Is it really worth buying an NL 8x42? (1 Viewer)

[[email protected]]

I would guess it would not make a difference. The rubber armor on the GA is not a flak jacket.

Andy W.

But wouldn't the rubber armour on the GA absorb the shock of falling better than the leatherette on the W model. Porro-Prism binoculars can get out of alignment though more easily than a roof prism. As far as which one is tougher overall I really don't know. A lot of the WWII binoculars used in the field and on ships were Porro-Prisms so they had to be pretty tough.

 

[dries1]

The armor is for light bumps in the field in handling, however when dropped from any height depending how it lands on a solid surface, me thinks the armor would not make a difference. I dropped a NVA 7X40 and from less than two feet, it was instantly out of collimation, nothing broken, but it had to go in for service. That is one tough glass.

Andy W.

 

[Canip]

Less than two feet? I would have hoped it would survive such a fall unharmed.

The military repair regulation no. A 050/1/501 of the National People‘s Army of the German Democratic Republic specified that a fall of 75cm (2.46 feet) should leave the 7x40 undamaged

 

[Sollas]

I would guess it would not make a difference. The rubber armor on the GA is not a flak jacket.

Andy W.

...but it is designed to withstand knocks and shocks better that the W version.

 

[dries1]

Canip,

It all depends on how it lands, mine was on concrete, and oculars first/at slight angle.

Sollas, I would agree it is better than the black leather version for the normal bumps knocks in normal use.

Andy W.

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] Could you please PM me once you get hold of those rubber objective covers? I've flicked Swaro an email re: the rubber covers and I'm waiting for a response. A set of those would last forever, so it's well worth getting hold of a pair (or two). I'm interested to know what they're like.

I finally received the objective covers for the Swarovski Habicht 10x40 GA, and they are very nice. The green color matches the binocular perfectly, and they are a perfect fit. At first, I thought they were too big but the tethered part that wraps around your objective to hold them on actually receives the eye cups and secures them. Very unusual but it works very well and solves the problem of getting objective covers to fit over a rather unsymmetrical objective. Here are some pictures of them installed. Notice the lip on the tether that goes around your objective which holds the objective cap on. Very nice!

 

[kurt753]

Der 8x42 SLC ist ein atemberaubendes Glas und übertrifft alle anderen verfügbaren neuen 8x42, die ich in seiner schönen, sehr tiefen Raumwiedergabe ausprobiert habe. Es zieht Sie direkt in die Szene, in diesem Sinne ist es transparenter als die Konkurrenz. Zusammen mit der Leica UVHD + ist sie jetzt die einzige Alpha 8x42, die ein klassisches gekrümmtes Feld aufweist, aber eine ausgezeichnete Aberrationskontrolle aufweist (wahrscheinlich viel besser als die Leica). Es hat den hellen Glanz eines AK-Prismenglases aufgrund des hervorragenden Mikrokontrasts, der Helligkeit und der cleveren Kontrastverstärkung durch eine verzerrte Transmissionskurve. In den meisten Situationen bevorzuge ich es sowohl meinem Noctivid als auch dem EDG. Einfache Sicht auf den SLC ist absolut High-End-Swarovski.

Bei starker Hintergrundbeleuchtung flackert es jedoch stark auf, und der Fokuswurf ist viel zu lang (1,6 Umdrehungen von 3 m bis unendlich, verglichen mit 0,8 im Nocti). Swarovski kümmerte sich erneut sehr wenig um innere Schwärzung und Flare-Reduzierung. Es wäre großartig, wenn sie den SLC erneut auf die Herkunft aktualisieren würden.

Soweit ich weiß, ist die NL feldgeflacht, das ist eine Abschaltung für die Vogelbeobachtung. Ich wette mit der NL verlieren Sie den wirklichen tiefen Raum in Ihren Bildern, egal wie scharf, gesättigt, kontrastreich usw. usw. das Bild ist. Sie tun sicherlich mit Swarovision und EDG.

Guten Tag,
bitte verzeihen Sie das ich in deutsch gehört gehört. Ich besitze das 8x42 SLC HD aus 2010. Gibt es auf das Modell aus 2020. Das bedeutet mich sehr wichtig.
kurt753

 

[gcole]

I think you know the answer. Deep down, what do want people to say? "Go for it", or "keep your SLC"?

I bought a 10x42 NL, and while it's an optically brilliant bino, the novelty has already worn off (it's been about 3 weeks). I think it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that an object will dramatically alter your quality of life, or that minute optical improvements will change the way you go about your birding/hunting/nature watching - whatever.

The NL's are good tools. But they're not magical 'wonder' instruments, either. If you've got the $$ and you feel that the extra features of the NL may contribute to your enjoyment, why not? But I don't think you'd be missing out on much by sticking with your SLC's.

At the end of the day, it's what you view through your binos that counts, isn't it? This forum has been a bit of a negative influence, because instead of enjoying whatever it is I'm looking at, I've been preoccupied with nitpicking the glass instead. And even the NL isn't immune to that. I've been picking holes in it all day long, and it sucks big time.

The grass is always greener. If you think the NL will cure that, then you're wrong.

If you find the SLC to be fantastic, then why change? If your answer to that is "but...." (etc) - then buy the NL's. :0)

I think many here at times have fallen into this mindset every time a newer, brighter and cooler binocular is released including myself. Yes I think this forum does contribute to more here having that buying upgrade urge but more in a positive way then negative. For me personally this forum has provided more information on New product releases and the views/thoughts of real people using their binoculars than any other place on the internet.

 

[NZbinodude]

Yes, it's a fantastic resource.

 

[edwincjones]

...Is the expense really worth buying the NL? ....Thoughts please?

I was really contemplating buying them but do I really need to?

