Short review of the Swarovski 10x42 NL Pure (1 Viewer)

[bockos]

"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 ...

 

[[email protected]]

Whoever wants, let him stay with the old binoculars .. After I tried NL, I don't want other binoculars anymore ...

"An EL is great, but to me, the NL is better in several ways. (FOV, CA correction, focuser, contrast and ergonomics.)"

Good point! Your right on with the improvements on the NL over the EL. I would buy the NL for the bigger FOV, way smoother focuser and better ergonomics alone but the improved CA control and better contrast are just an added bonus. The improved contrast can't be overlooked because it makes a big difference. Swarovski really improved the contrast in the NL.

 

[Loddar]

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.��

 

[[email protected]]

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.��

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.

https://www.allbinos.com/rankings.html

 

[Loddar]

That should be a joke.
Enjoy your NL.
I had a EL 8,5 FP and i soll it recently. Ist was too heavy for me. I found glare control ok. Not so good as Nikons EDG or some bins from Leica. But ok.
Glare control in Swaros SV 32 is really bad and spoils my enjoyment of these otherwise good bins.

 

[Patudo]

I think it is time as my Zeiss 10x40B/GA T* Dialyt is 34 years old.

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...

 

[[email protected]]

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...

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.

 

[John Cantelo]

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).

 

[Sandy73]

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

 

[John Cantelo]

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.

 

[Sandy73]

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.

Thank you John. I thought that might have been the shop, I hadn’t realised that they sold optics (although I haven’t been in that area for a few years). I’ll contact the companies you mention to see what they do in these unusual times. I would prefer to buy local but I need to be sure that what I buy I will be happy with for years to come.

Regards

 

[quincy88]

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.

 

[jremmons]

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.

Thanks for what is in summation the most likely "reality" of the new NL : the best 'traditional style' binoculars on the market (which makes sense given their price and "newness"), but not exactly an earth shattering improvement over other top of the line models.

I sure plan to try the 10s with the headrest, but the fact that they haven't really improved control of glare from the SVs (and some of the other alphas) has not made my interest level particularly high.

Justin

 

[[email protected]]

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.

 

[quincy88]

"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.

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?

 

[PeterPS]

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?

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.

 

[PeterPS]

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 lucid and to the point summary.

 

[[email protected]]

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 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.

 

[[email protected]]

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 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.

 

[quincy88]

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.

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.