828 HHS - BVD Review (1 Viewer)

Tero said:

You have any idea what the 900s will be like?

CA is not a problem for me. Dimness would be, but these should be pretty bright. Eye relief sounds good.

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Oh, I was refering to the (929) 8x42 and (930) 10x42 roofs. You should be able to find them advertised on the Internet fairly easily, e.g., http://shop.audubonnaturalist.org/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=67.

Their prices are actually higher than the 828 HHS, which can be seen here for $288.
http://www.amazon.com/Swift-8-5x44-...6/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/102-0349600-2012932?ie=UTF8

That's sort of amazing to me. Anyway, the 929/930 are okay, but the 828 HHS is better and at at these prices a real bargain (IMO).

Ed
PS. As mentioned somewhere, I've compared them myself.

That is a good price. You think they would just drop the 8.5x format and go with only Ultralites?

Does seem like the number of models is pretty small these days, Swift.

Tero said:

That is a good price. You think they would just drop the 8.5x format and go with only Ultralites?

Does seem like the number of models is pretty small these days, Swift.

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I don't know, Tero, it could be. But I don't mean to start a baseless rumor. It just seems to me that the trend is to make moderately priced bins in China nowadays due to lower labor costs, and the 828 HHS has been around for some time already (since the mid-90s). Many of the China-made Swifts are Porros, which are even less expensive to make than the roofs.

Ed

I'm absolutely delighted with my recently purchased Swift 828HHS 8.5x44 roofs, a long-overdue replacement for my trusty old Optolyth 10x50 Alpin porros which I've nevertheless thought worth having re-collimated, cleaned and serviced after 15 years. Both pairs about the same (light) weight at approx 650g but I have to say that the Swifts are superior in most respects except FOV and for spectacle wearing, but much better for me now I don't wear specs any more. In fact, my problem with my Optolyths only really started after I stopped wearing specs. Having tried various pairs of Swaros recently, and someone's Leicas, I have to say that the difference, if any, was negligible to me, but it may just be that, price apart, the Swifts simply happened to tick all the boxes for my eyes and ergonomically. In their price range I also looked at Avian Fs (actually a tad more expensive than the Swifts) but much preferred the latter and, though I could have afforded top end bins, I simply couldn't see the point of paying so much more for so little apparent benefit. So bought a patio door for the front porch instead!

828HHS 8.5x44 roofs:

Got my pair about a month ago. Like them very much. Like it was said in the BVD review, not "quite" as sharp as the porro version. FOV is ok, and the eye relief is VERY nice, given i wear eyeglasses. I have a few binoculars, including the porro versions. It is nice to have that Swift Audubon "feel" to the view, with plenty of eye relief.
Lateral CA not a problem. No more than say, my Leica 10x42 BA's have, or the non-ED porro version. Pretty much the same edge sharpness as the porro version. Good hand balance also.