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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Swarovski NL 8x42 - First Impressions (1 Viewer)

Hi from Italy
This morning, I finally went to the lake to go bird watching. I think I have found the best setting for me. Just two clicks of the eyecups eyepiece and
i have to be slightly detached from the face. In this case I notice the glare, less. I took the Swarovski EL 8.5x42 field pro with me.
My impressions are:
NL Pure is sharper and more contrasted, the seagulls are "really" white, in the EL there is a warmer tone. Lateral chromatism in inferior. The chromatic abberation on the axis is almost irrelevant, almost non-existent, except for some rare moments against the light. In short, I repeat it.The NL PURE gives me the best views. Compared to the "old" EL, I can see more glare, but the overall vision of the NL PURE is unmatched. Maybe I see less of it in the EL because I "wear" it better. With the NL Pure I had to struggle a bit to find the exact setting There is obviously no match for field of views, ergonomics, focus accuracy (excellent snap test) and its lightness (It weighs more than the Zeiss SF but is much better balanced than the EL). Ultimately I would give it a nice 9/10 which would become a 10/10 if they fixed the problem mentioned by many...
 

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Torview said:
I don`t think its fair to compare the Genesis 8x33 to an NL8x42 even just trying to make a point, its 1/3rd of the price.

You can never have too much fov I agree, but many other factors are of equal or more importance to many myself included, and frankly 8 deg in an 8x is a sweet spot anyway IMHO.

I find it hard to believe that removing the glare would compromise the view, what`s difficult about blackening the inside efficiently ?

I`v come to expect when I buy Leica I`ll have simply the best available material quality but C/A - when I buy Zeiss I`ll have slightly below par quality control - when I buy Swarovski there`ll probably be glare.

Good to have a choice though.
Click to expand...
"I don't think it's fair to compare the Genesis 8x33 to an NL8x42 even just trying to make a point, its 1/3rd of the price."

In your thread on the Kowa Genesis Prominar 8x33 you said the Kowa Genesis Prominar 8x33 could be compared to the alphas and were in the alpha league and I quote.
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=389815

"They are Doug, what amazes me is that you have to compare them to binoculars at twice or more the price"

" I guess to summarize, the Kowa may be at the bottom of the Alpha 32 mm league, but I do believe it to be very much in that league rather than the league below, and at the price I find that extraordinary."
For me, and I`ve owned pretty much everything but the Noctivid, and can only compare the 33 Genesis, what is remarkable is IMHO they can be compared to 32 mm SV, UVHD+, Victory Fl and Edg rather than Meostar Cl etc, other people may have a very different opinion of course."

"And that is a real shame, I was using it last evening watching Cuckoos and Restarts and not for one second did I feel I was missing out in relation to my SF."
 
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[email protected] said:
"I don't think it's fair to compare the Genesis 8x33 to an NL8x42 even just trying to make a point, its 1/3rd of the price."

In your thread on the Kowa Genesis Prominar 8x33 you said the Kowa Genesis Prominar 8x33 could be compared to the alphas and were in the alpha league and I quote.
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=389815

"They are Doug, what amazes me is that you have to compare them to binoculars at twice or more the price"

" I guess to summarize, the Kowa may be at the bottom of the Alpha 32 mm league, but I do believe it to be very much in that league rather than the league below, and at the price I find that extraordinary."
For me, and I`ve owned pretty much everything but the Noctivid, and can only compare the 33 Genesis, what is remarkable is IMHO they can be compared to 32 mm SV, UVHD+, Victory Fl and Edg rather than Meostar Cl etc, other people may have a very different opinion of course."

"And that is a real shame, I was using it last evening watching Cuckoos and Restarts and not for one second did I feel I was missing out in relation to my SF."
Click to expand...


Yes, twice the price 32mm Alpha`s, not the latest five years in development 42mm offering.

The Kowa is an old design but its never going to compare directly to any 42mm Alpha.
 
Interested in your overall impressions of Zeiss SF 8x32 vs NL 8x42

binomania said:
Hi from Italy
This morning, I finally went to the lake to go bird watching. I think I have found the best setting for me. Just two clicks of the eyecups eyepiece and
i have to be slightly detached from the face. In this case I notice the glare, less. I took the Swarovski EL 8.5x42 field pro with me.
My impressions are:
NL Pure is sharper and more contrasted, the seagulls are "really" white, in the EL there is a warmer tone. Lateral chromatism in inferior. The chromatic abberation on the axis is almost irrelevant, almost non-existent, except for some rare moments against the light. In short, I repeat it.The NL PURE gives me the best views. Compared to the "old" EL, I can see more glare, but the overall vision of the NL PURE is unmatched. Maybe I see less of it in the EL because I "wear" it better. With the NL Pure I had to struggle a bit to find the exact setting There is obviously no match for field of views, ergonomics, focus accuracy (excellent snap test) and its lightness (It weighs more than the Zeiss SF but is much better balanced than the EL). Ultimately I would give it a nice 9/10 which would become a 10/10 if they fixed the problem mentioned by many...
Click to expand...
 
