Kowa TSN-823 value? (2 Viewers)

[Sam_of_Swe]

Someone is selling a TSN-823 with SOC and 32X WW on marketplace, asking for 10000 SEK=730 GBP. Obviously too much money. The seller is not a birder himself, my guess is he inherited the scope.
What would be a reasonable price to pay for this, considering I want to pair it with the 25-60 zoom?
Would it be better than a Nikon ED82?

I am new to birding and currently use an old Opticron HR.66 (non ed) + SDLv2. In the right light it's good but CA bothers me.

Thanks in advance

 

[Grando]

You won’t be able to pair it with the 25-60 zoom as that’s for the 883. I’d say your best bet is a Baader Hyperion IV zoom which is compatible with the 823 and works out as around an 18-55x zoom. This is the combo I have and it works great - the 823 is all fluorite and a very nice scope. I’d say the figure you’ve been quoted is a bit high - see the classifieds here on Birdforum for a 823m (the newer reinforced body which doesn’t go sticky) with two lenses currently on offer for £500 (if the seller will ship to Europe).

 

[Sam_of_Swe]

You won’t be able to pair it with the 25-60 zoom as that’s for the 883. I’d say your best bet is a Baader Hyperion IV zoom which is compatible with the 823 and works out as around an 18-55x zoom. This is the combo I have and it works great - the 823 is all fluorite and a very nice scope. I’d say the figure you’ve been quoted is a bit high - see the classifieds here on Birdforum for a 823m (the newer reinforced body which doesn’t go sticky) with two lenses currently on offer for £500 (if the seller will ship to Europe).

Thanks a lot for good advice!

 

[Sam_of_Swe]

You won’t be able to pair it with the 25-60 zoom as that’s for the 883. I’d say your best bet is a Baader Hyperion IV zoom which is compatible with the 823 and works out as around an 18-55x zoom. This is the combo I have and it works great - the 823 is all fluorite and a very nice scope. I’d say the figure you’ve been quoted is a bit high - see the classifieds here on Birdforum for a 823m (the newer reinforced body which doesn’t go sticky) with two lenses currently on offer for £500 (if the seller will ship to Europe).

Question: The Opticron sdl zoom can apparently be fitted to a Kowa TSN-4 by adding two o-rings. Could it be fitted to the 823 the same way? What results could be expected?

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Question: The Opticron sdl zoom can apparently be fitted to a Kowa TSN-4 by adding two o-rings. Could it be fitted to the 823 the same way? What results could be expected?

I can't confirm this, but I've tried fitting the HDF to the 823 and the thread is the wrong size, so I would imagine the SDL won't work either.

 

[Grando]

I can't confirm this, but I've tried fitting the HDF to the 823 and the thread is the wrong size, so I would imagine the SDL won't work either.

I’d agree. The Opticron HDF and SDL (at least some variants, I wouldn’t want to say definitively) will fit the TSN 1-4s and the older 663 and 663m series. The o-ring is used so the eyepiece ‘catches’ and can be focussed - it doesn’t help attach the eyepiece itself; those eyepieces screw onto the thread onto which the eyepiece cover goes. That thread is a different size in the 823, hence why the opticron eyepieces won’t fit; the Baader, however, does screw onto the 823.