I am interested in aquiring a spotting scope but am unfamiliar with the brands. A mate of mine recommended a used Kowa quite some time ago. He also said that I should look for a 45deg eyepiece as its easier on the neck and shoulder to look through for any length of time. I have a couple of options I am looking at, including a Kowa, but have questions regarding not only brands but old vs new. My budget is no more that £200, but if possible something decent optically (i.e. not a cheap Lidl offering - been there got the t-shirt) would be welcome. These are some examples I looked at:
Nikon 20-60x 60mm waterproof, 45 deg, model unknown, price maybe around £200, complete with bag
Nikon field scope 20x 60mm, rubberised, not sure whether waterproofprice £160
Kowa TS9, vintage, 20x, 50mm, 45 deg, complete with tripod, maybe £150
Opticron IF2, 20x, 60mm, 45 deg, about £150
Mirador 20x 60mm, horizontal eyepiece, complete with bag and tripod, very cheap for repairs
I have never heard of Mirador? Anyone familiar with them? Newer Mirador scopes seem to be priced in excess of £100 so I presume they are not rubbish? The Kowa TS9 looks a good deal but the objective size is smaller. How much difference does 50mm vs 60mm make? I know that in astronomy the size of the objective can make a huge difference to light gathering, but the application here is in daylight? I know that Nikon have good optics so I probably wouldn't hesitate if the price was right.
Does anyone know these scopes and can provide some insight as to their optical qualities and any pros and cons? The added value tripods and particularly a bag is something I can consider myself. I have no doubt a bag would be viewed as an essential accessory to carry the scope about in. I don't expect to get anything with fluorite for my budget but I am unfamiliar with the market. Probably wishful thinking.....
I should probably mention that I would like to attach a camera and already have a digiscoping attachment that I was given that clamps on to the eyepiece.
Any comments would be appreciated.
Nikon 20-60x 60mm waterproof, 45 deg, model unknown, price maybe around £200, complete with bag
Nikon field scope 20x 60mm, rubberised, not sure whether waterproofprice £160
Kowa TS9, vintage, 20x, 50mm, 45 deg, complete with tripod, maybe £150
Opticron IF2, 20x, 60mm, 45 deg, about £150
Mirador 20x 60mm, horizontal eyepiece, complete with bag and tripod, very cheap for repairs
I have never heard of Mirador? Anyone familiar with them? Newer Mirador scopes seem to be priced in excess of £100 so I presume they are not rubbish? The Kowa TS9 looks a good deal but the objective size is smaller. How much difference does 50mm vs 60mm make? I know that in astronomy the size of the objective can make a huge difference to light gathering, but the application here is in daylight? I know that Nikon have good optics so I probably wouldn't hesitate if the price was right.
Does anyone know these scopes and can provide some insight as to their optical qualities and any pros and cons? The added value tripods and particularly a bag is something I can consider myself. I have no doubt a bag would be viewed as an essential accessory to carry the scope about in. I don't expect to get anything with fluorite for my budget but I am unfamiliar with the market. Probably wishful thinking.....
I should probably mention that I would like to attach a camera and already have a digiscoping attachment that I was given that clamps on to the eyepiece.
Any comments would be appreciated.
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