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Last Updated on August 24, 2024 by Paul Clayton
Table of Contents
Swarovski HD-STS 80 Spotting Scope Review
Key Takeaways:
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- Superior Optics: The Swarovski HD-STS 80 offers crystal-clear viewing with a 20/60x zoom eyepiece, ideal for long-range activities.
- Compact and Lightweight: Despite its high-quality optics, it is lightweight (42 ounces) and compact (13.9 inches).
- Versatile Options: Available in straight and angled barrel designs to suit different needs and preferences.
- High Light Transmission: The 80 mm aperture allows ample light for clear visibility in various lighting conditions.
- Durable and Protective: It has a carrying case, protective lens caps, and maintenance accessories.
- Ease of Use: Features a large, easy-to-maneuver focus wheel.
Summary:
The Swarovski HD-STS 80 spotting scope is a top-tier optic device ideal for competitive shooting, hunting, golfing, birdwatching, and other long-range activities. It features a sleek, stylish design with a 20/60x zoom eyepiece that provides exceptionally clear and detailed views. The scope is lightweight and compact, making it easy to transport and handle.
Users can choose between a straight barrel option, perfect for stationary use, and an angled barrel option, better for group viewing and spotting targets at various elevations. The 80 mm aperture ensures high light transmission, allowing users to locate targets quickly, even in low-light conditions. The scope’s glass quality offers crisp imaging, and the included carrying case and lens caps add an extra layer of protection.
While the Swarovski HD-STS 80 has a steep price tag, its quality, durability, and performance make it a worthwhile investment for serious users. Its ease of use and ultra-HD optics make it an excellent choice for anyone needing a reliable, high-performing spotting scope.
Regardless of whether or not you are looking to get your hands on the Swarovski HD-STS 80 spotting scope to gain an edge and advantage when competitively target shooting, hunting, golfing, or birdwatching – or just want quality long-range optics available whenever you find yourself adventuring in a new place – you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the optics contained within the Swarovski HD-STS 80.
Streamlined, sleek, and most definitely stylish (are about as far away from those big and boxy old-school spotting scopes you may have used in the past), the Swarovski HD-STS 80 utilizes a full 20/60 X Zoom eyepiece to give a crystal-clear viewing experience over incredibly long distances.
When you look through the eyepiece of this spotting scope, you won’t have any trouble picking up even the finest details at extremely long ranges!
Unbelievably, the Swarovski HD-STS 80 is also incredibly lightweight and relatively compact. It measures just 13.9 inches and weighs about 42 ounces, yet it contains the high-optics and HD-capable lenses you are looking for in a premium spotting scope solution.
Here’s what you get right out of the box
You have two options when using the Swarovski HD-STS 80 spotting scope.
On the one hand, you can choose the straight barrel option, which is ideal for those who will be setting up this spotting scope in a stationary position and will not have to deal with the challenges that being out in the field inevitably brings.
You can also choose the angled barrel option, which makes managing group viewing slightly easier. The angled barrel option is also much better suited to spotting targets—whatever kinds of targets they may be—at different elevations and altitudes.
The Swarovski HD-STS 80 utilizes the same optics throughout both options, so you won’t ever have to worry about compromising the image when you put this spotting scope to your eye. If you’re going to be spotting before you take photos, you might find the straight barrel a bit easier to attach to your camera. Many find the straight barrel option the ideal solution for mounting directly on a tripod when hunting.
Regardless of your option, you’ll receive the included carrying case and protective caps for both lenses on the Swarovski HD-STS 80 spotting scope. The case also includes a comfortable carrying strap, maintenance and instruction guide, and other accessories that make fine-tuning and maintaining your Swarovski HD-STS 80 much easier.
Biggest advantages
Right out of the gate, you will notice how much light that 80 mm aperture of the Swarovski HD-STS 80 spotting scope allows into the body and eventually back to the eyepiece. This is the spotting scope that is going to make locating targets in almost any lighting condition (outside of pitch blackness) nearly effortless, and it’s all thanks to that oversized aperture that seemingly sucks light into the scope without any difficulty at all.
Of course, in full-light situations—or even nearly full-light situations—the Swarovski HD-STS 80 and its 80 mm aperture will pull in a tremendous amount of light to optimize vision clarity and overall brightness. The contrast of the images captured through this spotting scope will be almost beyond lifelike, really helping colors pop to make the identification of targets a whole lot easier, too.
We found that the glass in the Swarovski HD-STS 80 is high quality across the board, offering clear and crisp imaging no matter what. The attached lens caps guarantee that you’ll be able to protect your spotting scope during transport and ensure that you don’t ever lose your lens caps.
The glass used to make the Swarovski HD-STS 80 spotting scope optics is incredibly hard and durable, but it’s nice to have the benefit of those lens caps so close at hand.
Overall, the focus wheel of the zoom lens optic feature is large and effortless to maneuver on the fly. It isn’t ever intrusive or “in the way”, but it’s never out of reach or difficult to get a handle on, either. It hits that sweet spot between performance, utility, and ease of use.
Drawbacks
There isn’t much to dislike about the Swarovski HD-STS 80, but the only thing that might put a handful of people off from purchasing this top option right away is the steep price tag.
We’re talking about a spotting scope in the Swarovski HD-STS 80 that can go for upwards of $2000 without any trouble at all, putting it out of the range of novices or amateurs that may not get as much use or utility out of a spotting scope this pretty high quality.
On the flip side, if you want an authentic “buy it once, and for life” spotting scope, you can’t go wrong with the Swarovski HD-STS 80.
Final Verdict
At the end of the day, if you are in the market for a top-quality and truly premium spotting scope with the crystal-clear and ultra-HD optics you are expecting, the kind of spotting scope that professionals need to be able to depend upon in almost any situation imaginable – and in any lighting situation they might find themselves in – it doesn’t get a whole lot better than the Swarovski HD-STS 80.
Sure, you’ll have to pony up some extra cash to get your hands on the Swarovski HD-STS 80 spotting scope. But this kind of investment in your shooting, hunting, photography, birdwatching, or whatever else you want to do with this new spotting scope will start paying off almost immediately.
This is a “must buy” for those serious about getting their hands on only the best spotting scope available.
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