athlon argos vs vortex diamondback spotting scope athlon argos vs vortex diamondback spotting scope

1.4 #4) Swarovski ATS 80 20-60x Spotting Scope. If you want to be counting antler points on mule deer from a few miles away youre going to have to have perfect conditions and a very high end scope, regardless of the zoom power. The largest, most powerful spotting scopes are among the most expensive sports optics on the market. Like most scopes, the Athlon Argos BTR Gen2 does not come with a mount and rings included. 6 Best FFP Scopes. They are young, and seem hungry to make a dent in the industry. While some scopes fall into the trap of giving more magnification while sacrificing clarity, this scope hits it perfectly at the max end of its range. You should see a set of numbers either in the products title or right away in its specifications that look something like 20-60x60mm. They also have several subsidiaries underneath them, including names you might recognize like Tasco, Browning Sport Optics, and Simmons. A big, serious spotter with very good glass and responsive controls, the Ares UHD is the big brother to Athlons excellent 65mm Argos introduced a couple of years ago. Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25X56 - Best for Long Range. There are different scope models that are designed specifically for all these purposes. I'll be honest I wasn't looking forward to reviewing Athlon optics. The most hard-wearing models have oversized controls that can be used with gloved hands, and they are double-sealed against dust, grit, and moisture. Vortex Optics Diamondback HD Spotting Scopes. It requires little equipment, can often be done from your home, and offers unlimited opportunities for expanding on the hobby with trips to see exotic birds. The Vortex strike eagle 5-25x56 FFP The Athlon Midas TAC 5-25x56 FFP Are there people who have been able to compare these 2 scopes? This spotter makes an excellent choice for a hunter who wants a versatile spotting scope without paying a months wages. I have access to a 1,200 yd range now and want to get into long range. This is not a particularly exciting year for spotting scopes. QUICK LIST: Best First Focal Plane Scopes in 2022. Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. Because the best spotting scopes represent a significant investment in money, durability and warranties are both prime considerations. Budget is a very firm $500 or preferably less. Also, is 40 or 48 power enough to spot holes at 500 yards? And if anything happens to it, Leupolds lifetime transferable warranty will keep you covered. I just believe you get what you pay for. The Athlon Talos 20-60x80 Spotting Scope is a long-range spotting scope with a 45-degree eyepiece angle. I mention this because you are likely to get more use out of a spotter with a 20-45-power range than one that claims it goes to 60-power. Athlon submitted two full-sized spotters for this year's test, but the Argos HD version (as opposed to the Argos G2 UHD) version represents the best combination of price and performance. The first spotter from this direct-to-consumer is a versatile powerhouse. The CS.1 is a great option for a hunter looking for a scope they can take into the backcountry. Meopta is said to be on higher tier than vortex razor. $199.99. Products ( 2) Sort By. This is probably unsurprising given their name. Magnification. That means dusty days in a pickup and all sorts of conditions mounted to a tripod. That despite an 80mm lens (many of its peers have 85mm objectives). Youll definitely want something sturdy though, and weight will again be a factor if you are carrying it on your back. Its a solid scope that is large and powerful, is available in angled and straight body options, and will get the job done. German Precision Optics ED Binoculars. These describe the zoom and the objective lens size. The Diamondback HD has decent high-definition glass in the objective lens, but experienced hunters may be disappointed with the clarity and brightness of the image. An ideal companion for long-range shooters and hunters, the angled viewing Vortex Optics Viper HD 20-60x85 Spotting Scope delivers bright and sharp high-contrast images with true-to-life color and crisp clarity at all . Very few other manufacturers give you that kind of choice with their high end scope options. Learn more about their long, family owned history here. Brands make a big deal out of the upper end of the magnification range for their spotters, but that doesnt mean those higher powers are very useful. The downside is that the scopes I have are all SFP, but they do make an FFP