Kowa Big Eyes Setup

[ericl33]

I made my own zippered padded soft case.
I use a exo k3 5000 and store it inside sometimes and on the outside sometimes, I've carried them this way a thousand miles on bike and foot.


Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Mtk6888]

Man, I completely understand where you are coming from. Everyone has a different use/need.

I got the 20x with a used scope and originally planned to sell it right away. Then I started to use it, and found it REALLY nice. Reminds me of the 16x on the ED50. Super nice, if that magnification works for you. Not a good fit for everyone though.

I also own the Kowa 30x. It's a great EP as well. 30x might be the best overall compromise for most people, but for me it's too much up close and not enough for distance - I have fairly close ridges, then huge distances beyond that. And it's dim with midsize scopes. Heck 30x can be dim with a fullsize! 20x should be noticably better in low light.

Anyway, hence the indecision on my part!

I could see 20x Kowa big eyes, along with one 20-60x zoom handy, to be the ultimate for my uses. Have never tried dual zoom eyepieces t

Man, I completely understand where you are coming from. Everyone has a different use/need.

I got the 20x with a used scope and originally planned to sell it right away. Then I started to use it, and found it REALLY nice. Reminds me of the 16x on the ED50. Super nice, if that magnification works for you. Not a good fit for everyone though.

I also own the Kowa 30x. It's a great EP as well. 30x might be the best overall compromise for most people, but for me it's too much up close and not enough for distance - I have fairly close ridges, then huge distances beyond that. And it's dim with midsize scopes. Heck 30x can be dim with a fullsize! 20x should be noticably better in low light.

Anyway, hence the indecision on my part!

I could see 20x Kowa big eyes, along with one 20-60x zoom handy, to be the ultimate for my uses. Have never tried dual zoom eyepieces though.

Man, I completely understand where you are coming from. Everyone has a different use/need.

I got the 20x with a used scope and originally planned to sell it right away. Then I started to use it, and found it REALLY nice. Reminds me of the 16x on the ED50. Super nice, if that magnification works for you. Not a good fit for everyone though.

I also own the Kowa 30x. It's a great EP as well. 30x might be the best overall compromise for most people, but for me it's too much up close and not enough for distance - I have fairly close ridges, then huge distances beyond that. And it's dim with midsize scopes. Heck 30x can be dim with a fullsize! 20x should be noticably better in low light.

Anyway, hence the indecision on my part!

I could see 20x Kowa big eyes, along with one 20-60x zoom handy, to be the ultimate for my uses. Have never tried dual zoom eyepieces though.

I have a set of of the 20-60x zoom eyepieces for my 664's as well as a set of the 25 LER. The 20-60x are nice for closer detail but I don't use often. I hunt with an older gentleman that has to 20x and I know the field of view works for most areas we hunt but I have not looked through the 30x. If you do decide to part ways with the 20x let me know. Or if you don't have the 20-60x we could work out something.

Have a great day

 

[4th_point]

If you do decide to part ways with the 20x let me know. Or if you don't have the 20-60x we could work out something.

Have a great day

Thanks for the offer. You'll be the first to know if I decide to sell.

Feel free to bug me in the future, as I have various optics coming and going and lose track of others.

 

[Djaworow]

Anyone have one 20-60x eyepiece they would part with? Looking to get one for when I want to zoom in with 1 eye thanks!!

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Does anyone here have any experience with the kowa 664 big eyes setup like this one from Adams Adapters? It looks to be a pretty sweet setup for long distance glassing but I’d like to hear some reviews from guys that have actually used them. Thanks! View attachment 535256

Is this just two spotting scopes glued together? How does focusing work?

Wouldn't it be easier to use their official binoscope at that point? Though idk how hefty the highlander model is so the weight may work against it.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/276148-REG/Kowa_BL8J3_32x82_High_Lander_Binocular.html

 

[BBob]

Wouldn't it be easier their official binoscope at that point? Though idk how hefty the highlander model is.

F ing hefty and big hence the dual spotting scopes.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Fair enough. I think only the cheaper binoscopes (without ED glass) tend to be lightweight and the premium binoscopes are hefty. Good for longevity but a pain for field use.

 

[SikaSeeker]

Highlander price is $5440 in Europe, that’s before tripod etc.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Highlander price is $5440 in Europe, that’s before tripod etc.

You can buy it for half that from JP.

 

[BBob]

from JP.

Who is JP? Is he/she stealing them and reselling on the black market? Or are they China knockoffs?