Are they that much better than what I already have?

I'm in my mid 60s and my eyesight is not "Alpha"

Lots of questions lol

thoughts

worth the expense -- no
need it -- no
that much better -- yes
mid 60's -- do you deserve it?

assuming you have the money to buy,
then not an issue of cost but personal happiness
will it make your life better,
or
worry/guilt make your life worse

edj

 

[NDhunter]

I am thinking it is not worth buying a Swarovski NL 8x42. The BF has to be, wanna-be first to review, now has his for sale on the famous
auction site. So pay attention.....
Jerry

 

[lmans66]

But a person has to make a huge decision to purchase a NL, or SF or Noctivid.... If someone is selling them now, well....so be it. They just decided it wasn't worth the investment but that doesn't imply the product is bad.

 

[CharleyBird]

I am thinking it is not worth buying a Swarovski NL 8x42. The BF has to be, wanna-be first to review, now has his for sale on the famous
auction site. So pay attention.....
Jerry

Link please?

 

[gcole]

Link please?

He is also

I am thinking it is not worth buying a Swarovski NL 8x42. The BF has to be, wanna-be first to review, now has his for sale on the famous
auction site. So pay attention.....
Jerry

I see he also has it for sale for the lowest price on Ebay, someone will buy them.

 

[Maljunulo]

"Worth buying" is such a subjective concept that it almost precludes intelligent discussion, but it keeps the Whittle & Spit Club around the wood stove busy for hours on end.

 

[jgraider]

He is also

I see he also has it for sale for the lowest price on Ebay, someone will buy them.

It's a clown show I tell 'ya..............

 

[BertL]

The 8x42 SLC is a stunning glass and it surpasses all other available as new 8x42s I have tried in its lovely, very deep rendering of space. It drags you right into the scene, in that sense it is more transparent than the competition. It is together with the Leica UVHD+ the only alpha 8x42 now that features a classic curved field but with excellent aberration control (probably much better than the Leica). It has the bright glow of an AK prism glass due to excellent micro contrast, brightness and clever contrast boost by skewed transmission curve. I prefer it very much over both my Noctivid and the EDG for most situations. Ease of view of the SLC is absolutely high end Swarovski.

It flares badly though in strong backlight, and the focus throw is way to long (1.6 revolutions from 3m to infinity, compared to 0.8 in the Nocti). Swarovski again was very uncaring about internal blackening and flare reduction. It would be great if they would upgrade the SLC again to where it came from.

As far as I understand the NL is field flattened, that's a turn off for bird watching. I bet with the NL you lose the real deep space in your images, no matter how sharp, saturated, contrasty etc etc the image is. You surely do with Swarovision, and EDG.

Tobias,

I traded my 2019 SLC 8X42 in for a NL 10X42 a bit more than a month ago.
The NL's are good, but to much for me. I was missing my SLC's, the contrast, the real 3D and the colors.
So I traded my NL's back in for a pair of SLC's 8X42. Manufacturing year 2020.
When looked through the new SLC I was blown away. I have never had a pair of binoculars that were so good. I will never part with them again. I don't know what they did at Swarovski in the last manufacturing year but was very good.
For your information, all the screws insjde the binocular look a sort of black.
In the 2019 one that was not the case.

Regards

Bert

 

[dries1]

To the original question, yes the NL is worth buying, if you are not disturbed by flat field viewing. Regarding the SLC in 42, I have not seen any difference between the 19 and 20 versions, perhaps someone from Swarovski could chime in and clear up this confusion.
Additionally, could we come up with a more defined term for 3-D views in roofs (without field flattener lens), I mean I can see enhanced 3-D views in a porro with widely spaced objectives, or for that manner any porro, but a roof? How about positional depth?

Andy W.

 

[BabyDov]

You only live once. I am 77 years old and about a year away from needing cataract surgery. Otherwise, thank G-d, I am healthy. I had the money and decided it was time to enjoy some of it, instead of passing all of what remains onto my kids, who are fortunately doing well enough on their own. I decided I wanted to try Swarovski. I first tried the 8.5x42 EL FP which felt too bulky and poorly balanced.
I exchanged them for the 8x32 EL FP, which I thought were great and nothing could be better. But then I heard comments that the NL was in a different class where it was optically better and had great ergonomics that made it feel almost like a x32 in your hands. So I exchanged the 8x32 for the 8x42 NL.

Even with my non-alpha vision, I could easily appreciate the difference optically. But what really sold me was how easily they were to hold steady, even with one hand.

Having said all this, I never tried the SLC.
However, IF you can easily afford them, I would give the Nl a try. You can always return them if you don't love them. If you can't afford them, there are probably bigger priorities in your life to worry about than trying to buy better optics. I would then stick with what you have.

 

[[email protected]]

Tobias,

I traded my 2019 SLC 8X42 in for a NL 10X42 a bit more than a month ago.
The NL's are good, but to much for me. I was missing my SLC's, the contrast, the real 3D and the colors.
So I traded my NL's back in for a pair of SLC's 8X42. Manufacturing year 2020.
When looked through the new SLC I was blown away. I have never had a pair of binoculars that were so good. I will never part with them again. I don't know what they did at Swarovski in the last manufacturing year but was very good.
For your information, all the screws insjde the binocular look a sort of black.
In the 2019 one that was not the case.

Regards

Bert

I did the same thing. The NL wasn't my cup of tea. Too much glare, difficult eye positioning, very little 3D and the view seemed weird and synthetic to me. I sold mine and bought a pair of SLC 8x42 and I too was blown away. No glare, the best 3-D of any roof prism I have seen, no RB and superb contrast and colors. For me, they are a much better binocular than the NL. Tobias was right on the SLC's.

greatestbinoculars: Swarovski SLC W B 8x42