Dennis Farley
New member
I am about to buy new swarovski 10 x 42 and cannot make my mind up between EL or the new SLC. Anyone out there with advise to either one or the other
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Which Swarovski Bins. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Dennis Farley
- Start date
scampo
Steve Campsall
The price says a lot, I'd say... I wonder whether it's the ergonomics rather than the optics, though? Ask Swaro - they're extraordinarily helpful. The old SLCs were not up to the ELs but the new model?Dennis Farley said:
Have you thought about the Nikon HGL and Zeiss FL, also? They'll give Swaro a run for your money! The Nikon, in particular, gives an amazingly naturalistic view and I think the Zeiss have the widest of all views (useful indeed).
Dennis,Dennis Farley said:
It would help if you described slightly more about your planned use of binoculars. I have not looked through a new Swarobright-SLC, but I do remember some differences when I compared these models some years ago.
SLC:
+ feels mechanically durable & well armored
+ excellent optics
+ "easy" on the eyes (YMMV)
+/- yellowish color cast (not sure about modern SLCs)
- large & heavy
- close focus could be closer
EL:
+ excellent ergonomics
+ excellent optics, relatively easy viewing
+ less heavy
+ close focusing
+/- cold/bluish color cast
(-) focusing mechanically more complex
- more expensive
For a big, strong, large-handed guy, who is not interested in bugs, who views the birds at long distances, who appreciates durability and who has limited funding, I would recommend the SLCs.
Otherwise - the ELs
But I agree with Steve, do try the Zeiss, Nikon and Leica models as well.
Ilkka :t:
scampo
Steve Campsall
Gosh posting to this site is almost a no-no this morning with connection time outs... Glad I copied the post first!
The older SLCs had a pronounced yellow cast to my eyes, too, and I used to wonder why they were as popular as they seemed to be (nothing like as popular as the ELs have proved to be though). The EL model brought a big change to a cooler more bluish colour cast which I find this easy to get used to (that is unless you happen to have a pair of Nikon HGs for comparison which tend to show its coolness up).
I'd have thought Swarovski would have made their new SLC model more neutral and I remember reading on this site that the newer ELs have had a coating tweak here and there to improve them. Next time I'm at a dealers I shall have to see what's happening on the bino front. I suspect the new Zeiss FL offers the widest most neutral view - and that's worth trying out before spending several hundred pounds, for sure.
The older SLCs had a pronounced yellow cast to my eyes, too, and I used to wonder why they were as popular as they seemed to be (nothing like as popular as the ELs have proved to be though). The EL model brought a big change to a cooler more bluish colour cast which I find this easy to get used to (that is unless you happen to have a pair of Nikon HGs for comparison which tend to show its coolness up).
I'd have thought Swarovski would have made their new SLC model more neutral and I remember reading on this site that the newer ELs have had a coating tweak here and there to improve them. Next time I'm at a dealers I shall have to see what's happening on the bino front. I suspect the new Zeiss FL offers the widest most neutral view - and that's worth trying out before spending several hundred pounds, for sure.
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About the yellowish cast of Swarovski SLC:s I have never noticed it. I suspect that this difference only is noticable in a side-by-side comparison to EL or Zeiss FL.
I have long time been interested in a Swarovski SLC, but the Zeiss Victory FL*T is claimed to have better contrast and brightness. According to a review the Zeiss loose sharpness yet at 60% of the FOV. In this respect I am sure that Swarovski SLC is superior, and this factor is of course also worth to take in consider when choosing between them.
Patric
I have long time been interested in a Swarovski SLC, but the Zeiss Victory FL*T is claimed to have better contrast and brightness. According to a review the Zeiss loose sharpness yet at 60% of the FOV. In this respect I am sure that Swarovski SLC is superior, and this factor is of course also worth to take in consider when choosing between them.
Patric
bradshrike
Guest
I had a non-Swarobright pair of 7x30 SLC's and they definately had a warm amber cast. My Swarobright 8x30 SLC's don't have the same amber cast. The original cast was intentional and was designed for hunters. Birders didn't like it and it was often complained about so it was changed.
hi
i just recentley bought the 10x40 slc's,and compared them to all the major brands and found them the best even against's the 8x( i know but at them prices it comes down to personel choice) one thing i did notice is if you wear glasses and raise them to view(as i do) you have to watch out the twist eye cups dont pull your specs off.
sonic
i just recentley bought the 10x40 slc's,and compared them to all the major brands and found them the best even against's the 8x( i know but at them prices it comes down to personel choice) one thing i did notice is if you wear glasses and raise them to view(as i do) you have to watch out the twist eye cups dont pull your specs off.
sonic
AlanFrench
Well-known member
I looked at both the ELs and the SLCs several years ago. The ELs were very nice, but they were a bit too expensive for my taste and I did not like to slow focus. I wound up buying a pair of 7x42 SLCs, and I am very happy with them. I have never noticed that they show any color cast.
As Ilkka mentions, they are heavy and the close focus could be better.
I picked them because they were a great fit for my hands, the focus is silky smooth and quite fast, and in a side-by-side comparison three of us liked the optics better than the Zeiss 7x42s.
I understand the newer ELs have a faster focus. They might have tempted me a bit more had that been the case when I was in the market, but the price differential was pretty significant, escpecially since I got a very nice deal on the SLCs.
Clear skies, Alan
As Ilkka mentions, they are heavy and the close focus could be better.
I picked them because they were a great fit for my hands, the focus is silky smooth and quite fast, and in a side-by-side comparison three of us liked the optics better than the Zeiss 7x42s.
I understand the newer ELs have a faster focus. They might have tempted me a bit more had that been the case when I was in the market, but the price differential was pretty significant, escpecially since I got a very nice deal on the SLCs.
Clear skies, Alan