model. Is the foot large and strong enough to stabilize the optic? In normal bright conditions, your pupil will usually be open about 2mm. The glass itself in the lenses of your scope is what will determine how much dispersion is happening, and getting glass with lower dispersion is one of the primary differences in cost between different brands and models. Hook it up to your camera with Zeisss extensive catalog of accessories and youll be taking pictures you never thought possible. They produce quality optics that are simple and straightforward, and they stand by them 100% with their lifetime warranty. Jan 20, 2020 #1 ; Hi, looking for a new scope for my 22lr. The spotter with the highest overall score wins our Editors Choice awardthis year it went to Mavens CS.1. If you got sick of reading about scopes (or, lets be honest, you saw there was video and skipped ahead! . Whether you choose an angled or a straight-body spotting scope is largely a matter of personal preference. Andrew McKean is Outdoor Lifes hunting and conservation editor, drilling into issues that affect wildlife, wildlands, and the people who care about them. So much so that it won our Great Buy award as the best bargain spotting scope. But we also assign a Price/Value score to each submission. 2 Best Spotting Scopes for Elk Hunting Buying Guide & FAQs. Replies 44 Views 30K. The first two, in the above case 20-60, are the zoom. Most are designed to be held directly up near your eyes and therefore have a short eye relief, and this works perfectly for most situations. The point is..if you buy a Vortex, you have to check if the reticles are wire or not. At middle distances, like 50 to 400 yards, you can usually zoom in to see precise details of your target. Put it on a tripod, point it at the sky, and youll be opened up to a whole new world(s)! In a category with multiple $1,500-and-higher submissions, the Vanguard VEO HD costs less than $400 but will deliver years of service. They tend to give mediocre images at best and quality is low. JavaScript is disabled. Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical FFP Riflescope 6-24x50, EBR-2C MRAD DBK-10029. Vortex Optics Diamondback Spotting Scopes - Top Pick. Should the spotter ever fail, its fully backed by SIGs excellent five-year warranty. quigley257; Mar 17, 2020; Replies 6 I chose these based on features and because the retail price is low enough to keep the rifle in NRL22 base class. If youve got a little more money to spend, its hard not to recommend the Vortex Razor series for you. So for a brief period of time, I had both the Athlon Talos 20x60x80 and this Athlon Argos 20x60x85 side by side for a detailed comparison. From reviews and videos I've seen it tracks well. This means that objects will appear between 20 and 60 times closer than they actually are, depending on how you have it set. We did notice a fair amount of slop in the threaded eyepiece adapter and would rather see a bayonet mount rather than the threaded ring. Unlike some of the scopes that are out there, this one is available in both reticle styles. (130) Compare Product. A product-line extension following Meoptas successful angled MeoStar S2, this 82mm spotter has the optical horsepower for just about any hunting situation, and the straight-barrel design makes it easy to slide into a backpack sleeve. The Athlon warranty is every bit equal to the warranty provided by Leupold and Vortex, which is saying something. The Hide Armory. Maven applied the Goldilocks Rule to this versatile spotter. At almost 4.3 pounds this spotter feels like a tank, which means its a better base-camp scope than a walk-about optic. . Having to go down and check your target every few shots means you can only get in so many practice shots per round. This scope is perfect for someone: Who is looking for an all-in budget build of under $1,000 (gun and scope) A beginner long-range shooter who wants to stretch into those longer distances, but doesn't want to stretch their wallet Now, don't get me wrong, this scope is a high-quality scope Still, the new spotters for 2022 offer plenty of choice and talent for hunters, shooters, and anyone who likes to see wildlife up close. Vortex Diamondback Tactical VS Athlon Argos Gen 2. About Us Policies. -Vortex diamondback tactical 6-24x50 EBR -2C MRAD -Bushnell match pro 6-24x50 DEPLOY MIL -Bushnell nitro 6-24x50 -Bushnel forge 4.5-24x50 DEPLOY MIL -Athlon argos btr 6-24x50 gen2 APMR MIL -Athlon midas tac 6-24x50 APRS3 MIL -Athlon ares btr gen2 4.5-27x50 APRS5 MIL -Athlon helos btr 6-24x50 APMR MIL Compared with the HD model, which was also submitted to this years