Getting back to topic
I'll give a few preliminary impressions of the Swaro CL Companion, albeit mostly based on the 10x30 version. I got an early specimen on loan from Swarovski, and have been using it on a few birding outings as well as toying with at home and on our balcony. I will do some resolution testing and other measurements eventually, but thus far it's all been rather more casual.
Firstly, I agree with Jan: these are what the original 8/10x30 should have been like. To put it another way, these are like a scaled-down and sleeker/fancier looking version of the current SLC series rather than some entry level stuff.
Image quality appears excellent, with really good central sharpness and a large sweet spot. Edge sharpness is unusually good for a binocular without a field flattener mentioned in its advertising literature. In fact, since what I see is just a tiny bit of field curvature and almost no astigmatism at the edge, I suspect that the eyepiece is in fact some kind of a field flattener design. For a younger viewer with decent accommodation, these will be almost sharp to the edge. There is only modest angular magnification distortion, and to my eyes no RB. FoV in the 10x is decent (108m/km) but not great. I'll measure it later, but hand-held it is a bit less than my 10x42 Canon as the specs suggest it would be. Eye lens diameter is 22 mm (Nikon 10x42 SE has 21mm and my Canon 23 mm). This is a big improvement over the original CL series, which has rather tiny eye lenses.
I cannot quite agree with Jan's opinion that there would be no kidney beaning at all with these. In normal viewing I get none, but if I have the eyecups retracted it is easy enough for me to bring my eyes close enough to get kidney beans out of the shadows.
Colors are rich and natural, and contrast is excellent. There is some veiling glare, but nothing alarming. Image snaps to focus well, and, once set, diopter is set and does not need to be second-guessed. I haven't seen any mention of ED lenses in the literature about these, but whereas I saw distinct and somewhat annoying CA in the original CL series, these look to me just like the current SLC: I can see CA in them if I look for it but generally find it unobtrusive. My Nikon 10x42 SE has much more, my Canon a little bit less.
There was a lengthy exchange over the aesthetics of the new CL Companion earlier on this thread. Looks are a matter of taste (pun intended), but I like the looks of these. Handling is also fine. Eyecups are very solid and comfortable, but lack intermediate click-stops. Their rounded edge is rather high and seems to unnecessarily rob some potential eye-relief. Focus wheel is well placed, easy to reach and has no play. Its movement is a bit on the stiff side and typically for Swarovski rather on the slow and accurate side of things. Because of this relative stiffness, it also tends to stay where you left it.
I have encountered a couple of other small annoyances (for me):
- The diopter setting wheel is situated in the middle of the focus knob, and needs to be pressed down and twisted at the same time in order to change the setting. This isn't really possible while viewing, so one needs to check the view, make an adjustment, and check again. The markings on the knob are also just this side of invisible. But, as the optics are good enough that adjustments don't need to be made often, this is not much of a problem for general use unless there are more than one person regularly using the instrument.
- The supplied eyepiece rain guard is very tight-fitting and only suitable for protecting the eyepieces during transportation. For actual birding in the rain, it takes way too long to put on and take off. I know this is a matter of preference and there are two schools of thought here with no real compromise possible, but when a design is so far in one camp there ought to be an option available.
- The fancy "Fieldpro" -type carrying strap attachments look neat and are easy to install etc., but since they allow the strap attachment to freely turn around, the strap frequently ends up being twisted and in need of unwinding.
- There is no finnstick attachment integrated into the binocular body.
Overall, Swarovski's new CL Companion is a really good little binocular. It is very easy on the eye and relaxing to use, and the image has no obvious shortfalls. It has the potential to become a class leader, and could very well also snatch quite a few sales away from the 32 mm EL SV's.
Kimmo