I recently converted to Nikon ED on the basis of having bought the 50mm version and being gobsmacked. I´ve had the Swaro 65HD for about 4 years now and love it, and their customer service is top-class. However...having just bought, in a moment of fiscal recklessness, a Nikon ED82A, and compared both, I´ve got to support all the wonderful things that have been written here about it.
I know I´m not comparing like with like, the Swaro 65 is a compact scope and superb, but the Nikon is a tad shorter and weighs in at only 350 grams more. The Swaro therefore hasn't got a considerable weight advantage given that you've got to carry a tripod anyway.
Both have central focussing rings, which I like.
The metal parts of the Nikon are an odd vile greenish colour, like hospital wards used often be painted in the seventies (at least here). The Swaro is a more elegant-looking piece of kit, very tactile, entirely rubber-armoured, and sleek.
I find the Swaro view a bit less vibrant and 'colder', as some people have commented (although to be honest I think it´s more faithful to reality, i.e. the Nikon seems to enhance images).
The Nikon, although slightly clumsier in body-design and with rubber-armouring on only part of the body, gives a superb view. I won´t reiterate all that´s been said more elegantly and technically by others, but if you´re in the market for a scope, note that it costs only 1300 euro or thereabouts, considerably less than any other top-ender.
The ED82A body and eyepieces are made in Japan (the ED50 body I have is made in China, but still superb).
The Swaro's eye-relief is greater, worth considering if you wear specs while scoping.
The Nikon zoom FOV is very tight, and at max magnification (75x) the focus is just a bit too fine and fiddly, but if you pull back just a tad it´s grand. I find the zoom bright and usable, even in bad light, up to 65x or so. The Swaro 65 zoom I find less so, obviously with less aperture it loses light faster as you zoom in, but it's still fine to my eye up to about 50x. The Swaro zoom also gives considerably more FOV, about 20% more at low mag, I think.
The locking nut for changing the lateral angle of the scope is much easier to use on the Nikon.
The Nikon's viewfinder line is a groove on the body, on the Swaro it´s a detachable piece of plastic that doesn´t aim exactly as the scope does.
Any shortcomings in the Nikon's body design or FOV on the zoom are made up for (at least to my eye) by the Nikon ED view, which is IMHO unbeatable. And the 30xw eyepiece is incredible (although the Swaro 30x sw is also superb, almost the equal, on the 65mm scope, to the Nikon's 30x on the 82mm scope).
Note, however, that the Nikon guarantee is 10 years, compared to the Swaro´s 30 years, and I know nothing of Nikon´s aftersales. Swaro aftersales in my experience has been top-class.
Note also that there are two sets of lenses made by Nikon for the ED range, the "DS" and the "MC". I prefer the MC because it has retractable eyecups, but the DS is specifically for digiscoping and has a detachable rubber eyecup that isn't really adjustable when on the scope. If digiscoping is your thing, the DS might be for you, but note that the MC can be used for digiscoping also.
I hope this is of use to anyone looking at top-end scopes that weigh under 1.9 kilos. I don´t mean to knock the Swaro, in fact although buying the Nikon has left me broke, I´m loathe to part with the Swaro and am trying (unsuccessfully) to justify keeping two larger scopes, and both are excellent. But the Nikon really should be checked out if a good scope is on your wish-list, given that a lot of people like the Nikon image, and it's a hell of a lot cheaper.
I know I´m not comparing like with like, the Swaro 65 is a compact scope and superb, but the Nikon is a tad shorter and weighs in at only 350 grams more. The Swaro therefore hasn't got a considerable weight advantage given that you've got to carry a tripod anyway.
Both have central focussing rings, which I like.
The metal parts of the Nikon are an odd vile greenish colour, like hospital wards used often be painted in the seventies (at least here). The Swaro is a more elegant-looking piece of kit, very tactile, entirely rubber-armoured, and sleek.
I find the Swaro view a bit less vibrant and 'colder', as some people have commented (although to be honest I think it´s more faithful to reality, i.e. the Nikon seems to enhance images).
The Nikon, although slightly clumsier in body-design and with rubber-armouring on only part of the body, gives a superb view. I won´t reiterate all that´s been said more elegantly and technically by others, but if you´re in the market for a scope, note that it costs only 1300 euro or thereabouts, considerably less than any other top-ender.
The ED82A body and eyepieces are made in Japan (the ED50 body I have is made in China, but still superb).
The Swaro's eye-relief is greater, worth considering if you wear specs while scoping.
The Nikon zoom FOV is very tight, and at max magnification (75x) the focus is just a bit too fine and fiddly, but if you pull back just a tad it´s grand. I find the zoom bright and usable, even in bad light, up to 65x or so. The Swaro 65 zoom I find less so, obviously with less aperture it loses light faster as you zoom in, but it's still fine to my eye up to about 50x. The Swaro zoom also gives considerably more FOV, about 20% more at low mag, I think.
The locking nut for changing the lateral angle of the scope is much easier to use on the Nikon.
The Nikon's viewfinder line is a groove on the body, on the Swaro it´s a detachable piece of plastic that doesn´t aim exactly as the scope does.
Any shortcomings in the Nikon's body design or FOV on the zoom are made up for (at least to my eye) by the Nikon ED view, which is IMHO unbeatable. And the 30xw eyepiece is incredible (although the Swaro 30x sw is also superb, almost the equal, on the 65mm scope, to the Nikon's 30x on the 82mm scope).
Note, however, that the Nikon guarantee is 10 years, compared to the Swaro´s 30 years, and I know nothing of Nikon´s aftersales. Swaro aftersales in my experience has been top-class.
Note also that there are two sets of lenses made by Nikon for the ED range, the "DS" and the "MC". I prefer the MC because it has retractable eyecups, but the DS is specifically for digiscoping and has a detachable rubber eyecup that isn't really adjustable when on the scope. If digiscoping is your thing, the DS might be for you, but note that the MC can be used for digiscoping also.
I hope this is of use to anyone looking at top-end scopes that weigh under 1.9 kilos. I don´t mean to knock the Swaro, in fact although buying the Nikon has left me broke, I´m loathe to part with the Swaro and am trying (unsuccessfully) to justify keeping two larger scopes, and both are excellent. But the Nikon really should be checked out if a good scope is on your wish-list, given that a lot of people like the Nikon image, and it's a hell of a lot cheaper.
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! And yes, I agree that you made the right choice, I had the Nikon out again today and loved it. To be honest, it was lunacy to buy it when I already had the Swaro 65HD, the difference is not that great, as Scampo says it´s a question of hues and both are superb scopes. With the fixed 30x wide eyepieces, the Swaro is really (almost?) the equal of the Nikon in all but the poorest light. But I do use the zoom regularly as well (lots of marsh, estuary and seabirding to be done locally), and with the zoom I think the ED82A really comes into its own, despite narrow FOV. But if one doesn´t own a scope in the first place, it would be lunacy to buy the Swaro (sorry Mr. Swaro), because it costs nearly 1,000 euro more. My particular variety of lunacy (buying a great scope when you already have a great scope) is something I have to work on 
