KOWA Prominar TSN-99A & TE-80XW Eyepiece Review

Product Highlights

45° Angled Viewing
30-70x Wide-Angle Zoom Eyepiece
Massive 99mm Objective Lens System
Fluorite Crystal & ED Glass Elements
Nitrogen-Filled, Water and Fogproof
Durable and Lightweight Magnesium Body
Dual 1/4"-20 and 3/8"-16 Tripod Mount
Rotating Tripod Collar
Fine and Coarse Dual Focus
Twist-Out Sunshade with Aiming Sight

The 45° angled viewing Kowa TSN-99A 30-70x99 Prominar Spotting Scope Zoom Kit combines their largest scope body with a powerful wide-angle eyepiece and gives you a complete observation rig—you just need to supply a reliable and steady tripod to set it up on.

This spotting scope utilizes a combination of extra-low dispersion and pure fluorite crystal glass, coupled with optical lens coatings, to produce views free from chromatic aberrations, high light transmission, and improved color rendition, resolution, contrast, and clarity. Additional design elements include a specially designed ring and bayonet mount that allows the use of a suite of accessories and eyepieces to enhance your user experience and expand the capabilities of your scope.

Optical Performance

Powerful 30-70x wide angle eyepiece allows you to scan the terrain for subjects on low power with the ability to zoom in and make detailed observation and positive identification
Front XD lens is made of extra-low dispersion glass and the secondary is made of fluorite crystal glass creating an optical path free from chromatic aberrations at even high magnification with high contrast and crisp clarity
Massive 99mm objective lens delivers outstanding low light performance with exceptional detail
Anti-reflection fully multicoated lenses maximize light transmission and improve color rendition, resolution, contrast, and clarity
Proprietary KR coating on the exterior of the lens actively repels dirt, moisture, and dust from collecting on its surface to ensure clear views
105-foot field of view on 30x, 60 feet on 70x

Use and Handling

Eyepiece socket is set at a 45° angle to the body, putting the user's head in a comfortable viewing position whether they are standing, sitting, or lying prone
Dual-focus system: Quick (coarse) focus allows for fast action to bring your subject in to detail in just a few smooth revolutions and Fine focus gives pin-point, finger-tip control offering precise focusing accuracy with minute adjustments possible, even when wearing gloves—increasing performance for applications such as digiscoping when accurate focus is critical
Eyepiece quick release button allows the eyepiece to be removed smoothly for quick eyepiece or adapter changes without compromising on a secure connection to the scope body
Tripod mount has a removable screw that allows the spotting scope to be attached to either 1/4"-20 and 3/8"-16 heads and quick release plates
The orientation of the scope can be changed with the release of a locking button for precise eyepiece placement to improve viewing comfort
An easily accessible collar on the eyepiece mount allows for quick connection of current Kowa System accessories, including adapters for digiscoping and a 1.6x extender
105mm objective filter thread allows for a protective or UV filter to be added—the sunshade can still be used even with a filter installed
Lens hood has a built-in aiming sight as a visual aid to assist in finding a subject more rapidly

Construction Details

Compact design measures under 15" long
Lightweight, strong, and corrosion-resistant magnesium alloy chassis
Nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed to protect from the elements—chassis is resistant to internal fogging in extreme conditions and waterproof
Smooth ergonomics make it comfortable and easy to use out in the field for long periods of time
Smooth twist-out sunshade helps to eliminate glare from the sun and reduces exposure of the objective lens to elements such as moisture, grit, and sand

Key features Kowa TSN-99A Prominar:

Large 99mm fluorite crystal lens
The fluorite used as an optical lens is an artificially grown monocrystal with "ultra-low dispersion", a property that ordinary optical glass does not have. It is an ideal lens material that almost completely eliminates chromatic aberration (colour blurring). The fluorite crystal produced by the advanced processing technology Kowa has built up over the years guarantees the ultimate viewing experience.
Dual focus mechanism (Quick and fine focusing)
The fast focus, with a large and easy-to-turn knob, will focus in two revolutions from infinity to five meters. The fine focus, with smooth movements and great precision, is extremely useful at high magnifications and for digiscoping.
Eyepiece lock mechanism
The eyepiece bayonet mount now has an attractive feature. An eyepiece locking mechanism has been added to the holder to prevent the eyepiece from being lost or unexpectedly falling out.
Strong, lightweight and portable
Thanks to a 100% magnesium alloy body, the TSN-99 Prominar series is one of the most compact and lightweight spotting scopes of its size. A fully waterproof and nitrogen-sealed housing plus Kowa KR coating on the optics makes the spotting scope reliably robust.
Designed for digiscoping

100% compatible with the KOWA SYSTEM. Easily change eyepieces, accessories and use digiscoping adapters for DSLR cameras and smartphones. Create a truly flexible optical instrument for many applications.

