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Swaro's answer to the Victory SF? (1 Viewer)

"There are also other factors, for example, more companies are forcing workers to pay a larger share of their healthcare costs, which means higher out-of-pocket expenses."

Brock you got that right. Different stuff I never had to pay for before and it is not going to get any better.


There are two classes of employees in the USA. Those who have to pay for their health insurance and those who don't. If the workers are unionized they aren't being forced. It was negotiated. If the workers are not unionized and are employees at will then you can say it is forced and they probably always had to pay it. Most of those who have to pay for it are in private industry. Most of those who don't have to pay for it are government employees of some kind.

Years ago when I began work we had to pay 1/2 our health insurance premiums. Then Union/Management negotiations got the employer to pay it all. Everybody who got this was fortunate that they didn't have to pay taxes on this benefit but it was tax free. (And it still is tax free so stop complaining.) Everybody ended up with more money and benefits without a larger tax liability.

This is routine in all government and public school and public college jobs. It is negotiated through union contracts and the taxpayer pays for it.

That's why you keep reading about state employees, local government employees, school teachers and college teachers pensions being in trouble. There is a public pension crisis throughout the country and it all was negotiated and approved by our elected leaders at the levels governing the workers.

Bob
 
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If you are thinking of competition in terms of sales volume, then I suspect the Swarovision dominates the high-end market. However, considering just the binocular and ruling out regional customer service and distribution issues, then I include the Nikon EDG II as another serious competitor to the Swarovision. I believe the EDG II 10X42 still has the highest test score on the Allbino website. That is not to say it is better, but it is equivalent and should be considered, along with the new Zeiss SF, by someone looking to spend that kind of money.

I also suspect you are correct in your first sentence that many Swarovision owners will not be eager to spend the additional money and switch to the new Zeiss SF. I think that will also be true for us EDG owners.

Bruce:

I agree with your thinking, the Nikon EDG is to be held in the same
regard as any of the other top optics. I have been enjoying my
10x42 EDG for over 3 years.

The Allbinos rankings explain why the EDG is at the very top.

I do like binoculars, but it seems Zeiss has lots of work to do.
I have been wanting to try the HT, and now we find the SF will only be
made in small batches, so I have my doubts I will ever get a chance to see
them.

The large sporting goods stores that I venture to several times a
year are Scheels, and Cabelas. They have not had the HT in the
stores, but only the Conquest.

I have mentioned this as a challenge to Zeiss to get the sales force
necessary to challenge Swarovski. So, we will see.

Jerry
 
Question. How is the after sales service for Zeiss overall?

Are you implying that should the SV and the SF turn out to be rather equal in performance that it will be the reputation of the respective company's service department (for warranty and non-warranty repairs) that will be the deciding factor for a purchaser?

Or was I just reading far too much into your straightforward question?

Mike
 
Are you implying that should the SV and the SF turn out to be rather equal in performance that it will be the reputation of the respective company's service department (for warranty and non-warranty repairs) that will be the deciding factor for a purchaser?

Or was I just reading far too much into your straightforward question?

Mike

I mean the current service standards by Zeiss? Does it similar like Swarovski?
 
Question. How is the after sales service for Zeiss overall?

In the Netherlands there are two "voices".
Before June 2014 we had a Dutch distributor for Zeiss who had an excellent CS. The more "extreme" repairs were done in Wetzlar and came often with a bill, which makes sence because the more difficult damages weren't dealth with by the distributor.
Overall it was a very good SC but not so excellent as Swarovski's CS.
From June 2014 Zeiss does the distribution by themselves and as I have understood they will implement the Swaro CS from this moment on worldwide.

Jan
 
The rumored specs for the
new Swarovski binoculars, release date spring 2015.

* Swarovski SF SwaroFusion
* 8-10x45 mm (DuoFocus system)
* FOV: ??
* Weight: 750 grams.
* Filled with helium gas, will make them feel like 650 grams.
* PiezoMechanical stabilized lens elements! ShakeFree! (1)
* True fix-focus from 1m to infinity, means NO focus wheel to complain about for the Zeiss guys!
* Bullet-proof and scratch free objective lenses, so no need for lens caps, saves weight.
* Colors: Some very ugly green?
* Light transmission: more than up to 99% (daylight)
* Price: ??
* Accessories: Lexus mount, Iphone adapter and decorative swarovski diamonds.

