New Swarovski SLC 42 Binoculars (2 Viewers)

I suspect Swaro dropped the HD from the name because it no longer differentiates between HD and non-HD SLC models. They all have HD glass.

They may have dropped the price to put more $ distance between the SV and the SLC to boost SLC sales, also to compete better with the Leica Trinovid and others that are significantly less expensive.

I suspect a lot of buyers just went for the the SV flagship because it was only a couple hundred dollars more than the SLC HD. Not much of a reason but people do think like that. Now the gap widens. Assuming the standard Swaro discount of 10%, the 8x42 SLC will be $1729, a whopping $730 less than the 8.5 SV! Anyone would think twice about the choice now.

I doubt there will be any optical changes to the 8x and 10x, and the change in armoring is mostly to differentiate it from the discontinued SLC HD models. Handsome looking devils I must say.

So Swaro will make less on each bino sold, but I suspect they'll be selling quite a few more than they have been.

Mark

PS: thanks Pileatus. Rub it in you lucky retired birdwatching dog you!

Here is a press release from Swarovski on the SLC in The Tactical Wire.

http://www.thetacticalwire.com/story/296171

Mike

I for one can not wait to play with them.

Mike

MPeoples said:

Here is a press release from Swarovski on the SLC in The Tactical Wire.

http://www.thetacticalwire.com/story/296171

Mike

Click to expand...

Looks like they copied most of the design of the Zeiss Victory HT but stopped before a lawsuit resulted from it.

http://sportsoptics.zeiss.com/hunting/en_us/binoculars/victory-binoculars/victory-ht-binoculars.html

The press release that Mike posted confirms that the 15x56, at least, has HD glass, which is good, the higher the magnification, the more CA.

Would they not include HD glass in the other models in the SLC series? Seems doubtful. Looks like an entire SLC line is upgraded to HD glass, however, or some reason, Swaro is no longer labeling them SLC-HD, but has gone back to the original designation of SLC. That understandably lead to some confusion.

As to Bob's accusation of Swaro copying the HT? The new SLC line is based on the body style of the Swaro 42mm SLC-HDs, which came before the HT.

The reason the HT and EDG II and others at the top shelf may be adopting what I call the "high-bar H" design (the shape looks like the letter "H" with the crossbar raised up to allow more room for your fingers to wrap around the barrel). Leupold has this design, so does Brunton, and others. It's the new trend in body design, as I mentioned a while back.

Could be a fashion trend or it could be after Swaro ordered Nikon to "cease and desist" making their double hinge open bridge design EDG I, companies are afraid they could be targeted next and so too went with the high-bar "H" design like NIkon. If anybody's being copied, it's Nikon, whose EDG II predates the SLC-HD and HT.

But I don't think that's the case, there are just so many ways to design a roof body so that they can be comfortably held, and if you can't do a double hinge open bridge, the high-bar "H" design is the best alternative, might even be better since that second hinge can be somewhat confining. It does, however, mean that you really have to make that single hinge that sits back so far very strong since the barrels are not equally supported in the center as they are in a traditional "H" design closed bridge roof.

A number of double hinge open bridge designs are still out there, some old, some new - the ZR ED3, Hawke Frontier ED and Frontier, Pro Optic, Minox, Celestron, etc. -- but perhaps these lower priced bins that do not directly compete with Swaro at the high end fall "below the radar" or perhaps Nikon copied something internal. We never did find out what was behind that litigious mystery. Whatever the case, the high-bar "H" design seems to be the latest design that bin makers are using.

I have never liked closed bridge roofs and find them hard to hold compared to porros, so I welcome this more ergonomic design.

Brock

Brock,

See Here please.

Ed

PS. And I did confirm that my 8x42 SLC HD model has the same optics as the new one will have without the HD designation.

PPS. And, for anyone wondering, Swarovski STILL DOES NOT provide a silent ocular cover that I enjoy on my 8x30 and 10x42 SLCs, — and those don't work on it either.

Ed

Now they need to offer a 7x30 SLC... or at least an 8x30. Keep the excellent tethered objective covers and they've got a winner for those of us that can't abide "Swarovision" and what they jokingly refer to as objective covers that "complimnet" them!

Mac308 said:

Now they need to offer a 7x30 SLC... or at least an 8x30. Keep the excellent tethered objective covers and they've got a winner for those of us that can't abide "Swarovision" and what they jokingly refer to as objective covers that "complimnet" them!