test, the UHD version has much better glass and produces an image thats on par with spotters costing significantly more. Learn more about it here. This same middle-is-best trade-off applies to every magnification range, from 9-27-power spotters to 20-60-power eyepieces. A dual focus knob is also great for fine tuning in on far away celestial bodies. Because our test doesnt intentionally punish submissions until they break, the durability question is necessarily unanswered. Vortex diamondback vs viper. The Ultima 80 is the definition of the intersection between quality and affordability. Vortex Diamondback HD vs Athlon Argos G2 UHD Binoculars Bullets4Bucks 18.8K subscribers Join Subscribe 212 Share Save 16K views 2 years ago Buy Here: Athlon Optics Argos:. Mil Dot Hunting Rifle Scopes, 50 Loft 6-Iron Golf Clubs . Spotting Scope Review after Testing. In fact, those factors increase substantially as you go up in objective sizes. Has anyone out there got first hand experience with this scope? We were able to arrive at a consensus on the optical talents of this spotter. But for hunters who aspire to own the best optics on the planet, this line of Zeiss spotters justifies the significant investment. We glass near and far targets in all light conditions. There is no easy answer on which is best as there are tradeoffs. While the best binoculars for hunting have close focus of about 6 to 8 feet, spotting scopes can only focus to about 12 feet. Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. The Argos gives excellent images for a scope in this price range, is large enough to be seriously powerful, and has intuitive, solid controls. But only barely, and only because they are more established and I have had good experiences directly with them in the past. Bird watching is one of the most popular and fast growing hobbies world wide. And its ultra-compact size means youll take this optic more places than a larger spotter or a big-boned binocular. Most of the above options will work just as well for any kind of wildlife viewing, but here are a few more options just in case you want them: Vortexs least expensive spotter series, the Diamondback is a top seller with great reviews. . The two-speed focus control allows you to riff from close-in to far-distant targets with a single revolution, and then feather the focus for precision. While they have specialized in cameras, all of the knowledge theyve accumulated in building camera optics has transferred over into some incredible sporting optics. They have a similar long eye relief, but the eyebox isn't as fast to focus as the Vortex. If you divide the objective size by the zoom, you get the exact diameter of the exit pupil. The Bushnell Elite Tactical LMSS2 is the perfect companion for precision rifle shooting. Anything further out than that will not be visible. Itll cost you, but man does it make scopes easier to use. Click to play video. They are quick and easy to use when you are based out of your vehicle. If the former, you might consider investing in models with excellent glass and mirage-taming coatings. Its glass is protected by double-walled armor that resists scratching. And then, we perform a low-light test on several evenings. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Another great option depending on your uses is a car window mount. 30mm main tube. The reticle is etched but also illuminated for eye-catching ease. In all, the Meopta compares favorably to premium spotters from Swarovski, Leica, and Zeiss at a lower price. Along with size, price varies dramatically. If youre a hobbyist photographer who doesnt care about squeezing the maximum amount of performance possible from a scope, give the Celestron Regal a look. $249.99. The Diamondback Tactical2 has much better glass than the ARGOS/HELOS at a cheaper price but the MIDAS has a slight overall edge in clarity image quality overall. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Here are some excellent scopes for that purpose: Zeiss makes premium optics, and this scope is no exception. Athlon Argos Spotting Scope 20-60x85. Spotting Scope, Soft sided case, Lens caps, Cleaning Cloth: Spotting scope^hard case^soft case^instructions^tripod: Athlon Optics 315001: 20-60X80 Spotter: Soft Carrying Case, 20-60x zoom Eyepiece, Spotting Scope, Soft sided case, Lens caps, Cleaning Cloth Item Dimensions: 16.9 x 4 x 4.5 inches: 18.25 x 6.5 x 9.5 inches: 16.5 x 3.75 x 6 inches But most commonly, you will see ED (Extra-low Dispersion) used, and that is what you want. We found the usable magnification range extended to about 54-power, which is higher than many of