Kowa Eyepieces (1 Viewer)

[Gibbo]

Hello could anyone help with my query.
I'm looking to buy a new eyepiece for my Kowa 824 scope,I've been looking at 20Xww for use in the field and with my Coolpix 4500, but I hear the 20-60X zoom is pretty good for this scope.
Does anyone know how the zoom compares with the 20X at lower mag. Thanks.

 

[IanF]

I've just got a Kowa 823 with a 32xW eyepiece which gives a pretty good field of view in the camera, though it could do with being slightly wider to reduce vignetting at the lower camera zoom settings.

I'd be interested in this answer too.

 

[BirdWatcher]

I have KOWA 824 with 20x-60x KOWA Zoom Eyepiece, 20x Eyepiece, and 32x Eyepiece for duckwatching on the Great Lakes.

I am very satisfied with the 20x-60x KOWA Zoom Eyepiece. I know at one time I used to read reports of the Zoom Eyepieces not giving as good a view, mainly darker and less detailed, but I have NOT found this to be the case.

I also use my KOWA 824 with KOWA 20x-60x Zoom Eyepiece for DigiScoping with a Nikon CoolPix 990 digital camera and a SONY TRV-900 Digital Camcorder.

One thing I have found is that when using the straight-through KOWA scope bodies with a KOWA bayonet mount zoom eyepiece, you will want to attach some sort of keeper cord from Zoom Eyepiece to scope body to prevent the Eyepiece from falling out if the scope is tipped back. Twisting the zoom eyepiece to zoom in & out can easily turn the eyepiece just enough in the bayonet mount to make it very loose .. loose enough to fall out of the mount and onto the ground.

BirdWatcher

 

[IanF]

Thanks for replying BirdWatcher. I've only just bought an 823 secondhand with the 32x.

I have just started experimenting with digiscoping too, infact I had my first try out today. Do you think that the 20-60x zoom is better / easier to use than the 32x and how does it compare with field of view as I find the 32x manageable but a little narrow ?

 

[Gibbo]

Thanks for the replys, very helpful.
Could you please say whether the field of view is better, or worse on the zoom, compared to the standard 32X.
Thanks.

 

[Glen Tepke]

For digiscoping (but not for birding), you might want to consider the 27X LER eyepiece. The field of view is quite narrow but the eye relief is so long (31mm) that you get much less vignetting than with the zoom, which allows you to use a wider range of the camera's zoom. Eye relief is just as important as field of view in determining the extent of vignetting. I don't have the 32X so I don't know how it compares.

 

[Doug]

Can you still use the zoom function of the eyepiece if you have a CP4500 attached with an adaptor? I have a Kowa TSN3 with the 30x wide eyepiece and it works a treat - the lousy photo's are because i am still trying to get used to the settings!!!

 

[Glen Tepke]

You can if you use the new version of Kowa's adapter. See the thread on these under the Adapter forum. Glen

 

[Cindy M]

Glen, where is this adapter being sold/advertised? I've been unable to find it. I just recently purchased the kowa photo adapter and eagle optics is not advertising the new version yet. Appreciate any info.

 

[Glen Tepke]

Eagle Optics is selling the new version now, though their website does not say so and the illustration still shows the old version. Anacortes Telescope is also selling it, though they did not have it in stock when I checked. The only difference is in the extension tube required to fit over the larger zoom eyepiece. The old tube was solid; the new tube has three large openings that allow you to turn the zoom with the camera attached. If you recently purchased a Kowa adapter with the old tube from Eagle Optics, you should check with them; they may be willing to replace it with the new one, depending on how recently you purchased it. Glen

 

[Cindy M]

sounds like a plan Glen- I've only had the adapter for a couple weeks so I'll get ahold of Eagle Optics asap- appreciate the info
Cindy

 

[Cindy M]

just a FYI- I did contact Eagle Optics about the adapter and they said this:
"The change was made to the Z7 extension ring for the Kowa adapters. This is used only with the zoom eyepiece of the 82mm scopes. The DA1 photo adapter and 28mm ring stayed the same. Kowa made this change without notifying us about it or changing any model numbers/pricing"
Since my Kowa model is not a 82mm, this improved adapter wouldn't be usable with my scope-
Cindy