Kowa TSN 4

[johnf3f]

I have just bought a Kowa TSN 4 Spotting scope without an eyepiece - it was going at the sort of price that you cannot refuse! However I now need an eyepiece so I can use it! I want to use this scope between 20 to 50 or so magnification, so a zoom eyepiece may be handy, however I read that fixed magnification eyepieces give better image quality. I think that I could cover my needs with two fixed eyepieces or a zoom but as this is an "out of print" scope I am uncertain as to what ones will fit.
Any recommendations? Where to buy, new or used?

[nightshade]

Have you tried the bird forum?
Or Try
Buy Binoculars and Telescopes Online From Cley Spy

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by johnf3f

I have just bought a Kowa TSN 4 Spotting scope without an eyepiece - it was going at the sort of price that you cannot refuse! However I now need an eyepiece so I can use it! I want to use this scope between 20 to 50 or so magnification, so a zoom eyepiece may be handy, however I read that fixed magnification eyepieces give better image quality. I think that I could cover my needs with two fixed eyepieces or a zoom but as this is an "out of print" scope I am uncertain as to what ones will fit.
Any recommendations? Where to buy, new or used?

Have a look here, TSN3 is the straight version of your scope (or vice versa!):

Zoom for TSN3?? - BirdForum

Cheers
Jonathan

[david156]

My first scope was a TSN 2 because I couldn't afford the TSN 4. I also had the 30x WA and 20x - 60x Zoom eyepieces. Not a bad scope and I only replaced it a couple of years ago after having it for 20 years or more. And even though I replaced it with a swarovski, I was still sorry to see it go. Many many trips and lots of species of bird had been seen through it.
Good luck with the eyepieces. I managed to get a secondhand 30x WA very cheaply only about 3 or 4 years ago from a shop near Cley

[johnf3f]

Thanks Jonathan and Nightshade - much useful information!
Looks like the TSN 4 (straight eyepiece) was not quite such a bargain as I thought! The scope was VERY cheap (I think) but the eyepieces command pretty horrendous prices considering the optics involved. Still I read it's a very good scope, certainly better than anything else I would have considered buying, so it's pointless compromising on the accessories. Thanks again.

[johnf3f]

Update:
I had a good look around and narrowed my choices down to two Kowa's, however the Opticron HDL & SDL eyepieces will also fit. I have ended up with the Opticron SDL V2 zoom eyepiece which seems to work very well. It's not quite as good as the fixed power eyepiece however it's well good enough and MUCH more versatile. Unfortunately as I don't know the focal length of my scope I cannot work out what the magnification range is though, after a couple of outings, the zoom range appears to cover all my foreseeable needs.
For anyone with one of the older TSN 1/2/3/4 scopes the Opticron SDL zooms (part Nos 40936 & 40935) and the HDL zoom are well worth a look.

P.S. In order to fit them properly you will need to put a rubber (or similar) washer inside the threaded collar of the eyepiece to prevent it turning when you use the zoom function.