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

That's my short-hand for Japan (JP). JP has a trade agreement with the US so we don't pay taxes on their goods plus the conversion rate tends to be in our favor (don't ask me what that means) so buying directly from there gets you cheaper stuff sometimes. However then you have the issue of gray warranty.

 

[Antares]

I’m interest to know where you’re seeing those prices on Kowa products. I used to dabble in grey market Nikon camera gear, so I’m somewhat familiar with what you speak of.

 

[BluMtn]

Anyone have one 20-60x eyepiece they would part with? Looking to get one for when I want to zoom in with 1 eye thanks!!

Yes I do.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

I’m interest to know where you’re seeing those prices on Kowa products. I used to dabble in grey market Nikon camera gear, so I’m somewhat familiar with what you speak of.

The Japanese store I saw it online in was kyoei osaka which I think is part of a larger chain. I've never been to JP so have on idea.

 

[Djaworow]

Is this just two spotting scopes glued together? How does focusing work?

Wouldn't it be easier to use their official binoscope at that point? Though idk how hefty the highlander model is so the weight may work against it.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/276148-REG/Kowa_BL8J3_32x82_High_Lander_Binocular.html

the kowa twin spotters on mounting plate are 6 pounds 12 ounces total, I can use them on the same tripod and head that I use for my binoculars and they straight instead of angles eyepieces. Highlanders are just about 14 pounds themselves...then you need a tripod and head to support that which doubles the weight...so when all said and done you are almost pushing 30 pounds and need a stool to use due to angeled view. Also you can buy the dual spotter setup for under 3k

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

the kowa twin spotters on mounting plate are 6 pounds 12 ounces total, I can use them on the same tripod and head that I use for my binoculars and they straight instead of angles eyepieces. Highlanders are just about 14 pounds themselves...then you need a tripod and head to support that which doubles the weight...so when all said and done you are almost pushing 30 pounds and need a stool to use due to angeled view. Also you can buy the dual spotter setup for under 3k

That's pretty lightweight. Have you tried using them handheld? Sounds like it should be do-able if you don't dial-in the mag too much?

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Ah, looks like it's sold out...

KOWA TSN-664 PROMO BIG EYES FULL SETUP WITH FREE 20-60 VARIABLE EYEPIE

ALL BIG EYE FULL SETUPS ARE BUILT TO ORDER AND ARE SUBJECT TO 1-2 WEEKS LEAD TIME. Everything you need to take your optics game to the next level Includes: 1x KOWA TSN-664 PROMINAR BIG EYES ADAPTER WITH CUSTOM ENGRAVED HANDLE (ADD YOUR ENGRAVING TEXT ABOVE) 2x KOWA TSN-664 PROMINAR SPOTTING...

adamsadapters.com

 

[BBob]

Have you tried using them handheld?

Hand holding near 7 pounds of optic? How the heck you will hold and focus them?

You must be trolling or joking???

For example. The old Zeiss image stabilized binoculars were designed to be handheld but to use them for anything but out of the truck or on a tripod just didn’t really work. At near 4 pounds they were too heavy to carry around your neck and they were still just a bit too big. They were way more ergonomic than twin spotters mounted to an aluminum plate. Not sure how you’re really going to hold and look through something like that at least not very effectively. Mby the new little STC’s (IMO still not going to work well) but that’s different than the above.

 

[iseegeorgesstar]

Hand holding near 7 pounds of optic? How the heck you will hold and focus them?

You must be trolling or joking???

For example. The old Zeiss image stabilized binoculars were designed to be handheld but to use them for anything but out of the truck or on a tripod just didn’t really work. At near 4 pounds they were too heavy to carry around your neck and they were still just a bit too big. They were way more ergonomic than twin spotters mounted to an aluminum plate. Not sure how you’re really going to hold and look through something like that at least not very effectively. Mby the new little STC’s (IMO still not going to work well) but that’s different than the above.

No, I'm not trolling. I've handheld 20x65 binoculars regularly before. It's at the end of my limit for sure but very much possible. The larger issue is shake from magnification. I've thought about trying to handheld 9-10lb binos but that really seemed like too much and 6lbs was really the limit so I never took the plunge with purchasing the heavier binos.

I have no idea how this makeshift binoscope focuses which is why I asked earlier. The regular spotter has a focuser which means there would be two focusers?

 

[BBob]

Well I guess this goes to show you’ve made near zero effort to actually look into what the discussion was about. Happy to have a discussion but I’m not spoon feeding anymore. Good day!