Click to expand...

Just looked at the silly Swaro SLC video on youtube... apparently they're putting the same crappy objective covers on the new SLC that "crowns" the EL lineup... somebody needs to do a little thinking at Swaro.

Mac308 said:

Just looked at the silly Swaro SLC video on youtube... apparently they're putting the same crappy objective covers on the new SLC that "crowns" the EL lineup... somebody needs to do a little thinking at Swaro.

Click to expand...

If I may ask, Mac, what do you use your bins for that makes the objective covers so important?

I only ask as I have never used a set, even after 30 years of bushwhacking, dust, sand etc., and have seen no ill effects on the lenses.

I must admit the new models look nice, but instead of waiting a few months, I decided to take advantage of the sale prices on the current SLC HD model and ordered a 10X42.

On the few occasions I've had the pleasure of trying one, I've been blown away by its brightness, clarity and ease of view...something I've not experienced even with their EL models.

elkcub said:

Brock,

See Here please.

Ed

PS. And I did confirm that my 8x42 SLC HD model has the same optics as the new one will have without the HD designation.

PPS. And, for anyone wondering, Swarovski STILL DOES NOT provide a silent ocular cover that I enjoy on my 8x30 and 10x42 SLCs, — and those don't work on it either.

Ed

Click to expand...

Read it, thanks. Odd that the Swaro "editorial team" made no mention of "HD glass" in their announcement on their blog (The new SLC family – Perfection meets Tradition), which was the first link posted.

blog/SLC_Family_nature

Swaro didn't need to drop the "HD" designation simply because they changed the armoring. The armoring and body color of the newer EIIs is different than the original EIIs, but they kept the name the same. I think it was marketing strategy.

Clues in the title ("Perfection meets Tradition") and the mention of years of "tradition" in making hunting optics in their ad hint as to why they dropped the "HD" designation. The SLC gets them back to their roots with hunters. "HD" is used by everyone from Leica Ultravid HD to Bushnell Legend Ultra HDs, as well as Kindle Fire HD. It's marketing mumbo jumbo. Hunters want "straight talk" and the SLC designation accomplishes that, and it also connects them with tradition, which they also like.

The SLC's look is also understated and therefore inconspicuous, desirable when stalking prey. You will never see a hunter carrying one of these around his neck, though I can see Flava Flav wearing one!

http://www.pbase.com/g_hawkins/image/115880110

<B

It's a bit surprising that the resident financial and sales "experts" find a reduced MSRP a bit of a |=o| ...... less surprising (unfortunately) though is the response to "newbies" .....

As Steve already mentioned, not only does Swaro keep a tight rein on retailer pricing, but in the case of the EL SV's it's tighter than a fish's you-know-what! :eek!: Many is the time I've seen that a retailer will hold an inventory-wide discount sale of say 10% for a limited few day period, and yet exclude certain, or all Swaro models. Having said that, the grip does seem to be somewhat looser on the SLC line .....

Perhaps Swaro is seeing significant market leakage to the excellent performance and value propostion Zeiss Conquest HD, along to a lesser extent, with increasing pressure from the likes of the Leupold McKinley /Zen-Ray Prime HD twins, Vortex Viper HD etc, and has decided to reduce per unit profitability in order to increase market share and overall profitability?

Is it just me, or is anyone else amazed at the lack of who-haa here on BF over the inclusion of a 10x56 ? I don't recall seeing that format for regular sale recently - has it been absent since SL days? I sure would like to see some specs on this one ..... :eat:

As for the SLC-HD line being "lesser" ...... bunkum! They exhibt the same fine optical performance levels as the "flagship" EL SV's, in fact due to the lack of Field-Flattner elements they have slightly superior light transmission than the EL SV's. The only difference is to the optical prescription, with less Eye Relief, and more Pincushion Distortion and drop-off at the edges of the field, which is ever so slightly narrower.

