First of all, sorry for my english...
I am very surprised with your review. You feel less contrast with the Frontier than the Monarch. I try the Monarch one day and find the image "milky" and the contrast very poor (clarity was not very impressive...). A lot of CA (you said that too) and the eyepieces not very confortables.
I just buy a pair of Frontier ED 10X43. I hope to receive it tomorow and i will test it and compare it with Swaro 10X42 EL (not mine...) and Monarch 10X42...
I hope you aren't right because i was very disappointed by the Monarch ! :brains:
The parcell was lost ! I received yesterday my Frontier ED 10X43 and compared it between Svarowski EL 10X42 and Bushnell Elite E2 10X43 (I try also a Bushnell Legend HD wich seems similars at the Elite E2). If my english is not correct and you can't understand my words please don't hesitate to say it to me !
1. FOCUSING
The Frontier have a slow focus and the Elite E2 and the EL are really faster (and betters..) for that. For proxy focusing, it's long to have a sharp focus but it's precise and not "spongy" (in any case for me). I am photographer and always work with vintage lens (Zeiss-Contax, Takumar, Yashica and Russians' lens like Helios and Jupiter...) and the feeling is the same : slow, it's right. But this kind of ring have for me something pleasant : under the fingers it need somthing like "fingers'dexterity"... (and you see what i mean ! 8-P). It's precise but long when you have to return to infinity after a close-focus.
2.OPTICALY
After the first viewing inside the Frontier (in front at Postal Office) I said myfelf : crisp, proper, nice ! The image is bright and edges are very goods (they could be sharper sbut it's ok). I can see a very llittle distorsion (curvature) but it's not a problem and really better than my 8X40 Perl (Porro special Baryum). Colors are nices and warm. I play at home before going tested it at my favorite shop where a nice guy also likes testing the binoculars.
After the Frontier, I try the Svarowski EL (which have the same height !). I said myself : CLEAR, CRISP, and... WOW ! They are realy more contrasted than the Frontier and clarity is also better. I have not the money for it but if i could, i will not hesitate : the Svarowski is a notch above ! The nice guy (the salersman !) tightened me a pair of Leica Ultravid 8X42 for close-focus. Great too but I prefer the Svaro (I was obliged to move back of a meter with the Leica). By pointing the bino at a poster with orange-reds tones , I was able to see the big purity of the image with Svaro : "Cristal clear"... Svaros'oculars are largers than Frontier and Elite eyepieces (5mm more approximately) and it's more confortable.
The Elite E2 seemed to me a little less sharp than Frontier at mid focus (when I tried to read bar-codes and the letters prints on a box in the shop at 4 meters). The clarity seems to me identical with the Frontier and the colour accuracy too. I prefer the Frontier for sharpness and handling.
STRAY LIGHT ?o
I can't see it clearly. Under the artificial light, I noted more disturbance by indirect beam on Frontier than on Svaro. I didnt' notice anything else. If I see it later, I shall complete my review !
EDIT : A kind of "halo" can be seen at the edge with high light coming on lateral side opposite (like a sunnny window..).
3.HANDLING and CONSTRUCTION
Both Svarowski and Frontier are very confortables with a very good grip. The Elite is not so pleasant. The Svaro seems me lighter than the Frontier.
The Frontier feel solid and (but the cardbox in wich the bino are delivered made very cheap : chinese's touch.?). I prefer the rainguard of Svaro and materials make very long-lasting, more than the Frontier or the Elite. The dioptric adjustement on the Elite is precise and nice. That of Frontier work well however.
I noticed that the treatment anti-reflection is different between three binoculars. THe Frontier have a double green reflections and a little bit of pink. The Elite have also green and a little bite more pink. The Svaro have clearly triple reflections green, yellow and pink.
VERDICT
Yes it's sharp and the FOV is great. The light transmission is superior and better than the Elite E2 But a notch below Svaro. For my use, it's enough and I hope that they are as well solid as they it appear. I was amazed by the resemblance with Svaro. It is a pure copy and I regret a little this trend to the imitation.
I think that they are frankly better than Monarch but I shall try to compare them later.
Stephane