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Perhaps Iporali the time has come with the new Kowa's but don't forget a new Leica 82 is on the way and nobody has any detail on that or has tried it out, so who knows you might get what you wish for.
If the prices shown here (http://www.optics4birding.com/O4Blog/O4Blog.html) are correct the new 88mm Prominars will be the most expensive birding scopes on the market with a street price of $2100 for the body and $540 for the zoom eyepiece. The 20X FOV given (129' or about 50 degrees AFOV) does not agree with the Kowa brochure reproduced on another thread which was 44 degrees AFOV. I think it's too bad they didn't make the zoom range 30X-90X which would be more appropriate for an 88mm aperture scope.
Are those prices the RRP or mail order offerings though and after a year they may well drop. Prices between our two countries are also heavily enslaved to currency rates to countries of manufacture.
At the moment $2100 would equate to £1166. I see a trip will be required to Singapore!!
I know a birder who sent in his Zeiss scope for repairs 8 weeks ago and is still waiting for Zeiss to return the scope. My impression is that Zeiss does not have the ability to repair optics in the US and repair work has to be done in Germany. I am currently trying to figure out which scope to get Swarovski or Zeiss. I have not even totally made up my mind on whether or not to get the 85/80 or the 65 version but I do feel that repair service and turn around time are important. On the otherhand Zeiss does offer the transferrable warranty and they are considerably less expensive the Swarovskis.
I know a birder who sent in his Zeiss scope for repairs 8 weeks ago and is still waiting for Zeiss to return the scope. My impression is that Zeiss does not have the ability to repair optics in the US and repair work has to be done in Germany. I am currently trying to figure out which scope to get Swarovski or Zeiss. I have not even totally made up my mind on whether or not to get the 85/80 or the 65 version but I do feel that repair service and turn around time are important. On the otherhand Zeiss does offer the transferrable warranty and they are considerably less expensive the Swarovskis.
All Zeiss warranty or out-of-warranty repairs for Canada and the US are done in Wetzlar, Germany. Based on direct information in two examples, it takes 3 to 5 months for a repair to be completed.
Some birders posting to BirdForum are checking out sports optics for mechanical and optical manufacturing or assembly defects before the return period of the retailer has expired.
Scampo, I share your positive opinion of the T* FL scopes.