rmcconachy
Active member
Screw it to the mount like most other binoculars Max. The little gold ball is spring loaded and will be pushed back inside the front end of the hinge.
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Interesting Swift Model (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter richt
- Start date
Timedrifter
Well-known member
Thanks mate! I seriously would not have guessed.
Max
Timedrifter
Well-known member
OK, I've done some more testing today in sunshine (!) and they're even better. However, checking edge to edge they're not so good, but on the bright side, that's never worried me. What they'll be like for stargazing I'm still interested to see.
So, for birding, at least for certain situations, they have turned out to be a cracking pair of bins, in new condition, for £50.
I WILL update again when I've had them under the stars; just as a comparison.
Cheers
Max
So, for birding, at least for certain situations, they have turned out to be a cracking pair of bins, in new condition, for £50.
I WILL update again when I've had them under the stars; just as a comparison.
Cheers
Max
Renze de Vries
Well-known member
Max,
Excuse me for joning in so late, but I had a terrible hard disk crash which cost me a considerable amount of archived pics, notes and data. Now that I'm on the air again, I feel much has been said already.
Your enthousiasm for the Swift SP 10x50 Ranger is, I think, good evidence of the general quality of the 1985 design change performed by Swift/Hyoshi on most of their binoculars. Note that the Red Dot or SP series (Mark 1 in the US) was Swift's second best or even third best quality level and yet still doing fine today. Having focussed my attention mostly on the wide angle variety (SPWA) I have to say that I don't have direct experience with any of the 4 SP's myself. What I have seen from the SPWA's however is that they are short eye relief models with a notable colour bias to the blue end of the spectrum, so I suspect the SP's are like that as well. If not, let us know please.
As said in previous posts the SP series was European, and that's correct, but there was a USA counterpart to your SP 10x50 too. It's called Ranger as well but in true US fashion carries the Mark 1 sign and a model number (sadly I don't know which) while the lettering is in red just like the small red band 'round the objective tubes. See the pics attached.
Renze
Excuse me for joning in so late, but I had a terrible hard disk crash which cost me a considerable amount of archived pics, notes and data. Now that I'm on the air again, I feel much has been said already.
Your enthousiasm for the Swift SP 10x50 Ranger is, I think, good evidence of the general quality of the 1985 design change performed by Swift/Hyoshi on most of their binoculars. Note that the Red Dot or SP series (Mark 1 in the US) was Swift's second best or even third best quality level and yet still doing fine today. Having focussed my attention mostly on the wide angle variety (SPWA) I have to say that I don't have direct experience with any of the 4 SP's myself. What I have seen from the SPWA's however is that they are short eye relief models with a notable colour bias to the blue end of the spectrum, so I suspect the SP's are like that as well. If not, let us know please.
As said in previous posts the SP series was European, and that's correct, but there was a USA counterpart to your SP 10x50 too. It's called Ranger as well but in true US fashion carries the Mark 1 sign and a model number (sadly I don't know which) while the lettering is in red just like the small red band 'round the objective tubes. See the pics attached.
Renze
Attachments
another Swift Saratoga, 1961
Hi Ed,
Joining in on this thread a bit late. I recently acquired a used Swift 8x40 Saratoga, with a serial number indicating manufacture date of 1961. This bino looks like it was only used a couple times, and stored safely away. The eyepiece protection rings unscrew supersmooth, and appears to have been never touched, there is still a light coat of clean oil underneath.
Phil
Hi Ed,
Joining in on this thread a bit late. I recently acquired a used Swift 8x40 Saratoga, with a serial number indicating manufacture date of 1961. This bino looks like it was only used a couple times, and stored safely away. The eyepiece protection rings unscrew supersmooth, and appears to have been never touched, there is still a light coat of clean oil underneath.
Phil
Attachments
Renze de Vries
Well-known member
Phil,
Nice find, certainly in this condition. The Saratoga's were a mainstay in Swift's range of binoculars, running from the 1950's into the 1990's. They should be counted to Swift's upper class range (Mark II, or blue ribbon or blue badge) although I've seen one type designated Mark I (by mistake I guess). Speaking of types, I've seen 9 of them so far, differing in FoV, coating, small or large focus wheels etc. Your type, fully coated already but still with a small focus wheel, belongs to the first part of the 1960's. Its 7 deg. angle of view was increased in later types to 7.5, at one point even to 9.3 and in the last editions to a more down-to-earth 8.3 degrees.
Renze
Nice find, certainly in this condition. The Saratoga's were a mainstay in Swift's range of binoculars, running from the 1950's into the 1990's. They should be counted to Swift's upper class range (Mark II, or blue ribbon or blue badge) although I've seen one type designated Mark I (by mistake I guess). Speaking of types, I've seen 9 of them so far, differing in FoV, coating, small or large focus wheels etc. Your type, fully coated already but still with a small focus wheel, belongs to the first part of the 1960's. Its 7 deg. angle of view was increased in later types to 7.5, at one point even to 9.3 and in the last editions to a more down-to-earth 8.3 degrees.
Renze
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