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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

New released Swaro CL Companion 8x30 B (1 Viewer)

We will have stock of 8x30 CL Companion in all our shops in time for this weekend if anyone in the UK wants to test them for themselves. Hopefully you will like them as much as we do and buy some!

Regards, The In Focus Team
 
Thanks for the report, Kimmo. Nicely done as always.

Jan weighed the 10x CL and got 484gm. On a hunch I weighed my 8x Sightron and got...483gm. Combine that weight, with more compact ergonomics, no front hinge, and the latest Swarovski optics, in what is essentially a midsize bino? OK, count me in. I'll have a look. I'm thinking travel.

Here in the states we've got a two month wait I guess, so we'll sit on our hands for now. Looking forward to more reports from over there however.
 
Do you mean 10x became to hard to hold? Why didn't you care for 8x?

Yes, 10x is a little shaky in my hands these days.:-O

I had hoped allbinos would do rankings for 10x32 binoculars so I could compare his results to my own but that never materialized. I always thought my 10x32 el was a much more impressive instrument than my 8x32 el's. It even had a perfect focuser which I have never seen since on a Swaro. Must have gotten the elite of the elite with that one!!!

CG
 
Yes, 10x is a little shaky in my hands these days.:-O

I had hoped allbinos would do rankings for 10x32 binoculars so I could compare his results to my own but that never materialized. I always thought my 10x32 el was a much more impressive instrument than my 8x32 el's. It even had a perfect focuser which I have never seen since on a Swaro. Must have gotten the elite of the elite with that one!!!

CG

The 10x32 size is a very small seller, that is why Allbinos would not bother
with a review segment, and that is good.

The 8x32 EL, both older and the SV are very good. At the top of the offerings
available on the market today, in this size. ;)

Jerry
 
The 8 x 30 version came inside today, got it as a present. My first impressions are very positive. I have tested many binoculars, but this little monster is a winner!

I have compared the companion with my Swarovski SLC 10 x 42 WB (latest version). Optically they are nearly the same. Color and contrast of the companion are excellent. The edge and central sharpness are equal to the SLC: excellent. The companion has less field curvature at the edge than the SLC. But the companion has a bit more chromatic aberration than the SLC. So probably no HD glass (??).

The companion old version has also been in my possession, but is optically inferior. That edition wasn't a "real Swarovski".

For the small annoyances, I agree completely with Kimmo (Kabsetz) in post 105.

More information will follow. But for about 1.050 euro it's a absolutely a top binocular.
 
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The 8 x 30 version came inside today, got it as a present. My first impressions are very positive. I have tested many binoculars, but this little monster is a winner!

I have compared the companion with my Swarovski SLC 10 x 42 WB (latest version). Optically they are nearly the same. Color and contrast of the companion are excellent. The edge and central sharpness are equal to the SLC: excellent. The companion has less field curvature at the edge than the SLC. But the companion has a bit more chromatic aberration than the SLC. So probably no HD glass (??).

The companion old version has also been in my possession, but is optically inferior. That edition wasn't a "real Swarovski".

For the small annoyances, I agree completely with Kimmo (Kabsetz) in post 105.

More information will follow. But for about 1.050 euro it's a absolutely a top binocular.[/QUOTE

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Hi Kees,

It will cost about 1250 Bucks here in the USA.

I don't know what you mean by "a real Swarovski."

I think that the CL Companion is an excellent, well designed, easy to use, little binocular! Just what Swarovski designed it to be! I carry it around with me in my day bag as a car binocular for all around use.

I have both an 8x30 CL Companion and CL 8x25 Compact and the CL Companion is much better.

I think that it was even better than the discontinued 8x30 CL B I owned although the CL B had a wider FOV.

I gave that one to my son. It was made in 2010. The CL Companion was much easier for me to use because I found the eye placement easier. One reason I think is because the eye cups are flat and the eye cups on the SLC were rounded off. Flat eye cups make it easier for me to brace it up against my eye brows when I use it. Little things do make a difference on an individual basis.

