Kowa 55-77-88

[ZackP]

All,

I’m in a dilemma. Although it is a good dilemma to have.

I recently purchased another ATS 65HD with the 25-50. Long story short, I prefer the 20-60 eyepiece. I also prefer the Kowa 773 I let go of years ago and consider that the best spotter that there is.

Now, ultimately I have the funds to order each and try them, next to the ATS, but I’m coming here for opinions once again. My wife would probably kill me in my sleep if I ordered them anyways.

Although the 773 is at the top of list because of size, weight, and glass. (Blows the ATS out of the water by the way). I can’t help but imagine an 88. I would also like the weight savings of the 55 with flourite.

Background- glass HUGE country (desert). Mirage is bad by 11 am regardless of scope maker. Not a trophy hunter but I will not shoot young bucks unless I’m in dire need of meat. Glass distance is from up close to 2-3 miles. I always run my bino’s off a tripod and use the spotter for verification (this is where the 55 comes in).

I guess my biggest question is, what is everyone running, do you have any regrets not running the other, and primary use for your glass.

I love to digiscope, and this is the biggest reason I am not considering the 55. Is it possible?

I would also love to keep my current tripod and not have to upgrade for the 88.

Anyways, enough rambling, suggestions?

 

[ID_Matt]

S & S archery just did a fairly thorough comparison of all of these scopes on youtube. Worth checking out.

 

[tdhanses]

I went 77 and 55, while the 88 is amazing I wanted to have both and it was easier to swallow the cost of the 55 and 77 combo and really with how amazing they both are I have zero regrets not getting the 88.

I also wasn’t impressed with the swaro ATS HD 80 I had with the 25-50 or 20-60 eyepieces but that’s just my eyes.

I will say this, the 55 is always in my pack come hunting season.

It is possible to digiscope with the 55 but not ideal, I have the extender for my 77 and it actually works really well but the 77 is much better for digiscoping.

Personally if you can, I think owning both the 77 and 55 is the best combination you can get for the $$.

The glass in the 55 is really nice, but the fov some just can’t get over. When I hunt I use my binos 95% of the time and pullout the 55 to verify what I can’t with binos.

 

[tdhanses]

Another thing to consider is with the 55 you can run lighter weight tripods and heads, my setup for my 55 is probably close to 3.5lbs lighter then my 77 setup when packed but one other benefit that to me is more important then weight is space savings and less bulk when taking the 55.

 

[tdhanses]

Looking at the moon

I’ve never really looked at the moon with my spotter before, last night my daughter and I decided to take a look. I have a Kowa 773 and the extender. It was breezy so focusing wasn’t the best. 60x spotter and phone on 2x 96x and phone on 2x 96x and phone zoom unknown, super sensitive and...

www.rokslide.com

 

[ZackP]

I should have specified, I did watch the review from S and S and thought it was very good review. However everyone’s eyes are different, and I just don’t like the 25-50 eyepiece.

As far as the 77 I really enjoy everything with the scope and would take the weight penalty. It also ran well off my Sirui with VA5 head.

I am not really a fan of having to buy a heavier duty tripod to run an 88, but I honestly want a one and done set up. I will take the weight penalty as needed.

Do you find the 55 good enough to verify at 1-2 miles? My B6 Mavens get all the work load.

 

[tdhanses]

Just to show the digiscoping with the 55 https://www.rokslide.com/forums/threads/kowa-55-series-digiscoping.251918/

 

[tdhanses]

I should have specified, I did watch the review from S and S and thought it was very good review. However everyone’s eyes are different, and I just don’t like the 25-50 eyepiece.

As far as the 77 I really enjoy everything with the scope and would take the weight penalty. It also ran well off my Sirui with VA5 head.

I am not really a fan of having to buy a heavier duty tripod to run an 88, but I honestly want a one and done set up. I will take the weight penalty as needed.

Do you find the 55 good enough to verify at 1-2 miles? My B6 Mavens get all the work load.

Yeah the 55 is fine out that far, it’s zoom is only 2X less then your current swaro and the zoom is crystal clear all the way to the top just fov is super narrow and eye placement is key but not hard, half the time I just put my phone on it and look at my screen.

 

[ZackP]

Those moon pics are phenomenal.
Ever take any in the field pics with your 55 on big game? Would be interesting to see.

I am curious where my little Sirui would max out at given the size of the 88.

Another reason for going the 88 route would be to add an updated 55, or a flourite 66 (should they ever decide) in the future.

 

[tdhanses]

I’m really bad about it but did take a few with the 55 this year, not sure on distance but probably from 1.5 - 2 miles out. I just snapped them and didn’t take time but they were much clearer looking at the screen.

Last year I spotted my elk at 2200yds and the little Kowa was better to me then the swaro 65 my guide had, don’t think he had an HD but don’t remember as well.

 

[as.ks.ak]

Buy the 88.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tdhanses]

Those moon pics are phenomenal.
Ever take any in the field pics with your 55 on big game? Would be interesting to see.

I am curious where my little Sirui would max out at given the size of the 88.

