How to buy alpha spotter

[tdbaugha]

Buying a Kowa spotter, leaning towards 88a. I’ve read a decent amount on the bird watching forums and it sounds like they will buy 3-4 of the same scope, line them all up, and pick the best example. Is this necessary? Is there that much variation from scope to scope when you’re paying $3200? If it is, anyone have pointers on how to appropriately test them? The “star” test is mentioned there a lot, but no reference to what that actually is.

 

[Jmort1754]

Call camera land,

Actually outdoorsman had a swaro 95 in the used lot the other day

 

[tdbaugha]

I’m not trying to save money, I want to make sure I’m getting what I’m paying for. If you buy one scope, you have no idea where that particular unit falls on the spectrum from bad to good. My question is, how big is the variance from a “good” unit to a “bad” unit. According to birding folks, it’s significant. I just want to hear from the hunters.

 

[Dioni A]

Yes there is definitely a spectrum. I've had a non HD Swarovski sts 65 with a better image than the HD version (I owned both at the same time). I think that variability is much less than it was in years past though. The handful of new model kowa 88s I've looked through were all very good. I don't remember being able to detect a difference. It's up to you if it's worth the hassle of buying multiple.

 

[wildcat33]

I recently purchased an “open box” (or demo, don’t remember the exact term) Zeiss SFL binos and the insides of the lenses were filthy. Absolutely full of crap. So yes variations are a thing.

I would just buy the spotter you want and inspect it before using. If it looks clean and has a great view then you’re set.

 

[waspocrew]

I think you can drive yourself crazy analyzing reviews and the details of each scope.

You’d need to do a side to side comparison to see what glass you feel is best, but like you mentioned, sometimes that involves buying a couple of scopes and then returning the one you don’t like.

For what it’s worth, I bought a Swaro ATX with the 85mm lens. Absolutely incredible and have no regrets with my purchase.

 

[JNDEER]

I concur with Dioni. Even the top tier glass can and will have variations - however the newest models seem to have less variation -imo.

 

[Wyo_hntr]

You could go to a birding store. Many carry kowa and will let you look through them.

 

[Hotmail]

B

Buying a Kowa spotter, leaning towards 88a. I’ve read a decent amount on the bird watching forums and it sounds like they will buy 3-4 of the same scope, line them all up, and pick the best example. Is this necessary? Is there that much variation from scope to scope when you’re paying $3200? If it is, anyone have pointers on how to appropriately test them? The “star” test is mentioned there a lot, but no reference to what that actually is.

Buy at least 4 or 5 of them through Amazon or Walmart online and just keep the clearest one (or two) and return the junker ones for refund.

 

[ateliersakura]

Bhphoto has been very convenient with pay boo card for tax free

 

[huntnful]

Just buy one, new 88. It’ll be plenty good. Cameraland normally has the best deals if you call them and mention Rokslide. FWIW I’m using an 884 and I think it’s the best spotter for the size and weight that’s available.

 

[dwhicker]

The concept of buying 5 of the same scope and keeping the best one seems insane to me. I don’t think your eyes could ever discern a difference from scope to scope. I purchased the 88A last year and I absolutely love it. I compared it next to a couple Swarovskis, Ziess, and Leicas, and the Kowa was definitely the best of the bunch.


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[Hotmail]

The concept of buying 5 of the same scope and keeping the best one seems insane to me. I don’t think your eyes could ever discern a difference from scope to scope. I purchased the 88A last year and I absolutely love it. I compared it next to a couple Swarovskis, Ziess, and Leicas, and the Kowa was definitely the best of the bunch.


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A fellow optics extremist here had in fact gone through two different Kowa 88x spotters and the first one wasn't as clear as the one he kept and said they weren't even close.

I personally bought a brand new Swarovski ST80 which kind of sucked wasn't as clear as my Leupold SX5 Santiam on maximum magnification sold it at a huge loss with the Swarovski tripod I also bought. I think that must've been a bad one but who knows because I only bought one of them.

 

[eaglemountainman]

If there is, in fact, a variance between examples, I count myself as extremely fortunate. I have two pairs of Kowa Genesis binos, a TSN-554 and a TSN-884. I'm not a birder, and I don't have access to multiple examples of each, but I couldn't expect, or even imagine, better optical quality in any one of these units.
I would be very surprised indeed if you were not completely thrilled and satisfied with your purchase of the new Kowa 88. It's been said by many, with quite a bit more experience than myself (including buddies who own the big name glass), that the Kowa 88mm is at the top of the pile. I have to agree.

 

[has530]

I have seen a lot of sample variance in high end Spotters, less so in Kowa than Swaro in my experience but it's definitely there. Since I got a Kowa 883 last year I've tested it extensively and compared it to every other scope of people's I know and found the variation to be suprising. My 883 was noticeably better than a buddy's 88A and another person's 663. My other friend has a 99A which is about on par with my 883 in resolution while having a touch more CA but noticeably better brightness and truer colors (probably due to the larger objective and updated coatings). Every Kowa I’ve tried had been better than every swaro.

Star testing is simply looking at an out of focus star through the scope. The out of focus star creates a diffraction patter which makes it much easier to assess optical aberrations. Doing so with my scope showed it to be nearly perfect in every way other than being undercorrected for spherical aberration which I have heard is true for pretty much all Kowa scopes.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Buy at least 4 or 5 of them through Amazon or Walmart online and just keep the clearest one (or two) and return the junker ones for refund.

At a minimum that practice is extremely unethical.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Many on BirdForum are also astronomers. Many involved in this hobby a have depth of optics expertise and experience leagues beyond that of most experienced hunters. Optics are a component of hunting, they are everything in astronomy.

Is there sample variation between different specimens of the same premium model of spotting scope or binocular = YOU BETCHA there is. Would most notice it in actual field use for hunting or birding if highly sophisticated users had not pointed out it is there = not likely. It’s just a sad reality that the community of sport optics consumers settles for far less quality control in premium optics than those involved in other markets. We see it all the time on BBs like this — as when someone says they are disappointed with their premium optic (preferences aside) other folks here immediately chime in that their sample is top notch.

Just saying

 

[jimh406]

Interesting that even Swarovski has the same type issue. I guess you might not be getting what you are paying for with either Swarovski or Kowa. I wonder if only the best ones deserve the reputation.

 

[JGRaider]

A Meopta S2 can hang with any spotter on the planet with the exception of the Swaro 95mm. It's in a league of it's own.