In my original review I concluded with "In my limited experience, these binoculars are without flaw." This is still my opinion. That review can be found here: https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=370386
I have owned the SLC 15s for about a year, so I will provide some updated thoughts about them for anyone who cares. After reading my original review, I don't have much to add as far as optical comments, so this update will primarily focus on how I use my 15s, and what optics I use with them.
There are a few things that I said in my review last year that I no longer agree with:
First, I never use the monopod anymore. I bought a tripod and it is far more useful to me than the monopod ever was. I bought the Outdoorsman's tall tripod and pan head. I still use their pistol grip sometimes, which is an awesome little head. I also bought a really compact, collapsible three-legged stool that works great for seated observations.
Second, I still use the SLCs handheld pretty often, but it always supplements my tripod usage. That is to say, I never leave the house with the 15s without a tripod. They are a pleasure to use handheld.
Third, I never use any of the accessories other than the case, so I don't care much about that after all. It is nice when you open the box, and they included a bunch of really high-quality stuff with your purchase, but I just don't use them.
Fourth, I got a doubler, then returned it. It sucked.
Now, onto how I feel about my SLCs now and how I use them:
I have bought a bunch of optics since my last review, so my quiver has been bolstered substantially. The two biggest changes have been the purchase of a BTX 85 and some CL 8x25s.
To answer the obvious question first: I most often leave my house with the SLCs over the BTX. I often supplement the 15s with my Pockets. On a side note, pocket binoculars are totally awesome, and I wish I had gotten a nice pair a long time ago. I can load up a backpack with layers, food, water, first aid, and my 15s. I will strap my tripod and stool to the outside of my pack. Then I will carry my CLs in my breast pocket, or in their case strapped to the waist strap of my backpack. With this setup, I am ready for anything. I have used it for birding and hunting to great effect. I have run a couple of miles at a time with this. I have hiked up to the top of mountains with this. By far the best balance between adventurousness and observation capability that I have figured out so far. This setup is possible because of how compact the SLCs are. And, I get it, the spotting scope is big and there is no way around that, especially considering that I got the one with a behemoth of an eyepiece. I don't fault the BTX for that, I am just saying that the SLCs are used more often than the BTX in part because of the difference in size.
As far as the optics go, the BTX and the SLCs offer a surprisingly similar view in all but the magnification. The colors are similar. The apparent field of view is similar. The sharpness of the field is similar. I really think of the BTX as double the SLCs. Having said that, the difference in magnification makes them completely different tools, but the quality of the view is very similar in both.
The BTX is simply stunning to look through, and it is hard for me to wrap my head around how it is so good while providing that much magnification.
After I got the BTX I was afraid that it would make the SLCs obsolete, and I felt a bit of buyers remorse. In reality, though, the BTX compliments the SLCs rather than competing with them. Sure, I often choose one or the other when I am gearing up, but the experiences that I have with each of them is unique. For instance, if it is spring migration, and I am wholly focused on slow, deliberate, careful birding where I want to get as many species as possible, then I will go with the BTX and my Ultravid 7s. The 30x magnification really does provide some spectacularly intimate views of our feathered brethren and allows for the resolution to identify that hawk in the tree 3/4 of a mile out.
Most of this has more to do with comparing big binoculars to a big scope than it has to do with the choice of binoculars or scope. So, let me reiterate what I said in my first review; the SLCs are a very good choice and are the smallest 15s that you can get. They are really bright, have great colors with minimal chromatic aberration, and a competitive field of view. In the last review I concluded by saying they were without flaw, which after a year of use I cannot dispute. What I would add to that is that beyond being flawless optically and physically, they are an eminently useful optic that I have found to be really versatile.
I have owned the SLC 15s for about a year, so I will provide some updated thoughts about them for anyone who cares. After reading my original review, I don't have much to add as far as optical comments, so this update will primarily focus on how I use my 15s, and what optics I use with them.
There are a few things that I said in my review last year that I no longer agree with:
First, I never use the monopod anymore. I bought a tripod and it is far more useful to me than the monopod ever was. I bought the Outdoorsman's tall tripod and pan head. I still use their pistol grip sometimes, which is an awesome little head. I also bought a really compact, collapsible three-legged stool that works great for seated observations.
Second, I still use the SLCs handheld pretty often, but it always supplements my tripod usage. That is to say, I never leave the house with the 15s without a tripod. They are a pleasure to use handheld.
Third, I never use any of the accessories other than the case, so I don't care much about that after all. It is nice when you open the box, and they included a bunch of really high-quality stuff with your purchase, but I just don't use them.
Fourth, I got a doubler, then returned it. It sucked.
Now, onto how I feel about my SLCs now and how I use them:
I have bought a bunch of optics since my last review, so my quiver has been bolstered substantially. The two biggest changes have been the purchase of a BTX 85 and some CL 8x25s.
To answer the obvious question first: I most often leave my house with the SLCs over the BTX. I often supplement the 15s with my Pockets. On a side note, pocket binoculars are totally awesome, and I wish I had gotten a nice pair a long time ago. I can load up a backpack with layers, food, water, first aid, and my 15s. I will strap my tripod and stool to the outside of my pack. Then I will carry my CLs in my breast pocket, or in their case strapped to the waist strap of my backpack. With this setup, I am ready for anything. I have used it for birding and hunting to great effect. I have run a couple of miles at a time with this. I have hiked up to the top of mountains with this. By far the best balance between adventurousness and observation capability that I have figured out so far. This setup is possible because of how compact the SLCs are. And, I get it, the spotting scope is big and there is no way around that, especially considering that I got the one with a behemoth of an eyepiece. I don't fault the BTX for that, I am just saying that the SLCs are used more often than the BTX in part because of the difference in size.
As far as the optics go, the BTX and the SLCs offer a surprisingly similar view in all but the magnification. The colors are similar. The apparent field of view is similar. The sharpness of the field is similar. I really think of the BTX as double the SLCs. Having said that, the difference in magnification makes them completely different tools, but the quality of the view is very similar in both.
The BTX is simply stunning to look through, and it is hard for me to wrap my head around how it is so good while providing that much magnification.
After I got the BTX I was afraid that it would make the SLCs obsolete, and I felt a bit of buyers remorse. In reality, though, the BTX compliments the SLCs rather than competing with them. Sure, I often choose one or the other when I am gearing up, but the experiences that I have with each of them is unique. For instance, if it is spring migration, and I am wholly focused on slow, deliberate, careful birding where I want to get as many species as possible, then I will go with the BTX and my Ultravid 7s. The 30x magnification really does provide some spectacularly intimate views of our feathered brethren and allows for the resolution to identify that hawk in the tree 3/4 of a mile out.
Most of this has more to do with comparing big binoculars to a big scope than it has to do with the choice of binoculars or scope. So, let me reiterate what I said in my first review; the SLCs are a very good choice and are the smallest 15s that you can get. They are really bright, have great colors with minimal chromatic aberration, and a competitive field of view. In the last review I concluded by saying they were without flaw, which after a year of use I cannot dispute. What I would add to that is that beyond being flawless optically and physically, they are an eminently useful optic that I have found to be really versatile.
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