what 80mm is best overall

hi i am wondering what spotting scope is currently the brightest best clarity spotting scope in the 80 mm class?

Hi! I don't own a spotting scope, but I'm in the market for one. From what I've read (esp. the Living Bird 2008 scope review), the Kowa 883/884 (above 80mm) or 773-774 (below 80mm) seem to be regarded the best among true spotting scopes, closely followed by the Swarovski ATS 80 HD. If you include astronomical telescopes also suitable for spotting, the Tele Vue 85mm telescope has even better image but the quirks (reversed image and lack of weatherproofing) of an astronomical telescope.

ya im also in the market still trying to decide if spending the money on a swarovski or kowa is worth it or to just go with the nikon 82mm fieldscope111,if i go with top of the line is kowa better tha swarovski,is there warranty as good? also having a hard time deciding between angled or straight. do about 70/30, spotting from truck the majority.any opinions on any of this or pros and cons would be helpful thanks

I've done extensive research on this very subject, including bombarding Joanie with questions here. I understand the Kowa 883/884 is regarded as the top glass right now. I believe the very top bang for the buck, with brilliant optics too, is the Nikon Fieldscope 82 ED. I found a killer deal on one and it did not disappoint me, in fact, I find it spectacular. I don't wear glasses, which is the big knock on the Nikon with the zoom (marginal eye relief). Good Luck.

thanks jgraider im kind of leaning the same way just wondering have you tried the kowa,or swarovskis against the nikon as far as brightness and clarity, early morning or late evening? thanks

mthunter, I haven't tried them side by side yet. My neighbor has a Zeiss 85T FL. When he gets back in town I'll put them up side by side and do a quick comparison. As you know the price diffence between the Kowas and Swaros and the Nikon is substantial, $1000+. I'm pretty certain you wouldn't anywhere near this much difference in looking through them. In pure optics I'm sure you'd find the Nikon very close, if not equal to the Swaro, and very close to the Kowas, all of this is what I've gathered from various forums/tests.

From your two threads I gather that low light brightness with good clarity is your primary objective. Maybe you should just go with the Kowa 883 or 884 and stop worrying about it. 88 mm is the biggest aperture of the scopes you're considering and thus collects the most light, and it's probably safe to say that all of these top-of-the-line scopes are nearly equally good in terms of optical efficiency.

thanks jgraider ive looked through the swarovskis several times some top of the line leupolds ,but cant seem to find a kowa or nikon 82 ed to look through so im just going off other peoples experiences.usually i like to take all the ones im considering and try them myself side by side,thats how i ended up with my swarovskiel binos.but am kind of leaning towards the nikons right now,just because of the price difference.it will just be a lot of money either way and trying to get a real good feel for the pros and cons before i bite the bullet.

mthunter, if you are not in a terible rush to buy your scope, look around to see if there are any birding groups in your area or to find a birding tour close by (birding festivals are about to get into swing for the fall migration). Try to join one of their outings. You will usually finde all of the premium scopes represented and birders are very willing to share their scopes so you can get a pretty good side-by-side comparison in actual field use. I agree that any of the scopes listed above will probably not disappoint. But I also agree with Joanie when she says to buy the best you can afford. Hope this helps,
John

i also agree and would like to buy the best i can afford just having a hard time nailing down which is best.