rogernashv
Member
Does anyone have any thoughts concerning these? I am looking for a light pair,and these seem to fill the void.Thanks
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Swarovski Pocket 10x25 Binocular (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter rogernashv
- Start date
Tried a pair in a store once. Bought Leica Ultravid 8x20 instead. Sharper and brighter than the Swaros (and I´m a big fan of Swaro EL´s). A friend has Leica Ultravid 10x25, they are amazing. Nikon HGL 10x25 are also wonderful according to many, and I think in most reviews both the Nikons and the Leicas are favoured over the Swarovskis. (The Nikons are also considerably cheaper than either!)
Alexis Powell
Natural history enthusiast
Another enthusiastic vote for the Leica 8x20 or 10x25 Ultravid over the Swarovski. I've compared them all and have to say that Leica has the clear lead in pocket roofs right now w/the Ultravid. Their contrast, ergonomics, brightness and close focus are superb. I also like the most recent iteration of the Zeiss 8x20 Victory, but not as much as the Ultravid overall.
--AP
--AP
I tried a pair of the Swarovski compact at a birding fair. They have what appears to be a rubber band as an eyecup. The band kept rolling off the bins. Made me wonder about them. Love my 8.5 EL, but not sure about their compacts. Tried them just that one time.
I have an inexpensive pair of 10X25s. Have had trouble with holding them steady, maybe because they are so light. If buy a pair of the Leica or Nikon, will probably be an 8X. Just my thoughts.
Lew
Geoff Brown
Well-known member
I too have the Nikon HGL10 X 25.For the money I think they are the best value. The small Zeiss is also very good IMHO much better than the Swarovskis
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ReddBarron
Member
I am made curious by what folks here describe as 'good', and what it is you are actually asking. If you are comparing pristine perfection with other pristine perfection, then I suppose knobs and dials placement is important.
I understand 'good'. I live with good. Swarovski is incredible. Light seems to be attracted to the lens from nowhere. Clarity is extraordinary in all light conditions. If you are lucky enough to budget for this level of optical precision.....'incredible' is just fine. Go with incredible.
I know what you mean, ReddBarron, but I found the Swarovski compacts "good". For the price-tag, mere "good" wasn´t enough. (Their full-size EL´s I find "incredible".) The Leica compacts I find incredible, in every sense of the word. The Nikon HGL compacts get great reviews but I´ve never seen a pair.
Alexis Powell
Natural history enthusiast
Does this light from unseen dimensions contribute to image quality or does it cause flare or halos around objects? (Just kidding). More seriously, the Swarovski were a fine instrument in comparison to other top pocket roofs when they were first introduced, and though I'm sure Swarovski has improved them over the years without saying so, they have nevertheless been superceded by the newest models from Nikon, Zeiss, and especially Leica, both optically and ergonomically. Given that even outstanding pocket roofs are challenged when it comes to matching the optical performance of a decent mid sized (8x30) or full-sized model, I'd recommend getting the best one can afford. Anyone who can afford the Swaro can probably chip in a bit more for the Leica, and can certainly afford the Zeiss or Nikon since they actually cost less.
--AP
A few years back I compared the Swaro 8x20B with Nikon and Leica (not the latest) equivalents. I chose the Swaro as appealing most to my tastes, but I did not see much between all three. I was surprised that the Nikon was substantially larger than the Swaro, which is why I rejected it: I wanted something to stuff in a pocket when I went for a run round a local nature reserve to size was important. The Leica was nice too. The latest Zeiss is probably as good but for some reason I eliminated it. (Probably due to size.) Really the only way to choose is to go into a shop and try them all out. And do take a look at inverted porro compacts. If small size is not important, you can get very good performance at low prices.
