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Kowa Prominar TSN-3 : Value/ Info? (1 Viewer)

emily2205

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I have inherited one of these angled spotting scopes with a 30x optical zoom, in great condition - but I can't seem to find any information anywhere for the TSN-3 model...

Does anyone know more about this, or have an idea of its resale value?



Any thoughts or advice is appreciated, thankyou! |=)|
 
Sorry but I don't know the value of your scope, however it is the up market version of the TSN1 so should be still worth £2/300 or so - others may have a better idea.

I have the straight tube (non angled version) TSN4 and it is still a great scope even by today's standards, though they can benefit from more modern eyepieces.
 
Ah great, thank you for your help - is the model fairly old then? I can only seem to find TSN4 models being sold, so what is the difference between the TSN3 and TSN4 models then?

I've tried out the scope and it is pretty stunning!

Thanks again :)
 
The odd numbered ones are angled and the evens are straight.

TSN1 and 3 - angled, TSN2 and 4 - straight, pretty much identical otherwise.

For some reason that I don't understand the angled scopes are much more popular in the UK - might help with your sale?

Just had a look on FleaBay and one sold for £250 in January - so my price guess wasn't too bad!
 
Emily,

The Kowa TSN 3 and 4 were, arguably, the best scopes available before the introduction of the Leica Apo-Televid 77, the Swarovski AT/ST 80 HD and the Nikon Fieldscope ED78 in the mid 1990s. These Kowas were the first to offer fluorite objectives and truly good color correction.

Units in good condition give a really nice view and, although not really waterproof by modern standards, are very field-worthy. Due to their age, they do not fetch that much on second hand markets. With these, best would be to start using them oneself, or then find a worthy friend or relative in need of a superb first scope.

My advice to you is to take up birdwatching as a hobby and happily use your inheritance in the way its original buyer intended.

Kimmo
 
Hi,

while I concur with the advice to the o.p. to start birdwatching and the price estimate, my TSN-3 with the Opticron SDLv2 EP (recommended by John) has been used side by side with an APO Televid 77, an AT 80 HD and an ATS 80 HD watching a pair of peregrine falcons and chicks on a power plant chimney from the ground and I had a queue behind my scope all afternoon... the other TSN-3 example I have seen was also very good.

Joachim
 
Joachim,

Back in the nineties, there was no good zoom alternative available for the TSN 3. That was the main reason it fell behind the three I mentioned. The AT Swaro was the first scope to offer a zoom that did not give up on image quality to fixed eyepieces. Kowa never made a good zoom for the TSN, their first competitive zoom was for the 823/4.

Kimmo
 
Hi Kimmo,

ok, that makes sense, I have the abominable old zoom too and it's like looking through a straw plus it's not even sharp at 60x.

Joachim
 
Hi,

while I concur with the advice to the o.p. to start birdwatching and the price estimate, my TSN-3 with the Opticron SDLv2 EP (recommended by John) has been used side by side with an APO Televid 77, an AT 80 HD and an ATS 80 HD watching a pair of peregrine falcons and chicks on a power plant chimney from the ground and I had a queue behind my scope all afternoon... the other TSN-3 example I have seen was also very good.

Joachim

Yup that SDL V2 eyepiece does work well on the TSN's! I also have an Opticron HR2 (part No 40931) which, when wrapped in a little insulating tape, can be shoved in the back of my TSN4. Crude - certainly (even Heath Robinson would be ashamed!) but it stays put and works very well!
 
I have inherited one of these angled spotting scopes with a 30x optical zoom, in great condition - but I can't seem to find any information anywhere for the TSN-3 model...

Does anyone know more about this, or have an idea of its resale value?



Any thoughts or advice is appreciated, thankyou! |=)|
Dear Emily,

Recently I bought a KOWA TSN-3 with fix 20x and 60x eyepieces, original green transport bag, Kite ever-ready transport bag (black), in original box, excellent conditions for 500 EUR. For me it was a good deal, as the telescope has excellent, clear, crisp image, and thanks to new Kowa eyepieces, upgradeable easily to gain an excellent scope, comparable to the newest ones as well. As you can discover informations about its image qualities on this forum, seems that these scopes have excellent and durable mechanical and optical performances.
TSN-1 was sold actually in Belgium with original zoom around 300 EUR.
Hope I helped you with those informations, cheers
Vámi
 
Joachim,

Back in the nineties, there was no good zoom alternative available for the TSN 3. That was the main reason it fell behind the three I mentioned. The AT Swaro was the first scope to offer a zoom that did not give up on image quality to fixed eyepieces. Kowa never made a good zoom for the TSN, their first competitive zoom was for the 823/4.

