Kowa 553 vs 554

[parshal]

Hey folks, I'm looking for feedback from anyone who has used both of these side by side. I have a 553 and am considering a 554 since I'm now using binos as my main optic and swapping to the spotter for the closer look. Not having to move the tripod down/up when switching would be useful especially having to "re-find" the animal due to the smaller FOV. The straight would be better for window use, too.

Here's my question, though. I have no issue with FOV when using the angled because I can rotate the eyepiece collar and use it in my eye socket to keep everything lined up and steady. I have to imagine that's more difficult to do with a straight spotter and that I'd find the short eye relief more frustrating.

Anyone tried both?

 

[sneaky]

The 553 doesn't come with a rotating collar, does it? I know when they first came out they didn't. For that size and weight I would do the 554 because of ease of packing. That's just me though. The 554 will probably be my next scope.

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[tdhanses]

Believe he is just talking about extending the eyepiece, the body doesn’t rotate. Both straight and angled will have the adjustable eyepiece but I find the angled to be better for me, this is purely a personal pref kind of thing.

I find the straight position to not be as “normal” or comfortable but really you would have to test it out yourself.

 

[parshal]

TD, that's why I've always used angled scopes but they've all had collars except for the 50 Vortex. I wasn't using 12x50's when I had the Vortex and I didn't care about swapping between binos and a scope. Now that I've got the 12x50's I'll be swapping more. I was curious if the angled lets you handle the eye relief better since it's easy to keep the eyepiece in your eye socket. I would think that would be more difficult to do with the straight.

 

[tdhanses]

TD, that's why I've always used angled scopes but they've all had collars except for the 50 Vortex. I wasn't using 12x50's when I had the Vortex and I didn't care about swapping between binos and a scope. Now that I've got the 12x50's I'll be swapping more. I was curious if the angled lets you handle the eye relief better since it's easy to keep the eyepiece in your eye socket. I would think that would be more difficult to do with the straight.

Yeah, I think only you can answer this in the end.

 

[parshal]

That's for sure. I'd just never seen anyone who's made that particular comment on angled vs straight.

 

[sneaky]

Seems like it would matter more on proper tripod height than angled vs straight on fitting your eye socket. Looking flat or downhill the straight would probably be easier as it would be basically same viewing setup as your binos. Uphill is where the angled shines. I just wish the little Kowa had a bit more eye relief, my 773 I have no issues with in that regard.

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