Killer deal on Kowa 553 and 554

[dskav]

Update: looks like they lowered the 553 to the same $1,099 price as the 554

Sorry if this upsets anyone trying to sell their used TSN-553 or 554, but B&H currently has them listed for $1,159 and $1,099, respectively

 

[GotDraw?]

great price, for sure!

 

[mountainman406]

Wow, great find. That’s the cheapest I’ve seen


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bendejo]

That sounds like a deal

 

[lcx321]

It seems Kowa released a new 553/554

 

[dskav]

correct, which is why almost everywhere has these on sale but most places still have 'em listed a few hundred $ higher than this though

 

[lcx321]

How is this compare to the vortex razor 85mm? Is it worth the upgrade?

 

[dskav]

that's an apples and oranges comparison my friend, you're talking about a super light 55mm scope vs a 85mm scope that weighs more than twice as much

 

[mountainman406]

How is this compare to the vortex razor 85mm? Is it worth the upgrade?

I don’t think the two really compare, one is a lightweight scope for backcountry with limited magnification and the other is a much heavier unit with more magnification that I wouldn’t want to pack in anywhere. The quality of glass on the Kowa is good at max power where the vortex I found to be lower quality at near max and not beneficial at max power.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mountainman406]

How is this compare to the vortex razor 85mm? Is it worth the upgrade?

I don’t think the two really compare, one is a lightweight scope for backcountry with limited magnification and the other is a much heavier unit with more magnification that I wouldn’t want to pack in anywhere. The quality of glass on the Kowa is good at max power where the vortex I found to be lower quality at near max and not beneficial at max power.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lcx321]

Yeah I know they are kind of orange and apple. I had a vortex razor gen1, with the dual focus, it served me just fine and I didn’t mind the extra weight. Last year on a bear hunt, moisture got into the tube, vortex sent me a brand new gen2(without dual focus). I found it less capable than the gen1 in low light conditions. I assume Kowa has better glass, I don’t mind the weight, but with the smaller diameter, can it outperform the 85mm?

 

[mountainman406]

Yeah I know they are kind of orange and apple. I had a vortex razor gen1, with the dual focus, it served me just fine and I didn’t mind the extra weight. Last year on a bear hunt, moisture got into the tube, vortex sent me a brand new gen2(without dual focus). I found it less capable than the gen1 in low light conditions. I assume Kowa has better glass, I don’t mind the weight, but with the smaller diameter, can it outperform the 85mm?

It really depends on your intended use. From my limited experience, I would preferred the Kowa for light transmission, compact/weight, and the fact that the magnification was useful up to the max. You won’t be able to get the same distance out of the Kowa but I’m also not trying to count rings on a ram.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RS3579]

Great price!

 

[Sled]

Kowa TSN-554 15-45x55 PROMINAR Spotting Scope (Straight Viewing)

Buy Kowa TSN-554 15-45x55 PROMINAR Spotting Scope (Straight Viewing) featuring Straight-Through Viewing, 15-45x Zoom Eyepiece, 55mm Objective Lens, Ultra-Low Dispersion PROMINAR Glass, Porro Prism Optical Path, Fully Multi-Coated Lenses, Lightweight Polycarbonate Chassis, Nitrogen Filled, Water...

www.bhphotovideo.com

That's a great deal even if there is a newer model coming.

 

[dskav]

Update: looks like they lowered the 553 to the same $1,099 price as the 554