oetzi
Well-known member
This is the BF-version of a review written in german and to be found on my website http://www.outdoor-professionell.de...cl-companion-8x30-fernglas-reise-spitzbergen/
Evaluating a product for a review is a bit like selling it to a customer. A good salesman tries to understand the product´s features and the idea behind its construction. So understanding a binocular prior to buying it is a very important thing for anyone shelling out a load of money.
Reading the specs of a complex product like a binocular gives you an idea of its designated application. Lets do so with the Swarpovski CL Companion 8x30.
Its selling for € 980,- at the Swarovski online shop, thats half of what the EL 8x32 WB Swarovision will cost and that gives a very rough idea of its optical properties. The Cl is not on the same level. It cant be, since its so much cheaper. No need to complain about that, there is no free lunch.
Furthermore, the CL is quite lightweight. At 500gr, its considerably less heavy than the above mentioned El at 580gr.
Weight and the 30mm lens (as compared to the more usual 32 or 33mm) imply a certain slenderness of the body and the overall appearance confirms that. The CL is very slim, compared to other 8x binoculars. Slim tubes mean smaller prism inside and this will have an impact on its optical performance, too. Looking at the specs, which give a FOV of 124m, confirms that thought. The Cl sits halfway between the 8x compacts and the full-size binoculars.
Then take the name. „Companion“ might imply that its a binocular specifically designed to be carried along. All binoculars can be carried by the user, but emphesizing this might lead to certain expectations about portability.
You are with my so far? Well, then I will tell you why I wouldnt have choosen the Cl for a review in the first place. Back when I looked up Swarovski´s line of binoculars, before I actually asked them for one to be reviewed.
I only review what I like and the CL Companion I didnt like because of my personal preferences
What I need in a binocular is a balanced (and biased) combination of
-low weight
-small dimensions
-big FOV.
The CL provides the first two, but not the last one. So it was not of interest for me at all. That doesnt mean its a bad binocular by default, but it doesnt fulfill my needs right from the beginning.
So when Swarovski agreed to send me an EL 8x32 WB for review, also offereing me the Cl Companion to have a look at a later time, I wasnt that interested at first.
Enter a close friend of mine. We know each other for about twenty years and it was her who introduced me to bird watching. When I told her about Swarovski´s offer, she was very enthusiastic.
Because the Cl Companion is a binocular she has put her eyes on for quite a long time. Her main bino is the El 10x42 WB Swarovision and it suits her needs very well. She goes birding on purpose. That means donning the Swaro bino suspender plus 10x and heading for her birding area, which is a rather large area with swamps and lakes.
On the other hand, when being out and about for other reasons, she only carries one of her compact Leica Trinovid. The offer light weight and very small dimensions at the cost of handling and optical performance. So the CL Companion, in her eyes, could prove to be a good choice. That was fine for me, too, because i value her experience and opinion. I would use and compare it a bit with other binoculars to get an idea of it, but she would do the bulk.
When and where did she use the Swarovski CL Companion 8x30? Well, this summer she travelled through scandinavia for eight weeks, hiking, canoeing and general sightseeing. In between there was one week of work at Svalbard scheduled.
Since about four years, my friend works as photographer, lecturer, guide and Zodiac-pilot at arctic and antarctic cruises. That means being on your feet the whole day and carrying a lot of gear. Heavy clothing, life vest, Dslr, Rifle, binoculars, etc.
There is no place for a big one like her 10x and so she usually takes a compact along. These have their shortcomings, too and so the in-between CL Companion was chosen for the occassion.
Here is what she has to say about it (The quotes were translated with Google translate and polished up a bit here and there):
“For such a small, lightweight binoculars, it feels very good in the (gloved) hand and is much easier to handle than my pocket binoculars. I always had the feeling of holding a real binocular in my hands. Compared to my previously used compacts, the relatively large field of view came in very handy, too.
The large focus wheel can also be easily operated with one hand (even with gloves), which in the Arctic was a major plus. But I would have liked the focussing wheel to feel a bit more responsive, it lacked some sensitivity under the test conditions. However, it is very grippy and thats a big plus in my book. Ease of view was as good as with my big ones.
In the field, the binocular was part of a lot of other equipment. It is here that I experienced the advantages of its low weight, without having to give up a high optical quality.
The view through the Cl Companion is wonderfully clear and bright under normal light conditions. But, alas, it shows its weaknesses in bad weather or at dusk. Colors get dull and gray, it lacks brightness and is more difficult to adjust to the optimum sharpness. Compared to its bigger brother of the EL series, the focus falls off on the edge, but this can be neglected in the field. Because in the center polar bears or other interesting objects are in focus, perfectly sharpness and clear.
