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New released Swaro CL Companion 8x30 B (3 Viewers)

Hi SBB,
This little gem is gonna take a lot of trade away from the CL25 and SV32 and much more from the competition.
Work for Zeiss, Leica, Kowa and Meopta.
IMHO this CL is the EL from 1999. It will fill the landscape.

Jan

On paper the specs don't seem that much better than the Zeiss 8x25 Victory Pocket (132m @ 1000m vs 130, 15.4 twilight factor va 14) yet it weighs nearly twice as much.
 
On paper the specs don't seem that much better than the Zeiss 8x25 Victory Pocket (132m @ 1000m vs 130, 15.4 twilight factor va 14) yet it weighs nearly twice as much.

I know that with the bigger objective will be easier to view! Try them both Faizel, you will be surprised. As for the glass quality, based on what Jan suggest (post #102), sounds like it is kick ass! Try them both, but I bet you will save up for the Swaros I say :)
 
Are you sure ?
And I was hoping that finally, finally with this thread the focus was on the really important aspects of binocular optics.
I have been wondering for some time why all these reviews and comparitive tests are always focusing on subjects like field of view, chromatic aberration, sharpness and contrast, when the really significant issues - beyond any doubt - are shape, color and smell.
How can the look through a binocular be pleasing if the instrument has the wrong shape, color or flavor??

And this is from someone living in the land of Sbrinz cheese!
Which of course makes you highly qualified to comment on strange aromas and flavours ;)

Lee
 
Getting back to topic

I'll give a few preliminary impressions of the Swaro CL Companion, albeit mostly based on the 10x30 version. I got an early specimen on loan from Swarovski, and have been using it on a few birding outings as well as toying with at home and on our balcony. I will do some resolution testing and other measurements eventually, but thus far it's all been rather more casual.

Firstly, I agree with Jan: these are what the original 8/10x30 should have been like. To put it another way, these are like a scaled-down and sleeker/fancier looking version of the current SLC series rather than some entry level stuff.

Image quality appears excellent, with really good central sharpness and a large sweet spot. Edge sharpness is unusually good for a binocular without a field flattener mentioned in its advertising literature. In fact, since what I see is just a tiny bit of field curvature and almost no astigmatism at the edge, I suspect that the eyepiece is in fact some kind of a field flattener design. For a younger viewer with decent accommodation, these will be almost sharp to the edge. There is only modest angular magnification distortion, and to my eyes no RB. FoV in the 10x is decent (108m/km) but not great. I'll measure it later, but hand-held it is a bit less than my 10x42 Canon as the specs suggest it would be. Eye lens diameter is 22 mm (Nikon 10x42 SE has 21mm and my Canon 23 mm). This is a big improvement over the original CL series, which has rather tiny eye lenses.

I cannot quite agree with Jan's opinion that there would be no kidney beaning at all with these. In normal viewing I get none, but if I have the eyecups retracted it is easy enough for me to bring my eyes close enough to get kidney beans out of the shadows.

Colors are rich and natural, and contrast is excellent. There is some veiling glare, but nothing alarming. Image snaps to focus well, and, once set, diopter is set and does not need to be second-guessed. I haven't seen any mention of ED lenses in the literature about these, but whereas I saw distinct and somewhat annoying CA in the original CL series, these look to me just like the current SLC: I can see CA in them if I look for it but generally find it unobtrusive. My Nikon 10x42 SE has much more, my Canon a little bit less.

There was a lengthy exchange over the aesthetics of the new CL Companion earlier on this thread. Looks are a matter of taste (pun intended), but I like the looks of these. Handling is also fine. Eyecups are very solid and comfortable, but lack intermediate click-stops. Their rounded edge is rather high and seems to unnecessarily rob some potential eye-relief. Focus wheel is well placed, easy to reach and has no play. Its movement is a bit on the stiff side and typically for Swarovski rather on the slow and accurate side of things. Because of this relative stiffness, it also tends to stay where you left it.

I have encountered a couple of other small annoyances (for me):

- The diopter setting wheel is situated in the middle of the focus knob, and needs to be pressed down and twisted at the same time in order to change the setting. This isn't really possible while viewing, so one needs to check the view, make an adjustment, and check again. The markings on the knob are also just this side of invisible. But, as the optics are good enough that adjustments don't need to be made often, this is not much of a problem for general use unless there are more than one person regularly using the instrument.
- The supplied eyepiece rain guard is very tight-fitting and only suitable for protecting the eyepieces during transportation. For actual birding in the rain, it takes way too long to put on and take off. I know this is a matter of preference and there are two schools of thought here with no real compromise possible, but when a design is so far in one camp there ought to be an option available.
- The fancy "Fieldpro" -type carrying strap attachments look neat and are easy to install etc., but since they allow the strap attachment to freely turn around, the strap frequently ends up being twisted and in need of unwinding.
- There is no finnstick attachment integrated into the binocular body.