I don't wear glasses. My son does and he uses the 8x30 CL B while wearing glasses and that decreases its FOV.

Bob
 
Bob, thanks for your reply. I have had the companion 8 x 30 old version and now the new 8 x 30 version. The new version has better edge sharpness, less field curvature and a wider field of view. The old version was good. The new version is excellent. And a real Swarovski?? My opinion is the old companion nearly. The new version definitely.
 
I got the new 8x30 CL a few days ago and have been able to do a few comparisons with various other bins as well as having a good field outing today. My interest in the binoculars is really as a back up to my main pair (Canon 10x42 IS), particularly on foreign trips where I don't want a back up pair that takes up much luggage space. The prospect of excellent optics in such a small pair was very attractive.

My impressions so far are as favourable as everyone else's and I agree with all the positive comments so far. Optically the view is just really good. Quite bright for 30mm. In a word the view is punchy, with really great colours, very saturated and lustrous. The view also seems sharp more-or-less to the edge and with very good contrast. I was sometimes looking towards a low, bright sun today and they seemed to handle this as well as any other binoculars I've used. Smaller binoculars can sometimes seem to offer a view that's mainly practical i.e. magnifying and letting you ID something but not really making you feel like you want to revel in the experience. The view through these binoculars is genuinely enjoyable: these are nice binoculars to look at birds with.

I'm using them with glasses and they seem to work fine for me. I'm okay with the eye-cups dialled right down. It would be good if there were click stops on the eye-cups but even if they're dialled up a bit they seem to stay put quite well. The focus is a bit on the stiff side but not too problematic. It was perhaps a little bit slower than I'd like when I used gloves, which didn't grip so cleanly. I was still able to follow Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests in close foliage very well though. I agree that the strap is a bit too easy to get twisted, which is a slight annoyance. These are generally easy binoculars to handle though, and of course very light weight.

I've compared them to a few other binoculars. I'm not equipped to make anything other than fairly subjective comments, but they might be helpful for getting an idea of the sort of view you can expect. I've never used the original Companion, nor have I really used any recent top end 8x32s, which would probably be the most interesting comparison with these.

Nikon HG 8x32: I have an old pair of these (which recently seemed to retail for similar prices to the CL). They are of the original version rather than the later 'L' one. The view through these is not as bright as the CL and with a distinct warmish tone. The colour rendition in the CLs seems very natural in comparison. Overall the view through the CLs seems a level up from these.

Zeiss 8x42 FL: Although they're obviously bigger, this is maybe the most important comparison for me as this is my usual 'back up' binocular for foreign trips so it's the real competition for the CL from my perspective. The view through the FL is obviously a bit brighter and wider, but the edges aren't as sharp. I also think the colours are slightly less vivid and at times it even seems a bit less sharp in the centre. The view with the FL is, in some ways, easier and more spacious. It's a definite 'walk in view', which isn't quite so much the case with the CL. That's perhaps the main way in which the FL is a better option, but in other respects the CL does very well and is just as enjoyable but in a different way. Given the size difference, I think the CL might be the better option as a back up and certainly when I'm travelling light. I like the idea of a pair of excellent binoculars that's basically pocketable too, which the FLs aren't.

Nikon 7x42 EDG: Despite the different magnification, the view through the CL seems most similar to these bins. The colour rendition and edge sharpness are both quite comparable. The EDG is a little bit brighter but the view is quite close to the CL in most respects.

The headline seems to be that these bins offer high end optics in binoculars under 500g and also costing under a £1000. If you're looking for a lightweight pair they should definitely be considered. I think I might be using them quite a bit.
 
How did the CL's compare to your Canon 10x42 IS-L's? Does the FOV feel wide?

They're somewhat different, which is maybe not suprising given the different sizes and magnificants. I suppose that's also why I see them as quite complementary to each other. The FOV feels fairly wide but not exceptional in the CL, which is perhaps similar to the Canons. They also both have good edge sharpness. The colours are better in the CLs (amongst the best I've seen in a binocular) but the acuity of the Canons with IS activated is a fairly long way ahead of anything really.
 
