The Most Beautiful Binoculars in the World (1 Viewer)

Gijs van Ginkel · Mar 25, 2013

Ceasar,
I know Brin Bests book, it is on my bookshelf and I also own an 8x30 Nikon binocular you are referring to form Best's book. Hartmann binoculars could compete very well with top brands of its time and, as I have shown in a lecture for the Binocular History Society, some of its models outperformed top brands like Zeiss and Leitz. Not so strange since Hartmann was educated at Hensoldt and Leitz before starting his own company in Wetzlar Germany. So if Nikon copied the Hartmann design that would have been not such a bad choice.
Gijs

mooreorless · Mar 25, 2013

steve@37n84w said:
This Swarovski porro prism design had limited success with the hunting fraternity back in the 80s. I had one myself (very good view and light transmission albeit with a pronounced yellow tint) but unfortunately my binocular was stolen. As far as formats I remember 7x42, 7x50, 8x56, 10x40, and 10x50. May have also been a 10x56? Jerry???? Steve (mooreorless)????

I actually liked the ergonomics on the SL Habicht, one of the few porro designs with thumb indents on the bottom.

Steve

Steve I don't see a 10x56 listed in my link above.

NDhunter · Mar 25, 2013

steve@37n84w said:
This Swarovski porro prism design had limited success with the hunting fraternity back in the 80s. I had one myself (very good view and light transmission albeit with a pronounced yellow tint) but unfortunately my binocular was stolen. As far as formats I remember 7x42, 7x50, 8x56, 10x40, and 10x50. May have also been a 10x56? Jerry???? Steve (mooreorless)????

I actually liked the ergonomics on the SL Habicht, one of the few porro designs with thumb indents on the bottom.

Steve

I do not know a lot about the SL series, but there are some older threads, as
it has been brought up before. My brother has an 8x56, and I have compared
it.
I believe Henry or someone posted some older sales literature that would add
to the discussion.

Jerry

brocknroller · Mar 25, 2013

steve@37n84w said:
This Swarovski porro prism design had limited success with the hunting fraternity back in the 80s. I had one myself (very good view and light transmission albeit with a pronounced yellow tint) but unfortunately my binocular was stolen. As far as formats I remember 7x42, 7x50, 8x56, 10x40, and 10x50. May have also been a 10x56? Jerry???? Steve (mooreorless)????

I actually liked the ergonomics on the SL Habicht, one of the few porro designs with thumb indents on the bottom.

Steve

I've always thought the Habitcht SLs would be good a fit for my big mitts, but they had a strong yellow tint not suitable for birding, but they weren't designed for birding.

I'm not sure how I'd like the location of the focuser, which is toward the objectives like the 8x30 SLC. I think Henry said the SLs he tried had stiff focusers, and he found it awkward to focus. Henry chime in if I've mangled your message.

Brock

steve@37n84w · Mar 25, 2013

mooreorless said:
Steve I don't see a 10x56 listed in my link above.

I'd say there probably wasn't a 10x56 then because Mack Optical and Machine was one of the very few full line dealers for Swarovski back in the 80's. I was on their mailing list for a few years after talking with the Swaro rep at one of the SHOT shows held in Atlanta in the 80's.

Swarovski was definitely the new kid on the block back then. It's amazing how far you can go in a few years with a great product AND great customer service. I still have hopes that Swarovski (or another premium manufacturer) might do an internal focus waterproof porro with twist up eyecups.....heh I can dream can't I???

Steve

Chosun Juan · Mar 27, 2013

Swarovski Habicht SL

mooreorless said:
Hi Chosun, That would be Swarovski SL series porro-prism.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...05FB3FDD4291DF7CE8FBF612A6620&selectedIndex=0

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=205627&d=1246844539

Steve(s), others, thanks for that info.

I'm quite intrigued. I had a poke around on the interweb but couldn't dig up any other info. If there are BF threads, then they were too old to show up on the search I did.

Does anyone have any info on the 10x50:
* specs (fov/ er/ weight, cf, obj/ep construction, prism orientation) etc
* bare chassis material/ shape - are those huge thumb indents in the chassis - or contained in thick rubber armour only?
* a cutaway, xray, or schematic diagram, (incl showing prism layout, optical formula, mechanics etc)
* are there any common mods to squeeze a bit more 'useable' ER out of those monstrosities for glasses wearers?
Thanks.

Chosun :gh:

henry link · Mar 27, 2013

Chosun,

At one time or another I owned all of these SL's except the 7x50. I have some old brochures with spec tables that I'll upload when I have time later today.
In the meantime here's a cutaway view of the 7x50. As you can see it would take a hacksaw to modify the thick eyecups. Only the 8x56 had roll down eyecups and even those couldn't be removed by the owner.

Optics were simple. The most unique feature was the cemented Porro type I. As I recall the 10x50 used a 5 element Erfle and had a 5.8º FOV. I liked it quite a lot as an astronomy binocular. Focus was extremely slow and ratchety, presumably because of the gearing required to move those large tight fitting ocular tubes. The yellow tint was not as strong on the SL series as it was on the Habicht Porros from the 80's which used a different multi-coating. The yellow in the SL's was probably comparable to the SLC's of the late 90's.

More later.

