Re: Ranging spotters and the death of the FLP
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fastex500</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The more I shoot, the more I see the need for a spotter with a ranging reticle (preferably mil-hash/dot). So as I start digging around, I see all the back and forth over the FLP and also see that it died late last year and there are a few left here and there for $500</div></div>
Unfortunately, the inexpensive <span style="font-style: italic">(and best bang for the buck)</span> Mildot reticle spotter was the FLP FFP Bushnell Excursion Tactical. The FFP Excursion Tactical offered great value for the buck and sold like hotcakes. Also unfortunately, a high percentage of those early production scopes had problems such as debris inside the scope that showed up as small and/or large black splotches on the glass, canted reticles, poor focusing abilities, reticles that "jumped" when changing magnifications to name what I can remember off the top of my head - there may be others I don't immediately recall. That was the first generation of Excursion Tactical. The second generation Excursion Tactical was to have an improved reticle with hashes added at the 1/5 MIL, but after several delays due to poor pre-production QC issues I don't know if it ever got off the ground. It may be a sore spot that Hide vendors don't like to discuss.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fastex500</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well, it looks like the jump to a Leupy, USO or Vortex now gets you in the $1k to $1600 range really quick. Is this what I am looking at, or are there other options? I've got a great angle spotter that shows trace and is clear, but to move to a ranging reticle, do I just need to suck it up and shell out the cash? </div></div>
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">YES</span></span> - you <span style="font-style: italic">"just need to suck it up and shell out the cash."</span> As has been witnessed, low end spotting scopes cannot offer the combination of reliability and decent image quality at bargain pricing. What a surprise. Add a reticle option and/or FFP and the evidence is even more apparent. YES - you are <span style="font-style: italic">typically</span> looking at a minimum of about $1,000.000 for a used Mark 4, but I've seen them for less here on occasion - they sell in a heartbeat. IMO the Mark 4 is still one of the best reticle-equipped spotting scopes around - excellent image quality, compact & lightweight, extremely rugged, and FFP. Used USO's have sold for around $800.00 here, but I find them clunky in use (the front-mounted ERGO-type focus is a reach and rather stiff to adjust, which moves the scope off-target), and the image quality is below that of the Mark 4 and many others. The USO is very durable but the image quality is acceptable - which is why it's called a <span style="font-style: italic">"field scope"</span>. Unfortunately, neither the Mark 4 or the USO are available in "angled" versions.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fastex500</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There are still a few FLP's (new old stock) available online in the $500 range. There are also options like the IOR bino's and standard scopes, but I know 10x isn't enough power for trace at 500+ yds and not sure if 20x is either.</div></div>
Actually, <span style="font-style: italic">with very good optics and under the right conditions</span> trace can be seen to 500 yards and beyond. It's just usually easier to see trace at higher magnification (as long as the optic being used isn't crap). 20X is more than enough.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fastex500</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've seen a few of the posts/reviews on the Zen-Ray. Does anyone know if their Ridgefield model will use the Vortex eyepiece? </div></div>
If you've done your homework you know that the Vortex Razor and Zen-Ray ED2 are available in angled versions, and that the Razor's 30X reticle-equipped Eyepieces work on the Zen-Ray ED2 and vice-versa (thanks to <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">pdice</span></span>). That's great. I don't know the answer to your question regarding the Zen-Ray Ridgefield. I have to ask - do you realize that when using a spotting scope with a reticle that the Eyepiece will have to remain at the "12:00 position" in order for the reticle to remain "upright" (not canted)? That's correct - the reticle will be canted to one side or the other if the scope isn't level on it's mount AND/OR the scope is rotated within it's "Collar" so that the reticle is no longer at 12:00.
With a "straight" spotter you can correct for this <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">somewhat</span>, <span style="text-decoration: underline">but only by if the scope has a rotating Collar, and then only if the Eyepiece will be at 3:00, 6:00, or 9:00</span></span>. This is the only way to keep the reticle parallel with the horizon with a non-rotating reticle. However, this "cheat" doesn't work with an angled spotter. The photos of an Angled Razor HD all show the Eyepiece at 12:00 - will you always use an angled spotter with the Scope Body upright? I think not - however, that is the position that an angled spotter needs to be in <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">unless you have an Optolyth spotter, whose reticle rotates so you can orient the reticle to be square with the horizon.</span></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"12:00" orientation that a reticle-equipped spotter typically needs to be at for the reticle to remain "square" with the horizon:</span></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">However</span></span>, if the Eyepiece is equipped with a reticle that can be rotated independently of the Eyepiece, the reticle can be oriented so that it is "square" with the horizon, target, target area, ect regardless of the orientation of the spotter and the spotter's orientation on it's mount or within the spotter's Collar. The only spotting scopes that I know of that offer rotating reticle Eyepieces is Optolyth (30X and 45X MIL Eyepieces). You can rotate the Optolyth's reticle within the Eyepiece so that it is square regardless of the angle of the mount, orientation of the spotter within it's Collar, or whether the scope has an "angled" or "straight" Body.
Just as important, the Optolyth HD models have image quality that is phenomenal. My Optolyth S80 (Angled) HD Compact's image quality is up there with Zeiss and Swarovski and better than Vortex, Leupold, USO, (and many others). I've looked through them side-by-side. The Optolyth S80 and G80 Compacts are also very compact.
Below are six (6) photos from my <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"
Optolyth S80 HD Compact Spotting Scope"</span></span> write-up. Note that while the spotting scope has been oriented to about 45-degrees within it's Collar (so the Eyepiece is also oriented to 45-degrees), <span style="font-style: italic">the reticle remains perfectly square to the target, thanks to the rotaing reticle in the Optolyth Eyepiece.</span>
Keep in mind that the through-the-scope photos I posted in this thread and in my <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"
Optolyth S80 HD Compact Spotting Scope "</span></span> thread were shot freehand (without support) while trying to hold the camera at the correct distance from the Eyepiece for correct eye relief, in summer heat as the sun was going down, and through smog and other crap over a freeway. Point being, that the through-the-scope photos are "muddied" by hand shake, mirage, off-axis light, low light, and dirty air but the image quality is still pretty damn good.
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Gitzo GT1550T Traveller + RRS BH-30 LR and Optolyth S80 HD Compact w/30X WA MIL Reticle Eyepiece. Here the scope is set-up to
the Left of the shooter/spotter. The spotting scope has been rotated to the Right within it's Collar, while the Eyepiece's Reticle has
been rotated to the Left to remain "square" with the target area:</span></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Gitzo GT1550T Traveller + RRS BH-30 LR and Optolyth S80 HD Compact w/30X WA MIL Reticle Eyepiece. Here the scope is set-up to
the Right of the shooter/spotter. The spotting scope has been rotated to the Left within it's Collar, while the Eyepiece's Reticle has
been rotated to the Right to remain "square" with the target area:</span></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Through-the-scope photo of Optolyth 30X Wide Angle MIL Reticle Eyepiece. The "+" at -5 MILs' Elevation is at 1,032 yards:</span></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Zeiss Diascope 65T FL & Zeiss Vario 15-45X/20-60X Eyepiece (left) compared to Optolyth S80 HD Compact & Optolyth 20-60X Eyepiece (right):</span></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">Zeiss Diascope 65T FL & Zeiss Vario 15-45X/20-60X Eyepiece (top) compared to Optolyth S80 HD Compact & Optolyth 20-60X Eyepiece (bottom):</span></span>
Keith