its peers. I use the binoculars to cover wide swaths of ground, and then use my scope to get really zoomed in on an animal that Ive found. Vortex Razor HD G2 VS. Leupold Mark 5 HD. Scopes are generally sold either with a straight body or with the eyepiece angled up 45 degrees. Celestron shows up in a lot of places on this list, particularly when looking for affordable quality. You are using an out of date browser. When budget isnt a limitation, I tend to recommend Swarovski. Models that have both designs typically have identical glass, magnification ranges, and components, so theyll likely deliver an identical image. Argos and The Midas Tac is a $700 scope so if going that high then look at the Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25. I just got the argos for my 22. But it could be perfect scope if you are setting it up on your back porch to stargaze with. But I will say, that no matter what I did, I could not get my eye comfortable behind the glass. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. They offer some of the clearest scopes on the market, and while you definitely pay a premium, they have a very loyal customer base among bird watchers. I don't really want more than 3-4 x on the low end at least around here MDs are putting targets close and starting at 6x makes things tricky. High end manufacturers like Swarovski and Zeiss charge thousands of dollars for their scopes, and will give you crystal clear images that are hard to beat. The best brightness and image quality will be at 20X, but the image will be smallest at that magnification. However in dark conditions, your pupil will open to allow more light in, and can get up to 7mm in diameter. This pricey, indulgent, magnum-sized optic is the last spotting scope youll own, and it parses details like no other spotter in this category. The lenses are also fully multicoated, meaning better light transmission and clearer looks at the night sky. The build boosts the durability of this spotter and gives it a stiffer and more sure-footed feel. But at magnifications above about 18, youre going to want to mount this, because the shakes introduced by your hands, or an improvised support, blur the image. A great all-around spotter, the SIG OSCAR8 has enough optical horsepower for most hunting situations and exterior styling that fits right at home on a rifle range. I would highly avoid getting a true budget scope (one that costs less than $200). Dont let the fact that its cheaper than the Viper and Razor deter you, this thing provides stellar optics and is backed by their excellent lifetime warranty program. I would leave the range with headaches from it. This direct-to-consumer brand delivers bright ED glass and quality Japanese build at a relatively accessible price. Get as big of a scope as is practical for your use. And the wide-angle eyepiece provides a constant 66-degree field of view throughout the entire magnification range. 20-60x. Gosky Newest 20-6080 Dual Focusing Spotting Scope. Still, if you use this scope in daylight and dont max out its magnification, its a worthy companion for most hunting situations or first-time buyers. It is dramatically more affordable than the other optics were recommending here for bird watchers. New. Vortex Viper PST Gen II 5-25X50 FFP EBR-2C MRAD - Best FFP Scope Under $1500. in your price range I would look at this. Athlon BTR vs Vortex Diamondback. They sell their products directly to consumers similarly to Upland Optics, but they are at the higher end of the price/quality spectrum. There are a whole lot of Nikon rifle optics out there and they cant just stop servicing their products. Sold two to a friend(bought Athlon Ares and Tacticle). Check the price here. So got the Argos in mail last night and got it mounted this afternoon. With televisions, High Definition has a technical definition that sets a standard of pixels a display has to have in order to earn the HD distinction. But maybe you want a spotter to mount on a tripod and use from a vantage point. If you are buying a lower-mid range scope, the odds of it coming from Bushnell in one form or another are very high. Nikon BLACK FX1000 Riflescope 6-24x50SF Matte IL FX-MRAD FFP 16516, Ive had my hands on both scopes, I still havent used the illuminated reticle, I personally liked the Argos better than the diamondback.. but I feel if your taking a step above diamondback then I would go vortex .. but since you want ffp I think Argos would be a bit better imo. It may not have the extra low dispersion glass and other high end features of more expensive scopes, but it does a great job considering how little