sandee@sun16.scri.fsu.edu (Daan Sandee) (12/27/90)
Somebody had a question about Kowa spotting scopes a few days ago, but the posting has already disappeared from my machine. The Fall 1990 number of The Living Bird Quarterly discusses spotting scopes, and endorses the Kowa TSN-x. The only negative comment it could come up with is that "the lens caps are wimpy". It specifically states that the zoom lens is great. The big question remains, of course : fluorite or not, or whether or not to spend $400 to get a better picture in adverse lighting conditions. All Kowa owners I ever talked to were convinced they had made the right decision, whichever it was. ABA (1-800-634-7736) sells it for way below list price, and if you become a member for $24, you can save another $75 or so on a TSN-x plus zoom eyepiece (plug, plug). Some mail order discount houses no doubt have lower prices. Daan Sandee sandee@sun16.scri.fsu.edu Supercomputer Computations Research Institute Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4052 (904) 644-7045
misan@ra.abo.fi (Annika Forsten DC) (12/28/90)
In article <1732@sun13.scri.fsu.edu> sandee@sun16.scri.fsu.edu (Daan Sandee) writes: > Somebody had a question about Kowa spotting scopes a few days ago, but the > posting has already disappeared from my machine. > The Fall 1990 number of The Living Bird Quarterly discusses spotting scopes, > and endorses the Kowa TSN-x. The only negative comment it could come up with > is that "the lens caps are wimpy". It specifically states that the zoom lens > is great. > The big question remains, of course : fluorite or not, or whether or not to > spend $400 to get a better picture in adverse lighting conditions. All > Kowa owners I ever talked to were convinced they had made the right decision, > whichever it was. I agree completely with Daan. Kowas have been used a lot here in Finland. In fact about 10 years ago 99% of the birders had Kowas. Nowadays many are using Optolyth. I still have the old TS-1 and I like it very much. The TSN-models are very much better though and I'll probably buy one when my old scope gets too old. annika forsten, finland
sid@jato.jpl.nasa.gov (Sid Johnson WB6VWH) (01/01/91)
In article <MISAN.90Dec28173437@ra.abo.fi> misan@ra.abo.fi (Annika Forsten DC) writes: >In article <1732@sun13.scri.fsu.edu> sandee@sun16.scri.fsu.edu (Daan Sandee) writes: > I have to agree with Annika and Daan. I spent the day birding yesterday in Ventura County. One of the birders in the group had a new Kowa scope, no it wasn't the zoom, but it was clearer and brighter that any scope I have ever used. I was supposed to return to LA for a party at 2 PM but there were lots of birds everywhere we went and.....well so it was 4:30 before I left. 97 species for the day, what are you going to do?
jhiggott@axion.bt.co.uk (jeff higgott) (01/02/91)
In article <MISAN.90Dec28173437@ra.abo.fi>, misan@ra.abo.fi (Annika Forsten DC) writes: |> I agree completely with Daan. Kowas have been used a lot here in |> Finland. |> In fact about 10 years ago 99% of the birders had Kowas. Nowadays |> many |> are using Optolyth. I still have the old TS-1 and I like it very |> much. |> The TSN-models are very much better though and I'll probably buy one |> when my old scope gets too old. Kowa scopes are also popular in Britain. I bought a TS-1 18 months ago, before they were phased out in favour of the TSN range and TS601. I am really happy with it. They are very robust scopes and optically excellent. I have used the TSN scopes and am very impressed; the main objection is the weight. The Nikon Fieldscope ED is optically very similar (in my opinion) but far lighter. The first time I used a fluorite Kowa (TSN-3) was whilst watching an Arctic Redpoll in dull light when it was raining. Even through a zoom lens the image was crisp and bright - it almost looked as if the sun was shining! * Jeff Higgott - "I must apologise to the deaf for this loss of subtitles" - Angela Rippon