They're somewhat different, which is maybe not suprising given the different sizes and magnificants. I suppose that's also why I see them as quite complementary to each other. The FOV feels fairly wide but not exceptional in the CL, which is perhaps similar to the Canons. They also both have good edge sharpness. The colours are better in the CLs (amongst the best I've seen in a binocular) but the acuity of the Canons with IS activated is a fairly long way ahead of anything really.
Thanks, Andrew. I think the Canon's FOV for a 10x is pretty exceptional with an AFOV of 65 degrees. I know what you mean about the acuity in the Canon 10x42 being ahead of anything. I preferred it over an SV 10x50 for resolution. I understand your wanting something a little more compact for traveling. Nice review.
 
I ordered a pair of the new Swarovski 8x30 CL's 2017 in anthracite with the wild nature case and strap from a German seller on Ebay for 1000 Euro's. I always liked the older 8x30 CL's but I always felt the FOV was a little small. These should be better. I got the anthracite for a change from the Swarovski green and I prefer the more padded wild nature case and strap because they offer more padding and protection and they were no extra costs. I will let you know what I think when I get them. Hopefully the focus will be smooth.:king:
 

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I ordered a pair of the new Swarovski 8x30 CL's 2017 in anthracite with the wild nature case and strap from a German seller on Ebay for 1000 Euro's. I always liked the older 8x30 CL's but I always felt the FOV was a little small. These should be better. I got the anthracite for a change from the Swarovski green and I prefer the more padded wild nature case and strap because they offer more padding and protection. I will let you know what I think when I get them. Hopefully the focus will be smooth.:king:

Dennis,

Congrets, but....... are you getting soft on your age;)
The regular ex VAT Europe - US price is 895,00 euro's, shipping paid.

Enjoy.

Jan
 
Dennis,

Congrets, but....... are you getting soft on your age;)
The regular ex VAT Europe - US price is 895,00 euro's, shipping paid.

Enjoy.

Jan
I have the same thoughts as Andrew. I have the Canon 10x42 IS-L for my main binocular but I was looking for something smaller for hiking and travel. It is pretty cool how you have a choice of color on the binocular and a choice on the case and strap package. That is clever marketing. The Swarovski 8x30 CL should fill the bill. To get one early you have to pay a little more. I would imagine there will start being sales on the older model pretty soon:king:

https://travmedia.com/showPRPreview/100044160
 
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I ordered a pair of the new Swarovski 8x30 CL's 2017 in anthracite with the wild nature case and strap from a German seller on Ebay for 1000 Euro's. I always liked the older 8x30 CL's but I always felt the FOV was a little small. These should be better. I got the anthracite for a change from the Swarovski green and I prefer the more padded wild nature case and strap because they offer more padding and protection and they were no extra costs. I will let you know what I think when I get them. Hopefully the focus will be smooth.:king:

Good to see you back on the buying train with the Nikon EII, the Bushnell M and now a bigger step yet, the new CL. You must have figured out a way to hide it from your wife! Hopefully the new CL will work out for you. To bad (at least in my assessment) that the old CL never reached its potential. It appears Swaro paid attention and addressed the issues. I am looking forward to your review.

I know in the past that you have been very enthusiastic about the excellent Swaro of NA warranty and customer service. Why did you decide to get a non Swaro NA unit and most likely forgo a US warranty rather than wait about another six weeks?

As I recall, you bought either a Leupold Mojave BK3 or the Cabela's Guide version in a 8x32 earlier this year but no longer have it. It was a nice travelling size. What was the reason for sending it down the road?

Also, what was the reason for ultimately switching from the 8X42 Toric? It is a relatively compact 42mm model with very good optics and a larger exit pupil that you like. Time for a change?

Thanks.
 