The textured coating provides a smooth, slip-free grip even with wet hands. In daily use in the cold arctic climate and harsh conditions, or when running around with the equipment (rifle, life vest, radio ...) banging on each other, the binoculars have proven to be extremely robust. This and the unavoidable salt water showers, it survived everything easily and without damage.
For the frequent traveler who does not want to miss out on a decent pair of binoculars is an absolute recommendation. Fits with its handy size still somewhere in the suitcase or carry-on luggage and you wont feel its weight. “
There you are. She definitely liked it and would recommend it to any one looking for a compact full-sized binocular. Which is what I do, too. Even though its definitly not my cup of tea.
In all I used the CL Companion for about two weeks, compared it to the Kowa Genesis 8x33 and a Minox HG 8x33 and thats what I think about it:
I still wouldnt buy it. The FOV is too narrow for my liking and I need more brightness in my binoculars. Shadows which are “lightened up” and highlights not blown out, thats what I need. With the CL, the shadows were far too dark for my old eyes. A bit of a punch in the colour department is what I rave and the Cl couldnt deliver this to me.
On the other hand, I never used a more slender and pocketable regular sized 8x binocular than this Swaro. Due to its slim shape it fits in about every jacket´s pocket with ease and the reduced weight was very noticeable. 500gr makes quite a difference to 580gr (EL 8x32), 590gr (Genesis 8x33) and 654gr (Minox HG 8x33). Much more of a difference then I expected.
Taking the comparisons one step further, how does the CL Companion compare to the 8x binoculars mentioned above? After all, the latter two are in a similar bracket, price-wise, give or take € 100,-.
Optically, this Swaro is not on thesame level. Kowa and Minox give you a brighter image, larger FOV, more vibrant colours, better penetration of the shadows. They also feel heavy, clumsy, unwieldy and not pocketable by comparison.
So we are back to square one:
You want „the best“ optically, around € 1000,-, dont buy the Swarovski CL Companion 8x30.
You want a slim, handy binocular of very good quality, as pocketable as possible, not bothering you with its weight and size, get the Swarovski CL Companion 8x30.
Its your choice, so choose wisely.
Evaluating a product for a review is a bit like selling it to a customer. A good salesman tries to understand the product´s features and the idea behind its construction. So understanding a binocular prior to buying it is a very important thing for anyone shelling out a load of money.
Reading the specs of a complex product like a binocular gives you an idea of its designated application. Lets do so with the Swarpovski CL Companion 8x30.
Its selling for € 980,- at the Swarovski online shop, thats half of what the EL 8x32 WB Swarovision will cost and that gives a very rough idea of its optical properties. The Cl is not on the same level. It cant be, since its so much cheaper. No need to complain about that, there is no free lunch.
Furthermore, the CL is quite lightweight. At 500gr, its considerably less heavy than the above mentioned El at 580gr.
Weight and the 30mm lens (as compared to the more usual 32 or 33mm) imply a certain slenderness of the body and the overall appearance confirms that. The CL is very slim, compared to other 8x binoculars. Slim tubes mean smaller prism inside and this will have an impact on its optical performance, too. Looking at the specs, which give a FOV of 124m, confirms that thought. The Cl sits halfway between the 8x compacts and the full-size binoculars.
Then take the name. „Companion“ might imply that its a binocular specifically designed to be carried along. All binoculars can be carried by the user, but emphesizing this might lead to certain expectations about portability.
You are with my so far? Well, then I will tell you why I wouldnt have choosen the Cl for a review in the first place. Back when I looked up Swarovski´s line of binoculars, before I actually asked them for one to be reviewed.
I only review what I like and the CL Companion I didnt like because of my personal preferences
What I need in a binocular is a balanced (and biased) combination of
-low weight
-small dimensions
-big FOV.
The CL provides the first two, but not the last one. So it was not of interest for me at all. That doesnt mean its a bad binocular by default, but it doesnt fulfill my needs right from the beginning.
So when Swarovski agreed to send me an EL 8x32 WB for review, also offereing me the Cl Companion to have a look at a later time, I wasnt that interested at first.
Enter a close friend of mine. We know each other for about twenty years and it was her who introduced me to bird watching. When I told her about Swarovski´s offer, she was very enthusiastic.
