If you don't need a reticle eyepiece, you might want to look at the Pentax PF 80 ED or EDA (angled). The bodies go for around $700 new. I've seen them cheaper used. They take a1.25" eyepiece, so you can go as crazy or as sensible as you want with that. I have one with the Baader Hyperion 8-24mm zoom, and have zero complaints about the image quality. I got to compare it side by side with a Kowa (882TSN I think, couldn't swear to it though), and to my eyes the Pentax had a sharper more contrasty image. That was at 27x, because the Kowa had the fixed eyepiece. The Kowa did have more FOV and eye relief, but that's because of my choice of eyepiece. I'm sure the Kowa blows it away at higher magnification. YMMV