Re: Spotting Scope
GAIL@UMDD.UMD.EDU
Tue, 22 Dec 98 07:52:59 EST
Hi --
We have been going through the same examinations -- going to upgrade our
Kowa TSN-2 to a more high-powered scope. In the last year we've been able to
directly compare the new Kowa 82 mm with the Swarovski. Both are superb, when
the Swarovski first came out we thought it closest to our Questar, but this
summer in Finland the new Fluorite 82 mm Kowa was even better, esp. at the
highest mags -- it has a remarkable zoom. However, rumblings from Europe
speak of even *better* scopes (a new Optolyth 100 mm, for example). It seems
to be rather like computers now, you keep waiting for an upgrade and thus never
actually *buy* anything.
The best advice is to set up a direct comparison, both for optical quality and
for the intangibles such as focussing mode (I, for one, don't particularly
like the Swarovski's "ring" focus).
Despite it all, the Questar still outperforms all on resolution, but of
course it's drawback is small field of view (even with the 32mm ocular)
and non-intutitive mode of use (which you do, btw, get used to). But the
refracting scopes are getting better and better (and more and more expensive,
of course!).
Cheers, Gail Mackiernan