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Scope dealer recommendation please
If you feel like taking a long ride, Optics4Birding has both scopes available in our showroom and outside access. We're in Orange County, so about a 6 hour drive depending on traffic. There are lots of good places to bird both here and on the way. You can also check our website or call for... -
Swarovski - odd business policy - near point
The big change is now that the NL Pure 32mm bins are available, the 32mm ELs have been discontinued. -
KOWA TSN-99 PROMINAR and KOWA TE-80 XW- Binomania preview!
Assuming Kowa ships our 99A and 99S order on Friday 9/10 as promised, we (Optics4Birding) will have them on Monday 9/13. -
KOWA TSN-99 PROMINAR and KOWA TE-80 XW- Binomania preview!
Yes, they will all fit as they have the same mount. The 20-60x will be 24-70 and the 30x will be 35x. These are approximations, but are close enough. -
KOWA TSN-99 PROMINAR and KOWA TE-80 XW- Binomania preview!
For those of you in Southern California who want to see the TSN-99A, you are welcome to stop by Optics4Birding during business hours. See hours and directions on our website. -
KOWA TSN-99 PROMINAR and KOWA TE-80 XW- Binomania preview!
I just read binomania's review using Google Translate. There is one error that appears to be taken straight from FOV specs listed in the the Kowa literature: 37m @ 1000m = 37 yds @ 1000 yds -> 3*37' = 111' @ 1000 yds, not 117'. -
KOWA TSN-99 PROMINAR and KOWA TE-80 XW- Binomania preview!
The Optics4Birding review of the TSN-99 series is in progress and expected to publish next week. I've seen several pricing questions in this thread. Kowa will begin shipping the 99X kits only on September 10, which means we will be receiving our first shipment on Monday 9/13. Separate parts... -
Kowa TSN-99X satisfies my favorite kink...
The TSN-99 scopes kit with TE-11WZ II eyepiece is going to start shipping at $3999, so only $1 less. Release date from Kowa is Friday, September 10. Other improvements also show that they've been listening. On the TSN-880s, the filter threads are on the end of the lens hood, so the filter, if... -
Kowa Prominar TSN-3 : Value/ Info?
You can improve the performance of the TSN-3 by adding the TE-9Z eyepiece. It was introduced in 2005. It's waterproof, has a twist-up eyecup, and can still focus at 60x, which the original eyepieces had difficulty doing. It's like getting a new scope for $350. -
New for 2020 Meopta Meopro Air Binoculars
Swarovski no longer makes 42mm SLCs. Their prices on the 56mm models are in the same price range as the ELs, and Swarovski could not alter the SLC 42s enough to create a significant price difference, as they had already removed the close focus lenses from the SLCs, which never had field... -
New for 2020 Meopta Meopro Air Binoculars
The MeoStar B1.1 is now upgraded to the MeoStar B1 Plus. The optics are the same but they have added a locking diopter, MeoDrop hydrophobic coating, and a newly shaped and textured rubber armoring. There is also a substantial price increase. And yes, they are aimed at hunters. The MeoPro HDs... -
New for 2020 Meopta Meopro Air Binoculars
I wouldn't be surprised to see an 8x32 in the future, but hardly anyone makes a 7x42 anymore. Between wider fields of view on newer bino designs and negligible demand for 7x42, I'd say the chances are nil. -
Swarovski - odd business policy - near point
As beginning birders spend more time in the field, they begin to notice the other spectacles of nature. Try to study a Pygmy Blue butterfly, Blue Damsel damselfly, or small wildflower from 10'. I've had a MacGillivray's Warbler and a Sedge Wren hop across my feet and a Townsend's Warbler on my... -
Swarovski - odd business policy - near point
Dennis, I think your read on the hunting market is accurate, but your read on the birding market is way off base. The EL 42 is now dead in the birding market or will be when the 1.5m versions run out. Most birders are not only birders, we are naturalists. We look at all of nature and we don't... -
Swarovski dG
Of course, the fact sheet is wrong. 300mm converts to 6x, not 10x. I emailed Clay Taylor, Swarovski's birding expert, for the real answer. Here is his response: Austria and I have been going around and around on this. If you download a shot from the dG and look at the metadata, it says that... -
Vortex Viper UHD beats Zeiss SF and Leica Noctivid!
I remember seeing a message from Lee questioning my "nearly 1080°". It might have been in a private message since I can't find it to respond to. Recently, I visited the Vortex table at the San Diego Birding Festival and reexamined the turning range of the UHD focus wheel. From lock to lock, the... -
Swarovski dG
I got my first look at the dG yesterday at the San Diego Bird Festival. One of my concerns was that the dG would not have advantages over a camera connected to a smart phone by Bluetooth or WiFi, but it does. The main advantage is speed. When the dG is on, it automatically connects to your... -
Swarovski dG
John, The CL Pocket binoculars are compact binoculars, usually defined as those with 20mm to 25mm objectives. To me, what makes a compact binocular a pocket binocular is a hinge arrangement like a double hinge on the CL Pockets or the asymmetric hinge on the Zeiss Victory compacts that let the... -
Swarovski dG
I'm planning to get my first look at a dG on Sunday at the San Diego Bird Festival. I'll report what I see. I'm surprised that they didn't put the camera in an EL Range body so it would have a 10x42 binocular with enough room for the electronics. That said, I was able to connect my... -
Swarovski dG
I'll be at the dealer training on March 18 and 19, and plan to give the dG a good workout. I'm also bringing my Panasonic G9 linked to my Android phone, so I hope to have comparisons. I'll be writing a full review on the Optics4Birding Blog. I'll post the link when that post is published. To... -
Swarovski dG
The Swarovski dG digital Guide is now available for pre-order, shipping in April. Description, images, video, and specs are now published on https://www.optics4birding.com/swarovski-dg.html -
Swarovski dG
Official announcement is coming on Monday 2/17. We will have it up on our site by noon Monday PST. We do have pricing and lots of info and photos, but Swarovski has told us not to post until Monday. -
Swarovski dG
No specs or prices have been published yet. The body is said to be the shell and optics from the old Laser Guide monocular rangefinder, which was an 8x30. -
Vortex Viper UHD beats Zeiss SF and Leica Noctivid!
A word about retail pricing in the binocular market in the USA. There are two basic prices shown to the public: MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) and MAP (Minimum Advertised Price). Most manufacturers enforce a MAP policy. This prevents the giant retailers from from undercutting the...