CL Curio 7x21: protection for apparent metal (1 Viewer)

[pm42]

Hi,
For some reason, the designer of the CL Curio never used binoculars. Because he should now that apparent anodized metal is a bad idea when it's cold but it wears quickly.
As I put my compact binoculars in my pants pocket, I've noticed it after just a few days.

So I designed a pattern, printed it on some heavy paper (300g), cut it, stick some pieces of 3" gaffer on a cutting mat, used the pattern to cut them and transferred them to the Curio.
It looks better in real life than in the pictures and I do not care that much about my binoculars aesthetics.

 

[sillyak]

If you don't care about the appearance, why not just embrace the wear on the anodizing?

 

[CSG]

$900 designer binoculars...

 

[jafritten]

If you don't care about the appearance, why not just embrace the wear on the anodizing?

I think he's not so much bothered about the wear. I think he doesn't like the cold metal feel.

 

[sillyak]

$900 designer binoculars...

I have 8x20BN with anodized barrels. No wear on mine after two years of daily use. I wear mine on my neck, usually under a jacket, or I have a small case I keep on my belt.

I think he's not so much bothered about the wear. I think he doesn't like the cold metal feel.

Fair enough. I think that paper catching on my pocket would be more annoying than the cold. To each their own.

 

[Dr. K]

I can understand the aversion to the cold, but as far as looks I would run with the natural wear - wabi sabi!

 

[Ignatius]

$900 designer binoculars...

The days of designers like Dieter Rams who also think about usability are over as it seems. But maybe Swarovski did indeed intend this to be a curio rather than a serious EDC binocular.

 

[Paskman]

Should've just bought the UVs if the bare metal annoyed him that much🤔 People can be strange.

 

[pm42]

Should of just bought the UVs if the bare metal annoyed him that much🤔 People can be strange.

People are strange indeed because I have the UV and the 8x20BN. The Curio are better: bigger FOV, exit pupil, contrast, etc.

A few things are not as good as the Leicas and one of them is that their is more exposed metal with angles. So I proposed a solution base on my experience.

The answers from people who seem to have never use the Curio were:

• why do you want to protect your binoculars if you do not care about their appearance? Ok he forgot to read about the cold because reading is hard. Getting that this is protecting from damages (i.e. dents, etc) seems equally hard
• we also got "my 8x20BN do not have this problem". Yes as plenty of others binoculars. This is why the thread is named "CL Curio".
• and of course: "you should buy something else". Well if you had any interest in the subject, i.e. the CL Curio, you would have read the threads about it and discover that I own several compact alphas.

So indeed, people are sharing their real-life experience on Internet were people who know nothing about the subject explain how better and smarter they are because they bought something different and did not even read before bashing.

 

[sillyak]

I think everyone who ventures to the binocular section of a birding forum knows something about the subject.

You're getting quite defensive. What did you expect after putting paper and gaffers tape all over your binoculars? If it works for you have at it, but don't post it on the internet and expect people to not question your logic.

 

[pm42]

What did you expect after putting paper and gaffers tape all over your binoculars?

I did not put paper on them. This is exactly like your first answer where you forgot about the cold and made no difference between damage and aesthetics.
So far, none of your "questioning" has been on point, everything you said has been based on faulty assumptions.

So you do not even read, you do not try to understand nor to communicate, you are just looking for reasons to criticize because it makes you feel better.
And then of course, like every passive-agressive bully, you accuse people who answer of being defensive because you will never question you own behavior.
This is indeed the Internet but not the enjoyable part.

P.S: you should also know that using gaffer to protect gear is a very common practice in some fields such as photography. I could give you one of the millions links about it but as you do not read, I do not see the point.

 

[Paskman]

People are strange indeed because I have the UV and the 8x20BN. The Curio are better: bigger FOV, exit pupil, contrast, etc.

A few things are not as good as the Leicas and one of them is that their is more exposed metal with angles. So I proposed a solution base on my experience.

The answers from people who seem to have never use the Curio were:

• why do you want to protect your binoculars if you do not care about their appearance? Ok he forgot to read about the cold because reading is hard. Getting that this is protecting from damages (i.e. dents, etc) seems equally hard
• we also got "my 8x20BN do not have this problem". Yes as plenty of others binoculars. This is why the thread is named "CL Curio".
• and of course: "you should buy something else". Well if you had any interest in the subject, i.e. the CL Curio, you would have read the threads about it and discover that I own several compact alphas.

So indeed, people are sharing their real-life experience on Internet were people who know nothing about the subject explain how better and smarter they are because they bought something different and did not even read before bashing.

Sorry mate, but I stick by my comment. If the metal was so important to you then it is common sense to have an bought the UVs, as opposed to ruining a perfectly good pair on binoculars. Having said that it is your money.

Oh, and I do know a fair bit about binoculars, of all types, having used them for the last 50 years 🙂

 

[pm42]

Sorry mate, but I stick by my comment. If the metal was so important to you then it is common sense to have an bought the UVs,

Another person who does not read: I also own the UV, just prefer the Curio optically and wanted the best of both. If I could transfer the optics of the Swaro into the Leica, I would.
And this is not "so important" to me. Just a bit of improvement I've done during a rainy afternoon.

as opposed to ruining a perfectly good pair on binoculars.

Another person who does not know what he is talking about: gaffer sticks but can be removed easily. So I'm not ruining anything, just protecting my binoculars. If I want to sell them in the future, they will be in better condition for instance.

