-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Swaro SLC VS EL (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter payj
- Start date
stereotruckdriver
Well-known member
Basically just design, ergo for most go to the EL with it's open bridge design, also makes for a lighter Binocular! It's my understanding that the newer SLC's have the same coating's. And one other but, don't quote me I think they have different focussing? Bryce.
falcondude
Well-known member
I haven't looked through a pair of SLC for many years. Does anyone know if its focuser lens moves toward objective side for closer focus, just like EL does? If it does, they may have similar optics design, with difference in body only.
falcondude
Well-known member
really? I thought the objective lens is stationary and fixed on the body. How do they keep water out if the lens is moving around?
I remember reading about their focusing on an old thread here in Bird Forum.
I have an old, obsolete, pre phase coated Minolta 8 x 32 Mariner. It is optically not very good but it is water proof and unusually rugged. It focuses by moving the objective lenses. It has protective plates in front of the objectives fixed inside the objective housings. Alternatively, my reverse porro Bushnell 7 x 26 Custom Classic also focuses in this manner but does not have the protective plates in front of the objectives and is not water proof.
Bob
I don't know how the other SLC's focus but I'm pretty sure it is NOT the same as the 8 x 30's.
I have an old, obsolete, pre phase coated Minolta 8 x 32 Mariner. It is optically not very good but it is water proof and unusually rugged. It focuses by moving the objective lenses. It has protective plates in front of the objectives fixed inside the objective housings. Alternatively, my reverse porro Bushnell 7 x 26 Custom Classic also focuses in this manner but does not have the protective plates in front of the objectives and is not water proof.
Bob
I don't know how the other SLC's focus but I'm pretty sure it is NOT the same as the 8 x 30's.
Last edited:
Perry Grin
Well-known member
El has closer focus......
dogfish
Well-known member
The SLCs are truly excellent binoculars but are optically equal in quality to the ELs; sadly you get what you pay for. I owned the older SLCs (10x) and have compared the new version with ELs at birdfairs. Using 10x ELs at present. And might buy the new ELs if I win the pools....
Sean
Sean
John Russell
Well-known member
If you wear glasses and are considering the pre-Swarovision 10x42 ELs, do try them first.
I found them to have very limited eye relief and much preferred the Zeiss Victory FLs and Leica Ultravid HDs. I bought the Victorys.
John
I found them to have very limited eye relief and much preferred the Zeiss Victory FLs and Leica Ultravid HDs. I bought the Victorys.
John
mooreorless
Well-known member
Swarovski uses an optical window in front of the objective lens on the newer versions of the SLC 8x30 and now discontinued 7x30. As far as water proof with out this window, I have a 20+ year old Swaro 7x30 SLC that once in a while I rinsed the lens off by submerging it in warm very mild soap in the sink and did this for many years, in 2003 I sent this binocular in to Swarovski of North America for repair this was after many years of daily use,not all day of course. I could see black spots on prism inside, but you know it still wasn't bad to look through.
SONA made a new binocular out of it. I sound like a broken record on this, but it is the truth. You can see the objective lens move back and forth inside when focusing, don't know about full size SLC.Regards,Steve
Last edited:
Kevin Purcell
Well-known member
falcondude: Other bins using a moving objective focusing system include the Canon IS range (with your without a window to keep water and dust out), Canon DS and NV, Zeiss Conquest 8x30 (with window), earlier Zeiss Classics like the 8x30 and the 10x40B (without window?).
It lets the designer drop out one lens group (or perhaps trade off one group for a flat plate if you want it to be waterproof).
It lets the designer drop out one lens group (or perhaps trade off one group for a flat plate if you want it to be waterproof).
falcondude
Well-known member
thanks for the explanation. I didn't know that. from my very limited experience, I only saw internal focuser movement binoculars, as well as a few cheapo Porro using eyepiece to do external focusing.
ClayTaylorTX
Well-known member
Swarovski uses an optical window in front of the objective lens on the newer versions of the SLC 8x30 and now discontinued 7x30. As far as water proof with out this window, I have a 20+ year old Swaro 7x30 SLC that once in a while I rinsed the lens off by submerging it in warm very mild soap in the sink and did this for many years, in 2003 I sent this binocular in to Swarovski of North America for repair this was after many years of daily use,not all day of course. I could see black spots on prism inside, but you know it still wasn't bad to look through.
Regards,Steve
Most good quality modern roof-prism binoculars use internal focusing of the objective lens group - look in the front as you turn the focusing wheel and you can see the internal lens move. A typical design is to use three lenses in the objective package (making it an apochromat), but the new EL Swarovision has a fourth lens for focusing. Go to http://el.swarovskioptik.com/ , select the Cutaway view and use the slider to rotate the binocular until the case opens up to reveal the innards. Very cool.
Clay Taylor
Swarovski Optik NA
Calallen (Corpus Christi) TX
In the early to mid 80's i was able to buy my first high end pair of bins. The choice was either Leitz Trinivid or Zeiss Dialyt. I chose the Leitz because of the "internal focusing" of the Zeiss was achieved by moving the objective lenses in & out, just like above, and with no glass screen. IMO this cannot be classed as internal focusing, so i chose the Leitz which i still use. Plus the Leitz Trinivid were much better looking. Cheers, P.
Similar threads
