Kowa 773 vs 883

HuntnID

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May 30, 2013
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I am about at my wits end. I am going to buy a Kowa 773 or 883. I keep bouncing back and forth about which one to buy. In one thread, I get information that the 883 is the only way to go. In another thread, I get information that while the 883 is better than the 773, the additional $1200 only gets you a small fraction of performance.

While I appreciate great glass, I can also appreciate saving $1200, so I continue teetering between the two.

The size/weight isn't incredibly important but lighter is obviously better. I like to use a phoneskope and typically do a lot of glassing but historically and realistically, most of my glassing is done from 10s or 15s on a tripod.

I'm looking for some sort of input that will sway me one way or the other. What say you guys?
 
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HuntnID

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I know the 773 is for sale $400 off right now. If someone had the 883 also for sale, maybe that would help the decision making process. Any leads?
 

Turkeygetpwnd38

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Good conundrum to have. I have the 883 and love it. Usually find myself packing it no matter how deep I'm going, I just cut elsewhere. Check cameraland, they can probably get it closer to $900-1000 apart.
 

sneaky

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You're literally splitting hairs at this point

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sneaky

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So you have looked through both of them and little or no difference?
Yes. I own a 773. But that was my personal choice. I could have bought the 883, and if I were a dedicated phone skoper of birds I very well may have bought it. I've never regretted buying the 773. It does everything I need for a spotter to do.

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HuntnID

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Alright. Thanks for the input. I wish there was someone local with both of them. Haha
 

Finn16

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I am about at my wits end. I am going to buy a Kowa 773 or 883. I keep bouncing back and forth about which one to buy. In one thread, I get information that the 883 is the only way to go. In another thread, I get information that while the 883 is better than the 773, the additional $1200 only gets you a small fraction of performance.

While I appreciate great glass, I can also appreciate saving $1200, so I continue teetering between the two.

The size/weight isn't incredibly important but lighter is obviously better. I like to use a phoneskope and typically do a lot of glassing but historically and realistically, most of my glassing is done from 10s or 15s on a tripod.

I'm looking for some sort of input that will sway me one way or the other. What say you guys?

I'm struggling with same decision but my list also includes one more - the Meopta Meostar S2.
 

sneaky

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Alright. Thanks for the input. I wish there was someone local with both of them. Haha
Where are you located? Have you looked up their dealer locator?

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HuntnID

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I'm in North Idaho. There's a dealer 45 minutes away. I'll have to give them a call to see if they keep any stock.
 

pc3

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I'm struggling with same decision but my list also includes one more - the Meopta Meostar S2.

When I went through the process the Swarovski was out of my budget.

I looked at the Kowa 883 & Meopta S2, I read a lot of reviews on the S2/883 (as many as i could find) and then went with the S2 $1799 spotter and 20-70x eyepiece deal at CL.

Now keep in mind I have Never looked through Kowa or Swarovski spotter so I cant compare. But I can say that the view through the Meopta S2 is brilliant and I am satisfied.

The special on the S2 is ultimately what swayed me over the Kowa along with the many favorable reviews, you often cant get a look at this gear here in Australia prior to owning it, so have to go on reviews in many instances. The S2 kept some $$ in my wallet and gave me at $1799 what I think to be great value.

It left me some $$ to add tripod and head as well as a marsupial protective case and outdoorsman tripod bag to go with my spotter.

In any case if you or the buy any of these spotters mentioned your not going to miss any game your searching for due to the glass I wouldn't have thought.
 
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I have the 773. I downsized from a Diascope when I bought it. The game changer for me as a backpack hunter wasn't so much the weight but the overall size in my pack. I continue to be amazed at what Kowa packed into that 77. While I think it would be neat to have the big spotter for roadside glassing, I haven't ever wished for bigger when I was in the back country. I really don't feel I lack for anything with the 773.
 

tdot

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I was able to compare the 883/773/663 a few years ago. I also compared them at the time to the ATS Swaro in both the 80 and 60mm size. While I ended up with the 663 purely for weight reasons. At the time I recall thinking that the 773 optically was closer to the 66 then the 88, yet the size of the 77 felt closer to the 88. So I didn't consider it for very long. But I did think long and hard about the 88, and in the end I regret not buying the 88. I've subsequently invested in the TX swaro series for its modularity, but I doubt I would have been looking for new glass again if I'd chosen the 88.
 
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I’ve owned both the kowa 664 & 774. The 664 was nice, good view, clear. The 774 is a definite improvement across the board vs the 664 to my eyes. I’ve not looked through the larger kowa. The 774 is the last spotting scope I’ll purchase, no need for anything else. The edge to edge clarity and color rendition is excellent.
 

gr8fuldoug

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I’ve owned both the kowa 664 & 774. The 664 was nice, good view, clear. The 774 is a definite improvement across the board vs the 664 to my eyes. I’ve not looked through the larger kowa. The 774 is the last spotting scope I’ll purchase, no need for anything else. The edge to edge clarity and color rendition is excellent.
The eyepiece for the 77 series is far superior to the eyepiece of the 66 series
 
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