15x56 Slc (1 Viewer)

[dries1]

I have procured my first Swarovski Glass and after comparing other 15X56s I chose the SLC. I have had a few nights with it under the stars, and after a while I realized what good ergonomics in a glass can do for comfort, viewing upwards is pleasurable as well as using it in the daytime. Here is a pic comparing it to the UV 10X50, both were a real pleasure under the sky the last three nights.
The SLC is a flat view and stars show no deformation near the field stop.
When panning get ready for the spinning globe effect (rolling ball) if done fast.
I have not viewed it on a tripod, but that will be soon, I am having fun with it handheld - truly a great glass.

Andy W.

 

[tenex]

The handling of the SLC 56 does seem very good to me. 15x is a challenge but I'm sure I could hold it for longer periods of time than my porro 15x60.

Rolling ball is so subjective! I see none of it in the SLCs, and barely noticed it in current ELs (though I bet I would have in the original SVs).

Your UV and SLC make an interesting pair with quite different personalities, classic curved field vs flatter and so on. How do you feel going between them; do you have a preference?

 

[dries1]

That 15X60 porro is a beast, and a great glass, I remember seeing them in a control tower and viewing through them, a big wow, and for viewing the stars.
When panning with the SLC during the day one can see the globe effect since the glass is a pure flat field glass like my Nikon LX 10X42. For viewing the stars it is a pure delight with no distortion near the field stop, and the focus is smooth. I chose the SLC 15X56 primarily for astronomy, to have great flat views in a handheld glass. It is also easier for me to hold steady when viewing skyward than viewing straight ahead during terrestrial observation.
I have some glass with flat views, the LX, EDG provide flat fields, but after viewing some other glass without it, I began to appreciate depth of field during the day. The FL 8X56 provides great depth of field, and when I viewed with the Leica UVs in 8X42 and other 8X42s I have become to appreciate the non-flat field viewing for daytime.

After looking for a while, I finally found a 10X56 T FL in great shape, as new, and will be out today enjoying the glass. I do not mind going back and forth (flat/non-flat views), I am sure when I set up the SLC on a good mono/tri pod, it will be a great glass to view open expansive areas during the day, there I prefer a flat field, but around here with the wooded areas I prefer the classic views.
The 10X50 Leica is a small glass,when compared to others in the class, and I use it during the day with a APOV of over 65 and 6.7 degrees FOV it is a delight during the day. At night with the wide FOV, great for cruising the milky way. To me it handles like a 10X42, and is underrated.

The SLC 15X56 is truly a wonderful glass, I wish I had got one sooner.


Andy W.

 

[isv]

the 15x56 SLC is a flat field binocular? The 10x56 I have definitely isn't, not compared to the 8.5 EL SV anyway even if it does have a pretty large sweet spot. I don't think the SLC has a field flattener lens like the EL/SF/EDG but happy to be corrected if not the case.

 

[dries1]

ISV

The view is flat to me, now about the field flatteners I would assume so, but one knows how that goes. However it does have 13 optical elements in each tube. Check out the review below.

http://www.scopeviews.co.uk/Swaro15x56SLCHD.htm

Andy W.

 

[14Goudvink]

The 15X SLC has less distortion than the 10X SLC, see:

http://holgermerlitz.de/newk/images/newk.jpg

I only notice a Globus Effect while panning when there is an out-of-focus object in front of the object I'm viewing, which does not happen very often.

George

 

[dries1]

Goudvink,

Thanks for the graph, very informative. Your description of the panning mirrors mine, esp when you say out of focus objects. It is a wonderful glass is it not, esp under the night sky.

Andy W.

 

[tenex]

This "flat field" stuff gets confusing, because there are two different things going on, and SwaroVision in the ELs tried to eliminate both of them at once: pincushion distortion, whose absence can produce the rolling-ball effect; and curvature of the focal plane, which relates to the size of the sweet spot. For me the SLC is ideal: distortion is moderate, sufficient to provide natural panning, while field curvature is fairly low, so most of the view seems very crisp. I prefer this to the unnatural quality of the (original) EL SV, although that seems to have been adjusted to some degree in recent versions.

 

[Troubador]

The 15X SLC has less distortion than the 10X SLC, see:

http://holgermerlitz.de/newk/images/newk.jpg

I only notice a Globus Effect while panning when there is an out-of-focus object in front of the object I'm viewing, which does not happen very often.

George

George
It is a relief to hear you say this. I tested a Meopta S2 with 30-60 WA eyepiece that causes Rolling Ball for some people. I couldn't see it during normal panning but I did see it when I did an emergency-speed pan to lock-on to a grebe and the scope was out of focus. I could see the globe effect in the low-contrast out of focus view as I scrabbled to get the scope pointing at the grebe. As the scope approached being in focus the effect disappeared.

Lee

 

[14Goudvink]

Lee,
I sometimes amuse myself by focussing the SLC near infinity, pointing the bins at a bush 50 meters away and then do some panning, absolutely marvellous!

Andy
I'm afraid I'm not into astronomy. We don't see many stars here with all those clouds and light-pollution to boot. I use the SLCs for looking at birds that are far away and love them for it: wide field, neutral colours, bright and that undefinable Abbe Konig sparkle they have. They're very easy to use too.

 

[dries1]

Goudvink,

I sometimes amuse myself by focussing the SLC near infinity, pointing the bins at a bush 50 meters away and then do some panning, absolutely marvellous!

That is funny, hard to believe some can induce real dizziness/sickness.

It has taken me a few days to get used to the handling of SLC during the day, and it is fun picking out a bird on a tree at 200 yards. Truly a unique glass, can't wait for a tripod.

Andy W.