Yesterday went out to the Merimbula bar with the new (to me) Viper 80HD. It was the first chance to look through the scope with good weather and some cooperative birds.
It was a disappointing experience. The image lacked contrast and sharpness and the colours weren't vivid compared to what I recall from my Kowa TSN-664M.
There's a group of terns that often frolick in a spot about 600m away and the view was nice and sharp at high magnifications with the Kowa, with the Viper the image was disappointingly soft. There were a couple of godwits but I couldn't clearly see the markings like with the Kowa. The sharpness improved at lower magnifications but it still didn't have the contrast and colour that I recall with the Kowa.
The Kowa is off for repair, when/if it's repaired and returned I'll look at them side by side to see if my recollection is true.
As it is, I'm wondering what I would replace the Viper with that has the image quality of the Kowa but with the warranty of the Vortex.
It was a disappointing experience. The image lacked contrast and sharpness and the colours weren't vivid compared to what I recall from my Kowa TSN-664M.
There's a group of terns that often frolick in a spot about 600m away and the view was nice and sharp at high magnifications with the Kowa, with the Viper the image was disappointingly soft. There were a couple of godwits but I couldn't clearly see the markings like with the Kowa. The sharpness improved at lower magnifications but it still didn't have the contrast and colour that I recall with the Kowa.
The Kowa is off for repair, when/if it's repaired and returned I'll look at them side by side to see if my recollection is true.
As it is, I'm wondering what I would replace the Viper with that has the image quality of the Kowa but with the warranty of the Vortex.