Oh, and I do know a fair bit about binoculars, of all types, having used them for the last 50 years 🙂

Sure and of course, you are the only one with experience? This is exactly what I said: you just feel the need to say that you are superior. You are not.

 

[Paskman]

Another person who does not read: I also own the UV, just prefer the Curio optically and wanted the best of both. If I could transfer the optics of the Swaro into the Leica, I would.
And this is not "so important" to me. Just a bit of improvement I've done during a rainy afternoon.


Another person who does not know what he is talking about: gaffer sticks but can be removed easily. So I'm not ruining anything, just protecting my binoculars. If I want to sell them in the future, they will be in better condition for instance.


Sure and of course, you are the only one with experience? This is exactly what I said: you just feel the need to say that you are superior. You are not.

Mate if you want to abuse people with different opinions then I am out.🙂 Bye bye👋

 

[sillyak]

I also own the UV, just prefer the Curio optically and wanted the best of both.

Do you just prefer the 7x21 format optically? Or is the new 7x21 optically better than the UV or old Swaro BN regardless of format? How much CA is there compared to those two?

 

[mbb]

Do you just prefer the 7x21 format optically? Or is the new 7x21 optically better than the UV or old Swaro BN regardless of format? How much CA is there compared to those two?

I have recently bought a second hand Swarovski 8x20 from 2013, after also briefly trying the new 7x21 at the same time.
There is no doubt the 7x21 was better, especially more comfortable to use (larger exit pupil and FOV). Really an amazing compact!
Still, the 8x20 was really good. I was impressed.
I didn't try the UV 8x20 that same day, but, from memory (...) (comparing them to 8x25) they were much more like the Swarovski 8x20 than the Swarovski 7x21.

I retained myself from trying the 7x21 much longer 😋 : the only, though important, reason I went for the 8x20 was the price: I could not justify paying more than 2x the price for the 7x21, considering I aim to carry those everywhere (bottom of office bag, on cycling holiday, in jacket pocket with the keys etc.) and I already have very good binoculars in the 25-32-42 sizes for more active birding/nature walks 😊 My smartphone, always with me, isn't the latest/most expensive iPhone either 😉 . But everyone has to decide for themselves.
Still, I could perfectly understand someone having e.g. a 7x21 and some 8-10x42 as a magnificent 2-binoculars-setup!

 

[sillyak]

I have recently bought a second hand Swarovski 8x20 from 2013, after also briefly trying the new 7x21 at the same time.
There is no doubt the 7x21 was better, especially more comfortable to use (larger exit pupil and FOV). Really an amazing compact!
Still, the 8x20 was really good. I was impressed.
I didn't try the UV 8x20 that same day, but, from memory (...) (comparing them to 8x25) they were much more like the Swarovski 8x20 than the Swarovski 7x21.

I retained myself from trying the 7x21 much longer 😋 : the only, though important, reason I went for the 8x20 was the price: I could not justify paying more than 2x the price for the 7x21, considering I aim to carry those everywhere (bottom of office bag, on cycling holiday, in jacket pocket with the keys etc.) and I already have very good binoculars in the 25-32-42 sizes for more active birding/nature walks 😊 My smartphone, always with me, isn't the latest/most expensive iPhone either 😉 . But everyone has to decide for themselves.
Still, I could perfectly understand someone having e.g. a 7x21 and some 8-10x42 as a magnificent 2-binoculars-setup!

You'll like the 8x20 for that. I use mine daily. I have Meopta 10x42 HD Meostars for serious birding; but, I use my little 8x20s for many more hours/year simply due to how often I carry them. I also take them up into the alpine where I used to just not take any binoculars. They do have quite a bit of CA though.

 

[Rg548]

Sorry.... That looks awful, I would much rather normal wear and tear.
I couldn't live with stuff stuck on my bins

 

[HenRun]

I do think that the bare metal design is a more than a "slight" problem in colder temperatures. Even at 6 degrees Celsius I find the Curio very cold to operate. Today when the temperature was minus 12 degrees in the morning I simply could not use them outside in the cold more than briefly with thin gloves on. With thicker gloves the Curio is very awkward in use with the small focuser. Not a cold weather binocular in my book. Still love it though!

The NL 8x32 is superb in cold weather and can easily be used with thicker gloves.

I tried with my winter running gloves which are pretty warm for being so thin but I think the Curio will not see much outdoor use this winter - much more so the rest of the year. Maybe I should knit something for the Curio 😁 - not that I know how...

After filling up the bird feeders and using the Curio for just a few minutes this morning I had to dunk my hands in hot water for a few minutes to thaw them out. A thin layer of snow had formed a beautiful crystal pattern on the deck. Cold and crisp outside.

Plenty of birds out this morning, managed to snap a picture of the resident Woodpecker (Dryobates Minor) through the Meopta 12x50. Was going to try it with the NL 8x32 but the adapter was already on the Meopta and I didn't even have time to mount the Meopta on the tripod before the moment was gone so I took a few snaps and one or two turned out alright.

 

[Stevenkelby]

I buy sheets Screen Protection for Cell Phones, iPads, Tablets, and Smart Watches this stuff for a big laptop, and cut it to size to protect all my expensive gadgets and eliminate the feel of cold metal. Flashlight, knives, watches, binos etc.

If you're careful enough it's undetectable, until you touch it and it feels great.

This was a good idea OP, thanks for the thread. 🍻