Because the Cl Companion is a binocular she has put her eyes on for quite a long time. Her main bino is the El 10x42 WB Swarovision and it suits her needs very well. She goes birding on purpose. That means donning the Swaro bino suspender plus 10x and heading for her birding area, which is a rather large area with swamps and lakes.
On the other hand, when being out and about for other reasons, she only carries one of her compact Leica Trinovid. The offer light weight and very small dimensions at the cost of handling and optical performance. So the CL Companion, in her eyes, could prove to be a good choice. That was fine for me, too, because i value her experience and opinion. I would use and compare it a bit with other binoculars to get an idea of it, but she would do the bulk.
When and where did she use the Swarovski CL Companion 8x30? Well, this summer she travelled through scandinavia for eight weeks, hiking, canoeing and general sightseeing. In between there was one week of work at Svalbard scheduled.
Since about four years, my friend works as photographer, lecturer, guide and Zodiac-pilot at arctic and antarctic cruises. That means being on your feet the whole day and carrying a lot of gear. Heavy clothing, life vest, Dslr, Rifle, binoculars, etc.
There is no place for a big one like her 10x and so she usually takes a compact along. These have their shortcomings, too and so the in-between CL Companion was chosen for the occassion.
Here is what she has to say about it (The quotes were translated with Google translate and polished up a bit here and there):
“For such a small, lightweight binoculars, it feels very good in the (gloved) hand and is much easier to handle than my pocket binoculars. I always had the feeling of holding a real binocular in my hands. Compared to my previously used compacts, the relatively large field of view came in very handy, too.
The large focus wheel can also be easily operated with one hand (even with gloves), which in the Arctic was a major plus. But I would have liked the focussing wheel to feel a bit more responsive, it lacked some sensitivity under the test conditions. However, it is very grippy and thats a big plus in my book. Ease of view was as good as with my big ones.
In the field, the binocular was part of a lot of other equipment. It is here that I experienced the advantages of its low weight, without having to give up a high optical quality.
The view through the Cl Companion is wonderfully clear and bright under normal light conditions. But, alas, it shows its weaknesses in bad weather or at dusk. Colors get dull and gray, it lacks brightness and is more difficult to adjust to the optimum sharpness. Compared to its bigger brother of the EL series, the focus falls off on the edge, but this can be neglected in the field. Because in the center polar bears or other interesting objects are in focus, perfectly sharpness and clear.
The textured coating provides a smooth, slip-free grip even with wet hands. In daily use in the cold arctic climate and harsh conditions, or when running around with the equipment (rifle, life vest, radio ...) banging on each other, the binoculars have proven to be extremely robust. This and the unavoidable salt water showers, it survived everything easily and without damage.
For the frequent traveler who does not want to miss out on a decent pair of binoculars is an absolute recommendation. Fits with its handy size still somewhere in the suitcase or carry-on luggage and you wont feel its weight. “
There you are. She definitely liked it and would recommend it to any one looking for a compact full-sized binocular. Which is what I do, too. Even though its definitly not my cup of tea.
In all I used the CL Companion for about two weeks, compared it to the Kowa Genesis 8x33 and a Minox HG 8x33 and thats what I think about it:
I still wouldnt buy it. The FOV is too narrow for my liking and I need more brightness in my binoculars. Shadows which are “lightened up” and highlights not blown out, thats what I need. With the CL, the shadows were far too dark for my old eyes. A bit of a punch in the colour department is what I rave and the Cl couldnt deliver this to me.
On the other hand, I never used a more slender and pocketable regular sized 8x binocular than this Swaro. Due to its slim shape it fits in about every jacket´s pocket with ease and the reduced weight was very noticeable. 500gr makes quite a difference to 580gr (EL 8x32), 590gr (Genesis 8x33) and 654gr (Minox HG 8x33). Much more of a difference then I expected.
Taking the comparisons one step further, how does the CL Companion compare to the 8x binoculars mentioned above? After all, the latter two are in a similar bracket, price-wise, give or take € 100,-.
Optically, this Swaro is not on thesame level. Kowa and Minox give you a brighter image, larger FOV, more vibrant colours, better penetration of the shadows. They also feel heavy, clumsy, unwieldy and not pocketable by comparison.
So we are back to square one:
You want „the best“ optically, around € 1000,-, dont buy the Swarovski CL Companion 8x30.
You want a slim, handy binocular of very good quality, as pocketable as possible, not bothering you with its weight and size, get the Swarovski CL Companion 8x30.
Its your choice, so choose wisely.
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