EL focuser modification (1 Viewer)

[henry link]

Focuser modification is now available to convert older EL's to the new fast focuser. It cost $279. In the US you need to call Swarovski with your binocular serial number to be placed on a waiting list. The voice on the phone told me "it might be three months, it might be six months" before I could expect be notified to send them the binoculars.

 

[Bill A]

Focuser modification is now available to convert older EL's to the new fast focuser. It cost $279. In the US you need to call Swarovski with your binocular serial number to be placed on a waiting list. The voice on the phone told me "it might be three months, it might be six months" before I could expect be notified to send them the binoculars.

I think I'll pass.

Bill

 

[karmantra]

Focuser modification is now available to convert older EL's to the new fast focuser. It cost $279. In the US you need to call Swarovski with your binocular serial number to be placed on a waiting list. The voice on the phone told me "it might be three months, it might be six months" before I could expect be notified to send them the binoculars.

I may be one of the few (or only one!) to prefer the 'fine' (not slow!) focus of my ELs--never have had a problem with getting on bird, and I have a hard time zeroing in the focus on some of the 'superfast' (less than one revolution of the focus wheel) focus binos. I'll save my $279 and just 'plod' along with my old ELs! :flyaway:

 

[Otto McDiesel]

I think I'll pass.

Bill

I passed on that last summer, before buying. I wanted a pair of 10x42 EL, and i liked everything except the slow focus (it was an older pair left in stock). Too bad, because i liked the rest...

 

[Bill A]

I passed on that last summer, before buying. I wanted a pair of 10x42 EL, and i liked everything except the slow focus (it was an older pair left in stock). Too bad, because i liked the rest...

I'm one of those perverse types who prefers the fine focus of the older model.

Best,
Bill

 

[John Finnan]

I'm one of those perverse types who prefers the fine focus of the older model.

Best,
Bill

So do I.

John Finnan

 

[kabsetz]

There are many who prefer the slower focus, and there is naturally nothing perverse about it. On the other hand, the new, faster focus in the EL is not as fast as that of Nikon HG's or Zeiss FL's. Of course, there are also those who really like fast focus, and BVD's Steve Ingraham was clearly one of those and had a rather strong influence on general opinion and conventional wisdom.

My personal experience has been that as I have aged and my visual accommodation has slowed down and narrowed in range, my eyes cannot "keep up" with the focus as easily as before, and fast focus has consequently become less comfortable for me.

I recently talked to a very experienced older birder who used to have Swaro EL's, slow focus. They suffered a catastrophic accident, and he replaced them with the Zeiss FL. The fast focus of the Zeiss is the one thing about them he still has not learned to like or accept, even after having used them for countless hours of serious birding.

So, when it comes to focus speed, there clearly is no perfect compromise. No matter what the speed, some people will find it too fast, others too slow, and some (hopefully) just right. My current favorite focus speed is in the range of 100-130 degrees of focus wheel rotation to go from 10 meters to 5 kilometers. Binoculars that fall within this range include the Leica Utravids and the 32mm Swaro EL's. This is a real YMMV issue, and it is nice that Swarovski is offering the "upgrade" option for owners of their older EL's.

Kimmo

 

[Swissboy]

...So, when it comes to focus speed, there clearly is no perfect compromise. No matter what the speed, some people will find it too fast, others too slow, and some (hopefully) just right. My current favorite focus speed is in the range of 100-130 degrees of focus wheel rotation to go from 10 meters to 5 kilometers. Binoculars that fall within this range include the Leica Utravids and the 32mm Swaro EL's. This is a real YMMV issue, and it is nice that Swarovski is offering the "upgrade" option for owners of their older EL's. Kimmo

I guess it's a similar thing like the preferences in scope focus mechanisms. Some , like me, prefer the dual focus of Zeiss and Leica scopes, whereas others feel very comfortable with the barrel wheel focus of Swaro and Nikon. The difference to the present topic being that the dual focus of Zeiss and Leica provides the "best" of both worlds, so to speak, i.e. both fast and slow focus.

I should add that I am very happy with my relatively fast focussing 8x42 FLs in spite of the fact that - at age 63+ - my eyes are hardly accomodating any more.