"But I think after getting used to the NL, it will be hard to go back to an EL."
2nd that!
Whoever wants, let him stay with the old binoculars .. After I tried NL, I don't want other binoculars anymore ...
"But I think after getting used to the NL, it will be hard to go back to an EL."
2nd that!
"An EL is great, but to me, the NL is better in several ways. (FOV, CA correction, focuser, contrast and ergonomics.)"Whoever wants, let him stay with the old binoculars .. After I tried NL, I don't want other binoculars anymore ...
They did! The glare control in the NL is better than the EL. Allbinos shows the NL 12x42 @3.8, the EL [email protected] and the EL 8.5x42 @ 2.4. After using the NL 8x42 I don't see the veiling glare that covers the FOV like I did in the EL 8x32. I think like another post said a lot of people are trying to find a reason not to want an NL with all the superfluous nitpicking and at $3K I can understand that but the fact remains they are probably the best binocular you can buy right now. Are they perfect, no. No binocular is. I used the NL 8x42 for birding yesterday, and I was simply blown away by the huge FOV, contrast and clarity of these binoculars. They are without a doubt a step above the EL.Swarovski really improved the contrast in the NL.
Perhaps the Swarovski researcher had aNikon EDG at hand.
On the other hand they would have improved glare too.��
I think it is time as my Zeiss 10x40B/GA T* Dialyt is 34 years old.
I had a 7x42 Dialyt but it wasn't the P model and it wasn't very bright compared to modern alphas. The phase coating makes a big difference. What surprises me is when I had the SV 8x32 I compared it to the Kowa Prominar 8x33 and to my eyes there wasn't a lot of difference with them both being 8 degree FOV but now comparing the Kowa to the NL I see a big difference. A lot of it is the bigger 9.1 degree FOV and better contrast. Swarovski must have really improved the coatings on the NL to get the contrast up this level on the NL.Congrats on acquiring a binocular that I hope will become as faithful a birding companion as your old one. I often feel that it's guys like you (moving forward three or four generations in optics) who get the most improvement and enjoyment from them, as compared to those coming to the NL from say a Swarovision which is already extremely good.
NB. I've been using my 10x40 Dialyt (P model) a lot this week, after my local hobbies [Baumfalke] and although it's not comparable to a modern alpha optically, I was reminded once again that it's actually still a very useful and usable birding tool...
As my local optics shop is opposite a supermarket I use, I nipped in today & asked about the availability of Swarovski NL Pure binoculars. They had a pair 8x42s but said that the 10x42 model wouldn't be available (in the UK) until later this month or probably October (or even November).
Hello John.
I hope you are keeping well. Can I ask which shop you use please? I may be looking at upgrading either my binoculars or telescope and I would like somewhere local to discuss/ try/ buy.
Thank you in advance.
Regards
Stuart
Hi Stuart,
Good to hear from you. I looked in Canterbury Cameras - see
https://www.canterburycameras.com/ - which is opposite the entrance to Waitrose. As the name suggests it's primarily a camera shop with a comparatively limited stock and I've only bought cameras or tripods from them in the past. I usually prefer to buy binoculars/scopes from specialist birding orientated optics companies like 'Cley Spy' or 'In Focus' who I think would give better advice, particularly on 'field days'. However, in current circumstances that doesn't seem to be an option so I prefer to buy from a local shop rather than buying online.
I think I am going to keep mine. I don't think they blew Zeiss and Leica out of the water or anything, but I do think that by a slight margin they are the best 10s I have ever used. After a little more time I will decide for sure if I am keeping them or going back to the SFs that I had to trade in to afford my NLs.
"I do think that by a slight margin they are the best 10s I have ever used"I got my 10s in the mail. They are cool. I don't have much to add on top of what other people have said.
The ergonomics are excellent. Best pair I've used in this respect, with the SFs in a close second. The additional weight of the NLs is noticeable in the hand, but the contoured tubes are pretty dang comfortable.
The field is very wide.
Glare can be induced when looking towards the sun.
Good colors. Bright. Clear. Sharp...
They seem typically Swarovski to me. A lot like the Swarovskis that I own now and have owned in the past. Straightforward excellence.
I think I am going to keep mine. I don't think they blew Zeiss and Leica out of the water or anything, but I do think that by a slight margin they are the best 10s I have ever used. After a little more time I will decide for sure if I am keeping them or going back to the SFs that I had to trade in to afford my NLs.