Kimmo

Kimmo,

I wouldn't say "Never". The TE-9Z works on the TSN-1, -2, -3, and -4 much better than the original zoom. When they came out in 2005, I would go birding with a friend who had a TSN-4 with the TE-9Z. I'd see someone with a scope in that series and tell them to go put their scope next to Jim's and do a comparison. I sold quite a few eyepieces that way.
 
A TSN-3 or 4 is a good deal for up to 400/500 Euro.

I had the TSN-1 (non Flourit) new since student days, then a new 773.
Then I got a TSN-4 as new old stock, and with the actual 30w ocular it is really fantastic, optically close to my 773 with the the 30x.

So I often let the 773 at home and take the good old TSN-4 with me when I prefer straight view, for example for planes...

only the old 20x60 zoom of the TSN is rubbish, you shoud avoid this and try to find a 30x (the old ones are also not bad, I you have no Glasses..
 
A TSN-3 or 4 is a good deal for up to 400/500 Euro.

I had the TSN-1 (non Flourit) new since student days, then a new 773.
Then I got a TSN-4 as new old stock, and with the actual 30w ocular it is really fantastic, optically close to my 773 with the the 30x.

So I often let the 773 at home and take the good old TSN-4 with me when I prefer straight view, for example for planes...

only the old 20x60 zoom of the TSN is rubbish, you shoud avoid this and try to find a 30x (the old ones are also not bad, I you have no Glasses..

The TE-9Z is a big improvement over the old 20-60x zoom with the TSN-1, -2, -3, or -4. With it you can get a good image even at 60x.
 
in my old days with tSN-2 and 20x60 old Imonly used the eyepiece at 40x... There it had the best view, going to 20x only made it more towards looking htrough a small hole, tward 60x the picture got bad. I switched to the 30x (nowadays on my NOS TSN-4) and buried the rotten 20x60 in the deepest drawer...
 
I have inherited one of these angled spotting scopes with a 30x optical zoom, in great condition - but I can't seem to find any information anywhere for the TSN-3 model...

Does anyone know more about this, or have an idea of its resale value?



Any thoughts or advice is appreciated, thankyou! |=)|
I have the TSN-3: it was Kowa's first large-objective spotting scope in the "new" line (TSN stands for TeleScope New!!), to employ a fluorite crystal front element. The difference between the TSN-3 and TSN-4 is simply that the "3" has an angled body, and the "4" is straight through. Coupled with the wide-angle 30x eyepiece, this scope gave simply THE best image of any scope of its day (mid-1980s). I was out last night with my TSN-3 in the garden, enjoying a brilliantly sharp view of Jupiter and 3 of its main moons (the 4th was just slipping behind the planet) - but its daytime performance is awesome, still.

The ONLY issue compared to modern scopes, in my opinion, is that its body is not nitrogen-purged and waterproof, so I never remove the eyepiece!
 
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.
 
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.
That's interesting Steve. I truly love my TSN-3, and probably will never sell it, even as a trade-in - though I am starting to hanker for the Swarovski ATX/95 or even ATX/115 combo. Part being the additional magnification, but also massively large field of view and full waterproofness compared with my mid 1980s TSN-3.

But I hadn't thought about the simple option of buying a newer eyepiece the TSN - interesting idea! (and a LOT cheaper than going Swaro!!!)
 
I also have the TSN3 and I changed the old 20-60x eyepiece with the current 20-30x. I must say that the vision is much improved from 40x upwards. Mine is a last series the one with the protective glass which therefore cannot mount the Opticron eyepiece recommended by Joachim. For the smaller magnifications they say the 1.6x (TSN-EX16S) is miraculous, but unfortunately it can't be mounted on mine.
 
I also have the TSN3 and I changed the old 20-60x eyepiece with the current 20-30x. I must say that the vision is much improved from 40x upwards. Mine is a last series the one with the protective glass which therefore cannot mount the Opticron eyepiece recommended by Joachim. For the smaller magnifications they say the 1.6x (TSN-EX16S) is miraculous, but unfortunately it can't be mounted on mine.
I think if you use a little rubber packing you will be able to fit and tighten correctly an Opticron eyepiece to any kowa scope and they work well.
 

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