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65vs80 angled vs straight |
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tjtjwdad
Optics Journeyman Joined: December/11/2007 Status: Offline Points: 365 |
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Posted: March/05/2009 at 16:43 |
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One other thing to consider when choosing eye pieces is Long Eye Relief. I have that on my Kowa and it really makes a difference.
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Tero
Optics Apprentice Joined: December/04/2006 Status: Offline Points: 135 |
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With the angled you can get away with a shorter more portable tripod. But, I do not really like angles scopes myself.
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jwp475
Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/02/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19 |
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I agree, I recently compared the Kowa TSN 883 20X60X88 to the Swarovski 20X60X8 and the Kowa is definately at the top of the heap.
I prefer the Angled spotter
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range it,check the wind, dial in correction,aim,squezze and only one Shot......
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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I've spent a little time behind the big Kowa, and it is breathtaking! I haven't compared it head to head with the Swaro, since they are both so expensive that owning either isn't in the cards for me, and I don't know anyone locally who owns the Kowa 88 Prominar and will let me borrow it. What I can tell you is that it is the only premium spotter I'm aware of with pure Fluorite APO lenses (vs. fluorite doped ED glass), which are very expensive and produce extremely low dispersion images without color fringing. What I can also tell you is that every review I've read of this scope places it slightly ahead of the Swaro and for that matter, the other premium scopes. It is almost universally regarded by the birdwatching community as the state of the art in spotting scopes right now. Since the Leica 82 isn't available for sale yet, the jury's still out on how it compares with the Kowa 88. |
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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RONK
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: April/05/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3199 |
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I used to dabble in NRA Highpower Competition. Most of these guys have thousands of dollars in equipment on the firing line.
Reading wind via subtleties in mirage is very important to obtaining winning scores.
One thing I noticed was that Anybody who was Anybody in that sport had a KOWA spotting scope. (Being a Nobody, I did not. ) At some matches KOWA outnumbered all other brands put together by probably 4 to 1.
They are awesome scopes.
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grandslam
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/13/2009 Location: minnesota Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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Rifledude. Do you think that the kowa is as good as the swaro. I searched it on several sites and until doing so knew nothing about it. I really dont think I know anyone I hunt or shoot with that owns one.It seems to be a very impressive spotter and now I am very curious as to clarity and
performance.Are you recomending this out of personal experience or just curiosity?
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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Grandslam,
Have you had a chance to look at the Kowa 88mm Prominar spotter? It is widely considered to be the best spotter available in the world at the moment, even better than the Swaro (which itself is among the best available), and it is roughly in the same price bracket as the Swaro. Swaro now offers a new wide angle 25-50X variable eyepiece, though, and I've heard no reports on how it compares with Kowa's variable eyepiece. Leica likewise has a new wide angle variable eyepiece for their new spotter, but from what I heard on the new 82 APO, it has roughly the same price tag as a middle class home.
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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grandslam
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/13/2009 Location: minnesota Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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Nv Hunter. I also looked at the new Leica 82 at the reno show and I think it was the finest spotting
scope I have ever looked through. Not even the guys working the leica booth know when it is going to be available, this spring is the only answer they give and the last answer they gave was early fall. From what I have looked at this week I think the angled Swaro 80 HD is the nicest I have seen. I have pretty well decided to get it. I agree with you on power.I was in love with my Geovid 10x42 binoculars until I glassed with my buddy's 56's last fall and had to have those. More is definitely better in the spotting scope.Thanks for your info!
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NV Hunter
Optics Apprentice Joined: January/21/2009 Status: Offline Points: 66 |
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Like a lot of things in life, size does matter, and espically when it comes to sporring scopes. The 80 or 82mm scopes allows more light to get to your eye... If you can handle the larger size and weight, the optical advantage is woth it.
While it takes more practice to find objects, the angled eye piece is so easy to use 90% of the time. Most of the upper quality spotting scopes will allow the eyepiece to be rotated to be easier to use.
While costing a bit more, I would go whole hog and get the APO-HD-ED models... they give better performance in low light than the non APO-HD-ED models. ( two times in the field the Leica APO proved it was better in low light than the standard versions)
While a bit pricy, I looked at the new Leica 82MM scope at the Expo in SLC... it is FANTASTIC! My biggest challange is to convince the little lady that I reallllly need a new spotting scope and she can use my old one! <wink>
Buy the best you can and you will never be sorry!
NV Hunter
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mike650
Optics God Joined: May/14/2006 Location: West of Rockies Status: Offline Points: 14569 |
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During my spotting scope decision I went with a Swaro 80mm straight based on my hunting needs. I use it for long distance spotting in low light conditions and to me the straight seemed faster at picking up game. It's a little larger/heavier for packing vs. a 65mm but not that much more.
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“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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RONK
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: April/05/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3199 |
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I have an old Leupold straight body that has served be well.
I have been thinking that an angled one might be kind of nice for long spotting sessions watching one mountainside from an adjacent one. You can look down into the eyepiece from a sitting position, without breaking your neck upward.
Or prone, and if you wear a large hat, you can take a nap and your hunting partners won't even notice!
Somebody makes an eyepiece on their spotters that you can set at about any angle you want to. I don't keep up on them, so I don't know offhand who does, probably several companies by now...
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grandslam
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/13/2009 Location: minnesota Status: Offline Points: 21 |
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I am planning to purchase a Zeiss or swarovski spotting scope this week. I have read posts on here before about opinions in regards to the above mentioned 65vs80. I plan on using-carrying it in a backpack for elk hunting, mule deer hunting, sheep hunting & on a spanish ibex hunt in November in Spain. I really am torn between the two because everyone has an
opinion about each.
Also, it would make sense to me, one would want an angled one for looking up ie.. mountain hunting or a straight one looking out ie... antelope hunting or spotting from a car window. Any info from anyone who uses their scope for the same would be greatly appreciated. I do not want to buy one of each!
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