swaro news (1 Viewer)

[jan van daalen]

Three "new" optical devices will see the light in february.
The second generation riflescope with built in rangefinder.
A new ELRange with 10% increased FOV, Swarovision technology and measurement from 10 to 2000 meters. Transmission 90%.
Cosmetical changes on the pocket line which are gonna look like the mountain series, in green and antracite, now available with raincover on the eyecups.

Jan

 

[matt green]

No NL 8x32 pure yet then!

..or premium internal focus porro which would be even nicer!

Matt

 

[bkdc]

No NL Pure 32s??? Shux.

 

[jan van daalen]

Mmmmm.......In July there is a new meeting.
I still have hope.

 

[matt green]

A completely weather proof 7x35 internal focus porro along the lines of the old SL beasts of a few years ago is surely not too much to ask,

Opticron made an excellent job of something similar in their now discontinued hr wp series, minox had something similar but with 44mm objectives..the optics on both were amazing and blew every roof with the same badge out of the water despite coming in at only £240.

...though in hindsight if this ever became a reality it would harm NL pure sales, maybe swarovski could make them less likely to compete by making them with a tiny field of view or a minimum close focus of 6m, just like they did with the EL42 so as not to steal the newly arrived NL pures thunder!

Matt

 

[John A Roberts]

Some founded and unfounded observations . . .

The last 12 months have seen Swarovski introduce: the dG Digital Guide monocular, the 115 mm objective module for the X series telescopes
and the NL x42 series of binoculars

So taking into account Jan’s comments, it’s clear that Swarovski has a comprehensive ongoing programme of updates and introductions
- - - -

A) New RF Sight
Technically this will be the 3rd version: the original LRS dates from 1996, and the much more recent dS from 2017
Such devices are rare due to the extreme cost associated with combining premium optics and electronics in a compact and durable package
e.g. B&H Photo currently lists the dS at US $4.5k


B) New EL Range
Due to the pace of electronic development, an update to the original EL Range of 2011 is well overdue
e.g. the current generation Leica and Zeiss alternatives include both more features and the use of bluetooth to down- and upload
both data and applications
The technology is already used in the dS, so presumedly it will be incorporated in a suitably modified form in the new EL Range

Optically, an increased FOV is welcome, and the application of Swarovision technology is not unexpected
The latter indicates the addition of both a flat field of view and HD glass:
see a description of the suite of Swarovision features from a 2015 version of the EL SV catalogue


C) Upgrade to CL x25 Pocket
A cosmetic refresh of the Pocket line may be an interim step before a more comprehensive upgrade to the line? (see below)
- - - -

And in July? . . .
D) CL x42
Following on from the recent end to the x42 SLC line, perhaps a x42 CL may be on the way in July?
i.e. an obvious addition to the x25 Pocket and x30 Companion lines in terms of price and performance


And next year? . . .
E) NL x32
Based on Swarovski’s previous introductions, I’d expect that the x32 version would be more likely in 12 months or so,
to allow for greater sales of the x42 version
However, Swarovski may introduce a x32 version sooner to compete directly with the Zeiss SF x32
And of course there would also be the possibility down the track of an NL x50 series


F) New CL x25
The current CL x25 suffers in some ways by comparison to its Zeiss counterparts e.g. lesser FOV, greater minimum focus and more weight
So perhaps a new CL Pocket sometime in the relatively near future?


John

 

[NDhunter]

Jan:
Thanks for the update.
Rangefinder optics are hunting products which are a large part of the Swarovski optics sales market segment.


John:
Jan is an important part of Swarovski, the sales side, and a retailer, so he is privy to this type of information. So, don't try to
one up or think you are first to have knowledge of new products.

Jerry

 

[jan van daalen]

Jan:
Thanks for the update.
Rangefinder optics are hunting products which are a large part of the Swarovski optics sales market segment.


John:
Jan is an important part of Swarovski, the sales side, and a retailer, so he is privy to this type of information. So, don't try to
one up or think you are first to have knowledge of new products.

Jerry

You're welcome Jerry, but.......no need to give John this "friendly" approach.
I think he hits the nail on the exact spots. I don't know where he gets his info from but John is well informed.

