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buying EL s (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter capdegat
- Start date
They are good binoculars but not the best anymore. Lacking ED glass and flat field technology they have been outpaced by the newer stuff. They are definitely not as good as the Swarovision's, Zeiss HT of Zeiss SF.
stereotruckdriver
Well-known member
I wouldn't hesitate in purchasing a later model el wb.
Maybe not the best, depends on the user.
Great ergonomics, very sharp and contrasty.
Lacks a little in eye relief department, still an excellent birding glass.
Bryce...
There's a semantics issue here we should watch out for. The Swarovision's official model name is "EL", no more no less. Swarovision is an advertising term.
Assuming the OP knows that here we use the term "Swarovision" almost exclusively to refer to the latest model EL, and "EL" to mean the original, I mostly agree with Dennis's and Bryce's comments. I like the original late model 8.5x42 EL almost as much as the Swarovision myself. A tad of color fringing is the only thing I object to, and that is rarely noticeable.
But the OP's question, concerning definite pricing, suggests he is talking about new stuff on the shelf, and I wonder if that is still happening with the original EL enough to do a meaningful comparison. I think by now a new old stock EL would be pretty rare. Stranger things happen though, somebody bought a brand spankin' new Trinovid BN just the other day.
Ron
Assuming the OP knows that here we use the term "Swarovision" almost exclusively to refer to the latest model EL, and "EL" to mean the original, I mostly agree with Dennis's and Bryce's comments. I like the original late model 8.5x42 EL almost as much as the Swarovision myself. A tad of color fringing is the only thing I object to, and that is rarely noticeable.
But the OP's question, concerning definite pricing, suggests he is talking about new stuff on the shelf, and I wonder if that is still happening with the original EL enough to do a meaningful comparison. I think by now a new old stock EL would be pretty rare. Stranger things happen though, somebody bought a brand spankin' new Trinovid BN just the other day.
Ron
oetzi
Well-known member
No taxes for private parcels within the EU 
P&P is not the cheapest, as in insured parcel cost a bit. DHL, for example, charges € 17,- for a parcel plus an additional € 12,50 for insurance up to € 1000,-. a further e 12,50 for € 1000,- more and so on.
There are many hounourable online shops in germany, so mailorder shouldnt be a problem in this aspect.
About warranty, I dont know.
P&P is not the cheapest, as in insured parcel cost a bit. DHL, for example, charges € 17,- for a parcel plus an additional € 12,50 for insurance up to € 1000,-. a further e 12,50 for € 1000,- more and so on.
There are many hounourable online shops in germany, so mailorder shouldnt be a problem in this aspect.
About warranty, I dont know.
I hope that there are no problems with service. I've just bought a Leica from a German optics shop.
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perterra
Well-known member
If it's a real Swaro I cant imagine any issues with serivice.
One of the downsides to buying by mail order is, of course, that you can't try the item out first. Personally, I'm a little disappointed in my 8x32 SV; they're not as sharp as my Zeiss 10x42 HT bins. Maybe I received a less than perfect example. However, I cannot detect even the slightest hint of RB in SV's which is a good thing. If I had the choice again I think I'd buy a Leica 8x32 HD instead.
brocknroller
porromaniac
Sako,
Could you define "sharpness," as described in this thread?
Sharpness and resolution, one subject or two?
If you mean the 8x32 SV EL is not as high in resolution as your 10x42 HT, it shouldn't be, given optics of equal quality, 10x will resolve more detail than 8x (unless you shake too much with 10x). If you mean apparent sharpness, then it could be due to differences in color contrast and/or brightness. Another possibility, though less likely, is that your 8x32 SV EL is a "lemon."
As to RB, the 8x32 SV EL has moderately low distortion whereby some people see RB and some don't, even those who do see it in the 8x5x model. Have you tried the 8.5x42 SV EL? That's the "litmus test," it has the lowest amount of distortion of all SV ELs. If you don't see it with that model, you are totally immune.
Here's Holger's chart:
Distortion of the new Zeiss Victory SF: A paradigmatic shift on the binocular market?
Brocko
brocknroller
porromaniac
Sako,
I asked because BF members have raved about the "sharpness" the 8x32 SV EL's image. I recommend you take your 8x32 SV EL to a shop that has that model and compare it to other samples to see if yours is on par. If it's not, ask Swaro for a replacement. You paid too much for it to be less than optimal.
If you see some RB in the 10x32 model, you will probably see as much or more in the 8.5x. If you look at Holger's chart, the 10x32 is third lowest among the SV ELs in distortion. The 10x42 has even less pincushion, and the 8.5x model, the least. RB or not, the image should be "crisp" at this price point.
<B>
I agree. I live way out in the country which makes things a little more difficult though. I bought my 8x32 SV EL's from Camerland when Swarovski had their anniversary sale promotion. A real hassle sending them back; however, I don't think there is anything wrong with them.
Yesterday, I compared a friend's Swaro 10x42 Range, my 8x32 SV EL and Zeiss 10x42 HT together. The Zeiss is sharper by a noticeable amount and the two Swarovskis are about equal. I prefer the colour of the Swarovski bins over the Zeiss which has a slightly washed out look in bright light. The Zeiss is terrific when the light is fading though and this is why I bought them for deer hunting. Actually, I bought both primarily for that purpose with the idea that the smaller pair would accompany me on longer backpacking excursions.
I expected a little more from the 8x32 SV EL as people do tend to rate them very highly in sharpness. Maybe, my Zeiss HT's are just exceptional in that regard.
brocknroller
porromaniac
The observation that Zeiss roofs show a slightly washed out view in bright light is common to the FL, HT and I recently read one such comment about that in the new SF. It's mainly due to the way Zeiss biases its AR coatings, because during daylight, your pupils will shrink to the same size no matter which bin you're looking through.
When you look at Zeiss's "light curve" graphed, it looks like a one-hump camel with the "hump" in the middle of the spectrum (green-yellow). Since our eyes are naturally sensitive to that part of the spectrum, it's as if your entrance pupils opened wider during daylight. Like the washed out view you see after the eye doctor puts pupil dilator drops in your eyes. But as you mention, that bump in the middle of the spectrum comes in handy in low light situations. Zeiss roofs would be useful for the dog days of winter.
As to "sharpness," Zeiss claims they optimize the sharpness in the centerfield by sacrificing the sharpness at the edges. Or at least they did until they made the SFs, which have field flatteners. It will be interesting to see when the SF is compared to the HT and HD in terms of centerfield sharpness if it holds up against the other two. That is, can you have your "cake" and eat it, too?
Since you compared the 8x32 to the 10x42 Range, and found the Zeiss still sharper than both of them, there's apparently nothing subpar about your SV EL's optics.
Too bad you live so far away from optics stores (me, too), otherwise, you could compare your SV EL with an 8x32 UV HD and an 8x32 EDG, both of which have "warmer" images than the Zeiss. Whether or not they appear as sharp is in the eye of the beholder.
Brock
