Swarovski ATS80 HD (1 Viewer)

Paul Jarvis · Dec 10, 2006

Come on gentlemen, I think its time we all called it quits with this everyone is different with their choices.

Personally I would say the Kowa 884 beats them all hands down with a doubt.

Colin Key · Dec 10, 2006

Paul Jarvis said:
Come on gentlemen, I think its time we all called it quits with this everyone is different with their choices.

Personally I would say the Kowa 884 beats them all hands down with a doubt.

As you say Paul, the Kowa 884 (whatever that is) beats them all hands down WITH a doubt!! :eek!:

Swissboy · Dec 10, 2006

Swamp Hen said:
As you say Paul, the Kowa 884 (whatever that is) beats them all hands down WITH a doubt!! :eek!:

Yes, a Freudian slip; but Paul really makes us all curious about that Kowa. Guess it's marketing hype like Swaro's "6".

scampo · Dec 10, 2006

Paul Jarvis said:
Come on gentlemen, I think its time we all called it quits with this everyone is different with their choices.

Personally I would say the Kowa 884 beats them all hands down with a doubt.

Let's try to be more objective. No top end scope beats any other "hands down". They have reached a level of quality that puts them all in one way or another at pretty much the same level. I like the wide Zeiss zoom, but the Nikon, Leica and Swaro will all give an excellent view of a bird, even in very dim light.

richlindie · Dec 11, 2006

Scope performance

To throw a spanner in the works, I would like to hear what people say about things that don't come down to opinion so much like salt spray resistance. I have heard a lot of people complain about the coatings on Leica for example, that could not stand up to sea spray where Swaro had.
Any comments welcome.

scampo · Dec 11, 2006

richlindie said:
To throw a spanner in the works, I would like to hear what people say about things that don't come down to opinion so much like salt spray resistance. I have heard a lot of people complain about the coatings on Leica for example, that could not stand up to sea spray where Swaro had.
Any comments welcome.

Leica do guarantee their coatings, though, if that were true. My Zeiss and my son's Nikon have both certainly come cleanly through various sprays of sea water although, I have to be honest, I am especially careful at the coast (and I'm not there at all often). I would guess Kowa are okay, too, as that seems to be a very commonly seen scope in sea watching groups - I wonder why? Maybe it's because sea-watchers are a hardier, less snootily equipment-oriented breed of birder?

dogfish · Dec 11, 2006

I suspect there's still some winding-up going on in this thread. But I really would like to know if anyone has tested the Kowa 88mm against any of the other top-rated scopes, and in particular how it compares at 60x.

Sean

scampo · Dec 11, 2006

dogfish said:
I suspect there's still some winding-up going on in this thread. But I really would like to know if anyone has tested the Kowa 88mm against any of the other top-rated scopes, and in particular how it compares at 60x.

Sean

It'll be a while before a Kowa review surfaces, I bet. But here's a link to a good review that someone's just posted:

http://www.6mmbr.com/spotterreview.html

Colin Key · Dec 11, 2006

richlindie said:
To throw a spanner in the works, I would like to hear what people say about things that don't come down to opinion so much like salt spray resistance. I have heard a lot of people complain about the coatings on Leica for example, that could not stand up to sea spray where Swaro had.
Any comments welcome.

I would have thought that the main danger from sea spray comes not from a chemical reaction between salt and the lens coating but from the mechanics of wiping a salt-encrusted lens clean. Even a tiny amount of solid salt as NaCl crystals will have an abrasive effect. I do sea-watch a lot and always make sure that I re-wet the lens and eye-piece before carefully wiping off the "grunge".

Colin

dogfish · Dec 11, 2006

scampo said:
It'll be a while before a Kowa review surfaces, I bet. But here's a link to a good review that someone's just posted:

http://www.6mmbr.com/spotterreview.html

Thanks Steve, actually I was hoping one of the posters who have asserted that the Kowa 88mm is the best would explain how they came to that conclusion.
That website gives an interesting insight into the world of the target shooter. I've always found the idea of a 'crapshoot' intriguing. I note that the best results came from the use of a Televue 66x eyepiece on the Zeiss. Perhaps we should all look beyond our scope manufacturers' eyepieces for the best high-power view.

Sean

scampo · Dec 11, 2006

dogfish said:
Thanks Steve, actually I was hoping one of the posters who have asserted that the Kowa 88mm is the best would explain how they came to that conclusion.
That website gives an interesting insight into the world of the target shooter. I've always found the idea of a 'crapshoot' intriguing. I note that the best results came from the use of a Televue 66x eyepiece on the Zeiss. Perhaps we should all look beyond our scope manufacturers' eyepieces for the best high-power view.

