Kowa TSN-553 Review, By Luke Moffat

[luke moffat]

Luke thanks for taking the time to do the review This year I'm finally ready to upgrade my spotter from the Luepy gold ring 12-40x60. The TSN-553 runs about $2100 here in Canada which is at the upper end of my budget so I would like to get this right. To date I've only owned straight spotters ( though the Luepy is an odd shaped one ), do you prefer the angled or straight? I do almost all of my glassing with binos and usually just use the spotter for verifying and judging size. It looks like the straight would pack alot nicer.

Sorry for the late reply. I have owned straight spotters but have grown to prefer angled. Its 100% personal preference though, neither is better, just what you prefer. That said these spotters are so compact that I doubt there would be many pockets that would house the straight Kowa but not the angled.

 

[luke moffat]

I’m following this one to hear back on the eye relief for eye glass users. I’ve been thinking hard about an upgrade to a Swaro 65mm, but the size and weight of this thing is really intriguing. I’m not counting rings on sheep or anything either, mostly just getting a closer look at something already spotted or spying on some shaded hell hole looking for elk and deer. I’ve been carrying an 85mm razor for a few seasons now... 29 oz and that compact size would be a nice change.

For your application I feel the Kowa could be a nice and much smaller and lighter option. Chances are you'd reach for it on most hunts.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

We have these awesome scopes in stock and at a special price for the members here. if you'd care to discuss it please give us a call.

 

[dotman]

This thing is tiny and weighs nothing when you compare it to the usual spotting scope one would pack. Look forward to testing it out.

 

[nrh6.7]

Tim, looks like you got a new toy.

 

[Clarktar]

Tim, looks like you got a new toy.

Before he sold his old toy!1

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[nrh6.7]

Before he sold his old toy!1

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Saw that too! : )

 

[dotman]

Haha, yeah can’t keep both unfortunately

 

[luke moffat]

Right on Dotman, I hope you like it. It is a cute little devil isn't it.

 

[nrh6.7]

The 55mm Kowa is something I am really considering getting at some point next year. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

 

[mcseal2]

Luke, good write up. But optics wise, how does this compare with the Nikon ED 50mm 15-30. Also, how is the eye relief for use with glasses for those of us with tired eyes.

Thanks


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[/QUOTE]

I have both, The ED50 is a hell of a spotter for it's size, but the Kowa blows it away in every way except field of view. The magnification ranges are the reason for this.

 

[nrh6.7]

Luke, do you see a spot for the little Kowa if I already have 8x32 and 12x50 binos? Just not sure they aren't redundant, or enough of an increase to justify the addtitional purchase.

 

[mcseal2]

A little background on my use with the new 55mm Kowa and my thoughts on it: I got one when they first hit the market after talking to Steve Speck and Rob from S&S Archery.

I started out on spotters with a Leupold Sequoia and soon upgraded to a Nikon ED50. I still own that scope and while I'd sell it since I own the Kowa it's still an awesome spotter for what you can buy them for used. If I'm elk hunting and just need to tell if a bull is broken or not I'll likely still use it, it's lighter than the Kowa if not as good optically. It does the job.

I bought an ATS 80mm HD Swaro a couple years ago and later an STM 65mm non-HD Swaro before the Kowa 55mm hit the market. I sold the STM65 to buy the Kowa and don't think I didn't improve in any category except field of view. For my use the Kowa works so well I'm considering selling the 80mm Swaro also.

The big Swaro is better than the Kowa in low light, and has much better field of view. The low light difference just isn't anywhere nearly as big as I'd imagined it would be. I switched between both watching whitetail bucks off my window mount at 1200yds earlier this month and I couldn't count points or distinguish frames with the Swaro either when I switched off the Kowa the last time. My hunting partner has a Swaro non HD STS 20-60x80 spotter and he could not see any antler detail at 800 or 900yds I couldn't also see with the Kowa or vise versa. This spotter has performance spotters of this size have not previously touched. I have not used a 50mm Vortex Razor, but comparisons between the Razor and ED50 I've seen make me believe this. I just wanted to say I have not used the 50mm Razor so take that into consideration. I have used the 65mm and 85mm Razors and don't think either beats the Kowa by to much.

I am much like Luke in that I use higher magnification binos off a tripod a lot of the time instead of a spotter. I honestly almost never use a spotter except to evaluate game I've already found with binos. For this the Kowa is perfect. It does that job great without the weight penalty of a big spotter, and makes it much more likely I pack my 15x Swaros along with my 10x Leicas. Even if I don't want to pack the 15x Swaros, I think I'm enough of a bino on tripod fan I'd still only use the spotter to evaluate game rather than glass for hours.

The Kowa is plenty good enough glass to do more than evaluate game, the smaller field of view is the only drawback I see to using it if you want to glass a lot with a spotter. I can't say how amazed I still am every time I use it with the image from a spotter of this size.

For me trying to justify the weight of a the 10x Leica Geovid HD-B rangefinding binos I love in my bino harness, the Swaro SLC 15x56's I love off a tripod, and a spotter for more magnification I love the Kowa. If I don't want the 15x Swaros for finding game (ok I always want them but if I don't want to carry them) I still feel the Leicas and Kowa spotter are an effective combo.

 

[sneaky]

Thanks for the review Luke. For me Kowa is the difference between carrying and not carrying a spotter. In most of my hunting situations there is no need to determine legality.

I think the Kowa is a bit overpriced though. It does not have the same features (rotating collar, exchangeable eyepiece) and has not been finished to the same degree as a swaro and it should not command such a price. If the Kowa was $500-$800 cheaper I'd have one. Until I can grab a second hand one I'll just stick with the 10's and 15's.

Could you imagine how much a Swaro would be if they used pure fluorite glass in them? That makes a ton of difference in price.

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[dotman]

Right on Dotman, I hope you like it. It is a cute little devil isn't it.

Yes it is and man I forgot how small a 50-55m spotter is.

 

[Tony Trietch]

Great write up Luke!

 

[nrh6.7]

mcseal, this is great info and what I was curious about. Looks like the 554 will be a good replacement for the 773 I sold a while back.

I am much like Luke in that I use higher magnification binos off a tripod a lot of the time instead of a spotter. I honestly almost never use a spotter except to evaluate game I've already found with binos. For this the Kowa is perfect. It does that job great without the weight penalty of a big spotter, and makes it much more likely I pack my 15x Swaros along with my 10x Leicas. Even if I don't want to pack the 15x Swaros, I think I'm enough of a bino on tripod fan I'd still only use the spotter to evaluate game rather than glass for hours.

The Kowa is plenty good enough glass to do more than evaluate game, the smaller field of view is the only drawback I see to using it if you want to glass a lot with a spotter. I can't say how amazed I still am every time I use it with the image from a spotter of this size.

For me trying to justify the weight of a the 10x Leica Geovid HD-B rangefinding binos I love in my bino harness, the Swaro SLC 15x56's I love off a tripod, and a spotter for more magnification I love the Kowa. If I don't want the 15x Swaros for finding game (ok I always want them but if I don't want to carry them) I still feel the Leicas and Kowa spotter are an effective combo.

 

[dotman]

If anyone is interested, the Vortex Razor 50mm angled fitted case fits about perfect on the Kowa 553.

 

[C Bow]

Does Kowa have lifetime warranty on their spotters like other spotters and if not does anyone know why

 

[C Bow]

I found Kowa warranty info Thanks