New Coatings on NL ? (1 Viewer)

[Kiwimac]

I concur. The orange that North American hunters wear for field safety is a bright, fluorescent orange. I think the Swaro orange is a nifty option but not targeted for hunters.

Surely targeted at anyone who just wanted binoculars they won’t lose in the grass it rocks?

 

[Stuarts vision]

I have an orange pair of NLs that I use in the autumn and a green pair for the spring and summer. I'm hoping that Swarovski might bring out a white/ice-blue version that I could use during hard winters.

Ah, can you not just put some camo/vinyl wrap on depending on season.

I understand different magnifications, but different colours, now that's a new one 🤣

 

[tehri]

Or fake cracks and damage camo... 'would be very trendy !! 😝

 

[Owen Murphy]

I think Swarovski intended to make Orange models for hunters. Of course there are no restrictions for birders to buy them. However, birds can clearly see the orange from distance but herbivorous mammals can't clearly differentiate orange from green.

I didn't check many NLs before I buy one. However, my 2022 produced NL 8x42 gave me kidney beans more often than other binoculars I have. Is there a significant sample variation among different units? I think there should not be a noticeable sample variation of binoculars at this price point.

Most birds I believe, and most certainly game birds, ducks, pigeons cannot see the shade of orange used in this range of binoculars. As far as I know it appears grey to them and is certainly used in camouflage for various hunting activities , including bird hunting, in America for safety reasons.

 

[Swarovski Man]

I sold a pair of (green) SLC 8x42s to a fellow bird watcher a while back who was replacing the same model that he had dropped and couldn't find again. Perhaps Swarovski should fit tracking devices to their green models.

 

[AlphaFan]

and is certainly used in camouflage for various hunting activities , including bird hunting, in America for safety reasons.

While the particular hue of orange Swarovski is using in the NL and other binoculars stands out from its surroundings it clearly is not the blaze/safety orange commonly used for hunting here in the USA.

 

[Maximc1]

PS. Does anyone know if the Orange NL's are more desirable than the green. I'd like to get the Orange but might get the green if the Orange will be more difficult to sell when the time is right ...

Prior to buying a pair of Curios I spoke with Swarovski of North America who told me the orange color outsells the black color by a wide margin. I didn't ask about other models, though.

 

[ticl2184]

Prior to buying a pair of Curios I spoke with Swarovski of North America who told me the orange color outsells the black color by a wide margin. I didn't ask about other models, though.

My thoughts exactly....

I preferred the Orange but the Orange is a Neesch market...

So I got the Green... Easier to sell ....But I'd have preferred the Orange ...


Cheers

Tim

 

[Kiwimac]

Is Swaroclean still applied to any other binoculars they make?

 

[tenex]

Apparently not. Which means one would need to check date of manufacture when buying a used EL or SLC.

 

[Kiwimac]

It rules out any of their stuff for me if I can get Zeiss and Leica with similar coating applied.
I’m not sure why you’d deliberately make your performance lower compared to competitors in this way.

 

[Richard D]

It rules out any of their stuff for me if I can get Zeiss and Leica with similar coating applied.
I’m not sure why you’d deliberately make your performance lower compared to competitors in this way.

It uses PFAs which are likely to be banned across Europe in the near future: EU considers ban on 'forever chemicals', urges search for alternatives

 

[John A Roberts]

In terms of what we know from Swarovski about the Swaroclean coating, the most recent information seems to be this from July 2021:

Fascinated by the condensation “issue” and possible explanations I approached Swarovski directly and asked the question about SwaroClean . . .
The answer was:
-quote - Swarovski gives top priority to sustainable products and reduction of environmental impact during their manufacture. Therefore the SWAROCLEAN coating is no longer applied to all SWAROVSKI OPTIK products. With this step all coatings become PFC-free. This change does not affect the optical quality of the product or its service life. The NL PURE series has been without SWAROCLEEAN since the beginning of production. For the EL binoculars, the coating was changed over in the course of 2020. – unquote-.

Condensation is obviously not an "optical property", hence I zoomed into the condensation properties in a follow-up question and directly asked to comment on effects from the change on possible condensation .

The answer was
-quote- According to our research and development department, it is assured that there are no optical disadvantages in quality or life time of lenses through this devoid of PFC. There are no consequences of more condensation with proper use and stocking. -unquote-

. . .

John

 

[Kiwimac]

It uses PFAs which are likely to be banned across Europe in the near future: EU considers ban on 'forever chemicals', urges search for alternatives

Best get shopping now before the Eurocrats ban everything then I guess.

 

[Richard D]

Best get shopping now before the Eurocrats ban everything then I guess.

There are moves to restrict PFAs across the world - they're already banned in several US states, and most outdoor clothing manufacturers have stopped them. I believe New Zealand is looking at banning their use too.

 

[Kiwimac]

There are moves to restrict PFAs across the world - they're already banned in several US states, and most outdoor clothing manufacturers have stopped them. I believe New Zealand is looking at banning their use too.

New Zealand likes banning things. It has an actual government job called ‘Chief Censor’!

I’ll be grabbing some Alphas soon and those with effective coatings are in the short list. Those without… not.

 

[AndrewC1]

Apparently not. Which means one would need to check date of manufacture when buying a used EL or SLC.

When did they stop using theSwaroclean coating?

 

[Richard D]

When did they stop using theSwaroclean coating?

About 2020

 

[Scott98]

FWIW, 3M is the maker of PFAS here in the USA and they recently announced they're ceasing production as of 2025.

Apparently they're facing massive liability for all the wells and water supplies that have been poisoned with the toxic chemicals. Water under military bases is poisoned. Firemen are dying of cancer. They're going to be on the hook for damages, it could bankrupt them. Similar to what Bayer is facing w/ glyphosate right now.

3M to end 'forever chemicals' output at cost of up to $2.3 bln

U.S. industrial conglomerate 3M Co on Tuesday set a 2025 deadline to stop producing PFAS, the forever chemicals used in anything from cell phones to semiconductors that have been linked to cancers, heart problems and low birth weights.

www.reuters.com

PFAS Updates: 3M’s Domestic and International PFAS Issues

Three recent PFAS issues have directly impacted 3M, one of the historic manufacturers of certain PFAS chemicals, both domestically and internationally. In the United States, the PFAS updates for 3M in

www.natlawreview.com

 

[dries1]

I have not noticed any difference on NL coatings from inception to present. Enjoy those NLs.