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I too purchased the 8x32 NL and 8x32 SF (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter birdcat
- Start date
I did the same comparison for a few days. Both are great bins, but the SFs clearly won for me - largely due to fit and feel in the hand, ergonomics, armor stiction, and focuser feel. Optically - both are top shelf. I now have both 8x32 SF and 10x32 SF. Fantastic bins - I would be quite content for either 8x32SF or 10x32SF to serve as my one-and-only pair of binoculars.
One thing I have heard often here in NZ is that Swarovski's customer service is better than all the other alpha brands available here.
I do not have any particular experience on which to base that myself but I have heard it from several different users. Being stuck in a small market at the bottom of the world it really can make a real difference to the user if the backup goes above and beyond.
safaridreaming
Well-known member
i’m in Australia and i cant rave enough about Swaro’s customer service. A couple of experiences i recently had:
1) I wanted to try the 8x32 NL’s which my dealer didnt stock. I wrote to Swaro inquiring about this. Within a week they had sent my dealer a demo model for me to try (which did not sit on the dealer’s balance sheet) with no obligation to buy…. I actually did NOT end up buying it, but ended up purchasing another EL 8x32 model for my wife (i already had one).
2) i own a couple of CL 8x30’s and hv found the CL neck strap and bino case are perfect fits for the EL 8x32’s. I find the normal EL SV Field pro neck strap too fiddly and cumbersome and the normal EL bino case is quite generous but therefore a bit larger than it needs to be. I wrote to Swaro to request pricing for buying additional 2 x CL storage pouch and neck straps for my EL’s so im not cannibalising parts from the CL 8x30’s - Hannes (the Swaro Representative in Australia) responded requesting my address, and 2 weeks later i got two brand new CL Field pouches and Neck straps rock up in the mail at no charge….
as a way of comparing, i wrote to Zeiss to see if i can get my hands on a SF8x32 through one of their local dealers with no obligation to buy as i was interested in checking out these binos and i was basically told it was up to me to liaise with my local dealer on whether they would be prepared to order with no obligation on me to buy…….
you couldn’t get a bigger contrast in customer service / care factor……….
i hv no hesitation in saying i’m a Swaro person through and through and their customer service is a key reason i simply keep coming back to this brand for my optics…..
1) I wanted to try the 8x32 NL’s which my dealer didnt stock. I wrote to Swaro inquiring about this. Within a week they had sent my dealer a demo model for me to try (which did not sit on the dealer’s balance sheet) with no obligation to buy…. I actually did NOT end up buying it, but ended up purchasing another EL 8x32 model for my wife (i already had one).
2) i own a couple of CL 8x30’s and hv found the CL neck strap and bino case are perfect fits for the EL 8x32’s. I find the normal EL SV Field pro neck strap too fiddly and cumbersome and the normal EL bino case is quite generous but therefore a bit larger than it needs to be. I wrote to Swaro to request pricing for buying additional 2 x CL storage pouch and neck straps for my EL’s so im not cannibalising parts from the CL 8x30’s - Hannes (the Swaro Representative in Australia) responded requesting my address, and 2 weeks later i got two brand new CL Field pouches and Neck straps rock up in the mail at no charge….
as a way of comparing, i wrote to Zeiss to see if i can get my hands on a SF8x32 through one of their local dealers with no obligation to buy as i was interested in checking out these binos and i was basically told it was up to me to liaise with my local dealer on whether they would be prepared to order with no obligation on me to buy…….
you couldn’t get a bigger contrast in customer service / care factor……….
i hv no hesitation in saying i’m a Swaro person through and through and their customer service is a key reason i simply keep coming back to this brand for my optics…..
jan van daalen
Well-known member
Hi S,
It is all about people. They MAKE the brand.
Down here the Zeiss rep would give the dealer a loaner for two weeks free of charge. As will Leica and Swarovski. It's the brands rep (Homo Sapiens) who makes the difference and we can't blame the brand.
Jan
It is all about people. They MAKE the brand.
Down here the Zeiss rep would give the dealer a loaner for two weeks free of charge. As will Leica and Swarovski. It's the brands rep (Homo Sapiens) who makes the difference and we can't blame the brand.
Jan
I have both the NL 8x32 and the SF 8x32 and it happens to be raining so I tried. I did not noticed any difference.
Maybe you can see one in different circumstances, if you spend the entire day in a tropical forest under heavy rain but because of Covid, it is harder for me to test unfortunately
james holdsworth
Consulting Biologist
Try them both for lens fogging.I have both the NL 8x32 and the SF 8x32 and it happens to be raining so I tried. I did not noticed any difference.
Maybe you can see one in different circumstances, if you spend the entire day in a tropical forest under heavy rain but because of Covid, it is harder for me to test unfortunately
Well that is interesting; perhaps they have used some other coating instead?I have both the NL 8x32 and the SF 8x32 and it happens to be raining so I tried. I did not noticed any difference.
Maybe you can see one in different circumstances, if you spend the entire day in a tropical forest under heavy rain but because of Covid, it is harder for me to test unfortunately
It would be helpful to see a bit more plain speaking from some of these brands sometimes.
Stevenkelby
Well-known member
Jan, I do blame the brand, and their training of their staff.
The brand IS the people.
jan van daalen
Well-known member
Hi S,
For example, the "Try Before You Buy" is a worldwide Zeiss concept which gives the dealer the opportunity to get Zeiss bins for free for a year and after that against discount. The idea behind it is to give potential customers the opportunity to try any Zeiss bin without risks for the dealer. So who to blame most in this matter. The brand or the dealer?
Jan
safaridreaming
Well-known member
hi Jan
i wrote to Zeiss Australia’s corporate office so either the customer focus culture simply isn’t being driven in Australia, or the individual who answered my email doesn’t now any different…. Either way if this is a key Zeiss concept, it should/would be part of Zeiss’s onboarding for new personnel into their business, particularly customer facing roles...
i appreciate where you’re coming from in that its not Zeiss necessarily, but i also agree with Steve where the brand is its people/culture/values and if this is important to the business, it should be heavily driven….
Zeiss Sports Optics is represented in Australia / New Zealand by Outdoor Sporting Agencies based in Tarneit, Victoria, close to Melbourne. MD is Danny Galea. This is the company that runs the sports optics business in these territories and works with the dealers.
Zeiss Australia has no involvement with sports optics. Visit their contacts page and you will see OSA on page 2 listed as the contact for all sports optics matters: Contact us
Lee
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jan van daalen
Well-known member
The point I was trying to make was that one can not blame the brand for behavior of that brands employee.
Some employees go beyond what is possible and others just don't. Still, the brand is the same.
Just my 2c.
Jan
Some employees go beyond what is possible and others just don't. Still, the brand is the same.
Just my 2c.
Jan
safaridreaming
Well-known member
Thanks Lee
i ended up purchasing the SF 8x32’s anyway. Currently in Tasmania on a 2 week trip so hv taken these + my EL’s to really compare how i get along with them in the field.
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8x32SF are superb bins. While I liked the 8x32NL, optically, I found the fit & feel in the hand of the SFs much better for me - a little fuller in the palm hold and more secure armor stiction.
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