Is there really any difference between these two high end spotters when comparing the 65's or the 80's? Pro's & Con's of each...

I did a search on the internet and can't find anything really recent on this.

Has anyone actually done a side by side comparison?

No one has compared the two?

I know you didn't ask specifically about the Kowa 884 Prominar, but it's the best spotter on the planet IMO.

I have the 883, and I find it superior to the Swarovski 80HD.

Just curious why you find it superior? Just the quality of the image or are you taking into count the physical quality of the scope?

It is brighter in low light, The clarity is slightly better, especially at the edges, and the color seems truer. I also prefer the separate fine and coarse focus adjustments.

I"ll second what stubble said, and add that the build quality of the 883/884 is second to none. Moving parts are smooth as silk.

Can it being brighter be attributed to it being a 88mm scope vs a 80 or 65mm scope or because its better optically? As for the fine and course adjust the Leica has the same set-up.

Have you compared it to a Leica or just Swarovski?

One thing I will say about the Leica is that the focus is smooth but the zoom on the eyepiece isn't as smooth as what I would have expected for this type of scope...that was disappointing to me

I could not tell you for sure, but it is noticeably brighter than the 80mm Swarovski. I haven't tried the 77mm Kowa myself, but is supposedly more than a match for the 80mmSwarovski.

http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.topoptics.biz/Technique/Bras-de-fer/KowaTSN773-vs-ATS80HD.htm&ei=osC0TtG4I-WViQKt8711&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CEQQ7gEwBA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dkowa%2B773%2Bvs%2Bswarovski%2B80%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3D4EZ%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26prmd%3Dimvnsfd



Just Swarovski, but in all of the tests that I could find, the Leica was always third.

In fact the Kowa 773 was a match for the larger APO.

http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.topoptics.biz/Technique/Bras-de-fer/KowaTSN773-vs-APOTelevid82.htm&ei=fsO0TsKoLqHYiAKFqJ2BAQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQ7gEwADgK&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dkowa%2Btsn883%2Bvs%2Bleica%2Bapo%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1016%26bih%3D561%26prmd%3Dimvns

A little dated, but applicable to the Kowa vs Swaro question.... I wouldn't even cosider a Leica spotter at over $3000....some folks say Leica's customer service sucks, some say it's great. Everybody knows Swaro's CS is fantastic. I have seen the superiority of my Kowa over the Swaro HD several times in the field.

http://www.livingbird.org/bbimages/lb/pdf/ScopeChart2008.pdf

Can you point out the tests you found regarding the Leica....anything I can find is in relation to the previous model from Leica and not the new one. Would like to have a read of it.

The comparison that I posted the link for was for the Leica APO televid 82, what is the new model called?

sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQ7gEwADgK&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dkowa%2Btsn883%2Bvs%2Bleica%2Bapo%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1016%26bih%3D561%26prmd%3Dimvns [/quote]

Not many, if any testing of the Leica APO that I've seen. I don't think they've sold many yet would be my guess.

I had a look thru that one but it really doesn't give the upper hand to anyone...they seem to be neck and neck in that one.

Correct, but that is comparing the Kowa TSN 773, not the TSN 883 with the fluorite lens, which is definitely a step up. If the TSN 773 can match the Leica, then how can the TSN 883 with the larger fluorite lens not be even better?

Where are you located stubble....maybe we should do a comparison of the them first hand one of these days? I have a Leica 65mm APO, not the 82mm APO though

I am located in Fort Mcmurray. There are often several people using high end spotting scopes at the local range including Swarovski 80HDs.

ok guess that won't work since I am on the south end of Calgary....