I tried a Swaro 10x42 SLC-HD today for about an hour and a half outdoors, and I was very impressed. It just about checked all the boxes on my Wish List for a 10x bin, starting with the wide 63* AFOV. √
Weight/Steadiness. At 28 oz. the weight was just right. While I really liked the image and the ergonomics on the 10x42 SE, 24 oz. for a 10x42 was too lightweight for me, couldn't dampen those bad vibrations. 28 oz. provided me with just enough weight to dampen vibrations without being too heavy to lift for long periods. This despite the fact that it was cold and windy. Steadiest image I've seen through a 10x bin since I sold my 10x35 EII. √
Ergonomics. The fat barrels were Phat enough to fit my hands and fingers around comfortably, though I could only get fingers from one hand through the open space. The slanted shallow thumb indents fit well but they are so shallow that even if they didn't work for your thumbs you could hold them any way you wanted w/out them interfering. The rubber armoring was grippy w/out being sticky. High points for ergos. The "open hinge" design is my favorite in roofs and seems to have replaced the open bridge design among various brands √
Image quality. The image was bright and sharp, perhaps not as sharp as the SE (no longer have the 10x SE but I compared it with the 8x SE, which seems to be a hair sharper at close range), but then again, that always seems to be the case in comparing the SE and my cherry sample 8x EII to every roof I've tried. Probably have to spend Y2K? to beat it. Didn't have a chart with me, and the cold wind on a sunny day caused air turbulence that would occasionally blur the image, so not the best of conditions for an eyeball resolution evaluation. The image seemed fairly neutral, neither warm like the M7 and SE nor cool beans. A tentative √
Distortion/Edge Sharpness. I also compared the 10x42 SLC-HD to the Nikon 8x30 M7, and the M7 held its own, which is quite impression, considering it costs over $1,000 less. Where the SLC-HD excelled is in its lack of distortions. Panning was smooth and there was almost no field curvature. Users who are bothered by "rolling ball" in the 10x42 SV EL would not be stepping down much in terms of edge sharpness. For a bin without field flatteners, the edge sharpness is quite impressive. √
Focuser smoothness/speed. The focuser turned slightly harder focusing out than focusing in, as it the case probably with every Swaro, but it was a more subtle difference than I've found on some of other Swaro bins I've tried. I followed a robin perched in a nearby tree as it flew into a field and I was able to keep it in focus from take off to landing by slightly tweaking the focus, the focusing is that intuitive. That feat overcame any doubt I had about the focus out stickion being slightly harder. I could definitely live with this. √
Diopter. The pull out and turn diopter worked well, though the fat barrels are so close to the focuser that I had to take my hand off the bin and approach the diopter from the top to change the setting accurately, which is tough trying to keep the bin steady with one hand. I had to readjust the diopter because I didn't get it quite right the first time, but once set, it stayed set and I did not need to readjust it for near and far like I do the 8x30 M7. The SLCneu's "push in and turn" diopter was more user friendly. So I'm going to give this category half a check. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," v
CA, For a 10x bin, the CA is very well controlled. CA was very well controlled in the 10x SE, too,. but I have found that in general, non-ED 10x roofs show noticeably more CA than the SEs, so the ED glass is a necessary addition in roofs for those who are sensitive to CA. √
Close Focus. I didn't have a ruler, but the close focus was impressive, I'd say less than 6 ft. I was sitting in a chair on a porch and I looked down at the grass right in front of the porch and it was in focus. I even leaned over a couple feet and it was still in focus. At 5.5+ ft. I don't even need binoculars to look at a bird, but if you like a good close focus for butterflies, this will get you there without the usual shallow depth of focus that close focusing bins usually have, particularly @ 10x. √
Eyecups. The eyecups fit my eye sockets like a charm like all Swaro models do. The eyecups have click stops, but they are very subtle, not as easy to find as the M7, but I could see the full FOV with the eyecups all the way up, so this was not an issue for me. Given how problematic eyecup fit is for me with most bins, I'm going to give the SLC-HD TWO checks for eyegonomics! √√
Build quality. While it's impossible to assess the robustness of a bin by handling it for an hour and a half, my impression is that the build quality is quite robust. It feels very solid in the hand. I'll give this half a check since it needs further evaluation, which I will be glad to do if someone would lend me their SLC-HD for about six months! v
Steadiness on the hoof. For the Halibut, I tried the bins standing up without back support and while the image tended to "swim" around a bit (like an IS bin), the micro-vibrations were no worse standing than while seated, which surprised me. Another check for ergonomics/stability. √
Flare/Glare. It was not quite sunny out yet, it is now, but looking in the direction of the sun I could only induce the slightest flaring in one corner of the view while looking up in the trees. Not the ideal test, but so far I'd say the glare control was very good. Since I could not give it a thorough test, I can't really evaluate this category fairly, but my first impressions are very good in this regard.
Summary. All and all, the 10x42 SLC-HD is one of the nicest 10x bins I've had the pleasure to use, with none of the usual gripes I have with roofs. Okay, it doesn't have the 3-D effect that the 10x42 SE or 10x35 EII has, but since I'm looking long with tens, the 3-D effect isn't as important as it is with 8x. But the depth of focus was not shallow like most other 10x42 roofs I've tried.
After an hour and a half, I was not fatigued from using the 10x42 SLC-HD; neither my eyes nor my arms were tired. I'm not a 10x birder, but for birding in the open at longer distances, this bin would be a very good choice if you look for the same features in a 10x bin as I do. The larger image is addictive. I did not want to put these down!
Brock
