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Pros - Amazing image quality - Lightweight and compact - Interchangeable eyepieces for diverse uses Cons - No eyepiece included - No tripod included - Very short eye relief

Welcome to my review of the Kowa Standard Optics 60mm Spotting Scope. Since Kowa is a new name to me in optics, I was glad to get an opportunity to check out this spotting scope. Here’s what I found out.

The first thing you should know is that this model does not include an eyepiece. I purchased the 20–60X zoom eyepiece, and was disappointed to find that it was almost as expensive as the spotting scope itself.

The spotting scope features a 60mm objective lens and is designed with a straight eyepiece. The eye relief is pretty short, ranging from just 16mm to 16.5mm. Beware of this model if you wear eyeglasses.

The spotting scope weighs 1.6 pounds and measures 11.75 inches in length.

What Comes in the Box?

When you purchase the spotting scope, all you get is the scope itself. No eyepiece, no carrying case, and no tripod. It’s unfortunate that they don’t bundle the carrying case and a tripod with the purchase, and even more disheartening that the eyepieces are so expensive.

What’s the Magnification of the Scope

Using the eyepiece I purchased, the scope provides 20X to 60X magnification. There’s no chromatic aberration at any magnification, just a clear, crisp, detailed image with plenty of contrast and sharpness. The eyepiece provides a field of view that is 57 feet to 108 feet wide from 1,000 yards.

How Easy Is It To Use?

This model is quite easy to use, with intuitively-placed controls. The magnification wheel and focus knob move freely but with enough resistance to prevent you from bumping things awry. Adjusting the zoom is done with a wheel around the eyepiece, and the focus knob is located at the top center of the spotting scope.

What’s the Light Gathering Capability Like on the Spotting Scope?

This spotting scope offers exceptional transmittance, giving you an image that is clear and full of contrast and detail even at night or in low-light conditions. It’s fairly suitable for backyard astronomy, too. The eyepiece’s twilight factor ranges from 34.6 to 60, depending on magnification.

How Are the Optics and Focus on This Spotting Scope?

The porro prism design utilizes BaK–4 prism glass, and there isn’t a smidgin of phase shift at any magnification thanks to judicial application of phase correction coating. The optics are {fully multicoated}, maximizing the scope’s light transmission and image quality.

Focus is smooth and easy to achieve, letting you get a clean, crisp image at any magnification.

What’s the Housing Like on the Spotting Scope?

The body of the Kowa Standard Optics 60mm spotting scope is made of strong, lightweight polycarbonate materials, and the entire surface is covered with rubberized coating for ease of handling and ergonomic fit. It includes a standard tripod mount, which unfortunately is fixed in place and cannot be rotated.

How Durable is the Scope?

This model is shockproof, fogproof, and waterproof, thanks to O-ring sealed lenses and a nitrogen-purged optics chamber. It comes with a 10 year warranty (not lifetime, as some Amazon listings claim), and is definitely built to last. The eyepieces, too, are well constructed and do include a lifetime warranty.