Oh, that, and the fact that apparently there were some internal departmental rucktions between the two design teams (EL SV, and SLC-HD), with escalating legal threats met by bluff and bravado, writs to sue, and counter-sue, until the Board finally stepped in to seperate the warring parties and deadlock, which eventually resulted in the two different ergonomic designs we see today - the 'open-bridge' of the EL SV, and the 'high H-bar' of the SLC-HD 8-P yeah right! ..... for gawd sakes there are only so many ways to join two parallel optical tubes! |^| Nobody has e-v-e-r been sued in the history of the world over the numbers of, and position of the crossmember!! 3

Oh yeah, while we're on rumour, scuttlebutt, and controversy, one last thing ..... these (new) SLC''s (old SLC-HD neu's) appear on the "HunTing" portal of the Swaro website, being described thusly: "The new generation of SLC binoculars are high-quality, high-performance hunting binoculars " ..... so unleash the hounds, put on your Deerskin Slippers and Tweed Jacket, pull up your favourite Quilted Leather Chair, have Jeeves bring you the Financial Times, and pour you a Cognac and place it beside you on the Burl Walnut Table of your Drawing Room overlooking the extensive grounds of your Estate, then relax, take out your finest Imported Tobacco, and put that in your Carved Whale-Tooth Ivory Bison-head Pipe and :smoke: it!!!



Chosun :gh:

>>You will never see a hunter carrying one of these around his neck,<<

Depends on what you are hunting ||




(please pardon the h-word, delete post as needed)

brocknroller said:

Read it, thanks. Odd that the Swaro "editorial team" made no mention of "HD glass" in their announcement on their blog (The new SLC family – Perfection meets Tradition), which was the first link posted.

blog/SLC_Family_nature

Swaro didn't need to drop the "HD" designation simply because they changed the armoring. The armoring and body color of the newer EIIs is different than the original EIIs, but they kept the name the same. I think it was marketing strategy.

Clues in the title ("Perfection meets Tradition") and the mention of years of "tradition" in making hunting optics in their ad hint as to why they dropped the "HD" designation. The SLC gets them back to their roots with hunters. "HD" is used by everyone from Leica Ultravid HD to Bushnell Legend Ultra HDs, as well as Kindle Fire HD. It's marketing mumbo jumbo. Hunters want "straight talk" and the SLC designation accomplishes that, and it also connects them with tradition, which they also like.

The SLC's look is also understated and therefore inconspicuous, desirable when stalking prey. You will never see a hunter carrying one of these around his neck, though I can see Flava Flav wearing one!

http://www.pbase.com/g_hawkins/image/115880110

<B

Click to expand...

The new EII still looks the same with just a different kind of basic black cover change. There isn't enough change in it to call it an EIII.

The new SLCs changed more than their covering and look much different. But that still doesn't explain why they dropped the HD and kept on calling them SLC. They look more like large versions of the CL.

Bob

Hot news from British Bird Fair

Brock is right. The all have HD glass so the old segregation of HD and non-HD doesn't apply.

Tried the 8x42 SLC and compared it with the EL SV and I preferred the SLC which to my eyes had a livelier more dynamic view. Felt nice and balanced in the hand too.

I thought it was brighter than the EL too although not HT-bright. However the weather was lousy at the time and despite the presence of some Little Egrets it did not favour detailed comparisons.

Lee

Lee,

Are the 56mm models there to try? If so, can you find out if they all use Abbe-Konig prisms and what the FOV specs are?

Henry

Troubador said:

Brock is right. The all have HD glass so the old segregation of HD and non-HD doesn't apply.

Tried the 8x42 SLC and compared it with the EL SV and I preferred the SLC which to my eyes had a livelier more dynamic view. Felt nice and balanced in the hand too.

I thought it was brighter than the EL too although not HT-bright. However the weather was lousy at the time and despite the presence of some Little Egrets it did not favour detailed comparisons.

Lee

Click to expand...

I agree with your observations after comparing the EL and the SLC.

saltspray said:

I agree with your observations after comparing the EL and the SLC.

Click to expand...

Same here - I was really wowed with the SLC-HD but have never gotten the same effect with the SV's - just didn't have the same ''pop'' - really nice but not strikingly sharp or contrasty. Maybe this is a knock-on effect of the field-flatteners?

james holdsworth said:

Same here - I was really wowed with the SLC-HD but have never gotten the same effect with the SV's - just didn't have the same ''pop'' - really nice but not strikingly sharp or contrasty. Maybe this is a knock-on effect of the field-flatteners?

Click to expand...

Maybe so.

I also found that with the SV I needed intermediate eye cup position for full FOV but SLCs work great fully extended.

OK, here we are- specs for 8x56, 10x56:

http://translate.google.com/transla...p://www.orniwelt.de/Fernglaeser/Swarovski/SLC

8x56: 7.6 degrees
10x56: 6.3 deg.