CL Companion 8x30 (1 Viewer)

[Redneckbmxer24]

I'm looking for feedback from people who currently own the current version (I think the change was 2018) of these binos. I have never gotten the opportunity to check them out and I don't know of anywhere local or semi local where I can go to look at them. I know theres legitimate complaints about the previous version and the image and whatnot but I'm only interested in the current. I've read a lot of people who looked through them and didn't like this or that about them but I'm only interested in hearing from people who own this version and kept them. What do you like about them, and what don't you like about them? What other binos do you own as well and how do they compare?

I'm looking for an anniversary gift and keep coming back to these for several reasons. I know she will like the size of them, the fact they're Swaros, and she'll like the Northern Lights bag/pouch. I'm just going to have to buy them sight unseen though unfortunately. If I got her anything else I'd probably go for 8x32 EL's but I know she would like the size and other characteristics of the CL more.

So what so you think if yours? Is she going to use my 8.5x42 EL's and hate these or do they do pretty well given the size and glass?

 

[MiddleRiver]

Swaros have bling name going for them but the 8x30HGs are super…

 

[Mike Crawley]

Perhaps you can contact the seller (presumably a reputable company/shop) and negotiate a deal whereby you can return them with no penalty if they are not satisfactory in any way.
I know my local optics shop is happy to do mail order selling on this basis and I assume others would also be agreeable.

 

[Canip]

My take on the CL:

Swarovski CL Companion (2017) – Binoculars Today

Canip

 

[Redneckbmxer24]

Swaros have bling name going for them but the 8x30HGs are super…

Cool, not what I asked and I've owned high end Nikon binos and they don't hold a candle to EL's. Not buying anything but Swaros for her because its what she likes, so unless you've got direct feedback with what I'm asking you're wasting your time.

Perhaps you can contact the seller (presumably a reputable company/shop) and negotiate a deal whereby you can return them with no penalty if they are not satisfactory in any way.
I know my local optics shop is happy to do mail order selling on this basis and I assume others would also be agreeable.

Thanks, I'm well connected with a big dealer/distributor that gives me a hell of a discount. Given the circumstances I don't want to return them unless something is wrong with them.

My take on the CL:

Swarovski CL Companion (2017) – Binoculars Today

Canip

Thanks, did you ultimately keep them?

 

[tehri]

Wow, really a great love gift idea, dude !! 😃
I love these binoculars too much, and give you a few words without knowing if they will be useful. When you know a woman well, her tastes, etc., it's quite easy to find the right gifts... And for example with clothes or shoes, if the size needs to be adjusted, it's easy to do that afterwards... But with binoculars, it could be another story !!
I'm telling you this because 8 or 9 months back, I wanted to give myself a present, lol !... these CL Companion, which I had been looking at with envy for months !! I'm a Swaro guy since always, and wanted a smaller, lighter pair, and moreover I find the design of these really very successful.
So I made an appointment in a showroom not far away, telling them that I was coming to try and probably buy these so coveted CLs, and that while I was there, I would also like to test just for fun, a pair of NLx32, and Zeiss SFx32.
I was like a kid when I arrived !!!
It's not an ordinary store in a city street, but a showroom with top-of-the-range optical equipment where you come by appointment, and can stay for hours on end testing your future binoculars in front of an open landscape.
'My 'CL Companions were waiting for me, I was so happy to hold them, touch them... But a surprise was waiting for me !!!... I'm used to binoculars, I don't necessarily need hours or days... And unfortunately, with these Companions, it's impossible for me to avoid blackout problems !!! No matter how much I adjust the eyecups in all positions, still this annoying problem with my eyes !!!
I put some balm on my pain by leaving with NL Pure's, but I was a little sad all the same, lol !
It can be difficult to offer binoculars without testing them... I hope they will suit her, because once taken in hand, it will be 'delicate' to find another brand with such a successful and beautiful model ! In fact, I don't know of any, these binoculars are so unique !
I've read and seen everything about the CL Companions, tests, reviews, etc... I don't know if you saw this one, one of the best, because the guy really speaks with his heart about these binoculars :

(°v°)

 

[Scott98]

Cool, not what I asked and I've owned high end Nikon binos and they don't hold a candle to EL's. Not buying anything but Swaros for her because its what she likes, so unless you've got direct feedback with what I'm asking you're wasting your time.

