Re: Leupold Gold Ring Compact 15-30x50
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fergchri</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Anybody have an opinion on the compact gold rings? I am looking for something in the $300-500 price range. I am military and have been using the tactical models for a while and love them but I dont have much experience outside of those. How about the Ventana line?
http://www.opticsplanet.net/leupold-15-30-50mm-golden-ring-spotting-scope.html
Thanks </div></div>
The Leupold 15-30X50 Gold Ring Compact is a great little spotting scope. Extremely compact, very lightweight, and excellent clarity. I had the older (Black rubber covered) version for and used it for years and the only reason I replaced it with a Zeiss 65T FL was because I wanted an angled spotter for prone use. However, the straight-through design and it's lightweight make it ideal for hand-held spotting, scanning, and observation.
I don't have any experience with the Ventana line - I've never liked the Green Ring because they always seemed cheaply-built compared to the Gold Ring scopes. Leupold uses MultiCoat 4 lenses in the Ventanas' (which is good), and the image quality may very well be as good as or better than the image quality of the 15-30X50 Compact Gold Ring (which is an older design). However, as I said the Leupold 15-30X50 Gold Ring Compact is a great little spotting scope and will serve you well.
If you ever want a higher end (but much larger and heavier) spotting scope with a MIL reticle Eyepiece option I highly recommend the <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"
Optolyth S80 HD Compact Spotting Scope"</span></span>, which is available in both "straight" and "angled" models in both HD and non-HD versions.
The really cool thing (besides being a MIL Eyepiece), is that <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">the reticle rotates within the Eyepiece so the reticle can be oriented perfectly regardless of the position of the Scope Body's orientation within the Rotating Ring</span></span> (a big plus when the scope is off-axis from you and/or the scope Body is rotated either Right of Left). The ring that rotates the reticle is rubber-covered and is just forward of the Diopter Ring.
For a comparison between a previous-generation angled Zeiss Diascope 65T FL and my Optolyth S80 HD Compact read my <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"
Optolyth S80 HD Compact Spotting Scope "</span></span> thread. Hope this helps.
Keith
