NIKON Sky & Earth

[in2blacktail]

Nikon Sky & Earth 15-45x60 Spotting Scope with Eyepiece

This is the spotting scope I am thinking about purchasing for 2006. Has anyone had this particular model or feild tested it? Thanks . Any input would be greatly appreciated.


Also is the straight eyepiece the way to go or the angled eyepiece?
Keep in mind Comfort and eease of use..

SPECS:
Focusing system: IF
Magnification: 15x to 45x
Objective diameter: 60mm
Angular field of view--real: 2.5
Angular field of view--apparent: 37.5
Field of view at 1000 yards: 133 feet
Close focus distance: 16.5 feet
Exit pupil: 4mm
Relative brightness: 16
Eye relief: 12.5mm
Size: 12.7 x 3.3 inches (L x W)
Weight: 35.5 ounces
What's in the box: Sky & Earth Spotting Scope, 15-45x eyepiece, and case

 

[prohunter]

I just bought the same scope in camo. They call it "Team Realtree". It came with everything metioned plus camo tripod ($99.00 value) & camo window mount for $325.00 on ebay. I have not really used it yet. I am getting ready to go to Colorado & will really use it there. It is alittle bigger than I thought it would be. looking thru it at home it seems very bright & clear. I will let you know all about it when i get home.

 

[in2blacktail]

Thanks PH.. Good luck..

Can't wait to hear the results. I am pretty sure I already know the answer to the spotter quality question. None the less, can't wait to hear about your experience behind it.

 

[prohunter]

We were out on the range with it and I like it! My buddy has a swarski (1,400 bucks) & got to compare it directly. Can't tell that much difference in bright light condition. Don't know about low light. I think for the money it is great. I will be out field testing it this week in Colorado so I will let you know.

 

[rlwright]

I have the fixed 20x with a straight eyepiece. I bought it a few months ago for this season. I don't like it so far, it's dark and unclear. My 8x42 Nikon Monarchs are noticably better in clarity and sharpness. You can't beat Tripod mounted Binos

 

[prohunter]

Looked at over a hundred deer this past week with this spotting scope & one huge buck for over 4 hours. He was 1/2 mile away. For the money ($325.00) this scope was awesome! I even had a Swarski right next to mine to compare it to. When it got close to dark I could not tell a difference. The Swarski's eyepiece was a little bit larger & it was easier to focus, but that will cost you about $1,200.00 more. I give it a thumbs up! This is the only the second spotting scope I have owned. The other a fixed 20x by Bushnell. Email me if you need more info.

 

[Quacker Wacker]

Is that model Waterproof. Is it sealed on the inside to prevent fogging?

I was looking at the Nikon Spotter XL(I think that's it) and the Bushnell Elite, both in 15x-45x and decided to go with the Bushnell, partly because it was about $75 bucks cheaper, enough to pay for a tri-pod, and partly because of Bushnells "Rainguard" exterior lens coating. I will admit I have become a huge fan of this coating and now have Bushnell Elite 3200 and 4200 scopes on all my rifles. Here in Idaho, I hunt in alot of snowy conditions for big game and with these products I have actually had clumps of wet snow fall onto my scope lenses while stalking and then look through them and see fairly clearly for 100-200 yards, where most any other scope would be completely blocked.

Depending on the typical conditions where you hunt I would strongly recommend getting 1) something 100% waterproof 2) looking at the Bushnell line w/ "rainguard".

My spotter has worked great, is reasonably priced. The negative comments would be, the adjustment ring is a little stiff, especially with bulky gloves, but I looked an newer versions which seem better. Also, the magnification is not really useful above 38-40x, but I have rarely felt more power would really be helpful on most days as heat waves and other atmoshpheric conditions blur things anyway. As a positive, the view is good and clear, I have spotted and checked deer/elk up to 3 miles, nearly as far as you would want to stalk. It is compact, light and seems very durable. I sun shade would be a help.

I will admit I am intrigued by the higher quality scopes now, primarily as I have hunted more and really like to glass when I hunt and scout(probably 40+ days this last year) I find those first 30 and last 30 minutes of light to be huge so better glass and larger obj lens may be a help.

Of course it all depends upon how you currently use it and more importantly if you are new to spotting scopes and how they can help, how you will modify your hunting strategies.

P.S. Almost as important as you scope will be your tri-pod. If the weather tends to get rougher where you hunt, as it does here, a weak or light tripod will shake and even at 15X, a shaky scope is useless. I have the same tri-pod Prohunter has in his picture, which seemed great in the beginning, but is way to light for windy days. A good tripod, like a manfrotto, will cost over $100 bucks.

 

[Franklin3]

I used the Nikon mounted on a good Bogen Manfrotto tripod with a fluid head while hunting with a guide last winter. all you do is point it and it stays put right there even in moderate heavy wind gusts. I had a celestron on a light weight tripod and it shook so bad I couldn't see a thing. When I got home I made a vow to myself, after giving the celestron to my grandson I determined that I would research and find and get myself a good quality setup.
After spending literally hundreds of hours reading specs on the internet I narrowed my search down to the Nikon Sky and Earth prices varied from 420.00 to just under 600.00 and ebay has a ton of good tripods. Then I went back to the guide and asked him what the make and model of his setup was. He emailed me back that it is a Nikon 20-60X80 Sky and Earth mounted on a Bogen Manfrotto tripod.
I think that's exactly what I'm going to get since I already know the optics are awesome and a good tripod makes it usable. Can't have that thing shaking all around.
So the retail for this setup is around 500 for the scope and 250.00 for the tripod for a total of 750.00 plus tax. So now my mission is to search out the online auctions to try and get it for 350.00 for the whole thing.
Ill let you all know how I do.

 

[Franklin3]

 

[Quacker Wacker]

Well I have to agree with Franklin3 on the tripod. I have the same tripod that Prohunter shows in his pic, and during those late Oct/early Nov hunts it just doesn't cut it. I am going to get a good Bogen tripod with a good head, one that won't get wrecked by a little dust.

I am also getting a Nikon 1200 yard rangefinder, unless someone can convince me to spend a little more on the Leica.

Lastly, I think I'll be trying the new Leopold VX111 low-mount 50MM, and have a turret added by leopold so I can dial in my yardage. You can see those Mule deer a long way here in Idaho and I'm going to start really practicing out to 500 yards. If I can consistently his a 6" paper plate then I'll start expanding my allowable range, in windless conditions.

 

[Franklin3]

New Geovid BRFY 10X42 for 1750.00?
EBay for the bogen with a fluid head can't beat it.
Let us know about that new VXIII I like the looks of it and if I get rich this summer and get the new rifle I was thinking that scope would look real nice up there on top.

 

[Franklin3]

Found my scope on Amazon.com
My tripod on ebay.
420.00 total
delivery expected tommorow.....................................

 

[Franklin3]

Scope arrived today. I got it mounted on the tripod and man is it smooth The fluid head moves up and down and side to side like silk and stays right where you put it no jitters no shakes no herkin no jerkin.
Not to sure I want to pack it very far it weighs 10lbs on the tripod.
Been in the front yard spotting the south san Jose foothills no sign of wildlife yet but it's 2:00pm and nothingsa moving around much. wait till it cools down this evening.

 

[Arrowslinger]

Hey Franklin....what's rent on that thing for a week? Might need it come August.

 

[Franklin3]

super deal for you.
Free with operator!

 

[blazintowers]

Franklin3, how are you liking that scope? I looking for something similar but need something light for backpacking in.