LAST UPDATED: May 1st, 2015
Kowa TSN-884 Spotting Scope
Sight is paramount in making accurate decisions afield, and the folks at Kowa have created a spotting scope that won’t disappoint.
On AccurateShooter.com, reviewer Danny Reever stated, “The Kowa Prominar (TSN 88X series) is quite simply the best spotting scope I’ve ever looked through. In all instances the Kowa out-performed everything I was able to compare it to. The Kowa had unrivaled clarity, and I could resolve 6mm bullet holes at 500m with it better than with my 100mm Pentax. After testing the Kowa, I sold my Pentax PF100-ED, and I’m planning to purchase a Kowa TSN-884.”
Featuring a large 88mm objective, the Kowa TSN-844 is an incredibly compact scope slightly exceeding 13 inches in length, excluding eyepiece. The scope body constructed of magnesium alloy, affords a trim weight of 53.6 ounces. Including the 20-60X eyepiece, length is 16 3/8 inches, and weight is 65.1 ounces. When compared to other scopes such as the Pentax PF100-ED, the Kowa is an amazing 3 1/2 pounds (56 ounces) lighter allowing you to use a more compact and lighter tripod if you so desire.
Kowa offers three new eyepieces designed for its 77-88mm family of scopes: a 25X long eye relief; a 30X wide angle; and a 20-60X zoom. These current eyepieces are held securely within the body by means of a locking button on the scope body designed to be pressed while removing an eyepiece preventing accidental detachment. The shortest distance at which the TSN-884 can focus is 16.5 feet — perfect for handgun spotting duties.
Bright, super-sharp, distortion-free images come from superior glass. The objective lens of the TSN 884 incorporates Pure Fluorite Crystal (PFC) giving you 99% or higher light transmission. One focuses the Kowa via a system of two focus controls along one axis. The Kowa 883/884 is designed to function in all weather conditions with the nitrogen-purged body fully sealed and the “housing” waterproof.
On the AccurateShooter websites Daily Bulletin, the Kowa Prominar was rated number one by the Cornell Ornithology lab in its 2008 Scope Quest – a detailed review of 36 spotting scopes.