"I do think that by a slight margin they are the best 10s I have ever used"
The NL 10x42 54 foot FOV advantage over the SF 10x42 is more than a SLIGHT margin I would say! You are not noticing the bigger FOV of the NL because you don't have your SF to compare them with. I do agree that as the FOV gets bigger incremental increase do not seem to be as noticeable but make sure you try the SF 10x42 before you go back to it. It just might seem like a tunnel. When I switch between my 9.1 degree NL 8x42 and my 8 degree Kowa Genesis 8x33 the Kowa seems like tunnel vision. It depends upon how important FOV is to you I guess.
The SF has an AFoV of 64* and the NL's AFoV is 70*, a difference of less than 10%---is that really so noticeable? I doubt the SF can be said to have a tunnel vision issue.Haha. Thanks Denco. I will do what I can to look at some SFs, but as I say all the time on this forum, I do not live in a place where I can easily go to a store and try out new optics. As I said though, I think I am going to keep the NLs because I think that they are the best 10s I've ever used. They really are extremely good.
Anyway, according to the manufacturers the SF 10s have a 360 foot field of view at 1000 yards and the NL 10s have a 399 foot field of view at 1000 yards. That's a 39 foot difference. Is there some independently measured quantities you are looking at to arrive at a 54 foot difference?
A lucid and to the point summary.I got my 10s in the mail. They are cool. I don't have much to add on top of what other people have said.
The ergonomics are excellent. Best pair I've used in this respect, with the SFs in a close second. The additional weight of the NLs is noticeable in the hand, but the contoured tubes are pretty dang comfortable.
The field is very wide.
Glare can be induced when looking towards the sun.
Good colors. Bright. Clear. Sharp...
They seem typically Swarovski to me. A lot like the Swarovskis that I own now and have owned in the past. Straightforward excellence.
I think I am going to keep mine. I don't think they blew Zeiss and Leica out of the water or anything, but I do think that by a slight margin they are the best 10s I have ever used. After a little more time I will decide for sure if I am keeping them or going back to the SFs that I had to trade in to afford my NLs.
A 6 degree AFOV or 39 foot FOV difference is a lot. What I want to warn you about is that the NL will spoil you! After you use the NL for a while you become USED to the big FOV and you begin to think "Ahh, this FOV on this NL is not THAT big." And then you go back to your SF and even though you always thought it had a huge FOV suddenly it looks NARROW! It happened to me with the Kowa Genesis 8x33 which has an 8 degree FOV. I always thought it had a very big FOV UNTIL I used the NL for a while and then went back to it. Suddenly the Kowas FOV appears tunnel like! It is a strange phenomenon.The SF has an AFoV of 64* and the NL's AFoV is 70*, a difference of less than 10%---is that really so noticeable? I doubt the SF can be said to have a tunnel vision issue.
A 39 foot FOV difference is a lot. What I want to warn you about is that the NL will spoil you for any other binocular with a smaller FOV which is every binocular.! After you use the NL for a while you become USED to the big FOV and you begin to think "Ahh, this FOV on this NL is not THAT big." And then you go back to your SF and even though you always thought it had a huge FOV suddenly it looks NARROW! It happened to me with the Kowa Genesis 8x33 which has an 8 degree FOV. I always thought it had a very big FOV UNTIL I used the NL for a while and then went back to it. Suddenly the Kowas FOV appears tunnel like! It is a strange phenomenon.Haha. Thanks Denco. I will do what I can to look at some SFs, but as I say all the time on this forum, I do not live in a place where I can easily go to a store and try out new optics. As I said though, I think I am going to keep the NLs because I think that they are the best 10s I've ever used. They really are extremely good.
Anyway, according to the manufacturers the SF 10s have a 360 foot field of view at 1000 yards and the NL 10s have a 399 foot field of view at 1000 yards. That's a 39 foot difference. Is there some independently measured quantities you are looking at to arrive at a 54 foot difference?
Sure. The difference that you are talking about between the Kowas and the NLs is a little bigger than the difference between the SFs and the NLs, but I absolutely take your point. The NL view is enormous.A 39 foot FOV difference is a lot. What I want to warn you about is that the NL will spoil you for any other binocular with a smaller FOV which is every binocular.! After you use the NL for a while you become USED to the big FOV and you begin to think "Ahh, this FOV on this NL is not THAT big." And then you go back to your SF and even though you always thought it had a huge FOV suddenly it looks NARROW! It happened to me with the Kowa Genesis 8x33 which has an 8 degree FOV. I always thought it had a very big FOV UNTIL I used the NL for a while and then went back to it. Suddenly the Kowas FOV appears tunnel like! It is a strange phenomenon.