it takes to get your hands on one. Show More. While theres no shortage of angled-body spotting scopes, its rare to find a premium straight-body-design like the MeoStar S2, and its ability to trade out eyepieces makes it extremely versatile. The CS.1 won our low-light test, beating a handful of 80 and 85mm scopes, which is a testament to its good-quality glass. Hi, looking for a new scope for my 22lr. It's big and heavy, so you probably will mostly use it from your vehicle or a camp, but the power behind a scope this big is something awesome to behold. If you have the money and want to get top performance, you definitely have that option. $399.99. . But if you want to make it easy, the winner from all this testing and analysis (as of March 2023) is the. . 2 models Athlon Optics Argos 20-60x85mm HD Spotting Scopes $487.49 $389.99 Save 20% Best Rated. Rifle Scopes Athlon Argos vs Vortex Diamondback. I hunted with this scope during Montanas elk season, and it took in stride all the temperature changes, bumps and drops, and dust the hunts dealt it. free shipping & returns. I didnt think the turrets, lack of zero-stop, and mediocre glass would bother me. The Maven has especially good manners. Whale watching is a very popular activity along the coasts for both tourists and locals. Spotting scopes work best from mid to far distances. When you do buy your scope, know that youre also going to need to budget for a tripod. For example, the Athlon Argos we recommend has a field of view of 48-102 feet at 1000 yards. Field of view is a measurement of how wide of a picture you will see when you are looking through a scope. On this review we are going to be using the Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 as the benchmark. Many buyers are looking for a scope to take to the range to verify hits on distant targets, whether paper bullseyes or steel plates. They are still honoring their warrantee but have made some changes and dont have the no fault warrantee any longer. The first is the magnification, which generally refers to a range between the lowest and highest magnification. Another great option that is even more affordable, this scope from Vanguard will give you everything you need as a target shooter. But the magnification range, zooming from 9x up to 27x, gives this little unit more range and a surprisingly nice image. I think youade the right choice. In that price range, you're not getting something that is top tier. The downside: Youre stuck with the 15-45-power zoom. Its affordable and the glass is super high quality. While this Argos was very well built (and very similar in style and quality to the Vortex Diamondback which is a much higher-priced scope I've used in the past), I found the optical quality to not be as good . But for scouting use its perfect, or for spotting from the road. Athlon Optics Ares ETR UHD 4.5-3056 First Focal Plane Riflescopes Not everyone prefers the same type of reticle. xugz0212 New Member. CF2-31023. They have been used and recommended by a lot of the most influential people in the industry, like Steven Rinella from Netflixs Meat Eater. I have a Hawke Vantage 3-9x40 on a Diana 240, and a Hawke Vantage SF 6-24x44 on a Savage Mark 2 22LR. The 45-degree angled eyepiece is also a nice touch, as it allows for users to use it in a number of different stances. They even have a spotting scope eyepiece that functions as a binocular, with two eyepieces! Ok, folks - here it is: The Bushnell Match Pro Riflescope. The other differentiation from the Argos HD model: the aluminum-alloy chassis of the Ares UHD. You must log in or register to reply here. That means clearer images day and night. I got ahold of Athlon's entry level ARGOS to compare to their higher . In other words, will you use it just for hunting, or should you consider a model with removable eyepiece so you can trade out wide-angle eyepieces or ones with reticles? Spotting scopes are usually used on a tripod, so you dont need to worry about your hands shaking and distorting high zoom images like you do with binoculars. Much faster target acquisition (angled scopes can be intuitive to find what youre trying to look at because of the angle). The optic with the highest Price/Value score wins our Great Buy award. In that case, weight and portability arent an issue; you should consider a full-sized scope, with magnification ranges from 20-60-power and an 85 or even 90mm objective lens. Apr 23, 2018 #13 M. . Minuteman. If youre sitting beside a buddy, you can frame a distant deer, and by simply rotating the barrel, turn the eyepiece to your buddy so they can view the deer. Most amazingly, some of their highest end products are even assembled in the United States, a rarity in this industry. Athlon sells their own rings and mounts, which obviously mesh well when used in tandem with their scope . You can check the price today and see if its the right fit for you. Another is I won State overall in Field Target air rifle in 2016 and my division last year. