TSN-82SV - Kowa 82mm High Performance Spotting Scope with Angled Body (Price: $729.75 as of 2/10/2013)

With the portability and compactness of a 60mm class scope and the optical performance of an 82mm scope, this high-performance Kowa model will satisfy both experienced users and beginners. Kowa enjoys a spectacular reputation of enduring quality internationally, where there are large numbers of nature enthusiasts. Their TSN-82SV Spotting Scope is the modern iteration of Kowa's TSN-821M scope, which endured for well over a decade as their premium design. The 82SV's a great choice if you want the very best in optics from a respected Japanese company. The TSN-82SV was created using advanced optical technology and the best of materials known. Its 82mm objective lens gathers gobs of light, ensuring a bright field of view in nearly any practical nature viewing situation. It also makes for a great casual-use astronomical scope.

Features:

Specifications:

Note: Does not include eyepiece.

"Recently traded for this spotter with the 25X LER (long eye relief) eyepiece. For a wearer of eyeglasses this LER [32 mm er] is a Godsend. Can't say enough about it however I would like more power than 25X. How powerful can I go before I run into the "tunneling" effect? What is available out there for the Kowa? I fear the 20X60 zoom just knowing that I will be right back into the collision of ep to eyeglasses problem."  [src]

shopping sites:
  site-1 has Kowa TSN600 Series Spotters. (1) 25x Eyepiece for 60mm & 66mm Kowa Spotters [tsiu: TSN-82SV is 60mm or 82mm?].  (2) Long Eye Relief 
  site-2 -

Model: Kowa Interchangeable Eyepieces for Kowa 66mm / 60mm / 82SV Spotting Scopes - 25x Long Eye Relief Eyepiece   ($240 as of 2/10/2013)
Code: KW-4S-Eyepiece-TE-17HD
MPN: TE-17HD
UPC: 879110001067

 

Kowa Eyepieces are made to mate seamlessly with Kowa Spotting Scopes. Compatible models include the TSN 600 Kowa 60mm Spotting Scopes and the TSN 660 Kowa 66mm Spotting Scopes, and Kowa 82mm TSN 82SV Scopes - any of these can be coupled with any of the several Kowa Interchangeable Eyepieces offered here, to meet your specific needs. There are single magnification models and zooms, and some have apparent viewing angles (real viewing angle multiplied by the magnification factor) of >60°.

Kowa TSN-660 / TSN-600 Spotting Scopes Eyepieces:

Interchangeable Eyepieces for Kowa 66mm / 60mm High Performance Spotting Scopes can also be used with:

Note: does not fit older Kowa 821, 822, 823, 824 scopes.

Choose for your Kowa Spotting Scope one of the Kowa Interchangeable Eyepieces with a wide apparent field of view (greater than 60°) if you don't wear thick glasses and want to be "swimming in field". This will provide you with more real field for a given magnification than can ever be had from a zoom eyepiece, allowing easier subject tracking with the benefit of more observable detail thanks to the increase in magnification.

If you have to wear thick glasses, select a Kowa Spotting Scope Eyepiece with long eye relief. These have a profoundly-long distance between the rear element and the location which your pupil can be while still being able to observe the entire field of view. Naturally, this comes at the cost of less apparent field of view, but if you must wear glasses or sunglasses it is the most comfortable option for use.

Kowa TSE-Z9B 20-60x zoom for Kowa TSN-660 and TSN-600 (66 and 60mm) Spotting Scopes replaces Kowa TSE-Z4 eyepiece. Kowa Z9B Zoom Eyepiece has been completely redone and has nothing in common with its predecessor, it is a completely new eyepiece. Kowa TSE Z9B Spotting Scope Zoom Eyepiece has better specs, better clarity, has twist-up eyecups, and also incorporates the new zooming mechanism that is in Kowa TSE-Z7C Zoom Eyepiece.

Specifications for Kowa Interchangeable Eyepieces for 66mm and 60mm Spotting Scopes:

Model:   TE-17HD  TSE-21WD  TSE-Z6  TE-14WD  TSE-9Z
Magnification :   25x , LER  20x , Wide  20-40x , Zoom  30x , Wide  20-60x, Zoom
Angle of View :   2.1°  3.3°  20x: 1.9°

 40x: 1.4°

  2.4°  20x: 1.9°

 60x: 1.1°
Field-of-View (@ 1000 Yds) :   110' (37 m at 1000 m)  173' (58 m at 1000 m)

 20x: 100' (33 m at 1000 m)

 40x: 73' (24 m at 1000 m)

  126' (42 m at 1000 m) 32.3-17.5 yds
Exit Pupil Diameter :   2.4mm with 60mm scopes

 2.6mm with 66mm scopes

  3.0mm with 60mm scopes

 3.3mm with 66mm scopes

  20x: 3.0mm with 60mm scopes; 3.3mm with 66mm scopes

 40x: 1.5mm with 60mm scopes; 1.7mm with 66mm scopes

  2.0mm with 60mm scopes

 2.2mm with 66mm scopes

  3.3-1.1mm
Eye Relief :   32mm  20mm  20x: 18.5mm

 40x: 15mm

  20mm  20x: 16.5mm

 60x: 16mm
Relative Brightness :   5.8 with 60mm scopes

6.8 with 66mm scopes

  9.0 with 60mm scopes

10.9 with 66mm scopes

  20x: 9.0 with 60mm scopes; 10.9 with 66mm scopes

40x: 2.3 with 60mm scopes; 2.9 with 66mm scopes

  4.0 with 60mm scopes

4.8 with 66mm scopes

  

I have the TSN-884 (straight) [tsiu:  very $$$] hooked up to a Panasonic GH2 via the TSN-VA3. If you use the TSN-DA3st
mount you really dont need the adapter rings unless you just want a tighter fit locked in. The vertical
alignment of the DA3st is just high enough for the GH2. I removed the small vertical stop plate to allow
a tad more height. The regular DA3 has a longer vertical bar or the angled bracket (DA3-88A) may be an option too.

I have tried a Voigtlander 25mm, 14-140mm and a the 100-300mm. The 100-300mm could only extend to 200mm.
I am also waiting for the 20-60x eye piece that I ordered. Maybe there is more room with that setup vs the VA3.

Also, with the ETC mode on the GH2 you can film HD video with no vignetting.
The 100-300mm (at 200mm) gave easily ~250 yards range for a small bird.
The VA3 is only 14x so the range with the 20-60x is probably ridiculous lol.

Nikon Fieldscope ED50 Angled (Pearlescent Green)
$452.71 + $14.14 Shipping (not include eyepieces)
- light weight: about 1 lb.
- With the wide DS (DS = digiscoping) eyepiece it still weighs just 750g and small enough to fit in a pocket in the rucksack
- Compatible with six MC (multi-coated) eyepieces and three Wide DS eyepieces
- Magnification: 20x to 30x
- (bad) Eye relief: 13mm
- review-1 : It is one of the best choices if you’re looking for a handheld spotting scope. This small scope is the lightest spotting scope on our list.
- Note: higher magnification is often of little use due to heat, haze, etc
- "I fitted the Nikon Fieldscope Zoom Eyepiece 13-40x ($300) on mine and the image quality is outstanding for such a small scope."
- Zoom Eyepiece 13-40x - Ample eye relief: Twist-cup eyepieces provide viewing comfort, especially for eyeglass wearers.
                                       - can buy from Nikon or ebay.