Jan

 

[pbjosh]

I would like to thank both Jan and John for their contributions here to this thread and in general - both contribute a lot of great information to this site.

 

[jan van daalen]

It looks like it that one of Johns prediction came true.
The SLC is now the Kahles Helia S2.

Jan

 

[bkdc]

That is interesting. Does that mean manufacturing of the Kahles Helia S 42 is moving to Japan?

 

[Gijs van Ginkel]

bkdc, post 11,
Why should the production go to Japan? Kahles has made binoculars already for a long time and it is part of the Swarovski company.
Gijs van Ginkel

 

[jan van daalen]

That is interesting. Does that mean manufacturing of the Kahles Helia S 42 is moving to Japan?

Now it is in the open, the following.
AFAIK Swarovski rebrands the SLC as a Kahles product.
I haven't seen a price yet but the Japanese Kahles Helia in 42 is 999,00 euro and I expect the Austrian Helia to be on the old SLC price round 1.500,00 euro.

Jan

 

[NDhunter]

bkdc, post 11,
Why should the production go to Japan? Kahles has made binoculars already for a long time and it is part of the Swarovski company.
Gijs van Ginkel

Gijs & Jan:
The question of the Kahles binoculars is a good one. I owned one back around 10 years ago. It was an 8x42, it had
a very good build, but it had a narrow FOV, and optics were good. My next purchase was an EL 8.5x42 and it was clearly
a big step up, as it was the top in the game then. The Kahles binoculars have always been mid-range.

I am thinking that Kahles has been having their binoculars made in Japan for many years. The rifle scopes they sell are top
grade, and are made in Austria, right along side Swarovski. Kahles is a division of Swarovski, and that has been mentioned.

This is interesting about Kahles and if they are rebranding the SLC going forward. Allbinos has tested the Kahles binoculars
but the ones reviewed there are not Swarovski's, and would be the earlier models.

This sounds like a good marketing plan.

Jerry

 

[bkdc]

Smart marketing move to move to elevate the Kahles brand.

 

[elkcub]

Swarovski may have sensed the potential for great disaffection after discontinuing the SLC x42 line, and a significant loss of revenue, particularly from hunters.

But, hey, a 🌷 by any other name is still a 🌷

Future Kahles fanboy,
Ed

 

[sidpost]

I'm not that knowledgable on binocular business but, with the Swarovski EL's moving down market in pricing to provide more separation from the NL Pure options, what would they do with the SLC's being so close in price to the new price structure EL's?

Price compression seems to be the biggest issue here. Removing the SLC line from Swarovski opens up the pricing options for the EL range at the premium mid-range level without competing with the SLC series directly.

The SLC series under Kahles can easily drop in price without harming the Swarovski pricing power and provide that missing 'entry-level' premium purchase option, restoring a three-tiered product line up for the corporate parent.

Hopefully, Kahles SLC binoculars will compete with Zeiss Conquests in price more favorably. This also won't hurt the Swarovski brand position as an upper-tier "alpha" binocular manufacturer.

 

[NDhunter]

Swarovski is very careful not to announce new products until they are ready to. I do think we will see a CL 42 model sometime
this year. At least I hope so.
The Kahles Helia SLC clone model may not be sold in the USA, so that is important also.

Swarovski is very careful with Kahles, whom they control. An example is in rifle scopes, Kahles has a full line of scopes, but the only
ones they sell in the US are the small 24 objective and the huge 56 mm. Both small market segments. They don't want Kahles to take
sales away and market share from themselves, in the 30 - 50 mm main line popular sizes.
Jerry

 

[sidpost]

Kahles has made a real name for themselves in rifle scopes for PRS and other competitive rifle disciplines. In that realm, they compete fully with Schmidt & Bender and other market leaders.

The market overlap is likely the biggest thing holding back Kahles in the USA with Swarovski being the "big dog' in town.

 

[ticl2184]

Mmmmm.......In July there is a new meeting.
I still have hope.

I hear the 8x32 and 10x32 NL will follow in August or September this year. So not long to wait.
I just hope they sort the glare issue out along with Absam ring I observed in both the 8 and 10 x 42.

Cheers
Tim