10-year warranty

Expand your Kowa Spotting Scope Body TSN-99A with the right accessories:

(The accessories listed can be ordered via optional accessories)

Eyepieces

An eyepiece should not be missing when purchasing a Spotting Scope. Without an eyepiece you can't see anything. Below is an overview of the eyepieces that fit the TSN-99A with the corresponding specifications:

SPECIFICATIONS IN COMBINATION WITH KOWA TSN-99A
	TE-11WZ II		TE-80XW
Magnification	30x	70x	40x WIDE
Eye relief in mm	17,0	17,0	17,0
Exit pupil in mm	3,3	1,4	2,5
Brightness	10,9	2,0	6,3
Twilight factor	54,1	78,6	59,3
Field of view in °
Field of view / 1000m in m	35,0	20,0	37,0

Extender

When a Kowa TSN-EX16 extender is placed between the Kowa TSN-99A and the eyepiece, the magnification is increased by as much as 1.6 times. In combination with the TE-11WZ eyepiece, a magnification of 40-96x can now be achieved.

Astro Adapters

With the use of a Kowa Astronomy adapter, the TSN-99A can also be used for night-time celestial observation and photography. For this purpose a universal 1.25" astro eyepiece can be used.

Two variants are available; the TSN-AS1.25K has knurled screws with which eyepieces can be tightened by hand. This allows you to quickly change eyepieces. The TSN-AS1.25G is supplied with an Allen key. The advantage is that there are no protruding screws visible.
When the TSN-EX16 extender is combined with an Astro adapter, the TSN-99A can even be used for deep sky observations.

Digiscoping Adapter

It is also possible to use your Kowa TSN-99A as a powerful telephoto lens in combination with your DSLR or system camera or even in combination with your smartphone. In this way you will be able to capture the most detailed and vivid photos of subjects you would otherwise not be able to get close enough to.

TSN-PA7A

By using the TSN-PA7A, you connect the TSN-99A directly to your DSLR camera by means of an optional T2 ring. This creates a powerful yet lightweight and compact telephoto lens compared to traditional telephoto lenses.

Designed for use with Kowa's TE-11WZ II zoom eyepiece, the design makes full use of the eyepiece's zoom range, up to a focal length of 2570mm.

TSN-DA10

The TSN-DA10 is perfect for the compact and lightweight Micro Four Thirds cameras. Using the TSN-DA10 and an optional adapter ring, everything is ready for use within a minute. The optional adapter ring is available in various sizes, depending on the filter size of your lens: AR28/30/30.5/37/43/46/52/55/58/62/72mm.

Smartphone Adapters

If you would like to make photo and video recordings with your smartphone, this can be done by using a Kowa Smartphone adapter which is specially made for your smartphone. This smartphone adapter is a protective cover that can remain in place around your smartphone and offers protection against falls and knocks.

This smartphone adapter simply slides onto the eyepiece of the TSN-99A by means of a TSN-AR11WZ adapter ring and the whole thing is ready for use.

Protective equipment

To protect your valuable Kowa TSN-99A, you can choose to complete it with the accessories listed below:

Kowa C-991 water-repellent Stay-On Bag
The water-repellent bag has been specially designed for the Kowa TSN-99A and provides good protection during use and on the move. It comes with a shoulder strap that allows the spotting scope to be carried close at hand at all times and allows quick observation. The bag can remain wrapped around the scope while in use. The covers of the objective lens and eyepiece can be removed very quickly and all controls remain accessible.
Kowa TSN-CV88 Eyepiece protector
This eyepiece protector prevents scratching of the eyepiece lens or its coating due to unfavourable conditions or transport. By using an eyepiece protector, costly repairs can be prevented.
Kowa TP-105FT Protective filter
Using a protective filter for the lens reduces the risk of damage to the lens and avoids costly repairs. This can extend the life of the spotting scope. The Kowa TP-105FT protective filter has oil and water repellent coatings and ensures that sand and sea salt do not get on the lens. This keeps the objective lens with the special coatings undamaged.

Damage to the objective lens can drastically reduce optical performance, which also causes costly repairs. Precisely because the TSN-99A is equipped with a lens made of pure fluorite crystal. Often, the only option left is to completely replace the entire lens.That is why using protection is advisable.

In the Box

Kowa TSN-99A 30-70x99 Prominar Spotting Scope Zoom Kit (Angled Viewing)
TE-11WZ II Eyepiece
Objective Lens Cap
Cleaning Cloth
Limited Lifetime Warranty, Extendable with Registration