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

Swift 8.5x44 820 or 282 (1 Viewer)

N

nouseforaname82

Member
Swift 8.5x44 820 or 828

I resently had my Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 stolen from my apartment. I am looking for a new pair. I really loved my monarchs but I am trying to see if there is something better in the same price range. I have read all the forums I could find on them and can't decide. I am looking at:

Swift 8.5x44 820
Swift 8.5x44 820 ED
Swift 8.5x44 828

Has anyone compared these to the Monarch ATB? If the Swift is better, which should I go with? I am worried about the lack of waterproofing of the porros. I want something that will last pretty much indefinitely. Is the Swift 820 optically better enough to go with the lack of protection? Any help would be much appreciated!!
 
Last edited:
The Swift porros are better than the Monarchs optically, the EDs especially so. They are a strange binocular. Bulky handling, questionable water tightness, but an absoultely outstanding and easy view. The Swift roof is not quite on par with the porros and would be a toss up with the Monarchs. Try finding the ED for under $400, it can be done and if you like the handling you won't find a brighter piece of glass for the money.
 
nouseforaname82 said:
I resently had my Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42 stolen from my apartment. I am looking for a new pair. I really loved my monarchs but I am trying to see if there is something better in the same price range. I have read all the forums I could find on them and can't decide. I am looking at:

Swift 8.5x44 820
Swift 8.5x44 820 ED
Swift 8.5x44 828

Has anyone compared these to the Monarch ATB? If the Swift is better, which should I go with? I am worried about the lack of waterproofing of the porros. I want something that will last pretty much indefinitely. Is the Swift 820 optically better enough to go with the lack of protection? Any help would be much appreciated!!
Click to expand...

Have you read this thread?
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=33316
 
I would say the EDs are worth the price. You get color saturation that others are paying over $1000 for, and at only a $100 premium over the ordinary model. That slick black finish is almost worth it in itself. I miss mine.
 
Another note my eyes are relatively close together. Most binoculars I have handled require me to almost totally close them to see through them. Will this be a problem with the 820's?
 
Last edited:
I will have to see if the Interpupliary Distance works for me. They have a min of 59mm and the monarchs had 56mm.

Anyone else have any opinons on these binoculars?
 
nouseforaname82 said:
Anyone else have any opinons on these binoculars?
Click to expand...
I can't offer any comparison to the Monarchs but I use the Swift EDs and find the colour representation to be the best I have seen.

This may only be applicable to my eyes (but hey, those are the ones I'm using) I find the view through even very expensive roofs to look a little washed out compared to the Swifts.

They are also a very comfortable fit in my hands, my fingers always get in each others way with roofs.

My only complaint would be the moving dioptre adjustment, but as long as you know where it should be it's simple enough to check it.
 
nouseforaname82 said:
I will have to see if the Interpupliary Distance works for me. They have a min of 59mm and the monarchs had 56mm.

Anyone else have any opinons on these binoculars?
Click to expand...


I found this tidbit I posted once upon a time...

"Thankfully, I retained some information I got directly from Swift...
Both the 820 and 820ED have the same IPD range: 54.5 - 70.5mm."

I found the Swift 820 more than adequate on IPD and the view is nearly identical to the SE. It was too short on eye relief for me and the SE was more ruggedly built. If Swift extended the eye relief and beefed up the bridge, they would have a much better bin.

John
 
John Traynor said:
"Thankfully, I retained some information I got directly from Swift...
Both the 820 and 820ED have the same IPD range: 54.5 - 70.5mm."

John
Click to expand...

I think my IPD is about 57mm Astronomics.com has them at 59mm I am really hope that is wrong.
 
I called eagle optics and they meassured The IPD at 54 mm so I think I am good to go. I think I have decided on the 820 ED's. I will let you all know how I like them.

Tim
 
nouseforaname82 said:
I called eagle optics and they meassured The IPD at 54 mm so I think I am good to go. I think I have decided on the 820 ED's. I will let you all know how I like them.

Tim
Click to expand...


Tim,

If you bought from Eagle Optics, you're good to go. Keep all the packaging intact and, if there's a problem, they will gladly take care of you.

Let us know how you like them.