Sean

I did think that, reading that review, it was interesting each type of scope user seems to have its own "take" on scopes. We do seem, as a group, to be very snooty with our kit, but I think that's a feature of - for most of us - it still being a novelty to be able to own expensive items and for some of those to want to show off their purchase.

What amazes me is how much kit some of our US contributors own - they have one of each kind of scope and binocular! I wouldn't have the space to store them!

postcardcv · Dec 11, 2006

The 88mm Kowa is now not going to be in the shops until next year, though the 77mm one is already available. If anyone has already seen one (I have tested a standard glass version), it will almost certainly have been one of the preproduction models.

medinabrit · Dec 11, 2006

That website gives an interesting insight into the world of the target shooter. I've always found the idea of a 'crapshoot' intriguing. I note that the best results came from the use of a Televue 66x eyepiece on the Zeiss. Perhaps we should all look beyond our scope manufacturers' eyepieces for the best high-power view.

Sean[/QUOTE]

I think that the one great advantage [other than the cost] of the Pentax pf,s is the vast array of really great EP,S that you can use in them . Especially the pentax xw,s & televue naglers etc.
I noticed in that review they used the pentax zoom in the 100 pf .
If they had used the xw fixed EP,S they woud have had even better results with the PF scopes.
There is a shop down in amish country here that have the new big Kowa . I,LL try to get there & see if they will let me take a look later this week.
Brian.

Colin Key · Dec 11, 2006

dogfish said:
Thanks Steve, actually I was hoping one of the posters who have asserted that the Kowa 88mm is the best would explain how they came to that conclusion.
That website gives an interesting insight into the world of the target shooter. I've always found the idea of a 'crapshoot' intriguing. I note that the best results came from the use of a Televue 66x eyepiece on the Zeiss. Perhaps we should all look beyond our scope manufacturers' eyepieces for the best high-power view.

Sean

Sean,

Just had a look at that review, am not convinced. I think that looking at bullet holes and black lines on a paper target, where the 'scope (is there anyone else who, like me, cringes at the term "spotting scope"?) is a very different kettle of fish to tracking, for example, warblers moving through tree canopies.

I do recall watching (yawn) a bit of the target shooting at the last Olympic Games and noticed that they were all using Swarovski 'scopes (apologies to Steve!) - but they were almost certainly provided free, gratis and for nothing so that doesn't really have anything to do with anything else.

I have been out on the estuary this morning with a visiting birder and have been using his "Questar Birder" (unbelievable at x60). I am at the moment SERIOUSLY considering buying a Canon EOS-1D Mark IIN at £2.2k but think I have now found another way of getting rid of even more (£3.5k) money!!

To think that I started out with the "Observer's Book of Birds" and my Dad's ex-RN bins (needed a wheelbarrow to carry and were worth more for scrap brass value than their optics). B

Colin

pduxon · Dec 11, 2006

scampo said:
What amazes me is how much kit some of our US contributors own - they have one of each kind of scope and binocular! I wouldn't have the space to store them!

from a man with two bins and two scopes!! Uh hang on uh I have two bins and uh two scopes.....
:eek!:

pduxon · Dec 11, 2006

postcardcv said:
The 88mm Kowa is now not going to be in the shops until next year, though the 77mm one is already available. If anyone has already seen one (I have tested a standard glass version), it will almost certainly have been one of the preproduction models.

whats the opinion on what you've seen Peter?

warehouse express are charging more for the standard 77 than they are for the ED82

iporali · Dec 11, 2006

pduxon said:
warehouse express are charging more for the standard 77 than they are for the ED82

You don't need to look through them to know that the ED82 beats any non-ED Kowa "hands down"

.

Ilkka

pduxon · Dec 11, 2006

iporali said:
You don't need to look through them to know that the ED82 beats any non-ED Kowa "hands down" .

Ilkka

tut tut Ilkka

scampo · Dec 11, 2006

Colin Key said:
Sean,
...

To think that I started out with the "Observer's Book of Birds" and my Dad's ex-RN bins (needed a wheelbarrow to carry and were worth more for scrap brass value than their optics). B

Colin

I still have my 'Observer's Book of Birds' and, dare I admit to it, the 'Observer's Book of Birds' Eggs'! Ah the memories.

cabangu · Feb 12, 2007

Olá! I live in Porto and i am thinking to by one angled leica apo 77 or swarovsky ATS 80 HD, with the zoom eyepiece 20 x 60, but i never teste no one. My only contact with those marks had been with a non apo and with my swar 7 x 42 that are wonderful. Can you tell me were can i test them in Portugal or Galicia, inc the old AT 80 HD, because i admit to by a model? Thank You.
cabangu

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