Henry

Chosun Juan · Mar 27, 2013

Awesome henry! - thanks :t:

Chosun :gh:

henry link · Mar 28, 2013

Chosun,

Here's a spec sheet for all the Swarovski binoculars from a 1991 brochure. Strangely, absolutely everything is expressed in English units, even apertures and exit pupils. Unfortunately none of my old Swarovski material has eye relief specs for the SL's.

The last brochure I have that shows SL models is dated 6/94. Only the 7x50, 10x50 and 8x56 are still listed in it, however I noticed for the first time that the 7x50 was modified sometime between 1991 and 1994 to use roll down eyecups like the 8x56 B and was re-designated 7x50 B.

Henry

normjackson · Mar 30, 2013

May be able to pick another couple out from this thread last year (before it got very silly) :
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=231128

Renze de Vries · Mar 30, 2013

What was the question again? Oh yes, the most beautiful binocular.

When I saw this model in the shops in the 1980's I thought it was the most beautiful thing on earth. Definitely the Swift Audubon to own.

Then in 2009 Ed Huff (elkcub) told me it was ugly.

Renze

normjackson · Mar 30, 2013

Renze de Vries said:
When I saw this model in the shops in the 1980's I thought it was the most beautiful thing on earth.
Renze

Why is it that for the first time in many decades an image of Suzi Quatro has come into my head?...

elkcub · Mar 31, 2013

Renze de Vries said:
What was the question again? Oh yes, the most beautiful binocular.

When I saw this model in the shops in the 1980's I thought it was the most beautiful thing on earth. Definitely the Swift Audubon to own.

Then in 2009 Ed Huff (elkcub) told me it was ugly.

Renze

Right, and then you gave it to me! (Talk about passive agressive.)

... can't recall if I ever thanked you enough ... hope so.

The optics match the appearance, incidentally. :eek!:

Ed

Renze de Vries · Mar 31, 2013

Ed,

Please don't thank me again! But how about taking a nice picture? Contrary to other Audubons this model is almost nonexistent on Google Image search. I think that's a pity.

Renze

elkcub · Apr 8, 2013

Renze de Vries said:
Ed,

Please don't thank me again! But how about taking a nice picture? Contrary to other Audubons this model is almost nonexistent on Google Image search. I think that's a pity.

Renze

Sorry, Renze, but it took me several days to recover from oral surgery. Basically, I've been in a pain-free stupor.

Here is our Model 827 Audubon posed with the Aztec God of Love for mojo. Note how the accordion-type eyecups are sized perfectly to fit into Xochipil's eye sockets, and yet the instrument balances effortlessly.

I contacted Western Opthalmics (see .pdf file) to check availability at $799. Unfortunately, they had sold all their stock to tourists from south of the border.

Let me know when you need it back, and it will be on the first plane out.
Ed

Jamie Dunning · Apr 8, 2013

Just in the interest of balance, The Ultravids in Green are a classic deign and the colour in matt just adds to that.
not a fan of the double barrelled thing, (the Sworos, Hawks etc), I think that looks a bit naff?

Renze de Vries · Apr 10, 2013

elkcub said:
Here is our Model 827 Audubon posed with the Aztec God of Love for mojo.
Let me know when you need it back, and it will be on the first plane out.
Ed

Ed,

Love YOU!

How about enjoying the 827 just a little longer, I believe I'm not ready for it yet.

cheers,

Renze

ceasar · Apr 10, 2013

elkcub said:
Sorry, Renze, but it took me several days to recover from oral surgery. Basically, I've been in a pain-free stupor.

Here is our Model 827 Audubon posed with the Aztec God of Love for mojo. Note how the accordion-type eyecups are sized perfectly to fit into Xochipil's eye sockets, and yet the instrument balances effortlessly.

I contacted Western Opthalmics (see .pdf file) to check availability at $799. Unfortunately, they had sold all their stock to tourists from south of the border.

Let me know when you need it back, and it will be on the first plane out.

Ed

According to Western Opthalmics advertisement it seems that the binocular had a FOV of 380.' That wasn't surpassed by any 8.5x binocular until the current 8.5x Swarovsion.

Do you think that Swarovski "borrowed" from Swift technology? Is it possible that Swift might have a potential Patent Infringement suit against Swarovski here? IMHO FOV is more important than a supernumerary hinge added to a binocular which only adds dead weight to it which allegedly Swarovski is suing to protect.

It seems that Swift may have patented the design of the binoculars because you never see any binoculars that have copied it's unique look.

Bob

A2GG · Apr 10, 2013

I like the old classic design best like the Jenoptem 8x30w, Habicht 8x30 (the prettiest overall to me). But, I also like the Swarovski CL Companion 8x30, Minox HG and the Zeiss V. HT 8x42 is really nice too. The Swaro open bridge bins, especially the sand color are very pretty.

I've also found some of the Eschenbach binoculars interesting looking. Some not so attractive , but a few models look very nice. Nobody seems to ever mention this brand. We don't have them here in the US:
http://www.eschenbach-optik.com/de/Fernglaeser.760.0.html

A2GG · Apr 10, 2013

here's one more I came across a few weeks back that I think is very attractive:
http://www.opticronusa.com/Pages/ed-x.html

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