John
 
Well I got the new binocs (820 ED's) in last friday and tried them out in the field. I really enjoyed the optics. The only think I did not like were the large eye cups. They dont fit into the eye sockets. For me to see the feild of view the eyecups have to be unextended. But I measured the eye relief to 17mm. To use these for long periods of time a harness is definatly needed. Total cost with shipping was $358.80. I am happy with my choice.
 
nouseforaname82 said:
Well I got the new binocs (820 ED's) in last friday and tried them out in the field. I really enjoyed the optics. The only think I did not like were the large eye cups. They dont fit into the eye sockets. For me to see the feild of view the eyecups have to be unextended. But I measured the eye relief to 17mm. To use these for long periods of time a harness is definatly needed. Total cost with shipping was $358.80. I am happy with my choice.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Glad you like the 820EDs. I'm at the last stages of a historical review of Swift's 8.5x44 Model 804 Audubon, which is the non-waterproof predecessor. Could you tell me if there is a manufacturer's mark on your 820ED? It would probably be located on the front hinge, and look something like "J- B54."

I compared the 820 and 820ED with the 804 HR/5 about a month ago, but did not record the manufacturer or note the lens coating color. Is it dark green?

At least for the 804 Audubon (and its big brother, model 826 Kestrel), I find it hard to leave it behind unless the weather is bad. My 804R has a measured IPD range from 55—70mm (the scale itself is not accurate). The diameter of the rubber eyecup is 37mm on both the 804R and 826. What is the eyecup diameter on the 820?

Enjoy the view whatever you do.
Thanks,
Ed
 
Last edited:
I have an 820ED and an 820 non-ED. I can't find a manufacturer's mark on either: if you turn them round 180 degrees to look into the objective you can see writing in the middle, by what a ball bearing that covers a tripod screw. This says "Made In Japan" and what appears to be a serial number (308058 for my ED and 303141 for the non-ED - which suggests to me that numbers are taken from the same sequence). On both the eyepieces and objects I can see two reflections. The most obvious one is clearly green. The other one is less strongly coloured, but appears to be purple.

The eyepiece has a ring around it which slides up and can be locked at (and only at) its full extent - there is an L shaped grove in the mechanism (by the way, it is not a good idea to be constantly locking and unlocking this). The inner diameter of this ring is 30mm and the outer 42.5 mm (measured with vernier calipers which unfortunately I'm not that used to using). Both the reflections and the measurements are the same on ED and non-ED
 
mcdowella said:
I have an 820ED and an 820 non-ED. I can't find a manufacturer's mark on either: if you turn them round 180 degrees to look into the objective you can see writing in the middle, by what a ball bearing that covers a tripod screw. This says "Made In Japan" and what appears to be a serial number (308058 for my ED and 303141 for the non-ED - which suggests to me that numbers are taken from the same sequence). On both the eyepieces and objects I can see two reflections. The most obvious one is clearly green. The other one is less strongly coloured, but appears to be purple.

The eyepiece has a ring around it which slides up and can be locked at (and only at) its full extent - there is an L shaped grove in the mechanism (by the way, it is not a good idea to be constantly locking and unlocking this). The inner diameter of this ring is 30mm and the outer 42.5 mm (measured with vernier calipers which unfortunately I'm not that used to using). Both the reflections and the measurements are the same on ED and non-ED
Click to expand...

Very sorry I missed your post until now. Thanks for the information. It's a bit disappointing that the manufacturer's mark no longer can be found, as that has resolved a few riddles relative to the 804 series.

Thanks,
Elkcub
 
Last edited:
Warning! This thread is more than 19 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

D
Swift Audubon 8.5x44 Model 804
2 3 4
Replies
67
Views
5K
jebe68
J
R
Which Audubon porro to look out for...?
Replies
12
Views
2K
Ribbon
R
mayoayo
Swift Audubon 804 HR/5 sn95*****restoration project .
Replies
9
Views
2K
mayoayo
mayoayo
N
Newbie from the Netherlands
Replies
9
Views
547
Fritz73
Fritz73
D
New binoculars under 200€
2
Replies
32
Views
3K
Davide_Videvitt
D

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top