Kowa new TE-11WZ 20-60 vs. TE-17W 30x eyepiece (1 Viewer)

Hi,

I have a 30x WA eyepiece for my Kowa 773 scope, and love it for viewing and digiscoping. I also have an older 20-60 for viewing at higher powers, but it has a narrower fov and a poorer overall experience than the 30x WA. From reading on line, the newer 20-60 would give a better, wider and brighter look than the older zoom, but my real question is how does it compare to the 30x WA for brightness and fov at all zooms, and in particular at 30x? And how is it for digiscoping?

Thanks for any insight,

Richard

I think you mean the new 25-60x eyepiece. Unfortunately i've never had the pleasure to use it but by all accounts it's a beaut!

Kowa eyepieces

I have the kowa 88mm Prominar with the 20-60 eyepiece. I tried out the newer 25-60 lens thinking that it would have a significantly wider fov. Unfortunately, IMO, it did not. The wide field advantage was pretty well wiped out by the fact that the new lens only goes down to 25x. At 20x, the older lens has only about a 15 foot at 1000m difference. I sent the new one back.

If your happy with your rig at 30X much as I love my 884 and 25X60 I wouldn't invest. According to Eagle Optics and a few other guys I know in the optics business there is no need to buy the 30X with the new eyepiece but its not significantly different. Where the new eyepiece really shines is at 40X on up. Much brighter and sharper than the old 20X60.
Enjoy
Steve

Stephen Mark said:

If your happy with your rig at 30X much as I love my 884 and 25X60 I wouldn't invest. According to Eagle Optics and a few other guys I know in the optics business there is no need to buy the 30X with the new eyepiece but its not significantly different. Where the new eyepiece really shines is at 40X on up. Much brighter and sharper than the old 20X60.
Enjoy
Steve

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Steve .... I agree, the newer 25-60x zoom is much improved at the higher powers & that is the reason I like it over the 20-60x zoom. I had the 30x wide when I bought my first Kowa 773(with the non Prominar glass) but now wish I had not sold it. One day I feel I might need that 20mm eye relief it provides over the 17mm the 30x gives with the 25-60 zoom I now use. I still might purchase one if I can get it at a good price. I think the 25x Long eye relief is also a real nice eyepiece, Huge ! ocular lens just what I like. Having said all this I think Kowa now has all its bases covered in the eyepiece range lineup. Given what the other high end scope prices are now selling for, I think the Kowa Prominar's are a real value in quality as well in price. It would be nice though if they would one day offer a Astro eyepiece adapter. I would really like to see what my 883 could do when used with higher powers, given the large objective lens & special glass .... gwen

Stephen Mark said:

If your happy with your rig at 30X much as I love my 884 and 25X60 I wouldn't invest. According to Eagle Optics and a few other guys I know in the optics business there is no need to buy the 30X with the new eyepiece but its not significantly different. Where the new eyepiece really shines is at 40X on up. Much brighter and sharper than the old 20X60.
Enjoy
Steve

Click to expand...

This is good advice.

I was ready to sell the 20-60x zoom and invest in the 30x wf.

After today using the 25-60x wf zoom I'm not in a hurry to rush out and get the 30x.

Honestly don't think it would be worth the cost?

My mind may change, I do like fixed wf ep's but at this point I'm more than satisfied.

Bryce...