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

Kowa TSN-601 or Nikon Spotting Scope RAIII 82 A (1 Viewer)

Theovv

Theovv

Member
Hello,
I can get a Kowa TSN-601 with 20-60x eye-piece for 599 euro second hand from a camera store and also a Nikon Spotting Scope RAIII 82 A with a 38x wide eye-piece for 460 euro and also a 20-60x eye-piece for 140 euro's with it, but the dealer says this eye-piece reduces the quality from the scope. Don't know which one to choose, also because I'm having doubts about a non-zoom eye-piece, you can't zoom in or out. What are your opinions and which one should you choose, also taking into account the price.

Sorry if my English is bad, I'm Dutch ;)
 
If the Kowa has the newer zoom EP that makes for a fine set-up, very portable excellent image quality for a non ED scope. Between the two I think even though the Kowa sports a smaller obj 60mm the view should be very similar! Plus the Kowa is lighter and the zoom has alot better eyerelief than the Nikon zoom. Don't know what you're intended use is? Good luck, Bryce...
 
stereotruckdriver said:
If the Kowa has the newer zoom EP that makes for a fine set-up, very portable excellent image quality for a non ED scope. Between the two I think even though the Kowa sports a smaller obj 60mm the view should be very similar! Plus the Kowa is lighter and the zoom has alot better eyerelief than the Nikon zoom. Don't know what you're intended use is? Good luck, Bryce...
Click to expand...
My intended use is to see birds :) In different weather and landscapes, digiscoping would be nice, but I think the quality is to poor with scopes from this price range, I assume that you have to pay at least 1000 euro and probably more to get optically good images with an APO color corrected scope, am I right?
 
Generally all things being equal an ED or APO scope will always give better photo-optic results. But, I have gotten some good digiscoped results with the Kowa. I have no intentions of publishing in a magazine either, so I think it's always in the eye's of the beholder! I also use a Pentax 65mm ED scope, this is the scope that I always digiscope with. For general birding and occasional digiscope use the smaller Kowa would be my choice! If you can try either out I highly suggest it? Bryce...
 
Bad luck, after being too late for the second hand Zeiss that was for sale on this site I contacted the shop that sells the Kowa but they told me they had just sold the last one and that it can't be re-orderd, so I have to focus on other scopes in the same price range. Back to the Nikons or maybe the Bynolyt S80.
 
Scope reviews

Theovv said:
Bad luck, after being too late for the second hand Zeiss that was for sale on this site I contacted the shop that sells the Kowa but they told me they had just sold the last one and that it can't be re-orderd, so I have to focus on other scopes in the same price range. Back to the Nikons or maybe the Bynolyt S80.
Click to expand...


Hi Theovv,
In case you havent seen it, you might want to browse this series of scope reviews by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I dont know if you wear glasses but one thing that struck me was they mention that the Nikon scopes (all they reviewed) had poor eye relief for eyeglass wearers.
http://www.livingbird.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?srcid=&pid=272#top

and

http://www.livingbird.org/netcommunity/bbimages/lb/pdf/ScopeChart2008.pdf

Regards
Jim
 
jimtrader11 said:
I dont know if you wear glasses but one thing that struck me was they mention that the Nikon scopes (all they reviewed) had poor eye relief for eyeglass wearers.
http://www.livingbird.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?srcid=&pid=272#top
Click to expand...


I think they were referring to Nikon's Fieldscope zoom eyepiece, which has quite short eye relief, indeed. Nikon RAIII uses different eyepieces AFAIK.

Theovv,

If you're going to go for a non-ED scope, I would suggest 80mm objective, not 60mm. This gives you almost 80% more light entering the scope, which is priceless in dull and cloudy days. You don't live in California, do you? ;)

Go to an optics shop and compare them directly, using highest available magnification.

Good luck,

Maciej
 
hi Theovv
i have the RAIII 82A, its a good scope for the money. i use a 20-60 zoom and its fine up to 45-50 x magnification but loses quality a bit at 60 x but to be fair i have ID'ed small birds at this magnification from a few hundred metres.

i have digiscoped with it too and with my samsung nv3 the images are ok in good light but i haven't the patience to be honest to practise too improve but if you do then i think it has potential.

Regards
Ian
 
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