>What other binos do you own as well and how do they compare?

 

[lmans66]

The Cl is a great pair of bins.... very nice...they feel great in my hands. The Nikon HG is just as good and is a lot less $....so for that, I would go against the Swaro grain and pick up the Nikon. It is small, or feels a lot smaller ...almost like a toy but it is good.

Now....look at the 7x35 Leica too. Size wise is it just as small as either of those but I feel a lot better in terms of sharpness and ease.

The bugger ...the real bugger about the Swaro is that the diopter is about as poor of a design as I have seen and very difficult, from my experience to get it 'right'. The Nikon and of course the Leica are much better..... jim

 

[Redneckbmxer24]

I appreciate the replies, but unless you currently own the CL's then I'm not interested in the feedback or opinions. I own several different binos and have had a ton more. These specifically are what I am wanting you hear OWNER feedback about. So far 6 replies and only one from someone what actually owns them.

 

[gweller]

Ok, well I own them, having purchased them in December 2019, and am delighted with them.

They are sharp, bright for an 8x30 and have a very easy eye placement, and are small and light. I know some people dislike the diopter adjustment, but really IMHO it's a fit of a fuss about nothing - I have not had a problem getting it correct. Only criticism I have is that the black rubber covering seems to show every fingerprint, so I would go for the green version.

I can really recommend them and don't think you can go far wrong with them!

 

[Redneckbmxer24]

Ok, well I own them, having purchased them in December 2019, and am delighted with them.

They are sharp, bright for an 8x30 and have a very easy eye placement, and are small and light. I know some people dislike the diopter adjustment, but really IMHO it's a fit of a fuss about nothing - I have not had a problem getting it correct. Only criticism I have is that the black rubber covering seems to show every fingerprint, so I would go for the green version.

I can really recommend them and don't think you can go far wrong with them!

Thanks, yes I would be going for the green as that shade is her favorite color. Is the diopter adjustment different from EL's? It looks the same in how it unlocks and pulls out but I could be wrong. They will be hers alone and she has perfect vision so it will be a set it and forget it deal. How are the eye cups? How many positions are they? How's the depth of field, are you constantly adjusting focus when scanning or is it pretty good?

 

[tehri]

... but unless you currently own the CL's then I'm not interested in the feedback or opinions.

Lol !... I owned them... for 4 or 5 hours, and just gives you a feedback with something, a problem that can happen, depending on the morphology of each !!
These Companions are great, it's well known, and feedbacks from owners are already everywhere, here, on other forums, on YT, everywhere !
(Eyecups get 2 lockable positions).

 

[seawatcher]

Thanks, yes I would be going for the green as that shade is her favorite color. Is the diopter adjustment different from EL's? It looks the same in how it unlocks and pulls out but I could be wrong. They will be hers alone and she has perfect vision so it will be a set it and forget it deal. How are the eye cups? How many positions are they? How's the depth of field, are you constantly adjusting focus when scanning or is it pretty good?

I am also an owner of a CL 8x30, in green. I have owned these for over 2 years, and they are with me everywhere. They have taken a few knocks, that is just because I use them every day.
Plus points for me: (1): they fit comfortably in my hand, (2): the focus wheel is in the right position (for me at least), (3): the optics - pretty sharp (although the newest EL and NL are a tad sharper, (4): price, (5): I like the diopter adjustment, which stays in place once set (and yes, it is fiddly, but who moves there diopter setting on a regular basis ;-)
Minus points: (1): I never really got to like the strap attachments and the fact they can loosen (2): I wish Swaro could put a piece of rubber or similar on the black metal bits on the barrels as it would make all the difference in cold weather
They are a great pair of bincolars (and i own / have owned several different models).

SW

 

[Tringa45]

Thanks, yes I would be going for the green as that shade is her favorite color. Is the diopter adjustment different from EL's? It looks the same in how it unlocks and pulls out but I could be wrong. They will be hers alone and she has perfect vision so it will be a set it and forget it deal. How are the eye cups? How many positions are they? How's the depth of field, are you constantly adjusting focus when scanning or is it pretty good?