zzzzzz said:
Interested in your overall impressions of Zeiss SF 8x32 vs NL 8x42
Click to expand...
Piergiovanni said in his unboxing video that he is preparing a comparative review of the NL 8x42, EL 8.5x42, Zeiss SF 8x42 and Leica Noctivid 8x42. I don't think he'll include the SF 8x32 in this comparison for obvious reasons.
 
Torview said:
Yes, twice the price 32mm Alpha`s, not the latest five years in development 42mm offering.

The Kowa is an old design but its never going to compare directly to any 42mm Alpha.
Click to expand...
"Yes, twice the price 32mm Alpha`s, not the latest five years in development 42 mm offering. The Kowa is an old design but it's never going to compare directly to any 42 mm Alpha."

Especially, probably the best alpha on the planet!;)
 
Has anybody noticed how CLEAR the new NL is? I mean it takes optical clarity to a new level. When I look through it, it is like there is not any glass between me and the bird. I have never seen such a CLEAR binocular.
 
[email protected] said:
Has anybody noticed how CLEAR the new NL is? I mean it takes optical clarity to a new level. When I look through it, it is like there is not any glass between me and the bird. I have never seen such a CLEAR binocular.
Click to expand...

When using a loaner pair of the 10x42 NL, I kept repeating to myself this is a binocular view, NOT a 4K hi res movie screen.

Immaculate. Absolutely immaculate view and its clarity is haunting.

And yes, I'm saving for my own pair.

*Note, having taken the Sightron blue sky 8x32 around the world, I finally found a pair of binoculars that I would replace them with.

10x42 NL
 
Solitamente non commento i giudizi sui binocoli , in questo caso mi sento di fare un'eccezione . La serie NL in tutte e trè versioni è eccezionale , mi aspettavo ottimi binocoli visto il marchio e i prezzi ... Hanno superato le mie più ottimistiche speranze . In pieno controluce dei piccoli riverberi ? Ma per favore.... Binocoli eccezionali campo ampissimo senza distorsioni cromatismo bilanciato , si impugna benissimo . Se ne avete la possibilità provatelo e poi mi dite . Saluti a tutti
 
Ciao Lucchini,

Un caloroso benvenuto a BirdForum! ('A warm welcome to BirdForum')

- - - -

For the convenience of others, per Google Translate, Lucchini's comments . . .

'I don't usually comment on binoculars reviews, in this case I feel like making an exception.
The NL series in all three versions is exceptional, I expected excellent binoculars given the brand and the prices ...
They exceeded my most optimistic hopes. Against the light of the small reverbs? But please ....
Exceptional binoculars very wide field without distortion balanced chromatism, it holds very well.
If you have the chance try it and then tell me.
Greetings to all'


John
 
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John:

That was very nice of you to help with the translation. It seems to be another very positive post about
the new NL.

Jerry
 
binomania said:
Hi from Italy
This morning, I finally went to the lake to go bird watching. I think I have found the best setting for me. Just two clicks of the eyecups eyepiece and
i have to be slightly detached from the face. In this case I notice the glare, less. I took the Swarovski EL 8.5x42 field pro with me.
My impressions are:
NL Pure is sharper and more contrasted, the seagulls are "really" white, in the EL there is a warmer tone. Lateral chromatism in inferior. The chromatic abberation on the axis is almost irrelevant, almost non-existent, except for some rare moments against the light. In short, I repeat it.The NL PURE gives me the best views. Compared to the "old" EL, I can see more glare, but the overall vision of the NL PURE is unmatched. Maybe I see less of it in the EL because I "wear" it better. With the NL Pure I had to struggle a bit to find the exact setting There is obviously no match for field of views, ergonomics, focus accuracy (excellent snap test) and its lightness (It weighs more than the Zeiss SF but is much better balanced than the EL). Ultimately I would give it a nice 9/10 which would become a 10/10 if they fixed the problem mentioned by many...
Click to expand...

