Malsam
Active member
I finally decided and gotten the STC after waiting for more than 3 months with the local distributor sold out immediately when it first arrived. Had it like 2-3 weeks now and have been trying to get used to this new tool so I thought to share my experience using it.
First of first, justifying the cost is never easy, hence the decision is always about opportunity cost. And the next hardest thing is the ATC vs STC decision. I have a gap when my 12x bino and my 600mm couldn’t allow me to see the details of the birds in the dense forest in tropical areas where I lived and mostly frequent. With age catching up and failing eye sight, I start to appreciate details and colours hence ultimately decided to go for it.
I choose STC because i use it mainly handheld, dashed into the forest and observe the tiny subjects hiding among the leaves and branches. Through experience, most birds never really stay for long when they sense that someone is starring at them hence I don’t want to waste time finding them again from a bino to an angled scope. I have been using the STC this way for the past few weeks and I’m liking the fact that it gave me exactly what I want to use it for.
However, allow me to share some of the experience/features I encountered which might be a turn-off for someone who are deciding between the 2:
- it looks like a spyglass!
That is what my son and the sales lady commented when they saw me using 1. You practically look like a peeping Tom with a tube. If you point towards a residential area, be warned!
- handling is tricky
The straight barrel makes it hard to rotate both focusing and magnifying wheel at the same time. The magnifying wheel behind is tighter and depends on how you grip it, the other hand will rotate the focusing wheel accidentally if you did not move it away. And the worst thing is, your fingers are usually resting on the wheels so you really need to grab other parts in order to prevent this from happening.
- stable handing
holding a ATC and adjusting the wheels are so much better not to mention its way more stable since your hands are closer to each other like cradling a baby. For STC you are spreading both hands out in a straight line. Yes I’ve tried them both for hours so this is the experience I encountered. If I don’t have an intended use for it and just use it generally as a scope, ATC will be my choice especially when there is an orange version.
- 17x can be handheld
I have shaky hands but it’s decent. Going pass that is really challenging on the STC. I frequently want to use a self standing monopod or a lightweight tripod with an extension. Yes I bought a travel tripod initially thinking that it will be tall enough for use but it only work for ATC. STS require a much higher tripod/monopod. This is a must if u are glassing for long or trying to find details.
- The eye piece is bright
I’m trying to find an winged eye cup like my bins but Swarovski did not made 1 yet. This helps to improve stray lights from distracting you at the side. I enjoyed focused viewing hence I always used one. If someone had found a 3rd party selling a winged eyecup for STC/ATC please share the source.
Though I don’t find much difference in daylight between my bino at 42 vs STS 56, the phenomenon I had is that in low light condition, the STC actually appear darker compared to my bino. I’m not sure is it because its 2 eye viewing vs 1 eye or due to lens coating (I read somewhere STC/ATC has the same coating as NL pure) but this has been my experience.
Just to be clear when I say low light I don’t mean evening or night but in the day within a dense forest where lights are scarce or under shade.
Overall besides all these awkward experience, it works exactly what I want it to be - clarity, well made, durable, reliable and hand holdable.
Lastly, with this new additional tool, one would have to figure out how to carry all 3 (scope, bins and camera) without having straps criss crossing on each other over your shoulders
Enjoy it for those who had bought it!
First of first, justifying the cost is never easy, hence the decision is always about opportunity cost. And the next hardest thing is the ATC vs STC decision. I have a gap when my 12x bino and my 600mm couldn’t allow me to see the details of the birds in the dense forest in tropical areas where I lived and mostly frequent. With age catching up and failing eye sight, I start to appreciate details and colours hence ultimately decided to go for it.
I choose STC because i use it mainly handheld, dashed into the forest and observe the tiny subjects hiding among the leaves and branches. Through experience, most birds never really stay for long when they sense that someone is starring at them hence I don’t want to waste time finding them again from a bino to an angled scope. I have been using the STC this way for the past few weeks and I’m liking the fact that it gave me exactly what I want to use it for.
However, allow me to share some of the experience/features I encountered which might be a turn-off for someone who are deciding between the 2:
- it looks like a spyglass!
That is what my son and the sales lady commented when they saw me using 1. You practically look like a peeping Tom with a tube. If you point towards a residential area, be warned!
- handling is tricky
The straight barrel makes it hard to rotate both focusing and magnifying wheel at the same time. The magnifying wheel behind is tighter and depends on how you grip it, the other hand will rotate the focusing wheel accidentally if you did not move it away. And the worst thing is, your fingers are usually resting on the wheels so you really need to grab other parts in order to prevent this from happening.
- stable handing
holding a ATC and adjusting the wheels are so much better not to mention its way more stable since your hands are closer to each other like cradling a baby. For STC you are spreading both hands out in a straight line. Yes I’ve tried them both for hours so this is the experience I encountered. If I don’t have an intended use for it and just use it generally as a scope, ATC will be my choice especially when there is an orange version.
- 17x can be handheld
I have shaky hands but it’s decent. Going pass that is really challenging on the STC. I frequently want to use a self standing monopod or a lightweight tripod with an extension. Yes I bought a travel tripod initially thinking that it will be tall enough for use but it only work for ATC. STS require a much higher tripod/monopod. This is a must if u are glassing for long or trying to find details.
- The eye piece is bright
I’m trying to find an winged eye cup like my bins but Swarovski did not made 1 yet. This helps to improve stray lights from distracting you at the side. I enjoyed focused viewing hence I always used one. If someone had found a 3rd party selling a winged eyecup for STC/ATC please share the source.
Though I don’t find much difference in daylight between my bino at 42 vs STS 56, the phenomenon I had is that in low light condition, the STC actually appear darker compared to my bino. I’m not sure is it because its 2 eye viewing vs 1 eye or due to lens coating (I read somewhere STC/ATC has the same coating as NL pure) but this has been my experience.
Just to be clear when I say low light I don’t mean evening or night but in the day within a dense forest where lights are scarce or under shade.
Overall besides all these awkward experience, it works exactly what I want it to be - clarity, well made, durable, reliable and hand holdable.
Lastly, with this new additional tool, one would have to figure out how to carry all 3 (scope, bins and camera) without having straps criss crossing on each other over your shoulders
Enjoy it for those who had bought it!
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