Swaro 7 × 50 SLC (1 Viewer)

Nick Elliston · Feb 13, 2006

My local optic shop has a second-hand pair of 7 × 50 SLC for £399. Don't know how old they are but from the window they look in good condition.

A few questions for anyone who does/has used them:

1. Are they good? Assume they are as they are Swaro

2. What are they like for birding as they look rather heavy?

3. Do you think they are better value than a new pair of say Nikon 10 × 42SE?

Any advice gratefully received.

Nick

Pinewood · Feb 13, 2006

Dear Nick,

I have no experience of either the 7x50 SLC or the Nikon 10x42 SE, but I do own a 7x50, which I would not regard as very useful for bird watching. 7x50's are good for marine use, for astronomy and maybe for hunting, at twilight.
I would also point out that for twilight and dusk, the 10x42 SE may be better. A 10x42 has a twilight factor, a rough guide to twilight performance, of 20.55, while the 7x50 has a twilight factor of 18.71. However, I cannot hold any ten power binocular steady, except for a limited time, when kept level.
Therefore, you should carefully examine each for stability, eye relief, fatigue and comfort of view. Binoculars are rather personal.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood

ZeNiTh-PbArM · Feb 14, 2006

Hi,

let me please disagree on this one : i use myself a quite old pair of 7x50 swaro, they are heavy and have a narrower field than SLC do, but the exit pupil is wide and the view is very comfortable. moreover, the low magnification helps in cold weather when you'd shake 10x too much to see anything.
i use them especially for owling, and the brightness is better than 10x42

all the best,
zp

Nick Elliston · Feb 15, 2006

Thanks for your views Arthur and ZP. I'll go and have a look through them in the next day or so and make a decision. In truth, I probably don't really need them - it's just that they seem a good price for the condition that they are in.

Nick

Swedpat · Feb 27, 2006

Nick Elliston said:
Thanks for your views Arthur and ZP. I'll go and have a look through them in the next day or so and make a decision. In truth, I probably don't really need them - it's just that they seem a good price for the condition that they are in.

Nick

Hi Nick,

I have looked at a Swarovski 7x50 once in a store, and have never before or later been that impressed by the view than of this model. Comfortable to hold and stable view, full sharpness to the very edges (or 99%) of the FOV, just a tremendeous feeling of "with your own eyes". The colours and contrast was just impressive.

Swarovski have long time been my favorite binoculars, and when I in the future will afford to purchase a real high-end binocular it will be a Swarovski. Then it will likely be the 7x42 model, however, because of the ligher weight and larger FOV. Apart from that I at an age of 39 (to summer) not surely will be able to make use of a full 7mm exit pupil.

Personally I love binoculars for ANY purpose but have used them for as well birding, nature studies and astronomy. I don't completely agree with the statement that a 7x bino isn't suitable for birding. The gain of using 10x power in comparison to a 7x model isn't proportional to the magnification because of the handshakings. And when your arms become tired the gain of higher power will decrease even more.

Regards, Patric

zurtfox · Feb 28, 2006

Swedpat said:
Apart from that I at an age of 39 (to summer) not surely will be able to make use of a full 7mm exit pupil.

Don't be so certain of that - I am 59 and can still attain nearly 8mm in total darkness. How to find out? Manual focus a digital camera to arms length and set it to single flash. Sit in darkness for 10 minutes and then take a picture. 'Flash'! Interesting spots on your retina for ages but a lovely picture of your dilated eye which can be measured against the fixed width of the iris.

Having said that, for poor light conditions, I tried 10x50, 8x56, 8x42, 7x42 and found that >for me< the 6mm exit pupil of 7x42 Ultravids suited me best. However, I also came to the conclusion that if you can afford only one pair of binoculars, the 5.25mm exit pupil provided by an 8x42 meets more viewing criteria (fov, brightness, duration of observation, choices) than the rest.

That's >my< take on the subject, but there are 32,196 members of BirdForum who probably have a different opinion!

Chris

Nick Elliston · Feb 28, 2006

Swedpat said:
Hi Nick,

I have looked at a Swarovski 7x50 once in a store, and have never before or later been that impressed by the view than of this model. Comfortable to hold and stable view, full sharpness to the very edges (or 99%) of the FOV, just a tremendeous feeling of "with your own eyes". The colours and contrast was just impressive.

Swarovski have long time been my favorite binoculars, and when I in the future will afford to purchase a real high-end binocular it will be a Swarovski. Then it will likely be the 7x42 model, however, because of the ligher weight and larger FOV. Apart from that I at an age of 39 (to summer) not surely will be able to make use of a full 7mm exit pupil.

Personally I love binoculars for ANY purpose but have used them for as well birding, nature studies and astronomy. I don't completely agree with the statement that a 7x bino isn't suitable for birding. The gain of using 10x power in comparison to a 7x model isn't proportional to the magnification because of the handshakings. And when your arms become tired the gain of higher power will decrease even more.

Regards, Patric

Thanks Patric. Someone obviously liked them as they have gone now.

Nick

Swedpat · Feb 28, 2006

Chris,

According to my knowledge you seem to have an impressive and unusual large eye pupil for your age. 8mm is in many cases what people have as a child. I have actually tried to take pictures with my digitalcam in dark room, but it's difficult to make an exactly measure of the pupil size. Yes, it was larger than I ever have seen it when looking in a mirror.

When I did it I waited no more than 10 seconds in darkness because I didn't want the eyes should get the darkness seeing. The flash was uncomfortable for the eyes even after 10 seconds, and I wonder if there isn't harmful for a dark adapted pupil to be exponed for the strong flashlight when have got the darknes seeing? The flashlight is enough dazzling even for a not darkadapted eye. I think 10 seconds is enough however, because are not the eye pupils dilate to maximum instantly when change to complete darkness?

Regards, Patric

moman · Feb 28, 2006

Nick Elliston said:
My local optic shop has a second-hand pair of 7 × 50 SLC for £399. Don't know how old they are but from the window they look in good condition.

A few questions for anyone who does/has used them:

1. Are they good? Assume they are as they are Swaro

2. What are they like for birding as they look rather heavy?

3. Do you think they are better value than a new pair of say Nikon 10 × 42SE?

Any advice gratefully received.

Nick

Fantastic binoculars, but make sure the serial number is higher than D6908xx as this is when the newer Swarobright coating was used--and it does make a difference.
Also, be aware that the 7x50 SLC's close focus is 20 feet (for my eyes at least), which could be an issue for you.

chartwell99 · Aug 7, 2006

moman said:
Fantastic binoculars, but make sure the serial number is higher than D6908xx as this is when the newer Swarobright coating was used--and it does make a difference.
Also, be aware that the 7x50 SLC's close focus is 20 feet (for my eyes at least), which could be an issue for you.

I completely agree that the 7 x 50 SLC Swarobright model is an exceptionally bright and sharp binocular, although I have always struggled with blackout issues which I attributed to the extremely long 23mm eyerelief. Interestingly, I brought my binocular in to show to the Swarovski factory rep at our local optics shop's (Land, Sea and Sky) "Swarovski Days Event" this past weekend, and was amazed that his solution was to fit rubber eyecups over the Swaro cups to extend eye relief even further. The difference before and after is really quite extraordinary and I have to wonder whether the same approach might also work for the Nikon 8 x 32 SE and other bins which are also plagued by blackout issues - just a thought.

Swaro 7 × 50 SLC (1 Viewer)

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Nick Elliston

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Pinewood

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