Swarovski have made a significant improvement by adding more adjustment options (clicks) to the eye cups. I needed to tape my 8.5 ELs between 1st and second stop to take advantage of full FOV.
Has this been done because the NL is more 'eye relief crtical'. Is more exact eye position needed if the wide FOV is to be utilised?
Is this part of the decision to develop the head support?
 
nzwild said:
Swarovski have made a significant improvement by adding more adjustment options (clicks) to the eye cups. I needed to tape my 8.5 ELs between 1st and second stop to take advantage of full FOV.
Has this been done because the NL is more 'eye relief crtical'. Is more exact eye position needed if the wide FOV is to be utilised?
Is this part of the decision to develop the head support?
Click to expand...
Several reviewers have suggested that "the NL is less forgiving than the EL when the eye placement is not optimal", which seems to imply that indeed what you said might explain why Swaro added more click stops to the eyecups.
 
Peoples' faces are different, as are their eyes and their glasses. It just makes sense to offer intermediate click stops. It is a bit surprising they haven't become ubiquitous yet, especially as they are not a costly or difficult addition.

I cannot say whether or not the NL's are more or less forgiving for variances in eye placement, but whenever I have tried them they have felt immediately excellent.

- Kimmo
 
sorry for any mistakes but not speaking english I use the automatic translator.
I noticed by testing the new NLs that those who use glasses are better off as they are already used to placing the binoculars perpendicular to the visual axis at best and adjusting the interpupillary distance well. The FRP front was made not only to increase stability but also to help position the binoculars in the best possible way, above all to position them in the best possible way and automatically over the interpupillar distance.
Greetings to all and have a nice day.
 
Having collected a pair of NL bins earlier today I've not had time to test them thoroughly but I have to say that (apparently like other models) the method by which the neck strap is attached is ridiculously over designed and hideously fiddly to attach. In fact, I couldn't attach the strap at all although, to be fair, my dexterity and grip is poor following several operations on both hands. So, to my embarrassment, I had to return to the shop where I bought them (happily only a 10 minute walk). However, any embarrassment I felt was largely dissipated when the staff in the shop, despite familiarity with Swarovski binoculars, spent over five minutes struggling to fix one attachment and then over 20 minutes to sort out the other. The lug just wouldn't click in place and required more force and a tighter grip than I could muster for it to behave. So my advice if you're in any doubt is to get the staff to attach the strap!
 
John Cantelo said:
Having collected a pair of NL bins earlier today I've not had time to test them thoroughly but I have to say that (apparently like other models) the method by which the neck strap is attached is ridiculously over designed and hideously fiddly to attach. In fact, I couldn't attach the strap at all although, to be fair, my dexterity and grip is poor following several operations on both hands. So, to my embarrassment, I had to return to the shop where I bought them (happily only a 10 minute walk). However, any embarrassment I felt was largely dissipated when the staff in the shop, despite familiarity with Swarovski binoculars, spent over five minutes struggling to fix one attachment and then over 20 minutes to sort out the other. The lug just wouldn't click in place and required more force and a tighter grip than I could muster for it to behave. So my advice if you're in any doubt is to get the staff to attach the strap!
Click to expand...
I had the same problem when I went to attach the strap on my NL 8x42. On my last pair of Swarovski EL 8x32 FP the little strap lugs were easy to push in and turn to lock on but obviously Swarovski has made them tighter probably because they had a few fall off inadvertently. You have to really push HARD downward and turn them at the same time to lock them on and it is very difficult if your grip is poor. I couldn't get one side until I got my wifes Silicone Jar Gripper out of the kitchen which is made of a very sticky grippy rubber and by using it to turn and depress the knob I did it very easily. Swarovski should include one of these with every NL for installing the FP strap attachments. The good thing about the FP strap attachments is once you get them on they won't easily come off. I think that was Swarovski intention.

https://www.amazon.com/Jar-Wrestler...1991312780301&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_td_asin_0
 

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John Cantelo said:
Having collected a pair of NL bins earlier today I've not had time to test them thoroughly but I have to say that (apparently like other models) the method by which the neck strap is attached is ridiculously over designed and hideously fiddly to attach. In fact, I couldn't attach the strap at all although, to be fair, my dexterity and grip is poor following several operations on both hands. So, to my embarrassment, I had to return to the shop where I bought them (happily only a 10 minute walk). However, any embarrassment I felt was largely dissipated when the staff in the shop, despite familiarity with Swarovski binoculars, spent over five minutes struggling to fix one attachment and then over 20 minutes to sort out the other. The lug just wouldn't click in place and required more force and a tighter grip than I could muster for it to behave. So my advice if you're in any doubt is to get the staff to attach the strap!
Click to expand...

Why Swaro did it this way is a mystery to me----I had the same problem with an NL 10x42, I had to push and turn the pins so hard that I thought I am going to break them. However the strap attachment problem turned out to be nothing but a minor annoyance compared with the glare issue of these binos---I have to test them more thoroughly but their glare issue is likely to be a deal breaker for me.
 
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