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Kowa Genesis price drop - UK (2 Viewers)

devans1

Well-known member
Does anyone have info on what time of year Kowa drop the sale price of the Genesis range in the UK? I've definitely seen the 8x33 model for around £500-600 in the past and previous threads mention regular price drops.

Is there any pattern regarding when they reduce the price or is it totally random? Also, how long do they usually drop the price for? Days? Weeks? Months? I like this model a lot but can't justify the current sale price if it is likely to be slashed soon enough.

Thanks

David
 
Quickly searching some well known optics sites suggests around £850 (average) for the XD 8x33, which I guess is the unit your interested in. Perhaps your asking a wee bit too much to ask when an outlet is going to reduce its prices. This usually happens when a new model is launched onto the market or the items are grey imports. I don't know who is the UK importer for Kowa products, but either way all the retailers need to shift the binoculars......not just display and stock them. It's a pity you didn't get a pair at the price you mention [ when was this, by the way ], but good luck in your endeavour - one thing, please try out the actual pair of binoculars that you are going to buy.
Pat
 
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Thanks Pat

I was under the impression that it was an intentional move by Kowa to reduce the price across the UK but maybe that's not the case. I remember going into Cley Spy a few years ago around Nov/Dec and they were selling the 8x33 for around £500-600 (I think!?) but maybe they were just getting rid of excess stock.

I like the 8x33 a lot but in my opinion it's not worth £850, especially when there's the likes of the Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32 for around £650-700. I almost never see anyone with a pair of Genesis bins either and maybe that has something to do with the price?
 
AFAIK Kowa introduce price reductions nearer to winter but I can't recall the exact dates and perhaps this varies year to year. Probably this kind of date is chosen to take advantage of purchases in the run up to Christmas. I would start looking at the end of October.

Lee
 
AFAIK Kowa introduce price reductions nearer to winter but I can't recall the exact dates and perhaps this varies year to year. Probably this kind of date is chosen to take advantage of purchases in the run up to Christmas. I would start looking at the end of October.

Lee

So what about the independent retailer that has old stock purchased prior to any price reductions offered from Kowa? These are getting fewer and fewer where one can look at and try out a variety of optics. They wouldn't receive any retrospective discount from the importer, can they hope to sell a few units in the run up to December at a lower price? Kowa don't sell directly to the public so it's the shop that takes a hit. I can only think of one outlet in Norfolk that would have an 8 x 33 today to look at. It's tough out there, ask Marks & Spencer.
Be interesting to know if they have any units for sale at this year's Birdfair and for how much.
 
The OP is correct in his memory of Cley Spey selling some 8x33 Genesis for about £550 a couple of years or so ago after they got a deal with Kowa at a national show or something of that nature (so they said). My wife was searching for a new binocular and we tried them out alongside all the usual suspects. My wife bought Swarovski 8x32 but I remember being hugely impressed with the Kowa's to the extent that I bought some 10x33's shortly after from Clifton Camera's for £600. At the time, several dealers had good Kowa deals going on.
I suspect the reason you don't see many Kowa Genesis in the field is simply a matter of fashion in that they don't have the right 'badge'. My other personal bin is a Leica UVHD 7x42 which I also love and my own view is that the Kowa Genesis 8 or 10 is right up there with the best. Keep looking, they do pop up at good prices from time to time.

Steve
 
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So what about the independent retailer that has old stock purchased prior to any price reductions offered from Kowa?

They wouldn't receive any retrospective discount from the importer. QUOTE]


Pyrtle

Do you know this for a fact? I have no info on this so can't comment.

Lee
 
To some extent yes, when I worked for an independent retailer many years ago,, Kowa was handled by Pyser - KGI in the UK. Just the standard retailers discount when an order was placed. I dont however know if the situation has altered in recent times though.
 
AFAIK Kowa introduce price reductions nearer to winter but I can't recall the exact dates and perhaps this varies year to year. Probably this kind of date is chosen to take advantage of purchases in the run up to Christmas. I would start looking at the end of October.

Lee


Thanks Lee
 
I suspect the reason you don't see many Kowa Genesis in the field is simply a matter of fashion in that they don't have the right 'badge'. My other personal bin is a Leica UVHD 7x42 which I also love and my own view is that the Kowa Genesis 8 or 10 is right up there with the best. Keep looking, they do pop up at good prices from time to time.

I agree about Kowa not holding the same prestige as the big 3, especially in this country. I guess they often get completely overlooked when it comes to choosing new binoculars, especially if you're prepared to pay £1000+

The Genesis range is definitely impressive though, from my experience the 8x33 handles well, has a decent FOV and the optical quality is very good.
 