(1) SF = could also mean Shake Free

o:D
 
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The rumored specs for the
new Swarovski binoculars, release date spring 2015.

* Swarovski SF SwaroFusion
* 8-10x45 mm (DuoFocus system)
* FOV: ??
* Weight: 750 grams.
* Filled with helium gas, will make them feel like 650 grams.
* PiezoMechanical stabilized lens elements! ShakeFree! (1)
* True fix-focus from 1m to infinity, means NO focus wheel to complain about for the Zeiss guys!
* Bullet-proof and scratch free objective lenses, so no need for lens caps, saves weight.
* Colors: Some very ugly green?
* Light transmission: more than up to 99% (daylight)
* Price: ??
* Accessories: Lexus mount, Iphone adapter and decorative swarovski diamonds.

(1) SF = could also mean Shake Free

o:D

Swarofusion will be made of Graphene. It weighs only 0.77 grams for a square meter yet its stronger than steel.

You're going to need to make this digital if you want a wide FOV with a "DuoFocus," otherwise the 8x will have a narrowish FOV.

I like the idea of a Swaro bin being focus free, because that's probably the only way to get a Swaro without focusing issues.

The only thing missing is a nanocomputer and earphones so that it can ID birds and tell you something about them. Saves you from having to carry a field guide.

Bird Found...

Select Language....

[Germlish]

click

"Zees ist za great skua -- Stercorarius skua - wheech ist za large zeabird in za skua family Stercorariidae. Een Britain, eet ist zometimes known az za bonxie, a Shetland name ov Norse origin."

(2) SF = could also mean Savings Finished.

* Price: (if you have to ask, you can't afford it)

<B>
 
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Swarofusion will be made of Graphene. It weighs only 0.77 grams for a square meter yet its stronger than steel.

You're going to need to make this digital if you want a wide FOV with a "DuoFocus," otherwise the 8x will have a narrowish FOV.



<B>

yep,
worlds thinest binocular,
just fold it up and put it in your empty wallet!
:)
 
Swarovski new launch

Guys,

I am very new to the world of Binoculars. I am planing to buy one and looking for the very best. Does anyone know if Swarovski has plans to launch new series of binoculars worth wait. It seems Zeiss has been very aggressive. They seems to have created dominance with Victory HT which I heard is superb right and now with SF which has again high transmission level with great ergonomics and wide field of view. Any news on Swarovski to push the limit they have already set in.

Thanks

Sanjay
 
Sanjay,

Welcome to Birfdforum, where you will find no shortage of opinions on which birding bin is best. For me, it's the Nikon 8x30 EII. You could buy six of them for the price of one top alpha.

As to your question, the only place for Swaro to go is to follow Zeiss in increasing the FOV of the SV EL and increasing the amount of pincushion. Then, except for the easier to reach and smoother focuser, the binoculars would be nearly indistinguishable. But does the world really need TWO SFs and is that a wise thing for Swaro to do? I don't think so.

The differences between the SV EL and SF are subtle but there. Take them away and you're selling the same bin with a different logo. So no, I would say that you won't see anything dramatically better from Swaro to compete with the HT and SF since they already have them - the SLC-HD and SV EL. Besides, do you really want to pay $3,000 for a pair of binoculars, because that's where this "war" is going if Swaro tries to top Zeiss with another giant leap (if that's even possible).

Swaro also has the best bin at the compact level. I think where Swaro needs to compete is at the second tier. Its CL Companions are too limited and specialized to compete against the Zeiss Conquest HD series in the $1,000+ range, and you have to jump from the CL Companion @ $900 to the SLC-HD @ $1,800 to move up with a Swaro. That middle ground is the battlefield of the future, IMO. And since you want "the best," that's not where you want to look.

If you do want to wait for something better or competitive to come along, it will probably be the next "latest and greatest" from Leica (see the Leica thread for this discussion). A new bin with a wider FOV, higher ER, and perhaps field flatteners. In all likelihood, it will still have the characteristic "warm" Leica view.

Rather than looking for which alpha has the latest "bells and whistles," I think you should try the major brands and decide which VIEW you like the best. Since money is no object, the view along with ergonomics should drive your purchase decision rather than what is likely to be incremental improvements. Beyond the view and ergonomics, it's merely marketing mumbo jumbo.

