Their web store shows books, that was all I see. I suspect it was just the over all superior performance of the SF that led them to that conclusion. :t:
You really have a hard time letting go, to be safe, you really ought to buy an SF to go with your swaros, that way you could say you have the two best in the world, and it would give the rest of us a break from your incessant whining and arguments if someone says they like the SF better than others. It really gets old.
Hi from Italy, you're right. It's very difficult, at least for me, declare a real winner. I am using the new EL these days vs the SF and each has CONS and PRO.
Obviously one is a 8x and one a 8.5X, so there are significant differences.
By the way:
I like Zeiss SF for the field of view, even if the new EL is sharp to the edge.
I noticed a strange thing: maybe Swarovski has modified again the distortion. I had two models of EL. The first was with a flat field and without distortion, the second sample had distortion and a better panning.
The new one is more similar to my first EL specimen. Maybe, in Austria having the Swarovski SLC in catalog, has decided to step back. Is my poor opinion, obviously.
For now I only observed in the field and I have not made precise measurements. I prefer to do so: There are so many things on the field that are not seen in the laboratory
so, please, excuse me If I'm still not exhaustive.
When the sun is on the side of the SF, it has less stray light inside the optical tube respecet EL, but 'because of the large field of view and for large eyepieces field stop, I see, sometimes, a "red reflex in the form of nail", at the end of the field, near the corner of prism.
I must try to see the stars to verify if I notice stars reflected.
Brock, will laugh now but I can confirm that my E II does not do this problem .-)
The new EL is more sharpness to my eyes ( but you have to get close the EL for comparison) and "maybe" Leica HD PLUS is more sharpness than EL.
Instead the Zeiss SF is more' bright and show green in a most 'brilliant tone. The focus of EL has improved and i prefer the amount of accessories that Swarovski offer. For me this is a major gap of Zeiss: I am using on SF the WES winged eyecup and are fine! Zeiss , please give us some new accessories and a rubber more 'serious" charming and durable.
During this year I have loved these features in these binoculars:
Leica HD Plus: Sharpness and color.
Kowa Genesis 8.5x44: contrast, and zero chromatic aberration on axis( for my eyes)
Zeiss SF: field of view, ergonomy,balance to the eyes.
Swarovski EL 2016 : a good compromise even if they could make major changes.
Now you ask me what I like best?
I do not know, I love both pizza and lasagna: it is a difficult decision for me: I am a "binomane"
One thing you can say. If Kowa presented a new binoculars, I think the Alpha Europeans would have big , big problems.
I am using still, after six years, the 8.5x44 and, as contrast and chromatic aberration correction, still has much to teach.
I really bothered chromatic aberration: last year I compared the ATX to my 883 for long time and, at the end, I kept the 883 because it is more 'correct on axis.
Anyway you are all lucky. The birdwatcher have many binoculars to choose. I am also an amateur astronomer and now, companies produce mainly refractors to photograph and often are almost all the same, just change the logo. :-(
My two cents, and excuse for my poor english.I would have many things to write to you, but I find it hard
