65mm Scopes

[jvhigbee]

Is anybody currently using one of the new 65mm +/- scopes? I am giving thougt to a kowa 664 and would like to know if it could be used successfully for digiscoping. Any thougts from those into digiscoping would be appreciated.

[richard bledsoe]

its a given that a quality big scope gathers more light and resolves more detail than the small ones. that said, i choose the leica 62mm apo with 16-48x zoom as my birding scope because of its all day portability and quality view. i do enjoy digiscoping and have posted some photos in the digiscoping gallery that you could check out. its very sunny here in san diego and the 62 does well with fast enough shutter speeds. since you are in washington where it is cloudy the larger scope could be the better choice if digiscoping is to be your main interest. i'm told the difference is usually one shutter speed. hope this helps.

[wgmorg]

I tried the Swarovski and Zeiss with zoom eyepieces before I bought my Zeiss 65 + 15-45 zoom.

Swarovski... zoom is 20-60x I wish they made a ~15-45x.
Very sharp from centre to edge of field of view.
Did not like the balance of the scope seemed back
heavy to me, i.e. had to tighten tripod head to stop
it falling back.

Zeiss... zoom is 15-45x I wanted the 15x low mag for digiscoping
and much wider field of view compared to the Swarovski.
Very sharp in centre and most of field of view equiv to the
Swarovski, BUT gets soft at the edge. This results is
distorted edges in digiscoped pictures which can look odd.

I choose a 65 scope against a 77/78/80/85 scope for traveling.

I had owned a Kowa TSN-3 and Kowa 611 (bought for traveling) prior to the Zeiss.

[Bob D]

This link has a review of the small scopes. The Kowa you mentioned is not included. The author states:

"It would also be justifiable to include in this group Kowa’s TSN 663 ED, which I reviewed in ALULA 4/2001. However, during that test the quality of the eyepieces available for it—especially the zooms—proved to be so disappointing that I decided to omit it this time."

This is a generally held opinion for the the Zoom eyepiece that fits this small scope. It is not the same zoom that fits the 82 mm Kowa scope which is very good.


http://www.alula.fi/GB/index.htm

At the bottom is the link to scope reviews.


Bob D
Iowa City, USA

[Paul Rule]

I have a Swaro 65 (non HD), that I have just started to use for digiscoping. My early attemps have been quite encouraging that decent results can be obtained from a smaller scope. In my case I wanted a light weight scope that was to mainly be used for viewing, and to get some record shots of some of the birds i'd seen. If digiscoping is your prime objective you may wish to consider a bigger scope.

Paul

[Charles Harper]

Paul, I just got a Swarovski 65 HD, for the same reasons, and I don't have a camera yet-- what's your camera-- one of those Nikon Coolpixes that everyone's recommending (CP 990, 995, 4500), or something else? I'm worried about the health of my wallet.

[Paul Rule]

Charles,

I'm afraid I'm also using a CP4500 mainly due to its ability to swivel the LCD, Prices do seem to be falling so it may be worth hanging on for a while.

I'm using a 20-60 zoom lens with the v. expensive Spidertech adaptor, which can be used without removing the rubber on the eye piece, which is essential (in my opinion) for a scope which will mainly be used to look through.

Paul

[jvhigbee]

Bob, I did purchase a 664 Kowa. There are now two 20-60 eyepieces available for this scope. The more expensive one is around $260 street and is the one I have. It's very good. I am still awaiting delivery of the 30mm wide angle that is now available and from the specifications feel it may prove to be also very good. I have looked through a friends Swaro 65 with 30mm eyepiece and feel even with the 20-60 on mine I wouldn't pay the difference in price for the small (to me) difference in view.

[Charles Harper]

Thanks, Paul. And condolences on your ex-bat.

[Paul Rule]

Charles,

I'm puzzled my bat is fine, did something hapen to it while I was away for the day

Paul

[Charles Harper]

Tain't flying anymore.

[Andy Bright]

Flapping away merrily to my eyes, Paul.
Andy

[PhilM]

I¡¯ve been using the Kowa TSN-664 with a 30x wide-angle lens for digiscoping for the last 6 months. The main reason I went with this scope is that its small size and lightweight makes it much easier for traveling, especially when traveling abroad. One of the downfalls is that it tends to shake more when the camera is attached (I¡¯m using a CP955). To over come this I¡¯ve offset the scope on the tripod by about 1.5¡± (38mm) which improves the balancing. The pictures on my home page were all taken using this set up.

[Charles Harper]

I tried to find some button in my user options that would heal your bat, Paul, but to no effect. I need a licensed chiropodist, I guess.

[Paul Rule]

I think it just gets tired on the way to Japan

[Milan]

Originally posted by PhilM
The pictures on my home page were all taken using this set up.

PhilM,

Could you please post the link to your site.;)

Thanks

[normjackson]

The green buttons below the post has a link to said poster's home page under www. Seems to work OK now for me. :t:

P.S. Those changed avatars are gonna cause confusion.

[Alastair Rae]

I use the Swaro 65 HD + zoom and love it. Light weight & excellent optically.

I also use it digiscoping with a CP995 and have been pleased with the results. But there are times when I wish I'd got the 80mm to get the shutter speed up. The 80 would have been too expensive and, to my mind, too heavy.

[Charles Harper]

Alastair, pardon my ignorance-- or laziness, considering the plethora of digiscoping threads available here-- but do you need anything between the Swaro eyepiece and the CP995 lens? Or do they flush up? I remember reading that several of the CP series are suitable-- 990, 995-- but that the 4500 was camera of choice (also the most expensive, as was said before).

[Glen Tepke]

Bob, I did purchase a 664 Kowa. There are now two 20-60 eyepieces available for this scope. The more expensive one is around $260 street and is the one I have. It's very good.

Joseph,

Do you know the model numbers of the two 20-60 eyepieces? I am considering getting one of these for traveling and want to be sure I get the right eyepiece. Thanks.

Glen

[jvhigbee]

Glen
TSNE-Z4 is the one I have.
Joe

[Glen Tepke]

Thanks, Joe. Glen

[Glen Tepke]

Glen
TSNE-Z4 is the one I have.
Joe

I forgot to ask - have you digiscoped with this scope? If so, what do you think? I looked through your gallery but couldn't find any taken with the 664. Thanks

Glen

[jvhigbee]

I don't have a digicam suitable for digiscoping. Tried with 10D but results were poor due to poor visability for focusing through viewfinder.
Joe