Brock
 
Guys,

I am very new to the world of Binoculars. I am planing to buy one and looking for the very best. Does anyone know if Swarovski has plans to launch new series of binoculars worth wait. It seems Zeiss has been very aggressive. They seems to have created dominance with Victory HT which I heard is superb right and now with SF which has again high transmission level with great ergonomics and wide field of view. Any news on Swarovski to push the limit they have already set in.

Thanks

Sanjay

I don't think Swarovski is planning the launch of any new binoculars at the moment, but they already have a great selection.

If you were to get only one Swarovski binocular, I would recommend getting the 8x32 EL Swarovision. It's light weight and has wide field of view, which makes it very versatile.

Otherwise, if you are on a budget, I would get the SLC, which is a great binocular for the money.

HN
 
I have wondered about the development of binoculars. With today's technology the limit of possible performance is very close to be reached. 96% light transmission. Sharp to the very edges. Practically no glares or inner reflections. Still not all these attributes are available in the same model of binoculars. This is understandable for some reasons.
The highest light transmission demands porro or Abbe-König prisms and a simple eyepiece design. Some of the new alpha binoculars are designed for a good weight balance and a sharp image at the edges. This means advanced eyepiece design and Schmidt-Pechan prisms=at most ~90% light transmission. Not wrong with that. But still I wonder: even a model like for example Swarovski Svarovision, which according to some opinions is class leading in as well center and edge sharpness has some serious drawbacks who probably can't be explained by the above mentioned factors.

I remember when I tried Zeiss and Swarovski 20 years ago. While cheaper optics showed visible parts of the prisms around the exit pupils the surrounding of the exit pupils of these alphas were just black. It was like a sign of an alpha. But today, an edge technology model as Svarovision shows the same visible light reflections around the exit pupil as budget models. Also I read that the Swarovisions suffer from some glares in the field of view.
While some improvements are achieved compared to before there are some things who have become worse. Why? If Swarovski really wanted to offer the optically best possible binocular, it should have been made without glares and with Abbe-König prisms.

Is the explanation that Swarovski don't want to yet reach the "perfect" level even if they could? By earning more money by offer more improved models during the years? Like the reason that the pole vaulter Sergey Bubka improved his world records by single centimeters each time while he surely had been able to improve several centimeters at once?

Just curious. Because I have considered to get some of these alphas in order to never more have a reason to get anything new. I mean: several times cheaper optics use to be criticised for an issue the latest alpha suffers from.
 
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Thanks for your response. I agree to most of what is written. It seems there is no one single binocular which offers all and it all boils down to cost and what looks good to your eyes. I couldn't find details about new Leica model in Leica thread. Good to know some more details.
 
Regarding the second level binoculars of the Big Four binocular companies I see the Zeiss Conquest and Leica Trinovids as essentially "old wine in new bottles" when it comes to their optics and their new looks. Business factors necessarily dictate that.

Nikon is competing with them by keeping their 8x32, 8x42 and 10x42 LX L/HG L binoculars which have been renamed "Premier." These were previously Nikon's Alpha binoculars and they remain unchanged.

Swarovski's CL Companions are completely new binoculars newly designed from bottom to top inside and outside and apparently brought out to replace the 8x30 SLC. The 8x30 SLC was finally discontinued after having about 30 years worth of Swarovski's progressive optical improvements added to it.

Bob
 
I have wondered about the development of binoculars. With today's technology the limit of possible performance is very close to be reached. 96% light transmission. Sharp to the very edges. Practically no glares or inner reflections. Still not all these attributes are available in the same model of binoculars. This is understandable for some reasons.

They could keep on going, technically, but boldness would be required.
---sharp to the edge could reach to wider field widths, but only if
Nagler-type optics were used. In binoculars, the whole device would
need that distributed throughout the length.
---either prisms would have to give way to precision mirrors, or the
prisms would be placed halfway through a pricey meniscus complex.
People do achieve more extreme width and excellence...in telescopes.
It's not cheap, but Alphas are not cheap. The need to earn their price.

There is another snag, though: size and weight. A boatload of heavy-metal-doped
glass is not a feather. This could limit the size to, say, 30mm.

Currently, they are fiddling around the edges of what super-multicoating
could bring to Alphas, and losing their high ground. Extreme things
are possible, to justify $2000. It's a risk, though. Still, the Wetzlar
University gang used to be a lot farther out ahead.
 
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