bsnyder
Well-Known Member
Any thoughts on this spotter? I'm stuck between this spotter with the 20-60 eye piece or an older ziess in the. Classifieds. Looks to best best bang for the buck with in my budget.
Kowa 601 spotter
- Thread starter bsnyder
- Start date
willfrye027
Well-Known Member
I have had a couple. If you can find one used or on eBay, they are excellent for the price. I would not pay full price. My favorite would be the 602 with the 30x wide eyepiece. It has an excellent FOV and resolution. They're incredibly lightweight as well (33-34oz). For mid level scope I think it's a great option, the last one I got picked up for around $350 used on ebay
bsnyder
Well-Known Member
Wow! That's a great deal the one I looked at was 850 with the eye piece.
bsnyder
Well-Known Member
Any one know the major differences between the kowa 601 and the 663? Other than 509 bucks?
willfrye027
Well-Known Member
663 has ED glass which will give you a little better resolution at high power. Larger objective will give you a few more minutes of low light glassing. I've looked through both and the difference is subtle but it's there. It's also heavier. If you are going to buy a spotter in this size/price range I would recommend the 30x fixed..it really will not disappoint. The 20-60 is fine but the 30x is a truly pleasurable view. There is not much to be gained in the 40-60 power range with a spotter unless you have a larger objective (77mm+). The image will be "closer" but the resolution no better and more eye strain. IMO to have a good view across all powers you need to spend a lot more on premium glass. That being said both of the scopes you mentioned will get the job done field judging deer and elk. If you're set on the 20-60 lens the 663 is a better choice but heavier and more expensive.
willfrye027
Well-Known Member
Phone skope through the 30x on a 601 kowa using an iPhone. Doesn't quite do it justice it's a great image and the same FOV at 30x as 20x on the 20-60 eyepiece.
bsnyder
Well-Known Member
That's awesome! I ended up with the bundle through camera land for the 663. I may swap the eye piece for the 30 fixed. Thank again for taking the time to help. But I think I made a good choice for bang for buck with a quality spotter. Again that's a great picture.
