SPOTTING SCOPE/TRIPOD REVIEW...

[USMC615]

My take on my set-up, with pro’s/con’s...

Celestron Regal M2 100 ED 45 deg eyepiece spotting scope mounted atop a SLIK Pro 700DX AMT tripod w/700 DX head.

Specs on the Celestron spotting scope...
-Weight 5lbs 3ozs (83.4 ozs/2365 grams...specs on sites say a little less, simply weighing it on my Mueller 9lb max digital scale which I find is dead nuts on with absolute known weights, to the ounce/gram)
-100MM objective
-Comes with a Celestron 22x-67x zoom eyepiece
-Ability to change eyepieces with 1.25” terrestrial/celestial eyepieces
-ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass
-BAK-4 prisms
-Fully/multi-coated glass
-Nitrogen purged weatherproof/fog proof
-Celestron XLT lens coating
-Ability to rotate the scope 360 degs on its’ indexed locking collar
-Extendable 1.5” sunshade (OAL w/sunshade retracted 21.5”...OAL w/sunshade extended-23”)
-Threaded rubber focal end on the included zoom eyepiece for folks with eyeglasses
-Comes with T-adapter for camera mount/digiscoping, separate plastic eyepiece covers, a thread-on entire eyepiece cover, balancing/mount bar with about 3” of balance travel when mounted to the tripod mount, shoe plate (scope is front heavy), cleaning cloth
-Nice padded scope bag with hand carry handles/shoulder strap/zippered areas to allow the scope bag to be mounted on the scope then affixed to a tripod without taking it off (has Velcro tabs that mate up to keep the bag flaps in place).

I may’ve left off some specs, just trying to cover the obvious bases.

Specs on the SLIK Pro 700DX AMT tripod w/700 DX Head...

-Weight 8lbs, 1oz (Tripod weighs 5.9 lbs, Head weighs 2.2 lbs)
-3-way adjustable locking angle legs
-15” two-piece, reversible center column
-Minimum height w/out center column extended 60”...Maximum height w/center column extended 75”
-Load capacity of the tripod with specific 700DX head 19.8 lbs
-30” collapsed...comes with a non-padded, kinda cheesy carry bag with hand handles only...it’ll keep the damn dust off of it I guess
Again, just trying to cover the basic areas of the tripod/head setup.

Pro’s...and this is based on a soon-to-be 53 yr old set of issued eyeballs...

-One helluva spotting scope for the money...I caught it on an Amazon Prime Deal a good while back for $550...scope retails on several popular optics’ sites currently for $850, think currently on Amazon it’s $670-680.
-I have no problem with resolving/focusing anything on 67x max magnification with the included zoom eyepiece...I can focus and read a license plate clear at 1000 yds known distance (little over half a mile/.568 of a mile to get technical)...I’m sure I could do it beyond that distance as well. Eventually, the ol’ eyes will catch up though.
-I’ve glassed through high-dollar Swarovski, Leica, Kowa, Pentax, etc spotting scopes that cost 2x, 3x the price of this spotting scope, and really could not get any better focus/view...this again solely based on my issued eyeballs. Your mileage may vary.


Con’s with this spotting scope...none found with this spotting scope, for my eyes.

Pro’s on the SLIK Pro 700DX AMT setup...

-Solid, stable tripod...can handle weight even at highest magnifications with minimal movement from the eyepiece...well worth investing $160.

Con’s on the tripod setup...none found.

I guess in summary...cumbersome and bulky, combined weight total, and in regard to each weight, and packing both...yes. I personally wouldn’t have any problem humping almost 13.5 lbs added gear on a western mountain hunt for elk, etc. But that’s just me...back in my Corps heyday, 60-80lb ALICE packs fully loaded/782 gear/rifle didn’t faze me on 10-25 mile humps. I guess that’s the standard where I relate things...of course I was a helluva lot younger then as well...so until I try it personally now, who knows if I’d peter out before younger folks on the same trek.

I ain’t pushing no mfg’rs product one bit here...there are dozens and dozens of spotting scopes/tripod setups out there to buy...just wanted to share what has worked for me and these eyes.

Again, your mileage may vary...they don’t make a onesize-fits-all. If you’ve got a spotting scope/tripod deal that works for you, whether 65/80/100 mm objective, post it up with its’ good and bad points. I’m typing this on my iPad Pro so I can at least see what the hell I'm typing, lol. I’ll immediately edit and add photos of the spotting scope and tripod to follow...pics are on my iPhone.

 

[USMC615]

Didn’t mean to make the review a 5-min read ordeal...just wanted to point out some specifics, and that takes a minute to do. This set-up has worked flawless for me...especially the Celestron spotting scope. I know we all like fine, high dollar names on our gear...but this spotting scope absolutely performs, where others twice, three times its’ price, do the same thing...at least for my aging eyes.

I think we three, myself, @Ronaldo , @srb08 ...are in the same boat, possibly with our older, aging eyes...If you want fine clarity, edge to edge, no chromatic arborration (CA), spotting scope that will reach out and touch something at very long distances up to 1.5 miles/2 miles away...no doubt in my mind you could see the antlers/horns from that distance glassing.

I feel confident in this scope...and the Slik 700 DX tripod with it’s 700 DX head is a good mate.

 

[srb08]

Nice setup there Jason.
I imagine it'll do just about anything you need it to.

 

[srb08]

Didn’t mean to make the review a 5-min read ordeal...just wanted to point out some specifics, and that takes a minute to do. This set-up has worked flawless for me...especially the Celestron spotting scope. I know we all like fine, high dollar names on our gear...but this spotting scope absolutely performs, where others twice, three times its’ price, do the same thing...at least for my aging eyes.

I think we three, myself, @Ronaldo , @srb08 ...are in the same boat, possibly with our older, aging eyes...If you want fine clarity, edge to edge, no chromatic arborration (CA), spotting scope that will reach out and touch something at very long distances up to 1.5 miles/2 miles away...no doubt in my mind you could see the antlers/horns from that distance glassing.

I feel confident in this scope...and the Slik 700 DX tripod with it’s 700 DX head is a good mate.

Jason, does the center column height adjust with a crank?

 

[USMC615]

Jason, does the center column height adjust with a crank?

No Steve...center column manually pulls up/down by hand after loosening the big center collar (pic 5). There is also another locking knob just to the right and below that collar...you can just see the top of it in the pic. That also locks the column in when you set it at whatever height you need. The column is two-piece that threads together, as well the column has a column stop that threads into the bottom of both bars when threaded together, or just a single column bar of the two-piece deal. Column and head are reversible to where a camera, video, etc for instance is very close to the ground (I'm sure only photographers/videographers would need something like that to reach so low).

 

[srb08]

Good deal. Crank handles tend to be fragile. I've broken more than one.

 

[USMC615]

Good deal. Crank handles tend to be fragile. I've broken more than one.

Yep...I’ve broken a couple myself over many years. I’ll be just fine if I never see another one on a tripod I buy.

 

[srb08]

Yep...I’ve broken a couple myself over many years. I’ll be just fine if I never see another one on a tripod I buy.

I like the new Avatar, not sure but I think I've seen it somewhere before.

 

[USMC615]

I like the new Avatar, not sure but I think I've seen it somewhere before.

Lol...we just monkeying around..

 

[FergusonTO35]

Nice setup you got there, will have to remember that.

 

[USMC615]

Nice setup you got there, will have to remember that.

Appreciate it buddy...it's worked well out to some crazy long distances.