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Message: <blockquote data-quote="brocknroller" data-source="post: 1833532" data-attributes="member: 665">So Sancho, you're saying that for $2,400 you can finally buy a roof that's as good as a $299 EII or a $499 SE. Well, it's about time! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />I recently tried an EL (pre-SV), an early one with the slow focuser. Optically, it's the best roof I've tried, though it is lacking a bit in color saturation (compared it to a Swaro 8x30 SLC Neu, which has less color bias and more vivid colors). Ergonomically, it is the most comfortable roof I've handled. Some Austrian engineer with a high bridged nose, XL hands, and an accent like Arnold's must have designed these. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> Wish I could unscrew the eyecups and put them on my SE. I can see the entire FOV with the EL, unlike the SE, which even if I dig my eyes deep into the rubber eyecups, I still can't see the field stop. Also, the AFOV in the EL appears to be larger than I had expected. The AFOV is very generous, hardly any black around the image. Feels more like 70* AFOV than 62.9*.The edge sharpness falls off gradually on the EL, so there's no distracting "ring around the collar" like even some premium bins have. In star testing them (not under the best sky conditions), the edges were not as good as they appear during the day, so there is room for improvement in this area, but not at the expense of smooth panning.If the edges on the old EL were like those on the Zeiss FL, I could see the need for field flatteners, but as it is, the edges work fine for birding, and I'm fairly picky about edge performance. If you haven't tried the new EL, Richard, I recommend you do so before buying unless you know that you are not "allergic" to "rolling ball". If you can pan quickly with a full sized Nikon HG/HG L w/lout feeling nauseous, the SV EL will be a piece 'o cake. As far as being worth it, sure the SV EL is "better," it better be or it won't sell, no matter how much Swaro spends on marketing. After all, you can't fool all of the people all of the time (but you can fool 5 out of 9 Supreme Court Justices). But is it better enough to justify the price hike is the question I think you are asking. Well, I can't help you there, but I will leave you with this general dictum, which might help.IMNSHO, no bin, no matter where it was made or which manufacturer made it, is worth $2,400. Somebody pleeeease call Susan Powter. The insanity must stop!!! I'm drawing the line in the sand at $2,399.99! Not a penny more!</blockquote>

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