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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Best VFM in used Scopes (1 Viewer)

Taxboy

Well-known member
I'm considering upgrading my Kowa TS602 with a 20x WA for something with a bigger objective and can cope with a more powerful eyepiece.

Given the current price of new I'm giving serious consideration to the s/h market so with a budget of £500 ish any suggestions would be very much appreciated

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
 
Hi

The usual suspects are the Nikon ED82 and Kowa 823/824. Recently LCE had a Nikon ED82A with fixed eyepiece for £500. Old Leicas and Swaros go for more but I did see a straight Swaro go for about £550 with a fixed and old zoom on LCE again.

You may have to wait awhile for something to come up or you could put a wanted request in the Wanted forum.
 
Hi

The usual suspects are the Nikon ED82 and Kowa 823/824. Recently LCE had a Nikon ED82A with fixed eyepiece for £500. Old Leicas and Swaros go for more but I did see a straight Swaro go for about £550 with a fixed and old zoom on LCE again.

You may have to wait awhile for something to come up or you could put a wanted request in the Wanted forum.
Thanks ks for the advice - I suppose the real question is how do the older models compare to the newer versions. I may have to spend some time online researching

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
 
Thanks ks for the advice - I suppose the real question is how do the older models compare to the newer versions. I may have to spend some time online researching

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

A good aberration free specimen will compare well. The resolution of a good specimen will match modern scopes of equivalent size. Coatings have improved to increase brightness and contrast in the top scopes but the main difference for a lot of users is the ability to use the newer crop of wide zooms.

The only older scope that can do this is the Swaro AT/ST that can use their 25-50 zoom though it won't lock in. A friend has this on the old AT Swaro and it holds up well against modern offerings.
 
Hi,

as usual, a TSN3 or 4 and an SDLv2 zoom is a very sweet combination... seen lots of alpha glass, not yet felt the urge to upgrade...

Very sharp at 52 x and nice flat field even at lower mag.

Joachim
 
Hi,

there was a Nikon 82ED with 38x wide EP and SOC in the classifieds here for 600 quid as last price - didn't sell for quite some time and was withdrawn in early July... you might want to PM the seller.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=343215

The Fieldscopes are very nice glass - the only gripes are the very good but also expensive and narrow zoom EP. Plus the focus drive which is a matter of taste...

Joachim
 
Last edited:
No good I'm afraid. The scope I had for sale has since been sold elsewhere.


Hi,

there was a Nikon 82ED with 38x wide EP and SOC in the classifieds here for 600 quid as last price - didn't sell for quite some time and was withdrawn in early July... you might want to PM the seller.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=343215

The Fieldscopes are very nice glass - the only gripes are the very good but also expensive and narrow zoom EP. Plus the focus drive which is a matter of taste...

Joachim
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to try and track down a Nikon to have a look through

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
 
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