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Athlon 214061 Argos BTR 6-2450 Riflescope APMR FFP MIL at the best online prices at eBay! As youll see in the two Athlon scopes in this years test, better-quality glass can double the price of a spotter. Select which one you want here. Joined Jan 16, 2018 . Superdoo. Like we mentioned above, the HD-ATS-80 HD is a fantastic scope body that you wont be disappointed by, and when coupled with their 20-60x eyepiece makes for a powerful spotting scope. Field of View at 1,000 Yards: 174-81 feet, Field of View at 1,000 Yards: 234-108 feet, Field of View at 1,000 Yards: 102-48 feet, Field of View at 1,000 Yards: 108-60 feet, Field of View at 1,000 Yards: 176.4-58.5 feet, Field of View at 1,000 Yards: 105-73 feet, Ships with dust-resistant neoprene jacket, Interchangeable 22-power eyepiece with MRAD PRS reticle available, Removable eyepiece design can allow dust and grit to enter body, Angled eyepiece and rotating tripod collar enables multiple viewing angles, Removable eyepiece can be traded out for other variable or fixed-power eyepieces, Center-barrel control is hard to finely focus, Field of View at 1,000 Yards: 250-50 feet, Eyepiece contains Horus H-32 milling reticle, Multiple attachment points for Picatinny rails, Reticle matches those in precision riflescopes, Throw lever makes magnification changes fast, Slender build easily fits in backpack sleeve, Utilizes Bushnells best glass and coatings, Excessively heavy for a 60mm walk-about spotter, Field of View at 1,000 Yards: 144.36-68.9 feet, Oversized center-barrel focus easy to turn with gloves, Field of View at 1,000 Yards: 110-52 feet, Angled eyepiece and tripod rotation enable wide range of viewing options. While this is likely the first spotter that a hunter or shooter may buyowing to the approachable priceit wont be the last. So a 20-6080 spotter has a 20- to 60-power eyepiece and an 80mm objective lens. Most importantly, they have a solid warranty and a great reputation for taking care of their customers. Not sure how good it is but the cronus rifle scope line has a good reputation. If youre in the market for pretty much any optic and dont have a budget thats in the stratosphere, they have good options. The Athlon reticle does offer a more dynamic design with a crosshair that has tons of hash marks for range and windage estimation. SKU: 214063. Absolutely not, in fact some of the best scopes around carry the HD label. That brings us to the Vortex Diamondback 20-60x80mm straight eyepiece spotting . Check them out at Bushnell.com. Weve rarely seen this much glass and optical horsepower for under $400. The best magnification for a spotting scope depends on how you plan to use it. Astronomy is usually thought to be done with a big telescope setup, but a spotting scope can also work well for a hobbyist. Specifications. But if its the latter, than less expensive glass might be fine. The optical quality, overall . If you're money-concience (i am too for the same reason! From our reviews, you can see that 2 of the Vortex models recommended come with Armortek coating. You will pay a pretty penny to get your hands on one of their scopes, but if you want the best there is no substitute. I am looking at the ballistic reticle scopes in the 3-9x40 and 4/4.5-12x40/42 range in both product lines. These are big, expensive optics for a fairly narrow segment of the market, and most hunters dont buy a new spotter every year or even more than a couple times in their careers. 45 Angled Viewing. Their Ultima is a great scope for bird watchers. Show Out of Stock Items. The Ares G2 placed second in our low-light rankings and turned in very good resolution scores. Long Island. Vortex Crossfire II 4-12x50 AO Riflescope with Dead Hold BDC Reticle (MOA). Vanguard is a smaller, more specialized company than many on this list, and they deserve your consideration for their quality products. Its positioned just right between the companys big, bright, and spendy S.1 series and its big-boned B.5 binoculars, which sport 56mm objective lenses and magnifications from 10- to 18-power. Perhaps the highest end brand in the optics world, Swarovski caters to those who want the absolute clearest glass and the best quality images.