When it comes to choosing a high-performance spotting scope for the most professional jobs, Kowa’s name will certainly top the list. They are often considered as one of the best birding scopes and their performance will justify this statement. Kowa TSN-880 series is the flagship range from legendary Kowa, one of the most popular optic brands of the modern world both for observing and digiscoping. In total, all four models have a large, oversized objective of 88mm. However, such large objective did not make these scopes bulkier to carry; they only weigh 53.6 ounces. Taking the large objectives into account, these scopes are much lighter than you would expect. Even the most perfectionist observers will never be disappointed with such brilliant and extraordinary performance. TSN-800 series can outperform all other spotting scopes effortlessly at any time, paving its way to becoming a supreme leader of the optic planet.
Series Overview:
This series is the best in class that Kowa has to offer. For a target shooter who wants to spot beyond 1000 yards, there is generally no shortcut other than spending a jaw-dropping amount of money. However, this range generally exerts tremendous pressure on the optical quality of a spotting scope. As you magnify more and more, the optical quality keeps on degrading. A standard spotting scope will not produce a bright and sharp image at 60X as it will at 15X magnification. So, you need something better than the standard for such professional need, and it will never be cheap. Forget about buying a premium quality spotting scope without spending a lot on it. Kowa TSN-880 series will deliver the best ever possible optical power, and all you need to do is to spend some extra bucks.
The 88mm lens is exceptionally capable of gathering extra light, providing better quality even at higher magnification. Moreover, add the prominar pure fluorite lens, and you will get the sharpest images ever possible. You can literally say goodbye to chromatic aberration or color fringing. These scopes create the most intelligent color, and you will never see any blurred image. One of the main factors of such premium optical quality, along with the best resolution and highest contrast, is the extra-low dispersion fluorite lens.
Despite having large objective lenses, these scopes are significantly lightweight and. They won’t weigh more than 53.6 ounces. Much of this has become possible for the magnesium alloy body, a much lighter metal. But, it retains the strength and the feel of traditional metal body products. These scopes, measuring 13-13.5 inches, are much shorter than the usual 88m spotting scopes and can be stuffed in your backpack easily. As usual, all Kowa TSN-880 series scopes are waterproof to JIS class 7 protection standards, and they are nitrogen sealed to protect the lens from the fog. So, you can dominate in all weather conditions with these ultra-durable spotting scopes. They also have a dual focus knob system—one is for focusing on various distances in only two revolutions, while the other one help to fine-tune your focus. This makes focusing the moving objects much easier and fun. Another added feature is eyepiece locking mechanism, providing more security by preventing accidental falling off.
Popular Products:
Among the four variants of this series, TSN-881 & TSN-883 offer angled body, and TSN-882 & TSN-884 offer straight viewing body. However, you will get the unique fluorite glass with the TSN-883/884 models. Others are made with the high-grade normal lens, which is also satisfactory in terms of quality. The filter diameter for these scopes are 95mm, and all of the products are digiscoping compatible. Note that, these products will not come with any eyepiece included, and you have to purchase them separately. There are three eyepieces available for all the four models: the TE-10Z (20-60x zoom), TE-17W (30x wide) and the TE-20H (25x LER – long eye relief). The TSN-883/884 will cost significantly higher than the other two scopes.
Final Verdict:
Are you a super meticulous person demanding the most perfection? And, are you ready to compromise your budget? If the answer is “yes” in both the questions, you are definitely looking for a Kowa TSN-880 series product. These scopes will deliver unrivaled optical power in a compact package without any downside. Nothing less than a brighter, sharper, and more perfect images will be on your sight. This series, however, can be overkill for many people who do not require such a massive powerhouse.