing
Stay-on soft scope cover for maximum protection
Twist-up eye cup and pull out sunshade
Digi-scope compatible for use with your camera
Nitrogen purged – water and fog proof
Hawke lifetime warranty

 

[CoffeeGoat]

For something slightly lighter and smaller they offer the #56194 Endurance ED 15-45x60 Angled Spotting Scope - Call for special price
Ultra compact and lightweight construction
Extra-low Dispersion glass for optimum clarity
Dielectric Coatings designed to increase light reflectivity
Fully Multi-Coated optics to produce sharp images
Close focus – see detail from 8.2ft/2.5m
BAK-4 Porro prisms for intense colour and contrast
Dual focus knob to achieve ultra fine focusing
Stay-on soft scope cover for maximum protection
Twist-up eye cup and pull out sunshade
Digi-scope compatible for use with your camera
Nitrogen purged – water and fog proof
Hawke lifetime warranty

Doug - I'm pretty new to spotting scopes and the Endurance ED 15-45x60 doesn't have a rotating collar, is there something I could do with a tripod head to simulate that ease of rotation?

 

[idahohikker]

You know you want an Athlon Ares 65mm older model. Go find one.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

Doug - I'm pretty new to spotting scopes and the Endurance ED 15-45x60 doesn't have a rotating collar, is there something I could do with a tripod head to simulate that ease of rotation?

Yes, absolutely, please give us a call and speak with my brother Joel.

You know you want an Athlon Ares 65mm older model. Go find one.

We did extensive side by sides with the Ares ED and the Endurance ED and if you covered them you would't be able to tell the optical difference

 

[RnnHntr]

Well, I went ahead and ordered one of the Hawke Endurance ED 15-45x60 angled spotting scopes from Doug. I will report my impressions after playing with it a bit.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

Well, I went ahead and ordered one of the Hawke Endurance ED 15-45x60 angled spotting scopes from Doug. I will report my impressions after playing with it a bit.

Awesome, looking forward to the review, what did you end up picking up for the tripod?

 

[RnnHntr]

I have a Vortex Pro GT tripod with a fluid head that I bought last year for my sheep hunt. It is a bit heavy, but very steady. Cameraland was running a deal on the scope where for an additional $1.00 you could get a Promaster Scout SC426 tripod. For $1.00 how far wrong could I go? I will have a couple of options, this way.

 

[rj2]

When we started running low on the Ares ED's we did many comparisons to find a suitable replacement and we found these two to be on par optically:

For something slightly lighter and smaller they offer the #56194 Endurance ED 15-45x60 Angled Spotting Scope - Call for special price
Ultra compact and lightweight construction
Extra-low Dispersion glass for optimum clarity
Dielectric Coatings designed to increase light reflectivity
Fully Multi-Coated optics to produce sharp images
Close focus – see detail from 8.2ft/2.5m
BAK-4 Porro prisms for intense colour and contrast
Dual focus knob to achieve ultra fine focusing
Stay-on soft scope cover for maximum protection
Twist-up eye cup and pull out sunshade
Digi-scope compatible for use with your camera
Nitrogen purged – water and fog proof
Hawke lifetime warranty

Is this thing really less than 2lbs?

 

[gr8fuldoug]

31.5 ounces

 

[rj2]

That is pretty impressive. Do you know where they are made? and where the ares 15-45x65 is made?

Also I noticed now the athlon site shows 43.4oz for the uhd instead of 50.xx. My Ares ED weighs 46.9oz with the attached eyecups, but I think was also listed at 43.4oz.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

Also I noticed now the athlon site shows 43.4oz for the uhd instead of 50.xx. My Ares ED weighs 46.9oz with the attached eyecups, but I think was also listed at 43.4oz.

Huh -that's pretty interesting, one of my big gripes with the UHD is that the glass wasn't any better, but it was half a pound heavier. I get that changing the eyepiece to a swappable design adds some weight, but at that weight you should just pick up the Hawke ED 68 and get 3mm of objective...

 

[CoffeeGoat]

Just for some comparison purposes I threw together a lens area vs lens diameter graph. I know optics are more complicated than this - exit pupil vs magnification, glass coating efficiency, glass quality, etc - but it means if you have similar tier optics you can compare the difference in expected light based on objective diameter.



It gets a bit squigy, but for example, even though a 68mm scope is only 3 mm larger in diameter than a 65 mm, it gets roughly 10% more light. I seem to recall our eyes work on a logarithmic scale not a linear scale so the increase in light may not be noticeable, but at least it's an objective comparison.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

That is pretty impressive. Do you know where they are made? and where the ares 15-45x65 is made?

China

 

[CoffeeGoat]

Where are you finding a Kowa 663 for $800?

Ebay - for instance

 

[RnnHntr]

Well, I have been playing with the Hawke Endurance ED 15-45x60 Angled Spotting Scope I purchased. For the size and money, it is pretty darn nice. I have been watching the antelope in the evening off my back porch and even at the highest power, it is clear to the edge of the field of view. I was also looking at my neighbors cattle, and I can almost read their ear tags at 412 yards, which is really impressive. I do not have a higher quality scope to compare it side-to-side with, but going from memory, it seems clearer than the Vortex Viper HD 15-45X65. As a side note, I also really like the ProMaster tripod that was part of the special package. It will be replacing my Vortex ProGT because it is just as steady, but lighter and more compact.

 

[MuleyFever]

Well, I have been playing with the Hawke Endurance ED 15-45x60 Angled Spotting Scope I purchased. For the size and money, it is pretty darn nice. I have been watching the antelope in the evening off my back porch and even at the highest power, it is clear to the edge of the field of view. I was also looking at my neighbors cattle, and I can almost read their ear tags at 412 yards, which is really impressive. I do not have a higher quality scope to compare it side-to-side with, but going from memory, it seems clearer than the Vortex Viper HD 15-45X65. As a side note, I also really like the ProMaster tripod that was part of the special package. It will be replacing my Vortex ProGT because it is just as steady, but lighter and more compact.

Anything new to report? That 60mm Hawke looks good on paper.

 

[jt4]

Anything new to report? That 60mm Hawke looks good on paper.

I’ve got the Hawke 60mm and a tripod coming in tomorrow. Hopefully it comes in time for me to get to the range with it. If not, I’ll take it out this weekend and test at 200 and 400.


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