NZbinodude
Well-known member
My 10x42 NL is already experiencing its' fair share of issues. Swaro will likely sort it out for me, but I'm writing this as a heads-up to others.
The focusser started to develop some slight (almost imperceptible) stickiness a few days ago, and yesterday, after rinsing the binos under a cold tap, the focusser got very stiff to turn. It's almost like water got into the focusing mechanism and jammed it.
I checked the binos this morning, and the focusser felt dry and gritty and it got 'stuck' a few times, whereby I couldn't turn it at all.
About two weeks ago, I also had an issue with one of the eye cups - it became far stiffer to turn than the other. Swaro NZ promptly sorted me out with a new pair of eye cups, and sent me a 'care package' containing some cleaning gear, a hat and some promotional material. So I have no qualms with their service. If only their binos were as meticulous...
The eye cup design on the swaro NL (probs similar to the EL and SLC?) isn't that great in my opinion. The 'two part' design is susceptible to getting gunked up with debris, and when that happens, the eye cups will likely fail unless you clean them.
I've had a love hate relationship with the NL. Initially, it was a bit finnicky to become attuned to (requires a bit of fiddling around to get the optimum eye relief and glare control etc). Just as I was beginning to accept them and enjoy the optics, it's now failing mechanically.
To make matters worse, they worked perfectly when I got them. The problems with the eye cup and (now) the focusser, developed gradually (even though I never got them wet or dirty). How are you meant to know if you've got a cherry or lemon sample, if there are no indications to begin with? The gradual decline in functional integrity has eroded my trust in the NL's.
Please keep in mind that I've only had them for about a month, and they haven't seen any serious field use in that time. I've babied them.
I might ruffle some feathers with this following comment, but honestly, most of the expensive roof prism binos on the market aren't what they're cracked out to be. They're a case of the emperors new clothes. Take something simple which 'did the job' (i.e porro prism binos) and re-engineer them to be as complicated as possible. And for what? They look better in glossy magazines?
My late grandfather's Zeiss 6x30 porros are worn and battered. Yet, after 60 years, they still function like a swiss watch. The eye cups are smooth as silk to turn, and the hinge tension is perfect. This is despite any servicing.
What use is brilliant glass if a binocular fails mechanically? Binoculars are mechanical instruments (excluding image stabilized and range-finding varieties) intended for field use. If you're paying $3000 USD+ for a pair of binoculars, you would expect mechanical perfection.
In summary, the NL's are a great example of an optical company's 'art', but they're over-engineered, fragile instruments, which aren't designed for serious use.
It's quite ironic that Swaro includes a bar of soap and a brush with every binocular. That's the level of babying these instruments seem to require. And even then - as I have experienced - rinsing them under a tap presents the risk of the focusser jamming up.
I'll be demanding a full refund or replacement, and afterwards, I'll be switching to a porro prism bino and calling it a day. Likely a Habicht 10x40 GA.
The focusser started to develop some slight (almost imperceptible) stickiness a few days ago, and yesterday, after rinsing the binos under a cold tap, the focusser got very stiff to turn. It's almost like water got into the focusing mechanism and jammed it.
I checked the binos this morning, and the focusser felt dry and gritty and it got 'stuck' a few times, whereby I couldn't turn it at all.
About two weeks ago, I also had an issue with one of the eye cups - it became far stiffer to turn than the other. Swaro NZ promptly sorted me out with a new pair of eye cups, and sent me a 'care package' containing some cleaning gear, a hat and some promotional material. So I have no qualms with their service. If only their binos were as meticulous...
The eye cup design on the swaro NL (probs similar to the EL and SLC?) isn't that great in my opinion. The 'two part' design is susceptible to getting gunked up with debris, and when that happens, the eye cups will likely fail unless you clean them.
I've had a love hate relationship with the NL. Initially, it was a bit finnicky to become attuned to (requires a bit of fiddling around to get the optimum eye relief and glare control etc). Just as I was beginning to accept them and enjoy the optics, it's now failing mechanically.
To make matters worse, they worked perfectly when I got them. The problems with the eye cup and (now) the focusser, developed gradually (even though I never got them wet or dirty). How are you meant to know if you've got a cherry or lemon sample, if there are no indications to begin with? The gradual decline in functional integrity has eroded my trust in the NL's.
Please keep in mind that I've only had them for about a month, and they haven't seen any serious field use in that time. I've babied them.
I might ruffle some feathers with this following comment, but honestly, most of the expensive roof prism binos on the market aren't what they're cracked out to be. They're a case of the emperors new clothes. Take something simple which 'did the job' (i.e porro prism binos) and re-engineer them to be as complicated as possible. And for what? They look better in glossy magazines?
My late grandfather's Zeiss 6x30 porros are worn and battered. Yet, after 60 years, they still function like a swiss watch. The eye cups are smooth as silk to turn, and the hinge tension is perfect. This is despite any servicing.
What use is brilliant glass if a binocular fails mechanically? Binoculars are mechanical instruments (excluding image stabilized and range-finding varieties) intended for field use. If you're paying $3000 USD+ for a pair of binoculars, you would expect mechanical perfection.
In summary, the NL's are a great example of an optical company's 'art', but they're over-engineered, fragile instruments, which aren't designed for serious use.
It's quite ironic that Swaro includes a bar of soap and a brush with every binocular. That's the level of babying these instruments seem to require. And even then - as I have experienced - rinsing them under a tap presents the risk of the focusser jamming up.
I'll be demanding a full refund or replacement, and afterwards, I'll be switching to a porro prism bino and calling it a day. Likely a Habicht 10x40 GA.
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They've been around for yonks, and assuming you've got the Field Pro model, it's the most refined and complete version of the EL there is. 
