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OK I'm excited. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter black crow
- Start date
Sagittarius
Well-known member
"Good day for the Crows" |=)|
brocknroller
porromaniac
Btw, for the uninitiated, "expenditure platform" = budget. :smoke:
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Haha....what a magnificent euphemism!
Btw, for the uninitiated, "magnificent euphemism" = nicer way of saying something.
black crow
Well-known member
They have arrived. First impression. They are huge and weigh a ton. SLC 8X50s. Entry level I guess costing just over $1000 in 08. Optics are very nice of course but too heavy for me by far. Maybe a tad better than the Zens but I honestly couldn't tell for with absolute surety. They were brighter however at midday and better out to the edge with a very large sweet spot. I have no idea what I'm going to do with them. Maybe if the King or Queen ever wants to go birding with me they can use them. They can have a servant carry them.
I'll take them out for a hike and see if there is anything more to report. I dread carrying them however. Even with the harness.
I'll take them out for a hike and see if there is anything more to report. I dread carrying them however. Even with the harness.
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I like them already!
Seriously though, that should be a bright pair of binoculars with good glass. Just keep them out on a shelf next to the window for viewing your yard, feeders, etc. It will save you from having to get out your "field" binoculars every time something interesting is going on close by.
black crow
Well-known member
Took them out for about an hour+ to get a better look. I went up to the place where I used to check out all my new pairs so as to get some more objective idea of these bins. First off I was surprised that they were not that heavy with the harness. Not a problem there. Also if I hold them at the objective end I could get a pretty steady view and with the 50mm lenses they provided very nice hand hold for my hands. Now these are 8x and the Zens are 7x but I have compared the Zens to many 8x and they have always gotten the nod. Not this time. Dead center there really isn't much if any difference but as you move away from center the difference grows. I'm very impressed at the edge to edge sharpness of the Swarovski's. It's almost like the sweet spot goes all the way out.
I prefer the eye cups on the Zens for comfort and I was less prone to occasional partial blackouts looking through them. Of course as I got used to them that was happening less and less. I actually like them quite a lot. They have been used hard for 6 years of hunting in at least four countries and many times a year in this country. My relative was not easy on equipment and used them hard and I'm sure with very little care. There are some light surface scratches on the eye lenses but they don't seem to inhibit the view from what I could tell. Otherwise they are in impressively good shape.
I'll get a chance to compare them to some 8x Kowa's in the same price range in about a week. I think these will win however as I've looked through the Kowa's before.
Anyway now I have that dream pair of binos and I can retire. It's been fun guys.
http://www.amazon.com/Swarovski-Optik-SLC-Binocular-8x50/dp/B001H31M88
This looks to be the same pair so maybe he got a great deal on them.
I prefer the eye cups on the Zens for comfort and I was less prone to occasional partial blackouts looking through them. Of course as I got used to them that was happening less and less. I actually like them quite a lot. They have been used hard for 6 years of hunting in at least four countries and many times a year in this country. My relative was not easy on equipment and used them hard and I'm sure with very little care. There are some light surface scratches on the eye lenses but they don't seem to inhibit the view from what I could tell. Otherwise they are in impressively good shape.
I'll get a chance to compare them to some 8x Kowa's in the same price range in about a week. I think these will win however as I've looked through the Kowa's before.
Anyway now I have that dream pair of binos and I can retire. It's been fun guys.
http://www.amazon.com/Swarovski-Optik-SLC-Binocular-8x50/dp/B001H31M88
This looks to be the same pair so maybe he got a great deal on them.
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NDhunter
Experienced observer
Good to hear about your new Swarovski. Where you can really appreciate
those 50's is later at dusk. The light gathering is impressive, and you should
be able to enjoy and use it. Probably too much on a bright day with fresh
snow. You will need sunglasses.
As with any new optic, I find it takes a week or more under varying
conditions to appreciate them.
Jerry
black crow
Well-known member
I agree, every day I find more to like about them. The edge to edge clarity is getting very addictive. I find it less like I "know" I'm viewing through binos but instead magically have the eyes of an eagleo
. I had them out today and it was very bright and the views were stunning. I was very fortunate to inherit them as I'd never consider spending $2000 on some binoculars. They don't have a very close focus however and I don't appreciate that. The size/weight however has become a non issue as long as I use a harness. They hold very steady. :t:black crow
Well-known member
One other small but important detail IMO is the objective lens covers. On most of my other binoculars I don't use them because they are a pain in the ass. They usually are not a tight fit so when off and you bend they will often reseat themselves on the objective lense and when you up for a quick look you will often find one of the lenses covered which ruins the moment. Or the bands are so loose you are always in danger of losing the cover.
The covers on the Swarovski are superb. They are a perfect fit so stay on when you want them on but are so precisely fitted that I have yet to have one reseat itself on the objective lens when I'm ducking into brush or whatever. It sounds like a small thing but it's not. It makes a lot of difference to me at least. They did a very nice job on that small but important detail.
The covers on the Swarovski are superb. They are a perfect fit so stay on when you want them on but are so precisely fitted that I have yet to have one reseat itself on the objective lens when I'm ducking into brush or whatever. It sounds like a small thing but it's not. It makes a lot of difference to me at least. They did a very nice job on that small but important detail.
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black crow
Well-known member
I've decided they will never be my favorite pair. They have such a lousy close focus that they are really a poor choice for the birding and close up wildlife viewing I do. The only worse ones I have are porros for star gazing and long distance viewing. I think I'm going to sell em off. It was fun having them to compare finally though.
Take care guys.
Take care guys.
perterra
Well-known member
Wow! I' sure the relative thought you would cherish them.
mooreorless
Well-known member
Black Crow why don't you try to trade this pair in for the Swarovski 8 or 10x42HD, that pair has close focus. Some shops might still have the HD model.
black crow
Well-known member
He's dead. He doesn't care. Not to mention the fact we never liked each other. My sister is the one who made good on his statement that I could have them when he was cold and dead.
black crow
Well-known member
Basically because I have too many pair already and the Zens are so close to them that it's really moot to have another pair. I realized some time ago that the real difference in most of these good quality binoculars is more based on ego/bias than anything of real importance. For me anyway. I have some Eagle Optics at $169 that might just be my favorite overall bins. In most ways they are as good or better than my Zen Rays and the Swarovski's.
mooreorless
Well-known member
I guess the excitement left.
james holdsworth
Consulting Biologist
I guess the excitement left.
....right after the funeral.......
black crow
Well-known member
I guess the excitement left.
Doesn't last long anymore with optics. Now Ukuleles.... that's a different matter. In 61 years I've been through a boatload of hobbies. Fishing was the longest and lasted about 55 years. I still use bino's several times a week but I don't go looking for them much anymore. Just through them.
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black crow
Well-known member
Didn't even have a funeral for him. But if you want to attend the wake with all his fishing and golf buddies I think it's going to be in late May.
