Swaro BTX vs Kowa
- Thread starter Pinkes
- Start date
Turbulent Turtle
F-TR competitor
The Kowa 88/99 (and I think the new 66) has the best glass on the planet for a spotting scope; pure fluorite crystal. I chose the 88x model over the 99x because of the huge difference is size and weight. The 88x is just perfect for me in F-class as well as digiscoping, and amateur astronomy. I bought the ultra wide-angle eyepiece you mentioned, and the combo is breathtaking. I also have Baader astronomical eyepieces and digiscoping attachments for my Nikon D-7500 DSLR.
The Swaro is the runner-up in glass, but they do make some nice attachments, particularly the binocular eyepiece. But it is heavy and expensive. I see a few on the line but they are the 115mm and that's even heavier; you need to mount it on a cart, preferably self-powered, to roll it around.
I've looked through many BTX and they are very nice especially with the binocular attachment, but I like my Kowa with the 80XW better especially in position.
Yesterday for example, the wind at Bayou was brutal. switching FAST. The last match of the day was absolutely insane. There was virtually no mirage. I aimed my Kowa to capture three flags downrange. I would look through the scope all the time and when the flags were all in agreement and had been there for a few seconds, I would transition to the rifle and take the shot within 2 seconds. If I took longer, I would go back to the spotting scope and verify the flags again. After taking the shot, I would go back to the spotting scope to see what the flags were indicating to confirm. It was epic, but my setup was such that I could transition and take the shot within 2 seconds. Almost to the point where my left eye was looking at the spotting scope and my right eye was behind the riflescope and all I did was move my head a bit.
If I wanted true binocular vision from a spotting scope, I would get the Kowa Highlander before the Swaro BTX and save some money.
The Swaro is the runner-up in glass, but they do make some nice attachments, particularly the binocular eyepiece. But it is heavy and expensive. I see a few on the line but they are the 115mm and that's even heavier; you need to mount it on a cart, preferably self-powered, to roll it around.
I've looked through many BTX and they are very nice especially with the binocular attachment, but I like my Kowa with the 80XW better especially in position.
Yesterday for example, the wind at Bayou was brutal. switching FAST. The last match of the day was absolutely insane. There was virtually no mirage. I aimed my Kowa to capture three flags downrange. I would look through the scope all the time and when the flags were all in agreement and had been there for a few seconds, I would transition to the rifle and take the shot within 2 seconds. If I took longer, I would go back to the spotting scope and verify the flags again. After taking the shot, I would go back to the spotting scope to see what the flags were indicating to confirm. It was epic, but my setup was such that I could transition and take the shot within 2 seconds. Almost to the point where my left eye was looking at the spotting scope and my right eye was behind the riflescope and all I did was move my head a bit.
If I wanted true binocular vision from a spotting scope, I would get the Kowa Highlander before the Swaro BTX and save some money.
falconpilot
Gold $$ Contributor
I owned the 883 and it was very nice...but I bought a BTX and there is simply no comparision in what I can see through the BTX as compared to the 883. I can see mirage running in four or five different directions at one time..it really allows one to pick the field apart and find the mirage that is telling the truth.
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