Great optics that are easy to carry

I purchased this Kowa 15-45 x 55 PROMINAR spotting scope because I wanted light-weight, high-quality optics for back-country hunting and bird watching. After reading multiple reviews and having access to this spotting scope through my work, I purchased one several months ago, and have had the opportunity to use it in several settings since. The optics are outstanding--on par with some of the best. There is essentially no chromatic aberration and the clarity is spectacular. The optic is incredibly light-weight and easy to carry. Low-light performance is great. The only downside I can think of is the limited magnification, which is a trade-off with portability. For most applications, 15-45x magnification is more than sufficient, and higher magnification is often difficult to use without a heavy tripod and in many viewing situations (e.g., when heat distortion is an issue). Overall, I think this is an outstanding spotting scope when high-quality optics and portability are the important considerations.