Reviews by elkcub

Glancing at the cover your first thought might be that this book is filled with promotional material, touting Swarovski products, marginalizing the competition, and so forth.

Absolutely not! This 70 pg. package of dynamite is actually the nicest primer I have ever seen about optical history, theory, product design, R&D, market needs, manufacturing processes, and field uses for telescopes, binoculars and rifle scopes. Other than a few pictures of Swarovski products (without even model names) the treatise is exceptionally educational and broadly applicable. I think experts and novices alike would find it hard to fault any of the technical material, which eloquently summarizes a great deal of what is discussed on BF every day.

The book was authored by Klaus-Dieter Linsmeier in collaboration with Swarovski Optik KG, and then translated to beautiful English by a Dr. Herrlinger. Apparently the book is only distributed by Swarovski and not sold over the counter (at least in the USA).

Okay, so what is the price of admission? Absolutely nothing. All you have to do is call 1-800-426-3089 and ask for the book to be sent to you. Stock # 60253. I inquired first if it would be OK for me to post this information, and was told it would be perfectly fine. Fair enough: thank you Swarovski.

I would be very surprised if there were not several posts concerning the value of this free little book. Do enjoy it.

My wife is the primary user of our 8x20B SLC. Fortunately, given a choice (which I rarely have), I still reach for the 10x25B SLC since it is easier for me to get grip on, and provides a bigger, brighter image. But in truth it does not focus to 8 ft. or provide as wide a field as the 8x20. My wife, therefore, has as big an advantage watching butterflies as I do with shore birding.

From an engineering perspective the Swarovski pocket binoculars are little marvels, each with 3-element objectives and 5-element eyepieces. Prisms of the most recent versions are probably SWAROBRIGHT coated, but even the older models are phase-coated and and use multi-layer SWAROTOP. In the case of the 8x20B, this is all packaged into 7.6 oz. and 4 in. length. The focusing wheel is located in the front, which is an under-appreciated and unique ergonomic innovation. It departs from conventional wisdom and allows the binoculars to be operated more easily under the bill of a hat. The focus controller would be classified as low gain, but allows very good precision. Most importantly, the beautiful images are bright and clear from edge-to-edge.

Discretely comparing the Swarovski 8x20B with its Leica, and Zeiss counterparts, I could not identify major optical differences they all seemed superb. Admittedly, this had to be done from memory since in-store comparisons were not possible. However, until recently Swarovski held the edge in waterproofness, which was put to the test for us in Costa Rica where they really proved their worth. The advantage of the 10x25B was well proven on that trip, incidentally, since it was rather dark and wet, and the larger objective and bigger, brighter image made a significant difference. However, the 8x20B came into its own at the butterfly farm in Guatemala.

As mentioned in the previous review, no rainguard or objective lens covers are provided except the polytex pouch. This has proven convenient to suspend from my belt, although the leather pouch (extra charge) would probably be nicer for carrying it in a briefcase. Since none of these are hard cases, reasonable care must be taken in handling.

Okay, so where does that leave us? As a small general purpose instrument for travel or backup the 8x20B is unsurpassed (although it may be equalled). It is not a substitute for mid- or full-sized binoculars but it is a worthwhile item for those who enjoy owning the very best. Of course, that comes at a price. Within the restricted domain of 8x20 pocket binoculars, it deserves a top rating; however, as a general purpose birding instrument it takes a back seat to the more versatile 10x25B.

I originally carried the FISMO into the field using the mesh shoulder bag that comes with it. Now knowing the situations in which it will be used, I simply set it to full length at the outset. It functions as a walking stick and is instantly available for extended binocular viewing.

Additional comments may be read on thread:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=291954#post291954. It is requested, however, that future reviews be posted here.

The monopod is currently selling on eBay, but may be purchased directly from Bohn Distributing <[email protected]>.

If rating a unique device makes any sense, I have given it a 10 to basically express the extent of my satisfaction with it.