Overall, Swarovski's new CL Companion is a really good little binocular. It is very easy on the eye and relaxing to use, and the image has no obvious shortfalls. It has the potential to become a class leader, and could very well also snatch quite a few sales away from the 32 mm EL SV's.

Kimmo
 
Thanks, for the great review Kimmo. I am a little concerned about the FOV being a little on the small side on the new CL's for me. You said the CL 10x30 was a bit less than your Canon 10x42 IS-L's but the specifications show an AFOV of 58 degree's on the CL's and the Canon's have an AFOV of 65 degree's. In my experience that is quite a difference. You didn't feel there was a big difference in AFOV? I like a big AFOV because it gives me that WOW feeling when I look through a binocular. Thanks.
 
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Denco,

Check the meters/km or real FOV in degrees figures to get an accurate sense of the differences. AFOV is calculated with different formulae in the numbers you cite.

Kimmo
 
Kimmo and Jan ..... Thanks for posting your observations!


Dennis,

New CL Companion 10X30 B FOV per a Swaro web page:

- Field of view (ft/1000 yds / m/1000 m) 324 / 108

https://uk.swarovskioptik.com/nature/cl-companion-c21010504/cl-companion-8x30-green-p5418295


Canon 10X42 L IS WP FOV per Canon Europe web page:

- Field of View at 1000m 114m (Note: That converts to 342 ft at 1,000 yards)

https://www.canon-europe.com/for_ho...stabilisation/10x42l_is_wp/specification.aspx


It is 324 ft for the Companion and 342 ft for Canon.
It is 108 m for the Companion and 114 m for the Canon.

The Swarovski 10X32 EL SV FOV is:

- Field of view (ft/1000 yds / m/1000 m) 360 / 120

https://www.swarovskioptik.com/nature/el-32-c21011002/el-8x32-green-p5222839



Here is a feel good marketing video Swaro put out recently (Nov. 6th) on the new Companion ........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHMintsw7HM

It already shows just under 27,000 views and the video has been posted just over a week. That to me indicates a lot of interest.
 
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Bruce,

It is a "Puff Piece" video. What we know is that the Real FOV of the 10x is about 1/2º larger than the old 10x30. I suppose that the same goes for the 8x30.

What we would like to know is if its cost will be 1/2º higher than the old CL Companions? Like a 1/2 cent on the dollar?;)

Bob
 
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I never realized the 10x32 EL had such a big FOV @ 360 feet and 64 degree's AFOV. That is impressive and the EL still has a slight advantage over the new CL in FOV. That video on the CL looks like a Hallmark movie. Thanks for the information, Bruce.
 
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Kimmo:
Thanks for your first review. Sound like a good alternative for a lightweight pair. I'm looking forward to a more detailed analysis, especially of the resolution.

BTW, does anyone here know if the new CL has got a metal body? Or is the body made from some man-made material?

Hermann
 
Bruce,

It is a "Puff Piece" video. .......
Bob

That it is! Thus my comment of it being a feel good marketing video. It does have some value in that one can see how it looks and fits the hand to some degree. There has been discussion on the styling so the video may help in that regard.

Views are now over 27,000.


I never realized the 10x32 EL had such a big FOV @ 360 feet and 64 degree's AFOV. That is impressive and the EL still has a slight advantage over the new CL in FOV. That video on the CL looks like a Hallmark movie. Thanks for the information, Bruce.

I also never realized the 10X32 SV EL had such a large FOV. I am not sure how that slipped by me since I do like binoculars with a large FOV. Now I am thinking I should have paid more attention to the SV EL pre Profield closeout sales! I wonder if the 10X shows glare to the same degree as the 8X?
 
I am reluctant to accept all the optical compromises inherent in such a dinky binocular.

I will cling fanatically to my 10X42, and bear the weight gladly.
 
I never realized the 10x32 EL had such a big FOV @ 360 feet and 64 degree's AFOV. That is impressive and the EL still has a slight advantage over the new CL in FOV. That video on the CL looks like a Hallmark movie. Thanks for the information, Bruce.

Loved my EL WB 10x32 for a decade and then it became obvious I wasn't a match for 10x anymore. My EL WB 8x32 and EL SV 8x32 didn't stick around much more than a year...

CG
 
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