Another reason for going the 88 route would be to add an updated 55, or a flourite 66 (should they ever decide) in the future.

I run a slik 624 for both but with the 55 I use a RRS BPC-16 ball head that works really well with it and my binos.

I really don’t think you can go wrong but just know the 55 isn’t going to be the 77 or 88 but for hunting it is my favorite spotter I’ve owned. I think the people that don’t like the 55 are really picky about fov and that it isn’t forgiving with eye placement, the fov doesn’t bother me and if you leave your phone on it eye placement isn’t an issue but it’s not been an issue for me either or one that bugs me.

 

[ZackP]

I run a slik 624 for both but with the 55 I use a RRS BPC-16 ball head that works really well with it and my binos.

I really don’t think you can go wrong but just know the 55 isn’t going to be the 77 or 88 but for hunting it is my favorite spotter I’ve owned. I think the people that don’t like the 55 are really picky about fov and that it isn’t forgiving with eye placement, the fov doesn’t bother me and if you leave your phone on it eye placement isn’t an issue but it’s not been an issue for me either or one that bugs me.

That’s what worries me about the 55. I can snag it on such a good deal BNIB that I’m not too concerned, and can put the extra funds towards more gear, but the eye placement is an issue for me. I can’t stand the 25-50 because of the kidney bean effect I get with it. Never had that issue with my 20-60.

 

[tdhanses]

That’s what worries me about the 55. I can snag it on such a good deal BNIB that I’m not too concerned, and can put the extra funds towards more gear, but the eye placement is an issue for me. I can’t stand the 25-50 because of the kidney bean effect I get with it. Never had that issue with my 20-60.

Do you have any NF scopes, they also are know for not having a forgiving eyebox, to me the 55 just takes a consistent form when looking through, it isn’t a hard optic to use.

 

[Phil j]

I went 88 and 55 I use the 88 for long range target shooting and the 55 for the backpack .

 

[aftriathlete]

Real question: Is there a reason so few people seem to run the 663? Isn't it the same glass as the 773? It looks like on the Kowa website that only the 55 and 88 get the flourite glass, but people rave about the 77. Is there a reason people don't rave about the 66 too? Does the 66 just not fit in any particular niche as well as the smaller and bigger options, like if you're looking at the 66 you really should be looking a size up or a size down for X, Y, Z reasons? I see mention of people wishing the 66 had the flourite glass, but it's the same glass as the 77 isn't it? I watched the video comparo posted in the last couple days, the 55 is great for what it is and great clarity, and the 77 is great for what it is, great clarity and better light gathering, and then they also had high praise for the Swaro 65 so that objective size range is viable. The 663 is notably absent from the comparison, so I feel like there must be something I'm missing.

 

[ZackP]

Do you have any NF scopes, they also are know for not having a forgiving eyebox, to me the 55 just takes a consistent form when looking through, it isn’t a hard optic to use.

I think I’ve narrowed it down to the 773 or the 883. I’ll take the weight penalty. The 77 IMO is a vast improvement over the ATS with not much size difference. 88 is still in question.

 

[ZackP]

Real question: Is there a reason so few people seem to run the 663? Isn't it the same glass as the 773? It looks like on the Kowa website that only the 55 and 88 get the flourite glass, but people rave about the 77. Is there a reason people don't rave about the 66 too? Does the 66 just not fit in any particular niche as well as the smaller and bigger options, like if you're looking at the 66 you really should be looking a size up or a size down for X, Y, Z reasons? I see mention of people wishing the 66 had the flourite glass, but it's the same glass as the 77 isn't it? I watched the video comparo posted in the last couple days, the 55 is great for what it is and great clarity, and the 77 is great for what it is, great clarity and better light gathering, and then they also had high praise for the Swaro 65 so that objective size range isn't automatically a problem. The 663 is notably absent from the comparison, so I feel like there must be something I'm missing.

Eyepieces. 66 uses the 20-60. 77 and 88 use the 25-60, which again, in my opinion is possibly the best eyepiece on the market (haven’t tried their newest).

As far as glass goes I’m not sure, and as far as I can tell the body/design closely resembles the 82 and not the 55-77-88.

I think that’s the reason behind the madness. I have not compared the 66 to the ATS HD, but I have seen threads comparing the two. The 66 appears to hang very well with the ATS but it is not quite there. At that point I think people choose the 55 (90% of the ATS) or the 77 (110% of the ATS) based off of the comparisons to Swaro. My .02 though.

 

[AkMtnRunner]

The main differences between the 77 and 88 will be the light gathering and maybe a tiny bit of chromatic aberration. I would base the decision on how much of a premium you put light gathering on (your hunting scenarios). I know that in midday, my 55 looks as bright as my 88 but it's a drastic diffence in the first and last hour of light. My hunting light is usually on the dim side so I usually bring the 88 unless I really need to keep the pack light.

Now is a pretty good time to go for the 88 as prices have come down quite a bit since the release of the 99 and I am sure there are now some in the used market.

 

[tdhanses]

If you can find the older body design vs the new, think there are only cosmetic changes and you’ll find better deals, also have you considered going crazy and getting the 99?