The 10x42 SLC has been a classic in the Swarovski lineup since the mid-1990s. It received an outstanding review from BVD in 1994, and was rated the top 10x birding binocular for several years. Over time it has remained essentially the same, with modest design changes to the armoring profile (now called rubber vs. polyurethane) and upgraded to the most recent Swarobright coating. The excellent optics have remained unchanged including a 330 ft. FOV, 30.7 oz. weight, 14mm eye relief, and 4m (13 ft.) close focus. It continues to be notable for having excellent depth of focus, which contributes to a feeling of presence and excellent 3-D spatial field perception.

Defining qualities of the 10x42 SLC are its superb weight and balance, which takes advantage of well-place thumb groves and very comfortable grip with no hard points of contact. Altogether this makes for surprisingly vibration free views easily held for extended periods. (The new Leica Utravids and Nikons emulate these handling features with reasonable success.)

A notable aspect of the SLC series is its system design, which includes substantial rubber objective covers and an articulated rain guard. The latter, which is also used on the EL series, is made of hard a plastic and seems to have the potential for damaging the ocular glass coating. (A new all rubber rainguard is now sold #327-149 with a single strap attachment that eliminates this problem.) Accessories in the SLC system (the same as the EL series) include winged eyecups easily interchanged with the screw-down eyecups, and an excellent tripod adapter with quick release feature. The strap provided has excellent weight distribution capabilities, which the author has used many hours at a time with no neck strain. Finally, a 2x magnifier can be threaded onto one side making the binoculars into a handy 20x telescope for use in good lighting conditions.

In head-to-head comparison with the Swarovski 10x42 EL, this reviewer found the SLC to be equal or superior in all respects except for the short focus distance and a 3 oz. difference in gross weight. For the specimens tested the short focus difference was about 4 ft., but this was more than offset by the better feel and balance of the SLCs, as well as its superb focus control (about a full turn, near to far) with zero backlash. Major optical differences were not apparent, such as brightness, resolution, field curvature, depth of field, CA, and pincushion distortion. Other reviewers believe they see a slightly warmer color tone than the ELs, but I perceived slightly more natural color saturation and contrast to the SLCs. Switching attention to objects at different distances was felt to be somewhat easier with the SLC, perhaps because of a more well-engineered focus control mechanism. Eye-hand coordination was easily learned and quickly became second nature, which is the key to outstanding human engineering.

In conclusion, for those looking for a well-established, robust, 10x binocular that is up to virtually every birding task from hawk watching to deep woodland use, this is the ticket. Because the current street price ($1000-$1200) is hundreds less than the EL, it is a true bargain among world-class binoculars. Make sure to buy from a reputable dealer, however, since you may have these a long time and the SONA warranty does not apply to grey market items.

No binocular is perfect, of course, but if other top quality bins are worthy of a rating of 10, this one should certainly share the same level of esteem.

This is a review of the older waterproof 8x30WB SLC Mk II, not the Mk I probably reviewed in the first post, or the current Mk III version pictured with twist-out eyecups. I paid $450 for my first pair in 1994, and recently purchased a second for $400 in excellent condition. As of this post, typical used Mk III prices in mint condition are ~$650, and used Mk IIs in excellent condition ~$500. Only the latest version is Swarobright coated, and retails for ~$950.

The Mk II is a remarkably friendly optic with wide FOV (408 ft.), great depth of field, and very smooth handling. Its built-in winged eyecups are very effective in the field, and the visual presentation is quite restful for extended viewing. I have experienced no misting after ten years of use, but others report differently. The ultra-smooth focus control is located in front, which makes it easy to operate beneath the bill of a cap. In my opinion this is a highly underrated ergonomic innovation. The diopter setting locks in place and is easily operated. Finally, for its day the pace-setting thumb grooves and polyurethane armoring make for an extremely pleasant grip with no hard pressure points. These features have been carried into all recent Swaro designs, as well as emulated by several other high-end manufacturers (Leica, Nikon). Overall, with their integrated lens covers and rubber rainguard, these binoculars are highly recommended for anyone who is lucky enough to find one in good condition at a reasonable price.

By modern standards of 8-10 ft, the short focus of 12-13 ft. is somewhat deficient, which is also true of the new Mk III version. For this reason it receives a 9 point rating, considering its otherwise excellent performance for a mid-size glass.