My wife has an 8x30 CL2 and I fully agree with Canip's (he's a collector btw) assessment. Apart from the dioptre adjustment (push in to rotate) the only other minor irritation is the rotating strap attachment as on some other recent Swaros.
There are no intermediate stops on the eyecups, which extend smothly but with some resistance. Travel is 12 mm, so I think blackouts would only be a problem for a few. When retracted, eye relief for me as a glasses wearer is satisfactory.
Depth of field is dictated solely by magnification so will be similar to any other 8x binocular.

John

 

[gweller]

Thanks, yes I would be going for the green as that shade is her favorite color. Is the diopter adjustment different from EL's? ....

No it's not the same as the EL's (I think). You push it in, rotate it, then release it. The one niggle with it is that you can't adjust it (easily!) with the bins raised to you eyes. So it's a bit trial and error until you get it right

 

[safaridreaming]

We owned a couple of the current model CL’s in 8x30 format coming from owning EL 8x32s. For a while there i was after a small form factor and first tried the Swaro CL 8x25’s which were too small and my wife and i both hated the double hinge setup, so we migrated to the CL 30’s. We found the binos to be fine - very easy eye placement for a 30mm bino, relaxed view that was sharp in the middle with slight drop off towards the edge. Focuser was hit and miss. One bino had a reasonably smooth focus, the other was quite stiff. My wife and are both blessed with good vision so we generally dont need to shift the diopter beyond +1 and we can both use each others binos without having to adjust this so once dialled it, it was set. It is less intuitive that the EL’s and a bit more awkward to do on the fly ie with binos to your eyes.

There was a noticeable difference in both resolution and brightness compared to the EL32’s though. I also realised then that I preferred the ergonomics of the open bridge of the EL’s, whereas on the CL’s with my largish hands, the edge of my palm overhung the barrel at the objective end given the smaller size….

Now both my wife and i have reverted back to our EL 32’s, variants of which we’ve used for over 15yrs and are intimately familiar with. We owned the CL’s for around 6 months and took them on various camping and family trips aside from the usual uses in our local park and in our backyard.

I dont think you can go wrong with either, but important to note there is a step up in image quality from the CL to EL - resolution, contrast, colours, all of it.

On a positive note the CL field pro neck strap and case are great fits for the EL’s which hv a slightly different neck strap configuration and bigger case.

 

[chill6x6]

So I have these along with the previous CL both in 8X30 and the SV 8X32. I just haven't been that crazy about it. In fact I believe I like the previous model better. I'm not crazy about the feel of the focus adjustment or the focus wheel. The diopter adjustment is about the worst there is. I'm not crazy about the FP system on this small, lightweight binocular. It won't take the place of an SV 8X32 for sure. The question for me is....Why would I use this binocular when I can go out with a comparable Nikon Monarch HG 8X30 that I really like with more FOV? I know many are crazy about this binocular and that's okay! It just isn't me.

 

[ariban]

I have the CL Companion 8x30 B in green. I wear prescription glasses. The field is bright, sharp and contrasty. I find these very easy to use - the design is such that you pick them up and start looking - no blackout at all. There is some false colour, more at the field edges, but not a deal breaker. The colours are neutral, the view relaxing.

The diopter adjustment is irritating but you do it once. I found that paying extra for a strap and case - strange so I did not buy a strap/ case for this - at least the branded one. I put the EL pins on it and now it takes a RYO harness well. The tubes are long enough to allow a very secure grip (unlike a similar speced bin from another company) and the index finger finds the focuser every time. The focuser on mine is smooth as butter.

I find the CL a very fine birding bin. Serves me well in woodlands and open areas. Warblers in the tickets, to birds of prey on wing - these resolve very well. The minimum focusing distance could have been shorter, though.

The 8X32 ELs are no longer available (new). Of course you can take a look at the NLP 8x32.

Nice choice of gift, I must say.

 

[Canip]

Thanks, did you ultimately keep them?

Yes, of course.
Canip

 

[Rg548]

I appreciate the replies, but unless you currently own the CL's then I'm not interested in the feedback or opinions. I own several different binos and have had a ton more. These specifically are what I am wanting you hear OWNER feedback about. So far 6 replies and only one from someone what actually owns them.

Slightly odd attitude....
I tested these quite extensively a while back, side by side against others, as I was keen on the format and these showed promise.
But as I didn't buy them, and obviously don't own them, I will keep my thoughts on them, and why I didn't buy them to myself.
Enjoy your day