I agree about Kowa not holding the same prestige as the big 3, especially in this country. I guess they often get completely overlooked when it comes to choosing new binoculars, especially if you're prepared to pay £1000+

The Genesis range is definitely impressive though, from my experience the 8x33 handles well, has a decent FOV and the optical quality is very good.

I agree and would go so far as to describe Genesis 8x33 as 'alpha' level.

Lee
 
Chris,

The key word in your post is "if", and note that Lee said alpha *level*. Price-wise Kowa Genesis is middle-tier, but optically and mechanically it is not too far behind the "alpha" class (which, besides the EL/SV, NV and SF, also includes the FL, UV, EDG, and a few others, at least imo).

Peter
 
Well.....if alfa is the top end (Noctivid, EL, SF) i am not agree at all with you.

As an amateur user that recently purchased the 8x33 I sadly agree. They do so much so well but the sweet spot is just too small and the blur is so severe outside of the spot.

I have a harder time with pupil alignment with the 4mm exit on these than I do with my compact 10x25. The sweet spot is so small on the 8x33 Genesis that it's easy for one or both eyes to stray from it. At least with my Leica 10x25 I get usable clarity anywhere in the 2.5mm once aligned.

I am getting used to the Genesis quirks and learning to love them but I wish I could do it over again and pick something else. They are very good for long distance viewing as the sharpness and lack of CA are really top notch, but I was expecting something a little more well-rounded for the money spent.
 
As an amateur user that recently purchased the 8x33 I sadly agree. They do so much so well but the sweet spot is just too small and the blur is so severe outside of the spot.

I have a harder time with pupil alignment with the 4mm exit on these than I do with my compact 10x25. The sweet spot is so small on the 8x33 Genesis that it's easy for one or both eyes to stray from it. At least with my Leica 10x25 I get usable clarity anywhere in the 2.5mm once aligned.

I am getting used to the Genesis quirks and learning to love them but I wish I could do it over again and pick something else. They are very good for long distance viewing as the sharpness and lack of CA are really top notch, but I was expecting something a little more well-rounded for the money spent.

You hit the point way too small sweet spot !
 
Hi 18000 bhp,
(Lockheed Hercules?)

Is the sweet spot so small because of field curvature?
Does the sweet spot increase if one focuses a bit off centre?
 
Hi 18000 bhp,
(Lockheed Hercules?)

Is the sweet spot so small because of field curvature?
Does the sweet spot increase if one focuses a bit off centre?

Perhaps my eyes are a bad match for field flattener lenses--something I hadn't previously considered. Next time I am in a Cabelas maybe I'll look through the Zeiss Victory (or another field flattener bino) and see if I have similar perceptions.

If I go a bit off center I get blur and it can't be focused. Once I go 10-20% toward the edge below center horizontal I get extreme blur worse than the $100 binos I have access to. Above horizontal is better as I can probably get 40% to edge before it gets bad. Based on reviews I wasn't expecting or desiring edge-to-edge sharpness but these are really limiting.

My left eye perceives a similar sized sweet spot as the right but the blurring is significantly worse even when I hold the binos are upside down.

Anyways, these things really are fantastic as long as I stay on task and keep my subject just above center.
 
18000 bhp: the reason might be the astigmatism in your eyes, do you know if you have astigmatic eyes?///Peter

If I do have astigmatism my experience with these binoculars would be the first symptom of it. I am certainly open to the possibility. I'm in my mid 30's and have experienced a lifetime of remarkable vision. I'm always the one in the group that can identify a distant object from so far away that the others are shocked.

The strange thing is that I've put several different binoculars through the paces without issues with blur anywhere close to these Genesis 8x33. The only other binocular I've had a similar issue with was two out of three 8x30 Monarch 7 that I've tried, but that was really minor to the point that it could be ignored and I chalked it up to them being just a hair over the IPD i need.

I am getting better at using the Kowas it just takes more effort than I'm used to.
 
Hi 18000bph,

If you have exceptional eyesight then you are going to see problems with optics that others may not notice.

You may need to choose your optics very carefully, and few binoculars are optically excellent.
Even with seemingly identical binoculars you may need to try six or more and pick the best one.
Binoculars with longer focal length objectives may suit you better.

George Alcock knew 30,000 stars by sight and his observations of Mars with a Ross triplet 100mm f/12 telescope were the equal or better than his peers using 400mm aperture scopes. They didn't believe him, so he stopped planetary observations and found 5 comets and 5 novae with a Schneider 25x105mm binocular mainly.
He could spot weather lanterns at night, I think up to 18,000ft when others lost them at 5,000ft with unaided eyes.
 
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