I ordered a pair of the new Swarovski 8x30 CL's 2017 in anthracite with the wild nature case and strap from a German seller on Ebay for 1000 Euro's. <snip> I will let you know what I think when I get them. Hopefully the focus will be smooth.:king:

I'm looking forward to that. If the new CL is really as good as it sounds, I may get one as well, as a small, light pair for hiking. I'm interested not just in the optical quality but also in the mechanical quality. In other words: Is the CL tough enough to survive birding in difficult conditions?

Hermann
 
I have the same thoughts as Andrew. I have the Canon 10x42 IS-L for my main binocular but I was looking for something smaller for hiking and travel. It is pretty cool how you have a choice of color on the binocular and a choice on the case and strap package. That is clever marketing. The Swarovski 8x30 CL should fill the bill. To get one early you have to pay a little more. I would imagine there will start being sales on the older model pretty soon:king:

https://travmedia.com/showPRPreview/100044160



Not surprisingly Travmedia got the 132 Meter FOV wrong when converting it to feet. They forgot to change meters to yards. It is not a 433 feet FOV; it is 396 feet or 7.6º which is less than the 7.8º 408 feet that the original SLC New 8x30 WB had; but it is wider than the FOV on the current 8x30 CL Companion which is 7.1º or 372'@1000yds.

Bob
 
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I'm looking forward to that. If the new CL is really as good as it sounds, I may get one as well, as a small, light pair for hiking. I'm interested not just in the optical quality but also in the mechanical quality. In other words: Is the CL tough enough to survive birding in difficult conditions?

Hermann

Allbinos just listed the new CL Companions with the 40 or so other Swarovski Binoculars. The older CL Companions are also listed. There is no indication yet that they will be reviewing the new versions.

It is possible because they have reviewed and ranked other serious and not so serious 8x30 binoculars.

Bob
 
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Good to see you back on the buying train with the Nikon EII, the Bushnell M and now a bigger step yet, the new CL. You must have figured out a way to hide it from your wife! Hopefully the new CL will work out for you. To bad (at least in my assessment) that the old CL never reached its potential. It appears Swaro paid attention and addressed the issues. I am looking forward to your review.

I know in the past that you have been very enthusiastic about the excellent Swaro of NA warranty and customer service. Why did you decide to get a non Swaro NA unit and most likely forgo a US warranty rather than wait about another six weeks?

As I recall, you bought either a Leupold Mojave BK3 or the Cabela's Guide version in a 8x32 earlier this year but no longer have it. It was a nice travelling size. What was the reason for sending it down the road?

Also, what was the reason for ultimately switching from the 8X42 Toric? It is a relatively compact 42mm model with very good optics and a larger exit pupil that you like. Time for a change?

Thanks.
In my experience if you buy a Swarovski from a dealer not in the USA Swarovski will still honor their warranty. They did on my Habicht 8x30W and it was purchased in Spain so no worry there. They are a great company especially when it comes to customer service and warranties. The Leupold Mojave BK3, Nikon MHG 8x42, Euro HD 8x32 and the Bushnell M 8x42 were sold and returned because although they were good for the money they didn't compare optically to my Nikon 8x30 EII. I compare everything to my Nikon 8x30 EII. The Tract Toric was excellent but the narrow FOV for me was a little restrictive for birding although it would be fine for hunting and I decided I wanted something a little smaller and more compact with a little bigger FOV and sharper edges. I think the new Swarovski CL 8x30 with a 396 foot FOV and sharper edges will suit my birding needs a little better. You have to really go up the food chain in a roof to get one that compares with a porro like Nikon 8x30 EII although the better roofs start having better contrast than the EII which I really like. The Euro HD had great contrast and an excellent view but it developed multiple problems with grease coming out of the focuser and the IPD tension loosening up to the point of not being usable. The Bushnell M 8x42 had quite a bit of distortion and I did get quite a few blackouts with them. They are also BIG and long like a Zen Ray which I don't care for unless they have Canon 10x42 IS-L optics. I have the Canon 10x42 IS-L which optically and resolution wise I feel is the best 10x you can buy and the Nikon 8x30 EII. I will try the new Swarovski 8x30 CL's a try.
 
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